‘‘TITLE XXIX—BRIDGES OF HOPE 
FOR TRANSITIONAL HEALTH 
INSURANCE PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 2901. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
program under this title to provide funds to eligible public 
health authorities (as defined in section 2903(1)) for the 
provision of temporary assistance to individual workers 
who have suffered from permanent changes in a major 
segment of industrial production employment in a sector 
of the economy in an area through irreversible structural 
changes. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION BY ELIGIBLE PUBLIC HEALTH 
AUTHORITIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive 
funds under this title, an eligible public health au-
thority shall submit an application with the Sec-
retary in such form and manner as the Secretary 
specifies. 
‘‘(2) PROMPT
CONSIDERATION
OF
APPLICA-
TION.—Such an application shall be treated as com-
plete and accurate unless the Secretary, within 60 
days of the date of the application’s submission, pro-
vides notice to the submitting official that— 
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‘‘(A) states that the application is either 
incomplete or inaccurate (or both); and 
‘‘(B) provides specific reasons for the ap-
plication being incomplete or inaccurate. 
‘‘(c) APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall not 
approve the application under subsection (b) of an 
eligible public health authority serving an area with-
in a State unless the Secretary determines that the 
following requirements are met: 
‘‘(A) ECONOMIC DISLOCATION.—Such ap-
plication includes (or is accompanied by) a 
statement of specific facts that demonstrate 
that there is an economic dislocation in such 
area that— 
‘‘(i) results in the creation of an em-
ployment shortage for individuals employed 
in a particular segment of the industrial 
economy; and 
‘‘(ii) is attributable in part to national 
treaties, statutes, policies and objectives. 
‘‘(B) HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.— The unem-
ployment rate in such area, and in such State, 
is 25 percent higher than the national average 
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unemployment rate for six or more calendar 
quarters. 
‘‘(C) HIGH TAX BURDEN.—The tax burden 
(as measured by the percentage of per capita 
income estimated to be spent on State and local 
taxes) for the State is above the national aver-
age of such tax burden for all the States. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority in approving an application of an eligible public 
health authority that is serving a State that has a 
population of at least 9,000,000 and an unemploy-
ment rate that is at least 7 percent (or, if less, at 
least 2.5 percentage points above the national unem-
ployment rate). 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds provided under this 
section to an eligible public health authority shall be 
used by the authority to provide a program (in this 
title referred to as a ‘Bridges program’) that— 
‘‘(A) provides assistance in paying for 
health care premiums for employees and former 
employees (and their family members) in the 
area served by the authority; and 
‘‘(B) meets the applicable requirements of 
subsection (e). 
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‘‘(2) AUTHORITIES.—An eligible public health 
authority provided funds under this title is author-
ized to use such funds to carry out a Bridges pro-
gram and, in connection with such a program, for 
any of the following purposes: 
‘‘(A) To make public service announce-
ments about the availability of the funding 
under this title. 
‘‘(B) To develop an intake system for ap-
plicants under the program and retain contrac-
tors to assist in the application process. 
‘‘(C) To verify income, employment home 
ownership documents, credit reports, and tax 
returns for the validity of current financial cir-
cumstances. 
‘‘(D) To establish various programs and 
co-pays for individuals to participate in the pro-
gram until gainful employment makes the as-
sistance unnecessary. 
‘‘(E) To negotiate with various health in-
surance and group health plans to provide 
health benefits coverage (including coverage 
under a COBRA continuation provision, as de-
fined in section 2791(d)(4)) under the program 
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