Chiropractic Membership in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Act of 2017

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize appointment of Doctors of Chiropractic to regular and reserve corps of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Chiropractic Membership in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Act of 2017 2. Doctors of Chiropractic in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (a) Appointment of personnel Section 207(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 209(a)(1) chiropractic, nursing, (b) Authorization of appointment of Doctors of Chiropractic Section 207 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 209 (j) Appointment of Doctors of Chiropractic Doctors of Chiropractic who are graduates of colleges of chiropractic whose graduates are eligible for licensure to practice chiropractic in a majority of the States of the United States, or approved by a body or bodies acceptable to the Secretary, shall be eligible for appointment as officers in the commissioned Regular Corps and the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service. The Secretary and the Surgeon General shall ensure that such Doctors of Chiropractic are trained, equipped, and otherwise prepared to fulfill applicable public health and emergency response service responsibilities in the Commissioned Corps. . (c) Required placement of Doctors of Chiropractic into Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with the Surgeon General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall commence the appointment of no fewer than 6 Doctors of Chiropractic into the commissioned Regular Corps and the Ready Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service. (2) Reports The Surgeon General shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate quarterly reports on all measures taken by the President, the Surgeon General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out the provisions of this Act, including the amendments made by this Act. The first such report shall be submitted not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (d) Authorization of appropriations Out of the total aggregate appropriations made available to the Department of Health and Human Services through annual appropriations Acts for fiscal years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, $1,500,000 is authorized and shall be made available in each of such fiscal years only for the salaries and expenses necessary to carry out this Act.

Summary: Chiropractic Membership in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to make certain doctors of chiropractic (chiropractors) eligible for appointment to the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. To be appointed, a chiropractor must be eligible for licensure in a majority of the states or approved by a body acceptable to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS and the Surgeon General must ensure that such chiropractors are trained, equipped, and otherwise prepared to fulfill public health and emergency response service responsibilities in the Commissioned Corps. The President must appoint at least six chiropractors to the commissioned Regular Corps and the Ready Reserve Corps. The Surgeon General must report to Congress on measures taken by the President, Surgeon General, and HHS to carry out this bill.