120
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2010. 
‘‘SEC. 2917. CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR SCIENTISTS AND 
RESEARCHERS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Di-
rector of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, 
and the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research 
and Quality, shall award grants that expand existing op-
portunities for scientists and researchers and promote the 
inclusion of underrepresented minorities in the health pro-
fessions. 
‘‘(b) RESEARCH FUNDING.—The head of each entity 
within the Department of Health and Human Services 
shall establish or expand existing programs to provide re-
search funding to scientists and researchers in-training. 
Under such programs, the head of each such entity shall 
give priority in allocating research funding to support 
health research in traditionally underserved communities, 
including underrepresented minority communities, and re-
search classified as community or participatory. 
‘‘(c) DATA COLLECTION.—The head of each entity 
within the Department of Health and Human Services 
shall collect data on the number (expressed as an absolute
121
number and a percentage) of underrepresented minority 
and nonminority applicants who receive and are denied 
agency funding at every stage of review. Such data shall 
be reported annually to the Secretary and the appropriate 
committees of Congress. 
‘‘(d) STUDENT LOAN REIMBURSEMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a student loan reimbursement pro-
gram to provide student loan reimbursement assistance to 
researchers who focus on minority health issues or minor-
ity racial and ethnic disparities in health. The Secretary 
shall promulgate regulations to define the scope and pro-
cedures for the program under this subsection. 
‘‘(e) STUDENT LOAN CANCELLATION.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a student loan cancellation program 
to provide student loan cancellation assistance to research-
ers who focus on minority health issues or minority racial 
and ethnic disparities in health. Students participating in 
the program shall make a minimum 5-year commitment 
to work at an accredited health profession school. The Sec-
retary shall promulgate additional regulations to define 
the scope and procedures for the program under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section,
122
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2010. 
‘‘SEC. 
2918. 
CAREER 
SUPPORT 
FOR 
NON-RESEARCH 
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and 
the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Med-
icaid Services shall establish a program to award grants 
to eligible individuals for career support in non-research-
related healthcare. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a) an individual shall—
‘‘(1) be a student in a health professions school, 
a graduate of such a school who is working in a 
health profession, or a faculty member of such a 
school; and 
‘‘(2) submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(c) USE
OF
FUNDS.—An individual shall use 
amounts received under a grant under this section to—
123
‘‘(1) support the individual’s health activities or 
projects that involve underserved communities, in-
cluding racial and ethnic minority communities; 
‘‘(2) support health-related career advancement 
activities; and 
‘‘(3) to pay, or as reimbursement for payments 
of, student loans for individuals who are health pro-
fessionals and are focused on health issues affecting 
underserved communities, including racial and eth-
nic minority communities. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘career 
in non-research-related healthcare’ means employment or 
intended employment in the field of public health, health 
policy, health management, health administration, medi-
cine, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, community health, 
or other fields determined appropriate by the Secretary, 
other than in a position that involves research. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2010. 
‘‘SEC. 2919. RESEARCH ON THE EFFECT OF WORKFORCE DI-
VERSITY ON QUALITY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality, in collaboration with
124
the Director of the Office of Minority Health and the Di-
rector of the National Center on Minority Health and 
Health Disparities, shall award grants to eligible entities 
to expand research on the link between health workforce 
diversity and quality healthcare. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a) an entity shall—
‘‘(1) be a clinical, public health, or health serv-
ices research entity or other entity determined ap-
propriate by the Director; and 
‘‘(2) submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts received under a 
grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be used to sup-
port research that investigates the effect of health work-
force diversity on—
‘‘(1) language access; 
‘‘(2) cultural competence; 
‘‘(3) patient satisfaction; 
‘‘(4) timeliness of care; 
‘‘(5) safety of care; 
‘‘(6) effectiveness of care; 
‘‘(7) efficiency of care; 
‘‘(8) patient outcomes;
125
‘‘(9) community engagement; 
‘‘(10) resource allocation; 
‘‘(11) organizational structure; or 
‘‘(12) other topics determined appropriate by 
the Director. 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under sub-
section (a), the Director shall give individualized consider-
ation to all relevant aspects of the applicant’s background. 
Consideration of prior research experience involving the 
health of underserved communities shall be such a factor. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2010. 
‘‘SEC. 2920. HEALTH DISPARITIES EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—The 
Secretary, 
acting 
through the National Center on Minority Health and 
Health Disparities and in collaboration with the Office of 
Minority Health, the Office for Civil Rights, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medi-
care and Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and 
Services Administration, and other appropriate public and 
private entities, shall establish and coordinate a health and 
healthcare disparities education program to support, de-
velop, and implement educational initiatives and outreach