H. R. 2617—1282 
(2) recommendations to Congress regarding gaps in such 
practices and objectives described in subsection (a); and 
(3) considerations regarding the requirements and limita-
tions of data use agreements for such purposes, as applicable, 
and any efforts undertaken to address those requirements and 
limitations. 
SEC. 2216. GAO REPORT ON PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS, 
RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY DATA CAPABILITIES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Comptroller General’’) shall 
conduct a study on the efforts of the Department of Health and 
Human Services to ensure that public health preparedness, 
response, and recovery data capabilities related to pandemic and 
other biological threats are not unnecessarily duplicative, overlap-
ping, or fragmented. Such study shall include— 
(1) a comprehensive list of all public health preparedness, 
response, and recovery data collection, such as incidence and 
prevalence of disease tracking, hospitalizations, critical care 
capacity, and testing programs, at the Department of Health 
and Human Services, as identified by the department and 
its component agencies; 
(2) an analysis of any duplication, overlap, or fragmentation 
of the programs identified in paragraph (1); 
(3) identification of any efforts of the Department of Health 
and Human Services to reduce unnecessary duplication and 
improve coordination, efficiency, and effectiveness of such pro-
grams and any associated challenges; 
(4) any practices that threaten individual privacy and rec-
ommendations to improve the protection of individual, identifi-
able data; and 
(5) a description of the funding and other resources dedi-
cated to the operation of each such program identified in para-
graph (1). 
(b) REPORTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Based on the study conducted under sub-
section (a), the Comptroller General shall— 
(A) not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, provide a briefing to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(B) not later than 18 months after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, submit to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
resentatives a complete report on such study. 
(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report under paragraph (1)(B) 
shall include recommendations, as appropriate, with respect 
to public health preparedness, response, and recovery data 
programs at the Department of Health and Human Services, 
to— 
(A) streamline data collection and reduce fragmenta-
tion and address any associated challenges; 
(B) reduce duplication in such programs; and 
(C) improve information-sharing across programs.
H. R. 2617—1283 
CHAPTER 3—REVITALIZING THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
WORKFORCE 
SEC. 2221. IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF THE FRONT-
LINE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 776 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 295f–1) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘supply of’’ and inserting ‘‘supply of, 
and encourage recruitment and retention of,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Federal,’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by amending paragraph (1)(A) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1)(A)(i) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as 
a student in an accredited institution of higher education or 
school of public health in the final semester (or equivalent) 
of a program leading to a certificate or degree, including a 
master’s or doctoral degree, in public health, epidemiology, 
laboratory sciences, data systems, data science, data analytics, 
informatics, statistics, or another subject matter related to 
public health; and 
‘‘(ii) be employed by, or have accepted employment with, 
a State, local, or Tribal public health agency, or a related 
training fellowship at such State, local, or Tribal public health 
agency, as recognized by the Secretary, to commence upon 
graduation; or’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1)(B)— 
(i) in clause (i)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘accredited educational institu-
tion in a State or territory’’ and inserting ‘‘accred-
ited institution of higher education or school of 
public health’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘a public health or health 
professions degree or certificate’’ and inserting ‘‘a 
certificate or degree, including a master’s or doc-
toral degree, in public health, epidemiology, labora-
tory sciences, data systems, data science, data ana-
lytics, informatics, statistics, or another subject 
matter related to public health’’; and 
(ii) in clause (ii)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘Federal,’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘fellowship,’’ and inserting 
‘‘fellowship at such State, local, or Tribal public 
health agency,’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Federal,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘equal to the greater of—’’ and all 
that follows through the end of subparagraph (B) and 
inserting ‘‘of at least 3 consecutive years;’’; 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A loan repayment provided for an indi-
vidual under a written contract under the Program shall consist 
of payment, in accordance with paragraph (2), for the individual 
toward the outstanding principal and interest on education 
loans incurred by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant
H. R. 2617—1284 
degree or certificate described in subsection (b)(1) in accordance 
with the terms of the contract.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘For each year’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For each year’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘$35,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000’’; 
(iii) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$105,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$150,000’’; and 
(iv) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary may take action 
in making awards under this section to ensure that— 
‘‘(i) an appropriate proportion of contracts are 
awarded to individuals who are eligible to participate 
in the program pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A); and 
‘‘(ii) contracts awarded under this section are equi-
tably distributed among— 
‘‘(I) the geographical regions of the United 
States; 
‘‘(II) local, State, and Tribal public health 
departments; and 
‘‘(III) such public health departments under 
subclause (II) serving rural and urban areas.’’; 
(5) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘receiving a degree or 
certificate from a health professions or other related school’’ 
and inserting ‘‘with a contract to serve under subsection (c)’’; 
(6) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘In the event that a participant fails to either begin or complete 
the obligated service requirement of the loan repayment con-
tract under this section, the Secretary may waive or suspend 
either the unfulfilled service or the assessed damages as pro-
vided for under section 338E(d), as appropriate.’’; 
(7) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); 
(8) by inserting after subsection (f) the following: 
‘‘(g) ELIGIBLE LOANS.—The loans eligible for repayment under 
this section are each of the following: 
‘‘(1) Any loan for education or training for employment 
by a health department. 
‘‘(2) Any loan under part E of title VIII (relating to nursing 
student loans). 
‘‘(3) Any Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS 
Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or Federal 
Direct Consolidation Loan (as such terms are used in section 
455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965). 
‘‘(4) Any Federal Perkins Loan under part E of title I 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(5) Any other Federal loan, as the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
‘‘(h) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, as appropriate, 
establish a pilot program, to be known as the Bio-Preparedness 
Workforce Pilot Program, to provide for loan repayment for 
health professionals with expertise in infectious diseases and 
emergency preparedness and response activities to ensure an 
adequate supply of such professionals. Such program shall be 
administered consistent with the requirements of this section,
H. R. 2617—1285 
except that, to be eligible to participate in the pilot program, 
an individual shall— 
‘‘(A)(i) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as 
a student in an accredited institution of higher education 
in the final semester (or equivalent) of a program leading 
to a health professions degree or certificate program rel-
evant to such program; or 
‘‘(ii) have graduated, during the preceding 10-year 
period, from an accredited institution of higher education 
with a health professions degree or certificate program 
relevant to such program; and 
‘‘(B) be employed by, or have accepted employment 
with— 
‘‘(i) a Federal health care facility; 
‘‘(ii) a nonprofit health care facility that is located 
in a health professional shortage area (as defined in 
section 332), a frontier health professional shortage 
area (as defined in section 799B), or a medically under-
served community (as defined in section 799B); 
‘‘(iii) an entity receiving assistance under title 
XXVI for the provision of clinical services; 
‘‘(iv) a health program, or a facility, operated by 
an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as those terms 
are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determina-
tion and Education Assistance Act) or by an urban 
Indian organization (as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Health Care Improvement Act); or 
‘‘(v) another relevant entity determined appro-
priate by the Secretary, as a health professional with 
expertise in infectious diseases or emergency prepared-
ness and response. 
‘‘(2) NON-DUPLICATION
OF
EFFORT.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the pilot program established under paragraph 
(1) does not unnecessarily duplicate the National Health Service 
Corps Loan Repayment Program, or any other loan repayment 
program operated by the Department of Health and Human 
Services. 
‘‘(3) EVALUATION AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall evaluate the 
pilot program at the conclusion of the first cycle of recipi-
ents funded by the pilot program. 
‘‘(B) REPORT.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-
sions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report 
on the evaluation under subparagraph (A). The report 
shall include, at a minimum, outcomes information 
from the pilot program, including any impact on 
recruitment and retention of health professionals with 
expertise 
in 
infectious 
diseases 
and 
emergency 
preparedness and response activities. 
‘‘(ii) RECOMMENDATION.—The report under this 
subparagraph shall include a recommendation by the 
Secretary as to whether the pilot program under this 
subsection should be extended.’’;
H. R. 2617—1286 
(9) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking 
‘‘$195,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
2025’’; and 
(10) by striking ‘‘tribal’’ each place such term appears and 
inserting ‘‘Tribal’’. 
(b) GAO STUDY ON PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE.—Not later 
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall— 
(1) conduct an evaluation of what is known about the 
public health workforce in the United States, which shall 
address— 
(A) existing gaps in the Federal, State, local, Tribal, 
and territorial public health workforce, including positions 
that may be required to prepare for, and respond to, a 
public health emergency such as COVID–19; 
(B) challenges associated with the hiring, recruitment, 
and retention of the Federal, State, local, Tribal, and terri-
torial public health workforce; and 
(C) Federal efforts to improve hiring, recruitment, and 
retention of the public health workforce; and 
(2) submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on 
such review. 
SEC. 2222. AWARDS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND 
COMMUNITY HEALTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 399V of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–11) is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: 
‘‘AWARDS
TO
SUPPORT
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
WORKERS
AND 
COMMUNITY HEALTH’’; 
(2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants, contracts, 
or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to promote positive 
health behaviors and outcomes for populations in medically under-
served communities by leveraging community health workers, 
including by addressing ongoing and longer-term community health 
needs, and by building the capacity of the community health worker 
workforce. Such grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements shall 
be awarded in alignment and coordination with existing funding 
arrangements supporting community health workers.’’; 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Grants awarded’’ and inserting 
‘‘Subject to any requirements for the scope of licensure, 
registration, or certification of a community health 
worker under applicable State law, grants, contracts, 
and cooperative agreements awarded’’; and 
(ii) 
by 
striking 
‘‘support 
community 
health 
workers’’; 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; 
(C) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting 
the following:
H. R. 2617—1287 
‘‘(1) recruit, hire, train, and retain community health 
workers that reflect the needs of the community; 
‘‘(2) support community health workers in providing edu-
cation and outreach, in a community setting, regarding— 
‘‘(A) health conditions prevalent in— 
‘‘(i) medically underserved communities (as defined 
in section 799B), particularly racial and ethnic 
minority populations; and 
‘‘(ii) other such at-risk populations or geographic 
areas that may require additional support during 
public health emergencies, which may include counties 
identified by the Secretary using applicable measures 
developed by the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention or other Federal agencies; and 
‘‘(B) addressing health disparities, including by— 
‘‘(i) promoting awareness of services and resources 
to increase access to health care, mental health and 
substance use disorder services, child services, tech-
nology, housing services, educational services, nutrition 
services, employment services, and other services; and 
‘‘(ii) assisting in conducting individual and commu-
nity needs assessments; 
‘‘(3) educate community members, including regarding 
effective strategies to promote healthy behaviors;’’; 
(D) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking 
‘‘to educate’’ and inserting ‘‘educate’’; 
(E) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘to identify’’ and inserting ‘‘identify’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘healthcare agencies’’ and inserting 
‘‘health care agencies’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘healthcare services and to elimi-
nate duplicative care; or’’ and inserting ‘‘health care 
services and to streamline care, including serving as 
a liaison between communities and health care agen-
cies; and’’; and 
(F) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘to educate, guide, and provide’’ 
and inserting ‘‘support community health workers in 
educating, guiding, or providing’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘maternal health and prenatal care’’ 
and inserting ‘‘chronic diseases, maternal health, pre-
natal, and postpartum care in order to improve 
maternal and infant health outcomes’’; 
(4) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Each eligible entity’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘accompanied by’’ and inserting ‘‘To 
be eligible to receive an award under subsection (a), an entity 
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing’’; 
(5) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
‘‘awarding grants’’ and inserting ‘‘making awards’’; 
(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) propose to serve— 
‘‘(A) areas with populations that have a high rate of 
chronic disease, infant mortality, or maternal morbidity 
and mortality;
H. R. 2617—1288 
‘‘(B) 
low-income 
populations, 
including 
medically 
underserved populations (as defined in section 330(b)(3)); 
‘‘(C) populations residing in health professional short-
age areas (as defined in section 332(a)); 
‘‘(D) populations residing in maternity care health 
professional target areas identified under section 332(k); 
or 
‘‘(E) rural or traditionally underserved populations, 
including racial and ethnic minority populations or low- 
income populations;’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 
‘‘, including rural populations and racial and ethnic 
minority populations;’’; 
(D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘with community 
health workers.’’ and inserting ‘‘and established relation-
ships with community health workers in the communities 
expected to be served by the program;’’ and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) develop a plan for providing services to the extent 
practicable, in the language and cultural context most appro-
priate to individuals expected to be served by the program; 
and 
‘‘(5) propose to use evidence-informed or evidence-based 
practices, as applicable and appropriate.’’; 
(6) in subsection (e)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘community health worker programs’’ 
and inserting ‘‘eligible entities’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘and one-stop delivery systems under 
section 121(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘, health professions schools, 
minority-serving institutions (defined, for purposes of this 
subsection, as institutions and programs described in sec-
tion 326(e)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and 
institutions described in section 371(a) of such Act), area 
health education centers under section 751 of this Act, 
and one-stop delivery systems under section 121’’; 
(7) by striking subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may provide to 
eligible entities that receive awards under subsection (a) technical 
assistance with respect to planning, development, and operation 
of community health worker programs authorized or supported 
under this section. 
‘‘(g) DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 4 years 
after the date of enactment of the PREVENT Pandemics Act, the 
Secretary shall, based on activities carried out under this section 
and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, identify and 
disseminate 
evidence-based 
or 
evidence-informed 
practices 
regarding recruitment and retention of community health workers 
and paraprofessionals to address ongoing public health and commu-
nity health needs, and to prepare for, and respond to, future public 
health emergencies. 
‘‘(h) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 4 years after the 
date of enactment of the PREVENT Pandemics Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report concerning
H. R. 2617—1289 
the effectiveness of the program under this section in addressing 
ongoing public health and community health needs. Such report 
shall include recommendations regarding any improvements to such 
program, including recommendations for how to improve recruit-
ment, training, and retention of the community health workforce. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For purposes of car-
rying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.’’; 
(8) by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (j); and 
(9) in subsection (j), as so redesignated— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (1), (2), and (4); 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (1); 
(C) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘entity (including a State or public 
subdivision of a State’’ and inserting ‘‘entity, including 
a State or political subdivision of a State, an Indian 
Tribe or Tribal organization, an urban Indian organiza-
tion, a community-based organization’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘as defined in section 1861(aa) of 
the Social Security Act))’’ and inserting ‘‘(as defined 
in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act)’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) INDIAN
TRIBE; 
TRIBAL
ORGANIZATION.—The terms 
‘Indian Tribe’ and ‘Tribal organization’ have the meanings given 
the terms ‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribal organization’, respectively, 
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act. 
‘‘(3) URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘urban Indian 
organization’ has the meaning given such term in section 4 
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.’’. 
(b) GAO STUDY
AND REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of submission of the report under subsection (h) of section 
399V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–11), as 
amended by subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the program 
authorized under such section 399V, including a review of the 
efforts of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate 
such program with applicable programs of the Health Resources 
and Services Administration to ensure there is no unnecessary 
duplication of efforts among such programs, and identification of 
any areas of duplication. 
SEC. 2223. IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
CAPACITY. 
(a) CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH EMER-
GENCY RESPONSES.—Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 247d) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH EMER-
GENCY RESPONSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to support the initial response 
to a public health emergency declared by the Secretary under 
this section, the Secretary may, subject to paragraph (2) and 
without regard to sections 3309 through 3318 of title 5, United 
States Code, appoint individuals directly to positions in the
H. R. 2617—1290 
Department of Health and Human Services for which the Sec-
retary has provided public notice in order to— 
‘‘(A) address a critical hiring need directly related to 
responding to a public health emergency declared by the 
Secretary under this section; or 
‘‘(B) address a severe shortage of candidates that 
impacts the operational capacity of the Department of 
Health and Human Services to respond in the event of 
a public health emergency declared by the Secretary under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS.—Each fiscal year in which 
the Secretary makes a determination of a public health emer-
gency under subsection (a) (not including a renewal), the Sec-
retary may directly appoint not more than— 
‘‘(A) 400 individuals under paragraph (1)(A); and 
‘‘(B) 100 individuals under paragraph (1)(B). 
‘‘(3) COMPENSATION.—The annual rate of basic pay of an 
individual appointed under this subsection shall be determined 
in accordance with chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 
53 of title 5, United States Code. 
‘‘(4) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall establish and main-
tain records regarding the use of the authority under this 
subsection, including— 
‘‘(A) the number of positions filled through such 
authority; 
‘‘(B) the types of appointments of such positions; 
‘‘(C) the titles, occupational series, and grades of such 
positions; 
‘‘(D) the number of positions publicly noticed to be 
filled under such authority; 
‘‘(E) the number of qualified applicants who apply for 
such positions; 
‘‘(F) the qualification criteria for such positions; and 
‘‘(G) the demographic information of individuals 
appointed to such positions. 
‘‘(5) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—In the event the Sec-
retary, within a single fiscal year, directly appoints more than 
50 percent of the individuals allowable under either subpara-
graph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2), the Secretary shall, not 
later than 15 days after the date of such action, notify the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives. Such notification shall, in a manner 
that protects personal privacy, to the extent required by 
applicable Federal and State privacy law, at a minimum, 
include— 
‘‘(A) information on each such appointment within such 
fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) a description of how each such position relates 
to the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph 
(1); and 
‘‘(C) the additional number of personnel, if any, the 
Secretary anticipates to be necessary to adequately support 
a response to a public health emergency declared under 
this section using the authorities described in paragraph 
(1) within such fiscal year.