I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5240 
To require geographical diversity in the provision of health profession oppor-
tunity grants under section 2008 of the Social Security Act, and to 
require the support services provided through the use of the grants 
to include a transportation assistance plan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 
Ms. SEWELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To require geographical diversity in the provision of health 
profession opportunity grants under section 2008 of the 
Social Security Act, and to require the support services 
provided through the use of the grants to include a 
transportation assistance plan. 
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 ‘‘Rural Health Training 
Opportunities Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:51 Sep 11, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5240.IH
H5240
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY IN PROVISION OF 
GRANTS; INCLUSION OF TRANSPORTATION 
ASSISTANCE PLAN AMONG SUPPORT SERV-
ICES. 
Section 2008 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397g) is amended by redesignating subsections (c) and 
(d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively, and by insert-
ing after subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(c) GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY; TRANSPORTATION 
ASSISTANCE PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) PREFERENCE
FOR
APPLICATIONS
FOR 
PROJECTS TO SERVE A RURAL AREA.—In consid-
ering applications for a grant under this section, the 
Secretary shall give preference to applications which 
describe a demonstration project that will serve a 
rural area in which— 
‘‘(A) the community in which the individ-
uals to be enrolled in the project reside is lo-
cated; 
‘‘(B) the project will be conducted; or 
‘‘(C) an employer partnership that has 
committed to hiring individuals who successfully 
complete all activities under the project is lo-
cated. 
‘‘(2) SUPPORT REQUIRED TO INCLUDE TRANS-
PORTATION ASSISTANCE PLAN.—A project for which 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:51 Sep 11, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5240.IH
H5240
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
a grant is made under this section shall include a 
plan to provide project participants with transpor-
tation through means such as the following: 
‘‘(A) Referral to, and assistance with en-
rollment in, a subsidized transportation pro-
gram. 
‘‘(B) If a subsidized transportation pro-
gram is not reasonably available, direct pay-
ments to subsidize transportation costs. 
For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘transpor-
tation’ includes public transit, or gasoline for a per-
sonal vehicle if public transit is not reasonably ac-
cessible or available. 
‘‘(3) REPORTS
TO
THE
CONGRESS.—During 
each Congress, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
the Senate a report— 
‘‘(A) on, with respect to the period since 
the period covered in the most recent prior re-
port submitted under this paragraph— 
‘‘(i) the number of applications sub-
mitted under each subsection of this sec-
tion, with a separate statement of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:51 Sep 11, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5240.IH
H5240
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
number of applications referred to in para-
graph (1); and 
‘‘(ii) the number of the applications 
that were approved, with a separate state-
ment of the number of such applications 
referred to in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) that includes an assessment of the ef-
fectiveness of the demonstration projects con-
ducted under this section with respect to ad-
dressing health professions workforce shortages 
or in-demand jobs in rural areas.’’. 
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
on October 1, 2021. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:51 Sep 11, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5240.IH
H5240
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS