I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7543 
To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to provide for a loan 
repayment program for the HIV clinical and dental workforce, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2020 
Mr. LEWIS (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mrs. HAYES, 
and Mr. SERRANO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to 
provide for a loan repayment program for the HIV clin-
ical and dental workforce, 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 ‘‘HIV Epidemic Loan- 
Repayment Program Act of 2020’’ or the ‘‘HELP Act of 
2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR HIV CLINICAL 
AND DENTAL WORKFORCE. 
Part C of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 293k et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘Subpart III—Loan Repayment Program for HIV 
Clinical and Dental Workforce 
‘‘SEC. 749B. LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR HIV CLIN-
ICAL AND DENTAL WORKFORCE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, shall carry out a program under which— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary enters into agreements with 
physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, phy-
sician assistants, clinical pharmacists, and dentists 
to make payments in accordance with subsection (b) 
on the principal of and interest on any eligible loan; 
and 
‘‘(2) the individuals each agree to the require-
ments of service in HIV treatment or HIV dental 
care employment, as described in subsection (d). 
‘‘(b) PAYMENTS.—For each year of obligated service 
by an individual pursuant to an agreement under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall make a payment to such 
individual as follows: 
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‘‘(1) SERVICE IN A SHORTAGE AREA.—The Sec-
retary shall pay— 
‘‘(A) for each year of obligated service by 
an individual pursuant to an agreement under 
subsection (a), 1⁄5 of the principal of and inter-
est on each eligible loan of the individual which 
is outstanding on the date the individual began 
service pursuant to the agreement; and 
‘‘(B) for completion of the fifth and final 
year of such service, the remainder of such 
principal and interest. 
‘‘(2) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The total amount of 
payments under this section to any individual shall 
not exceed $250,000. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE LOANS.—The loans eligible for repay-
ment under this section are each of the following: 
‘‘(1) Any loan for education or training for HIV 
treatment employment. 
‘‘(2) Any loan under part E of title VIII (relat-
ing to nursing student loans). 
‘‘(3) Any Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Fed-
eral Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Direct Unsub-
sidized Stafford Loan, or Federal Direct Consolida-
tion Loan (as such terms are used in section 455 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965). 
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‘‘(4) Any Federal Perkins Loan under part E 
of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(5) Any other Federal loan as determined ap-
propriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENTS OF SERVICE.—Any individual 
receiving payments under the program under this section 
as required by an agreement under subsection (a) shall 
agree to an annual commitment to full-time employment, 
with no more than 1 year passing between any 2 years 
of HIV treatment employment in the United States in a 
service area that is— 
‘‘(1) a health professional shortage area, as des-
ignated under section 332; 
‘‘(2) a clinical site awarded a grant or other as-
sistance under title XXVI for the provision of clin-
ical or dental services; or 
‘‘(3) an area that meets criteria specified pur-
suant to subsection (f). 
‘‘(e) WAIVERS FOR HALF-TIME SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may issue 
waivers to individuals who have entered into a con-
tract for obligated service under this section under 
which the individuals are authorized to satisfy the 
requirement of obligated service through providing 
service that is half time. 
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‘‘(2) APPLICABLE PROVISIONS.—The provisions 
of subparts II and III of part D of title III respect-
ing waivers under section 331(i) and half-time serv-
ice pursuant to such waivers shall apply to waivers 
and half-time service under this section to the same 
extent and in the same manner as such provisions 
apply with respect to the National Health Service 
Corps Loan Repayment Program. 
‘‘(f) CRITERIA FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICE AREAS.— 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Adminis-
trator of the Health Resources and Services Administra-
tion, shall establish criteria for additional service areas for 
purposes of the requirement under subsection (d). 
‘‘(g) INELIGIBILITY FOR DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No 
borrower may, for the same service, receive a reduction 
of loan obligations or a loan repayment under both— 
‘‘(1) this section; and 
‘‘(2) any federally supported loan forgiveness 
program, including under section 338B, 338I, or 
846 of this Act, or section 428J, 428L, 455(m), or 
460 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(h) BREACH.— 
‘‘(1) LIQUIDATED
DAMAGES
FORMULA.—The 
Secretary may establish a liquidated damages for-
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mula to be used in the event of a breach of an 
agreement entered into under subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The failure by an individual 
to complete the full period of service obligated pur-
suant to such an agreement, taken alone, shall not 
constitute a breach of the agreement, so long as the 
individual completed in good faith the years of serv-
ice for which payments were made to the individual 
under this section. 
‘‘(i) ADDITIONAL CRITERIA.—The Secretary— 
‘‘(1) may establish such criteria and rules to 
carry out this section as the Secretary determines 
are needed and in addition to the criteria and rules 
specified in this section; and 
‘‘(2) shall give notice to the committees speci-
fied in subsection (j) of any criteria and rules so es-
tablished. 
‘‘(j) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 
other year thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and sub-
mit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report 
on— 
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‘‘(1) the number, provider type, and location of 
borrowers who have qualified for loan repayments 
under this section; and 
‘‘(2) the impact of this section on the avail-
ability of HIV clinical care and treatment or HIV 
dental care nationally, in shortage areas, and in 
States, counties, and other jurisdictions targeted by 
the Federal End the HIV Epidemic Initiative. 
‘‘(k) DEFINITION.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘HIV’ means the human im-
munodeficiency virus. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘HIV treatment employment’ 
means employment (including a fellowship)— 
‘‘(A) as a physician, physician assistant, 
advanced practice registered nurse, clinical 
pharmacist, dentist, or other relevant practi-
tioner licensed or certified in accordance with 
applicable State and Federal law, where the pri-
mary intent and function of the position is the 
direct treatment and care of persons living with 
HIV; and 
‘‘(B) which is located at an HIV treatment 
program, which could be affiliated with a pri-
vate practice, community health center, tele-
health platform, migrant health center, aca-
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demic medical center, hospital, rural health pro-
gram, health program or facility operated by an 
Indian tribe or tribal organization, Federal 
medical facility, or any other facility as deter-
mined appropriate for purposes of this section 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) The terms ‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribal organi-
zation’ have the meanings given those terms in sec-
tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘jurisdiction’ means a city, town, 
county, or other public body created by or pursuant 
to State law, or an Indian tribe. 
‘‘(l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026.’’. 
Æ 
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