I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5248 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Provider Bridge 
Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 
Mr. CROW (for himself and Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the 
Provider Bridge Program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Temporary Responders 
for Immediate Aid in Grave Emergencies Act of 2021’’ 
or the ‘‘TRIAGE Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. PROVIDER BRIDGE PROGRAM. 
Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended 
by inserting after section 330L of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
254c–18) the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 330L–1. PROVIDER BRIDGE PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, shall maintain a program, to be known 
as the Provider Bridge Program— 
‘‘(1) to streamline the process for mobilizing 
health care professionals during the COVID–19 pan-
demic and future public health emergencies, includ-
ing by utilizing communications pathways and new 
technology; and 
‘‘(2) to connect health care professionals with 
State agencies and health care entities in order to 
quickly increase access to care for patients by means 
of telehealth. 
‘‘(b) 
PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Provider 
Bridge Program shall be designed— 
‘‘(1) to ease the burden on health care profes-
sionals and support license portability by— 
‘‘(A) providing a directory of State and 
Federal COVID–19 resources; 
‘‘(B) offering a dedicated customer service 
hub to help clinicians navigate State licensure 
requirements, including those specific to tele-
health, during states of emergency; 
‘‘(C) utilizing a technology platform to 
allow health care professionals to register and 
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voluntarily submit their credentials and profes-
sional background information that can be used 
to identify such professionals as willing to treat 
patients by means of telehealth in highly im-
pacted areas; and 
‘‘(D) producing official, digital documents 
of licensure information for clinicians that are 
recognized and accepted by licensing entities 
and other State agencies during states of emer-
gency; and 
‘‘(2) to make it easier for State agencies and 
health care entities to connect with registered health 
care professionals to expand workforce needs by pro-
viding access to a database of information for 
verified, volunteer clinicians willing to provide tele-
health services during emergencies. 
‘‘(c) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall submit re-
ports to the Congress on the implementation of this sec-
tion not later than the end of each of fiscal years 2023 
and 2025. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $1,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 
2026.’’. 
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SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPEDITE REACTIVATION OF 
AN EXPIRED LICENSE OR ISSUANCE OF A 
TEMPORARY 
AUTHORITY 
TO 
PROVIDE 
HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
to States for reactivating the expired licenses of, or issuing 
temporary authorization to, health care professionals to 
the extent necessary to allow such professionals to volun-
teer, and to assign such professionals as volunteers, pursu-
ant to the Provider Bridge Program under section 330L– 
1 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 
2, during the public health emergency. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.—During the 
public health emergency, a State receiving a grant 
under this section may use such funds to— 
(A) expedite the reactivation of a health 
care professional’s license, or issuance of a tem-
porary authorization, including— 
(i) a criminal record history check and 
similar vetting as required under State law 
for each volunteer; 
(ii) covering the cost of reactivation of 
the license or issuance of a temporary au-
thorization; 
(iii) hiring additional staff; 
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(iv) providing appropriate refresher 
training; and 
(v) any other logistical, administra-
tive, or material costs that may arise; and 
(B) implement a process to assign a health 
care professional to a hospital, a health care 
clinic, or any other health care facility within 
the State. 
(2) TERMINATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMER-
GENCY.—If a State receiving a grant under this sec-
tion has grant funds remaining at the end of the 
public health emergency, the State may use such 
funds, during the 6-month period following such 
emergency, for restoring health care system readi-
ness and procuring infectious disease personal pro-
tective equipment. 
(c) REACTIVATED LICENSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition on receipt of 
a grant under this section, a State shall require a 
health care professional whose license is reactivated 
pursuant to the grant to perform health care serv-
ices under the guidance of a health care professional 
with an active license and in good standing on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
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(2) RESTRICTION.—As a condition on receipt of 
a grant under this section, a State may not use a 
grant under this section to reactivate a license of an 
unlicensed health care professional if— 
(A) the unlicensed health care professional 
was not in good standing with a State licensing 
board when the license expired; or 
(B) the unlicensed health care professional 
has been convicted of a crime that would limit 
their ability to provide health care services. 
(d) GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant under 
this section shall be proportionate to the population of the 
State receiving the grant relative to the total population 
of all States receiving grants under this section. 
(e) PERIOD OF THE GRANT.—The period of a grant 
under this section shall end at the end of the public health 
emergency. 
(f) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary 
an application in such form, and containing such informa-
tion, as the Secretary may require. 
(g) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
may be construed to require a State to continue in effect 
a license or temporary authorization beyond the public 
health emergency. 
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(I) receipt of items to be used exclu-
sively for rendering health care services; 
and 
(II) excludes any direct payment or 
something of value from a State, hospital, 
or any other donation, including reim-
bursement for travel, lodging, and per 
diem in lieu of subsistence. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out 
this section. 
Æ 
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