I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3320 
To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to authorize assistance 
for increasing workforce diversity in the professions of physical therapy, 
occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and speech-language 
pathology, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 18, 2021 
Mr. RUSH (for himself and Mr. MULLIN) 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 
authorize assistance for increasing workforce diversity 
in the professions of physical therapy, occupational ther-
apy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and speech-language 
pathology, 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 Work-
force Diversity Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY IN THE PRO-
FESSIONS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPA-
TIONAL THERAPY, RESPIRATORY THERAPY, 
AUDIOLOGY, 
AND 
SPEECH-LANGUAGE 
PA-
THOLOGY. 
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating part G (42 U.S.C. 295j et 
seq.) as part H; and 
(2) by inserting after part F (42 U.S.C. 294n 
et seq.) the following new part: 
‘‘PART G—INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY 
IN THE PROFESSIONS OF PHYSICAL THER-
APY, 
OCCUPATIONAL 
THERAPY, 
RES-
PIRATORY 
THERAPY, 
AUDIOLOGY, 
AND 
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 
‘‘SEC. 783. SCHOLARSHIPS AND STIPENDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
and contracts to eligible entities to increase educational 
opportunities in the professions of physical therapy, occu-
pational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and 
speech-language pathology for eligible individuals by— 
‘‘(1) providing student scholarships or stipends, 
including for— 
‘‘(A) completion of an accelerated degree 
program; 
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‘‘(B) completion of an associate’s, bach-
elor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree program; 
and 
‘‘(C) entry by a diploma or associate’s de-
gree practitioner into a bridge or degree com-
pletion program; 
‘‘(2) providing assistance for completion of pre-
requisite courses or other preparation necessary for 
acceptance for enrollment in the eligible entity; and 
‘‘(3) carrying out activities to increase the re-
tention of students in one or more programs in the 
professions of physical therapy, occupational ther-
apy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and speech-lan-
guage pathology. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—In 
carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into 
consideration the recommendations of national organiza-
tions representing the professions of physical therapy, oc-
cupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and 
speech-language pathology, including the American Phys-
ical Therapy Association, the American Occupational 
Therapy Association, the American Speech-Language- 
Hearing Association, the American Association for Res-
piratory Care, the American Academy of Audiology, and 
the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. 
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‘‘(c) REQUIRED INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS FOR 
AWARD RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may require 
recipients of awards under this section to report to 
the Secretary concerning the annual admission, re-
tention, and graduation rates for eligible individuals 
in programs of the recipient leading to a degree in 
any of the professions of physical therapy, occupa-
tional therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and 
speech-language pathology. 
‘‘(2) FALLING RATES.—If any of the rates re-
ported by a recipient under paragraph (1) fall below 
the average for such recipient over the two years 
preceding the year covered by the report, the recipi-
ent shall provide the Secretary with plans for imme-
diately improving such rates. 
‘‘(3) INELIGIBILITY.—A recipient described in 
paragraph (2) shall be ineligible for continued fund-
ing under this section if the plan of the recipient 
fails to improve the rates within the 1-year period 
beginning on the date such plan is implemented. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The term ‘eligible 
entity’ means an education program that— 
‘‘(A) is accredited by— 
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