I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8400 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children’s vision and 
eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal organizations, 
and the provision of technical assistance to support those efforts. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 14, 2024 
Mr. VEASEY (for himself and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve chil-
dren’s vision and eye health through grants to States, 
territories, and Tribal organizations, and the provision 
of technical assistance to support those efforts. 
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 ‘‘Early Detection of Vi-
sion Impairments for Children Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTER-
VENTION PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS RELATED 
TO CHILDREN’S VISION AND EYE HEALTH. 
Part Q of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 399Z–3. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND 
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS 
RELATED TO CHILDREN’S VISION AND EYE 
HEALTH. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Health Resources 
and Services Administration, shall make awards of 
grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities 
to develop and implement statewide early detection 
and intervention programs and systems related to 
children’s vision and eye health. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), 
an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) be a State, territory, Indian Tribe or 
Tribal organization, or Urban Indian organiza-
tion, including a State or community depart-
ment of children and families, health, or public 
health, or a State educational agency; and 
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‘‘(B) submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may 
require. 
‘‘(3) USE
OF
AWARDS.—Amounts provided 
under a grant or cooperative agreement under para-
graph (1) shall be used for three or more of the fol-
lowing activities: 
‘‘(A) Implementing early detection prac-
tices (such as vision screening) and intervention 
initiatives for the purpose of identifying vision 
concerns in children as they engage in the med-
ical, home, public educational, or early learning 
setting, promoting referrals to eye care, and 
promoting the use of evidence-based and age- 
appropriate standards guided by nationally rec-
ognized and uniform guidelines. 
‘‘(B) Developing an integrated approach to 
State-level data collection and management to 
advance State-based performance improvement 
systems and uniform children’s vision and eye 
health guidelines across relevant and appro-
priate State-level jurisdictions. 
‘‘(C) Identifying strategies to improve eye 
health outcomes, expand access to care, and re-
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duce health disparities for the detection, diag-
nosis, and treatment of ocular disease and eye 
conditions in children who experience barriers 
to eye care from rural and underserved popu-
lations. 
‘‘(D) Raising awareness by providing the 
public, including families, guardians (perma-
nent, legal, or temporary), family or community 
caregivers, and early learning settings with chil-
dren’s vision and eye health information that is 
accurate, accessible, culturally and linguistically 
competent, comprehensive, up-to-date, and evi-
dence-based or evidence-informed. 
‘‘(E) Establishing a coordinated public 
health system for vision care and eye health, in-
cluding early detection, referral to eye care, di-
agnosis and intervention, and follow-up for chil-
dren. 
‘‘(F) Providing referrals to wrap-around 
vision services, as necessary, for a future of 
independent living. 
‘‘(4) COLLABORATION WITH NECESSARY COM-
MUNITY AND STATE PARTNERS.—In carrying out ac-
tivities under this subsection, the recipient of a 
grant or cooperative agreement shall consult with 
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necessary community and State partners, including 
State agencies responsible for the administration of 
title V of Social Security Act (the Maternal and 
Child Health Block Grant Program), title XIX of 
such Act (the Medicaid Early Periodic Screening, 
Diagnosis, and Treatment Program), title XXI of 
such Act (the State Children’s Health Insurance 
Program), and parts B and C of the Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act, the Indian Health 
Service, and consumer groups for the purposes of 
program and policy development, collaboration, and 
improvement. 
‘‘(5) EVALUATION AND REPORT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—An entity that re-
ceives a grant or cooperative agreement under 
this subsection shall annually submit to the 
Secretary a report that describes the activities 
carried out under the grant or agreement, in-
cluding a description of the period of perform-
ance covered under the report, the scope of ac-
tivities carried out during such period, the out-
comes of such activities, and a demonstration of 
whether funding recipients have met project 
goals for the designated time period outlined in 
the initial application under paragraph (2). 
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‘‘(B) AVAILABILITY
OF
REPORTS.—The 
Secretary shall make available to the general 
public the annual reports under subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
eligible entities under subsection (a) with technical 
support in the development, implementation, and en-
hancement of activities described in such subsection. 
‘‘(2) GRANTS.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, shall award grants or cooperative agree-
ments to provide technical assistance to eligible enti-
ties to— 
‘‘(A) develop, maintain, and improve data 
collection systems related to children’s vision 
screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and interven-
tion services; 
‘‘(B) disseminate information for stake-
holders, including States and local governments, 
Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Urban In-
dian organizations, public health departments, 
and nonprofit organizations, to launch effective 
strategies and interventions in preventing and 
treating childhood vision disorders; 
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‘‘(C) conduct applied research related to 
early vision screening and intervention pro-
grams and outcomes; 
‘‘(D) ensure quality monitoring of vision 
screening, evaluation, and intervention pro-
grams and systems; and 
‘‘(E) assist eligible entities in coordinating 
on best practices and maintaining national 
goals related to vision and eye health. 
‘‘(3) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 4 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the 
recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement 
under this subsection shall evaluate the activi-
ties conducted with funds received under this 
section and submit a report to the Secretary on 
the outcomes, costs, and program effectiveness 
of such activities. 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—A report under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be in such form and con-
tain such information as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
‘‘(C) SUBMISSION.—Upon determination 
by the Secretary that a report under subpara-
graph (A) meets the requirements of this para-
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graph, the recipient shall submit the report to 
Congress. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant or cooperative agreement under this sub-
section, an entity shall be a public or nonprofit pri-
vate organization or institution, with expertise, or 
demonstrated proficiency, in developing systems- 
based approaches to children’s vision and eye health 
for the purpose of providing technical assistance in 
relation to one or more of the activities described in 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.—The Sec-
retary shall coordinate and consult with the Health Re-
sources and Services Administration, the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services, the Administration for Communities 
and Families, the Indian Health Service, and the Depart-
ment of Education on recommendations for policy develop-
ment at the Federal, State, and Tribal levels with the pri-
vate sector, including consumer, medical, and other health 
and education child serving not-for-profit organizations 
with respect to early detection and intervention programs 
and systems. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian Tribe’ 
has the meaning given to the term ‘Indian tribe’ in 
section 102 of the Federally Recognized Indian 
Tribe List Act of 1994. 
‘‘(2) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘State educational agency’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(3) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘Tribal 
organization’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act. 
‘‘(4) URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘Urban Indian organization’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated— 
‘‘(1) to carry out this section, other than sub-
section (a)(5), $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2025 through 2029; and 
‘‘(2) to carry out subsection (a)(5), $5,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.’’. 
Æ 
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