I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5520 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, acting through the Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Minority Health, to award grants to faith- or community-based orga-
nizations to address persistent health inequities and chronic disease chal-
lenges. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 
Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia (for herself, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. MOORE of 
Wisconsin, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. SEWELL, 
and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, to 
award grants to faith- or community-based organizations 
to address persistent health inequities and chronic dis-
ease challenges. 
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 ‘‘Health Equity Innova-
tion Act of 2023’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:09 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5520.IH
H5520
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 2. HEALTH EQUITY INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 399V–8. HEALTH EQUITY INNOVATION GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health (in 
this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’), may award 
grants to eligible entities to expand access to culturally 
and linguistically appropriate care, encourage innovation, 
and address persistent health inequities and chronic dis-
ease challenges, including by— 
‘‘(1) paying the costs of necessary medical serv-
ices, health screenings, tests, and other preventive 
services; 
‘‘(2) expanding access to care, such as by— 
‘‘(A) expanding access to health care and 
public health services; 
‘‘(B) expanding the diversity of types of 
health workers; 
‘‘(C) expanding the availability of cul-
turally and linguistically appropriate services; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:46 Sep 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5520.IH
H5520
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(D) addressing other social determinants 
of health and barriers to receiving timely and 
quality care; 
‘‘(3) supporting— 
‘‘(A) community health navigators; 
‘‘(B) community health workers (also 
known as ‘promotores de salud’); 
‘‘(C) peer support specialists; 
‘‘(D) community health representatives; 
and 
‘‘(E) other health care professionals, who 
work with faith- or community-based organiza-
tions as trusted messengers with lived experi-
ences to support access and connection to care; 
‘‘(4) expanding the capacity of the eligible enti-
ty; and 
‘‘(5) carrying out other programs that address 
social determinants of health. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a grant 
under this section, an entity shall be a faith- or commu-
nity-based organization that— 
‘‘(1) has demonstrated an ability to address 
chronic health disparities and health conditions in 
communities disproportionately affected by such dis-
parities and conditions; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:09 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5520.IH
H5520
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(2) is located in a medically underserved com-
munity or a designated health professional shortage 
area. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
that created or operated one or more health workforce or 
health care access programs during the COVID–19 pan-
demic. 
‘‘(d) 
COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘community-based orga-
nization’ has the meaning given the term in section 8101 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section— 
‘‘(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 
‘‘(B) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; 
‘‘(C) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; 
‘‘(D) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 
and 
‘‘(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2028. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.—Of the funds 
appropriated to carry out this section, not more than 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:09 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5520.IH
H5520
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 percent may be used by the Secretary for the ad-
ministrative costs of carrying out this section.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:09 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5520.IH
H5520
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB