SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR NURSING EDUCATION AND THE FU-
TURE NURSING WORKFORCE. 
Part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 832. NURSING EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT AND MOD-
ERNIZATION 
GRANTS 
IN 
UNDERSERVED 
AREAS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, may award grants to schools of nursing 
(as defined in section 801) for— 
‘‘(1) increasing the number of faculty and stu-
dents at such schools in order to enhance the pre-
paredness of the United States for, and the ability 
of the United States to address and quickly respond 
to, public health emergencies declared under section 
319 and pandemics; or 
‘‘(2) the enhancement and modernization of 
nursing education programs. 
‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In selecting grant recipients under 
this section, the Secretary shall give priority to schools of 
nursing that— 
‘‘(1) are located in a medically underserved 
community; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:19 Feb 27, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H851.IH
H851
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) are located in a health professional short-
age area as defined under section 332(a); or 
‘‘(3) are institutions of higher education listed 
under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965. 
‘‘(c) CONSIDERATION.—In awarding grants under 
this section, the Secretary, to the extent practicable, may 
ensure equitable distribution of awards among the geo-
graphic regions of the United States. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A school of nursing that re-
ceives a grant under this section may use the funds award-
ed through such grant for activities that include— 
‘‘(1) enhancing enrollment and retention of stu-
dents at such school, with a priority for students 
from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial or 
ethnic groups underrepresented in the nursing work-
force), individuals from rural and underserved areas, 
low-income individuals, and first generation college 
students (as defined in section 402A(h)(3) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965); 
‘‘(2) creating, supporting, or modernizing edu-
cational programs and curriculum at such school; 
‘‘(3) retaining current faculty, and hiring new 
faculty, with an emphasis on faculty from racial or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:19 Feb 27, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H851.IH
H851
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with BILLS
ethnic groups who are underrepresented in the nurs-
ing workforce; 
‘‘(4) modernizing infrastructure at such school, 
including audiovisual or other equipment, personal 
protective equipment, simulation and augmented re-
ality resources, telehealth technologies, and virtual 
and physical laboratories; 
‘‘(5) partnering with a health care facility, 
nurse-managed health clinic, community health cen-
ter, or other facility that provides health care in 
order to provide educational opportunities for the 
purpose of establishing or expanding clinical edu-
cation; 
‘‘(6) enhancing and expanding nursing pro-
grams that prepare nurse researchers and scientists; 
‘‘(7) establishing nurse-led intradisciplinary and 
interprofessional educational partnerships; and 
‘‘(8) other activities that the Secretary deter-
mines further the development, improvement, and 
expansion of schools of nursing. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS FROM ENTITIES.—Each school of 
nursing awarded a grant under this section shall submit 
an annual report to the Secretary on the activities con-
ducted under such grant, and other information as the 
Secretary may require. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:19 Feb 27, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H851.IH
H851
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with BILLS
‘‘(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report that provides a summary of the ac-
tivities and outcomes associated with grants made under 
this section. Such report shall include— 
‘‘(1) a list of schools of nursing receiving grants 
under this section, including the primary geographic 
location of any school of nursing that was improved 
or expanded through such a grant; 
‘‘(2) the total number of students who are en-
rolled at or who have graduated from any school of 
nursing that was improved or expanded through a 
grant under this section, which such statistic shall— 
‘‘(A) to the extent such information is 
available, be deidentified and disaggregated by 
race, ethnicity, age, sex, geographic region, dis-
ability status, and other relevant factors; and 
‘‘(B) include an indication of the number 
of such students who are from racial or ethnic 
groups underrepresented in the nursing work-
force, such students who are from rural or un-
derserved areas, such students who are low-in-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:19 Feb 27, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H851.IH
H851
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with BILLS
come students, and such students who are first 
generation college students (as defined in sec-
tion 402A(h)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965); 
‘‘(3) to the extent such information is available, 
the effects of the grants awarded under this section 
on retaining and hiring of faculty, including any in-
crease in diverse faculty, the number of clinical edu-
cation partnerships, the modernization of nursing 
education infrastructure, and other ways this section 
helps address and quickly respond to public health 
emergencies and pandemics; 
‘‘(4) recommendations for improving the grants 
awarded under this section; and 
‘‘(5) any other considerations as the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $1,000,000,000 to remain available until ex-
pended.’’. 
SEC. 3. STRENGTHENING NURSE EDUCATION. 
The heading of part D of title VIII of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p et seq.) is amended 
by striking ‘‘BASIC’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:19 Feb 27, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H851.IH
H851
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with BILLS