I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8169 
To establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to determine how to 
address barriers to the adoption of telehealth technology and access 
to broadband internet access service in rural areas, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2022 
Mr. PENCE (for himself and Ms. CRAIG) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to deter-
mine how to address barriers to the adoption of tele-
health technology and access to broadband internet ac-
cess service in rural areas, 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 ‘‘Rural Telehealth Ac-
cess Task Force Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. RURAL TELEHEALTH ACCESS TASK FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall establish a task force 
to be known as the ‘‘Rural Telehealth Access Task Force’’ 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall be com-
posed of the following: 
(1) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices, who shall serve as the Chairperson of the Task 
Force. 
(2) The Administrator of the Health Resources 
and Services Administration. 
(3) The Administrator for the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services. 
(4) The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Communications and Information. 
(5) The Secretary of Agriculture. 
(6) The Chairperson of the Federal Commu-
nications Commission. 
(7) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall carry out the fol-
lowing duties: 
(1) Identify barriers and opportunities to tele-
health service in rural areas. 
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(e) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall 
submit to Congress a report that— 
(1) details the findings and recommendations of 
the Task Force; and 
(2) includes an identification of other telehealth 
issues or recommendations that the Task Force de-
termines is appropriate. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.— 
The term ‘‘broadband internet access service’’ has 
the meaning give such term in section 8.1(b) of title 
47, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(2) COVERED
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘covered 
agency’’ means— 
(A) the Department of Health and Human 
Services; 
(B) the Federal Communications Commis-
sion; 
(C) the Department of Agriculture; and 
(D) the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration. 
(3) HIGH-COST
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘high- 
cost program’’ includes the following: 
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(A) Subpart D of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as ‘‘Universal 
Service Support for High Cost Areas’’). 
(B) Subpart J of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Remote 
Areas Fund’’). 
(C) Subpart K of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Inter-
state Common Line Support Mechanism for 
Rate-of-Return Carriers’’). 
(D) Subpart L of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Mobility 
Fund’’). 
(E) Subpart M of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘High 
Cost Loop Support for Rate-of-Return Car-
riers’’). 
(F) The connected care pilot program (85 
Fed. Reg. 19896). 
(G) Section 1734 of title 7, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Dis-
tance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Pro-
gram’’). 
(H) The COVID–19 telehealth program 
(86 Fed. Reg. 8356). 
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(I) Section 902 of the Consolidated Appro-
priations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–133). 
(J) Section 905(c) of the Consolidated Ap-
propriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–133). 
(4) RURAL; RURAL AREA.—The terms ‘‘rural’’ 
and ‘‘rural area’’ mean any area other than a city 
or town that has a population greater than 50,000 
inhabitants. 
Æ 
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