I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8200 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of 
the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants to 
eligible entities to carry out construction or modernization projects de-
signed to strengthen and increase capacity within the specialized pediatric 
health care infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2024 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself, Mr. TRONE, Ms. STRICKLAND, Ms. BARRAGA´N, 
Ms. CHU, Ms. LEE of California, and Mr. MORELLE) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce 
A BILL 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to 
direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, act-
ing through the Administrator of the Health Resources 
and Services Administration, to award grants to eligible 
entities to carry out construction or modernization 
projects designed to strengthen and increase capacity 
within the specialized pediatric health care infrastruc-
ture, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pediatric Access to 
Critical Healthcare Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE CAPACITY GRANTS. 
Part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘Subpart XIII—Pediatric Health Care Capacity 
‘‘SEC. 340J. PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE CAPACITY GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, shall award grants to eligible entities to 
carry out construction or modernization projects designed 
to strengthen and increase capacity within pediatric health 
care infrastructure. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall be a— 
‘‘(1) children’s hospital; 
‘‘(2) a facility that is eligible to receive funds 
under Section 340E of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 256e); or 
‘‘(3) a nonprofit medical facility that predomi-
nantly treats individuals under the age of 21. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity selected to 
receive a grant under subsection (a) may use funds re-
ceived through the grant for— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(1) expanding pediatric critical health care in-
frastructure, including the expansion, renovation, re-
modeling, and alteration of existing buildings (but 
not including the cost of acquisition of land or off- 
site improvements); 
‘‘(2) maintaining and enhancing pediatric emer-
gency preparedness; 
‘‘(3) increasing the training, development, and 
retention of the pediatric health care workforce; 
‘‘(4) upgrading digital health infrastructure, in-
cluding upgrades related to preventing and address-
ing cybersecurity threats; 
‘‘(5) building additional patient care capacity to 
expand access to care; and 
‘‘(6) other activities related to strengthening 
and increasing capacity within the pediatric health 
care infrastructure, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity seeking a 
grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary 
an application, at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(1) a description of the entity’s planned activi-
ties described in subsection (c); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(2) such documentation as may be necessary 
to demonstrate to the Secretary’s satisfaction of the 
estimated cost of the project for which the grant is 
made. 
‘‘(e) CONSIDERATIONS.—In awarding grants under 
this section, the Secretary, to the extent practicable, may 
ensure equitable distribution of awards among the geo-
graphical regions of the United States. 
‘‘(f) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to re-
ceive a grant under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give 
priority to eligible entities— 
‘‘(1) for whom over 60 percent of the patients 
they serve are receiving medical assistance under a 
State plan (or a waiver of such plan) under title 
XIX of the Social Security Act or child health assist-
ance under a State child health plan (or a waiver of 
such plan) under title XXI of such Act; or 
‘‘(2) that primarily serve children from diverse 
and traditionally underserved populations, including 
racial and ethnic minorities. 
‘‘(g) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds pro-
vided under this subsection shall be used to supplement, 
and not supplant, Federal and non-Federal funds available 
for carrying out the activities described in this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(h) MATCHING FUNDS.—An eligible entity receiving 
a grant under this section shall provide funds from sources 
other than funds provided through such grant in an 
amount that is at least equal to 50 percent of the amount 
of such grant. 
‘‘(i) REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) REPORTS
FROM
GRANTEES.—Following 
project completion, each entity awarded a grant 
under this section shall submit a report to the Sec-
retary on the activities conducted under such grant, 
and other information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
September 30, 2028, and every 5 years thereafter, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions of the Senate a report on the activities 
conducted through, and outcomes of such projects, 
funded through the grants under subsection (a). 
Such reports shall include— 
‘‘(A) the number of projects supported by 
the grants under subsection (a); 
‘‘(B) an overview of the impact, if any, of 
such projects on pediatric health care infra-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
structure, including any impact on access to 
health care for pediatric populations; and 
‘‘(C) recommendations for improving the 
grant program under this section, and any 
other considerations as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$600,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
2034.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:55 May 29, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8200.IH
H8200
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB