I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 215 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the education and 
training of allied health professionals in exchange for a service commit-
ment, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2005 
Mr. STEARNS (for himself and Mr. STRICKLAND) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
the education and training of allied health professionals 
in exchange for a service commitment, 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 ‘‘Allied Health Profes-
sions Reinvestment Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The Bureau of the Census, the Institute of 
Medicine, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and State 
hospital associations highlight the increased demand 
for acute and chronic health care services among 
both the general population and a rapidly growing 
aging portion of the population. 
(2) The calls for reduction in medical errors, in-
creased patient safety, and increased quality of care 
have resulted in an amplified call for allied health 
professionals to provide health care services. 
(3) Several allied health professions are charac-
terized by workforce shortages, declining enrollments 
in allied health education programs, or a combina-
tion of both factors, and hospital officials have re-
ported vacancy rates in positions occupied by allied 
health professionals. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 295p) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through 
(11) as paragraphs (6) through (12), respectively; 
and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(5) The term ‘allied health profession’ means 
any profession practiced by an individual in his or 
her capacity as an allied health professional.’’. 
SEC. 4. ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Title VII of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating part F as part G; and 
(2) by adding after part E the following: 
‘‘PART F—ALLIED HEALTH 
‘‘SEC. 780. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop and 
issue public service announcements that advertise and pro-
mote the allied health professions, highlight the advan-
tages and rewards of the allied health professions, and en-
courage individuals to enter the allied health professions. 
‘‘(b) METHOD.—The public service announcements 
described in subsection (a) shall be broadcast through ap-
propriate media outlets, including television or radio, and 
other methods approved by the Secretary in a manner in-
tended to reach as wide and diverse an audience as pos-
sible. 
‘‘SEC. 780A. STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICE AN-
NOUNCEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
to eligible entities to support State and local advertising
campaigns through appropriate media outlets to promote 
the allied health professions and highlight the advantages 
and rewards of the allied health professions. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 
a grant under subsection (a) shall use funds received 
through such grant to acquire local television and radio 
time, place advertisements in local newspapers, or post in-
formation on billboards or on the Internet in a manner 
intended to reach as wide and diverse an audience as pos-
sible, in order to— 
‘‘(1) advertise and promote the allied health 
professions; 
‘‘(2) promote allied health professions education 
programs; 
‘‘(3) inform the public of financial assistance 
regarding such education programs; 
‘‘(4) highlight individuals in the community who 
are practicing allied health professions in order to 
recruit new allied health professionals; or 
‘‘(5) provide any other information to recruit 
individuals for the allied health professions. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under subsection (a) shall not use funds received 
through such grant to advertise particular employment op-
portunities.