I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7065 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to address health workforce 
shortages. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mrs. 
CAPPS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to address health 
workforce shortages. 
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 Workforce In-
vestment Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The United States is facing shortages in a 
wide range of health workforce professions, including 
among specialists and subspecialists. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
(2) By 2020, the United States will face short-
ages of as many as 1,000,000 nurses, 55,000 physi-
cians, 140,000 family physicians, 157,000 phar-
macists, and 2,500,000 allied health professionals. 
(3) The long-term care workforce is plagued by 
rising vacancy and turnover rates. 
(4) These shortages will be exacerbated by the 
growth in the number and proportion of older adults 
in America. 
(5) Data on health workforce supply and de-
mand are limited. 
(6) Many health workforce professions are inap-
propriately distributed, with some areas experiencing 
chronic shortages of a wide range of health profes-
sionals. 
(7) The diversity of the health workforce con-
tinually fails to mirror the diversity of the United 
States population. 
(8) A 2008 report entitled ‘‘Out of Order, Out 
of Time’’ from the Association of Academic Health 
Centers found that Federal health workforce policy 
and infrastructure has been dysfunctional, decentral-
ized, and piecemeal with little integration and har-
monization. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
(9) Nearly every State has initiated action to 
address health workforce shortages without com-
prehensive planning and leadership from the Federal 
Government to address the full spectrum of health 
workforce professions and issues. 
(10) Over the last 5 years, Federal investment 
in health workforce programs has fallen by more 
than 20 percent. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL HEALTH WORKFORCE ADVISORY COUN-
CIL. 
Section 762 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 294o) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 762. NATIONAL HEALTH WORKFORCE ADVISORY 
COUNCIL. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Na-
tional Health Workforce Advisory Council. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 
‘‘(1) make recommendations to the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor, 
the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs, the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee 
on Finance of the Senate, the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
Representatives with respect to— 
‘‘(A) the supply and distribution of the 
health workforce in the United States; 
‘‘(B) current and future shortages or ex-
cesses of health workforce professionals, includ-
ing specialists and subspecialists; 
‘‘(C) issues relating to foreign medical 
school graduates and graduates of foreign 
schools of nursing; 
‘‘(D) appropriate Federal policies with re-
spect to the matters specified in subparagraphs 
(A), (B), and (C), including policies concerning 
changes in the financing of undergraduate and 
graduate medical education programs and 
changes in the types of medical education train-
ing in graduate medical education programs; 
‘‘(E) appropriate efforts to be carried out 
by hospitals, schools of medicine, schools of os-
teopathic medicine, and accrediting bodies with 
respect to the matters specified in subpara-
graphs (A), (B), and (C), including efforts for 
changes in undergraduate and graduate medical 
education programs; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(F) deficiencies in, and needs for im-
provements in, existing databases concerning 
the supply and distribution of, and post-
graduate training programs for, health work-
force professionals in the United States and 
steps that should be taken to eliminate those 
deficiencies; and 
‘‘(2) encourage entities providing graduate med-
ical education to conduct activities to voluntarily 
achieve the recommendations of the Council under 
paragraph (1)(E). 
‘‘(c) COMPOSITION.—The Council shall be composed 
of— 
‘‘(1) the Assistant Secretary for Health (or the 
Assistant Secretary’s designee); 
‘‘(2) the Administrator of the Centers for Medi-
care & Medicaid Services; 
‘‘(3) the Chief Medical Director of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs; 
‘‘(4) 15 members appointed by the Secretary to 
include representatives of practicing health work-
force professionals, national and specialty health 
profession organizations, foreign medical graduates, 
and health workforce student associations; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(5) 10 members appointed by the Secretary to 
include representatives of schools of medicine and 
osteopathic medicine, schools of nursing, allied 
health schools, other health workforce training pro-
grams, and public and private teaching hospitals; 
‘‘(6) 4 members appointed by the Secretary to 
include representatives of health insurers, business, 
and labor; 
‘‘(7) the official at the Department of Labor re-
sponsible for administering grants under the Work-
force Investment Act of 1998 targeted at the health 
sector; and 
‘‘(8) the Secretary of Education (or the Sec-
retary’s designee). 
‘‘(d) TERMS OF APPOINTED MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL; STAGGERED
ROTATION.— 
Members of the Council appointed under paragraphs 
(4), (5), and (6) of subsection (b) shall be appointed 
for a term of 4 years, except that the term of office 
of the members first appointed shall expire, as des-
ignated by the Secretary at the time of appointment, 
as follows: 8 at the end of 1 year, 7 at the end of 
2 years, 7 at the end of 3 years, and 7 at the end 
of 4 years. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(2) DATE CERTAIN FOR APPOINTMENT.—The 
Secretary shall appoint the first members to the 
Council under paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) of sub-
section (b) within 60 days after the date of the en-
actment of the Health Workforce Investment Act of 
2008. 
‘‘(e) CHAIR.—The Council shall elect one of its mem-
bers as Chairman of the Council. 
‘‘(f) COOPERATION.—The Council shall carry out this 
section in cooperation with the Council on Graduate Med-
ical Education established by section 762, the National 
Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps 
established by section 337, the Advisory Committee on 
Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry estab-
lished pursuant to section 748, the Advisory Committee 
on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages estab-
lished pursuant to section 756, and the National Advisory 
Council on Nurse Education and Practice established pur-
suant to section 845. 
‘‘(g) QUORUM.—Eighteen members of the Council 
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold 
hearings. 
‘‘(h) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Council shall 
not affect its power to function. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(i) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the Council 
who is not otherwise employed by the United States Gov-
ernment shall receive compensation at a rate equal to the 
daily rate prescribed for GS–18 under the General Sched-
ule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for 
each day, including traveltime, such member is engaged 
in the actual performance of duties as a member of the 
Council. A member of the Council who is an officer or 
employee of the United States Government shall serve 
without additional compensation. All members of the 
Council shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and 
other necessary expenses incurred by them in the perform-
ance of their duties. 
‘‘(j) CERTAIN AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORITIES.—In order to carry out the 
provisions of this section, the Council is authorized 
to— 
‘‘(A) collect such information, hold such 
hearings, and sit and act at such times and 
places, either as a whole or by subcommittee, 
and request the attendance and testimony of 
such witnesses and the production of such 
books, records, correspondence, memoranda, pa-
pers, and documents as the Council or such 
subcommittee may consider available; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(B) request the cooperation and assist-
ance of Federal departments, agencies, and in-
strumentalities, and such departments, agen-
cies, and instrumentalities are authorized to 
provide such cooperation and assistance. 
‘‘(2) 
COORDINATION
OF
ACTIVITIES.—The 
Council shall coordinate its activities with the activi-
ties of the Secretary under section 792. The Sec-
retary shall, in cooperation with the Council and 
pursuant to the recommendations of the Council, 
take such steps as are practicable to eliminate defi-
ciencies in the data base established under section 
792 and shall make available in reports such com-
prehensive data sets as are developed pursuant to 
this section. 
‘‘(k) REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of the Health Workforce Investment 
Act of 2008, and annually thereafter, the Council shall 
submit a report to official and committee listed in the mat-
ter preceding subparagraph (A) in subsection (b)(1) con-
taining— 
‘‘(1) a description of the Council’s actions dur-
ing the period for which the report is made; and 
‘‘(2) each of the recommendations required by 
subsection (b). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(l) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Council’ means the National 
Health Workforce Advisory Council established by 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘health workforce’ has the mean-
ing given to such term in section 781. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services unless otherwise 
specified. 
‘‘(m) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2009 through 2013.’’. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH WORKFORCE IN-
FORMATION AND ANALYSIS. 
(a) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Section 792 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295k) is amended 
by redesignating subsections (d), (e), (g), and (h) as sub-
sections (c), (d), (e), and (f), respectively. 
(b) CENTER.—Section 792 of the Public Health Serv-
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 295k) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘HEALTH
PROFESSIONS
DATA’’ and inserting 
‘‘NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH WORKFORCE 
INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS’’; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
(2) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and 
(f), as so redesignated, as subsections (e), (f), and 
(g), respectively; 
(3) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c), as 
so redesignated, and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of Health and Human Services the National 
Center for Health Workforce Information and Analysis (in 
this section referred to as the ‘Center’), which shall be 
under the direction of a director who shall conduct and 
support statistical and epidemiological activities for the 
purpose of assessing and improving the supply, distribu-
tion, diversity, and development of the health workforce 
in the United States. 
‘‘(b) CERTAIN AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS.— 
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Center— 
‘‘(1) shall regularly collect statistics on— 
‘‘(A) the supply and projected demand, 
along with projected shortages and surpluses, of 
the health workforce by health profession, spe-
cialty, and geographic location; 
‘‘(B) the diversity of the health workforce 
by health profession, specialty, and geographic 
location; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(C) the supply and projected demand, 
along with projected shortages and surpluses, of 
the health workforce serving minority groups by 
health profession, specialty, and geographic lo-
cation; 
‘‘(2) shall establish a uniform health workforce 
data reporting system; 
‘‘(3) shall undertake and support (by grant or 
contract) research, demonstrations, and evaluations 
respecting new or improved methods for obtaining 
current data on the matters referred to in paragraph 
(1); and 
‘‘(4) may undertake and support (by grant or 
contract) research, demonstrations, and evaluations 
on the matters referred to in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(c) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—The Secretary may 
make grants and enter into contracts with States (or an 
appropriate nonprofit private entity in any State) for car-
rying out the matters referred to in paragraph (1). The 
Secretary shall determine the amount and scope of any 
such grant or contract. To be eligible for any such grant 
or contract, a State or entity shall submit an application 
in such form and manner and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require. Such application shall in-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
clude reasonable assurances, satisfactory to the Secretary, 
that— 
‘‘(1) such State or entity will establish a pro-
gram of mandatory annual registration of the health 
workforce personnel who reside or practice in such 
State and of health institutions licensed by such 
State, which registration shall include such informa-
tion as the Secretary may determine to be appro-
priate; 
‘‘(2) such State or entity will collect and report 
to the Secretary such information in such form and 
manner as the Secretary may prescribe; and 
‘‘(3) such State or entity will comply with the 
requirements of subsection (e). 
‘‘(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 
submit to the Congress not later than October 1, 2010, 
and biennially thereafter, a comprehensive report regard-
ing the status of the health workforce according to profes-
sion, including a report regarding the analytic and descrip-
tive studies conducted under this section.’’; 
(4) by amending subsection (g), as redesignated 
by paragraph (2), to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) DATA ON ALLIED HEALTH WORKFORCE PER-
SONNEL.—In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary 
may make grants, or enter into contracts and cooperative 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
agreements with, and provide technical assistance to, a 
nonprofit entity in order to establish a uniform allied 
health workforce data reporting system to collect, compile, 
and analyze data on allied health workforce personnel.’’; 
and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘health 
workforce’ has the meaning given to such term in section 
781. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2009 through 2013.’’. 
SEC. 5. HEALTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT GRANTS. 
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
292 et seq) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating part F as part G; and 
(2) by inserting after section 770 the following: 
‘‘PART F—HEALTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT 
GRANTS 
‘‘SEC. 781. HEALTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) FORMULA GRANTS TO STATES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes described 
in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make an allot-
ment each fiscal year for each State in an amount 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
determined in accordance with subsection (d). The 
Secretary shall make a grant to the State of the al-
lotment made for the State for the fiscal year if the 
State submits to the Secretary an application in ac-
cordance with subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) PURPOSES OF GRANTS.—A funding agree-
ment for a grant under paragraph (1) is that the 
State involved will expend the grant for the purposes 
of— 
‘‘(A) ensuring access to health services for 
all individuals, particularly those with low in-
comes or limited access to health services; 
‘‘(B) improving the supply, distribution, di-
versity, and development of the health work-
force, taking into consideration the supply, dis-
tribution, and diversity of health workforce pro-
fession specialties and subspecialties; and 
‘‘(C) creating State-specific health work-
force goals and objectives consistent with health 
status goals and national health workforce ob-
jectives developed under subsection (h). 
‘‘(3) PURPOSES OF NATIONAL PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary shall carry out this section in a manner 
designed— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(A) to identify innovations in approaches 
to improving the supply, distribution, diversity, 
and development of the health workforce, taking 
into consideration specialties and subspecialties; 
‘‘(B) to develop national goals and objec-
tives for improving the supply, distribution, di-
versity, and development of the health work-
force, including specialties and subspecialties; 
and 
‘‘(C) to develop and expand programs de-
signed to ensure access to health workforce pro-
fessionals for an aging population. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION FOR GRANT.—For purposes of 
subsection (a)(1), an application for a grant is in accord-
ance with this subsection if each of the following is met: 
‘‘(1) USE OF FUNDS.—The application includes 
each funding agreement required by this section, in-
cluding an assurance that all funds received through 
the grant will be used for the purposes described in 
subsection (a)(2). 
‘‘(2) STATEWIDE
NEEDS
ASSESSMENT.—The 
application includes a statewide needs assessment 
that— 
‘‘(A) will be updated not less than every 5 
years; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(B) identifies— 
‘‘(i) long-term State-specific health 
workforce goals and objectives consistent 
with health status goals and national 
health 
workforce 
objectives 
developed 
under subsection (h); and 
‘‘(ii) projected needs related to the 
supply, distribution, diversity, and develop-
ment of the State health workforce. 
‘‘(3) ANNUAL PLANS.—The application includes 
a plan to meet the goals and objectives, and address 
the needs, identified under the statewide needs as-
sessment described in paragraph (2), and such 
plan— 
‘‘(A) will be updated on an annual basis; 
and 
‘‘(B) includes strategies related to— 
‘‘(i) collaboration between the State 
departments of labor, health, education, 
higher education, and professional licen-
sure and State health workforce invest-
ment boards; 
‘‘(ii) State data collection; 
‘‘(iii) State Medicaid and Medicare 
policies; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(iv) State health professions licen-
sure and regulation. 
‘‘(4) DESCRIPTION OF FUNDING USE.—The ap-
plication includes a description of how funds received 
through the grant will be used— 
‘‘(A) in accordance with subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of subsection (a)(1), to ensure access 
to health services for all individuals and to im-
prove the supply, distribution, diversity, and de-
velopment of the health workforce, such as 
through programs related to— 
‘‘(i) health workforce training and 
education capacity; 
‘‘(ii) the health care safety net work-
force; 
‘‘(iii) provider cultural competency; 
‘‘(iv) health workforce diversity; 
‘‘(v) health workforce pipeline develop-
ment; 
‘‘(vi) health workforce retention; 
‘‘(vii) health workforce faculty recruit-
ment; 
‘‘(viii) health workforce faculty reten-
tion; 
‘‘(ix) health workforce career ladders; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(x) public awareness; and 
‘‘(xi) health workforce scholarship and 
loan repayment programs; and 
‘‘(B) to create State-specific health work-
force goals and objectives in accordance with 
subsection (a)(1)(C) and to develop annual 
plans in accordance with paragraph (3) of this 
subsection to meet such goals and objectives. 
‘‘(5) DEVELOPMENT
OF
APPLICATION.—The 
application— 
‘‘(A) is developed by or in consultation 
with the State agency that will be responsible 
for administering the program; and 
‘‘(B) is made publicly available during its 
development or after its submission to the Sec-
retary in order to facilitate public comment. 
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL GRANT REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) RESTRICTIONS
ON
USE
OF
GRANTS.—A 
funding agreement for a grant under subsection 
(a)(1) is that the State involved will not use the 
grant— 
‘‘(A) to provide health services; 
‘‘(B) to make payments to for-profit 
schools; or 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
health workforce board and community health 
center grantees. 
‘‘(5) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A funding agreement 
for a grant under subsection (a)(1) is that the 
State involved will submit annual reports to the 
Secretary— 
‘‘(i) detailing activities carried out 
through the grant in a standardized man-
ner that enables the Secretary to evaluate 
the activities and compare performance rel-
ative to other States; and 
‘‘(ii) describing the extent to which 
the State has met its long-term State-spe-
cific health workforce goals and objectives 
identified 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 
(b)(2)(B)(i). 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—Each report under sub-
paragraph (A) must include— 
‘‘(i) information on the status of the 
State’s health workforce by profession, spe-
cialty, and geographic location, including 
such information on— 
‘‘(I) the supply of the State’s 
health workforce, including with re-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
spect to primary care providers, 
nurses, long-term care workers, den-
tists, and allied health professionals; 
and 
‘‘(II) the diversity of the State’s 
health workforce; 
‘‘(ii) a description of each program 
funded through this section during the pre-
vious fiscal year; and 
‘‘(iii) a description of efforts to coordi-
nate the State departments responsible for 
administering 
Medicaid 
and 
Medicare 
funds, education and labor programs, the 
health care safety net, and medical licens-
ing. 
‘‘(6) AUDITS.—A funding agreement for a 
grant under subsection (a)(1) is that the State in-
volved will provide for audits of expenditures of 
grant funds. 
‘‘(d) DETERMINATION
OF
AMOUNT
OF
ALLOT-
MENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall deter-
mine the amount of the allotment to each State 
under this section for a fiscal year based on a for-
mula. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(2) DEVELOPMENT
OF
FORMULA.—The for-
mula referred to in paragraph (1) shall be deter-
mined by the Secretary by regulation, taking into 
consideration the following criteria: 
‘‘(A) Existing shortages and deficiencies in 
health workforce distribution. 
‘‘(B) Rural, urban, and frontier areas. 
‘‘(C) Community health centers. 
‘‘(D) The number of medical, nursing, and 
allied health professions schools in each State. 
‘‘(e) FEDERAL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) DELEGATION
WITHIN
HHS.—The Sec-
retary shall designate an identifiable administrative 
unit of the Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices with expertise in health workforce issues to be 
responsible for administering the program under this 
section, including the following: 
‘‘(A) Coordinating activities under this sec-
tion with related activities of the Department of 
Health and Human Services, the Department of 
Defense, the Department of Education, the De-
partment of Labor, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and any other relevant Federal depart-
ments or agencies. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(B) Disseminating health workforce infor-
mation and best practices to States. 
‘‘(C) Providing technical assistance to 
grant recipients under this section. 
‘‘(D) Submitting reports to Congress 
under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Secretary shall 
submit annual reports to the Congress on the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) The amount of each allotment and 
grant to a State under this section. 
‘‘(B) Significant State projects funded 
through this section and their performance. 
‘‘(C) 
Significant 
innovations 
funded 
through this section and their outcomes. 
‘‘(D) Highlights with respect to the status 
of the Nation’s health workforce, including— 
‘‘(i) significant changes in supply by 
profession, specialty, and geographic loca-
tion, including with respect to primary care 
providers, nurses, long-term care workers, 
dentists, and allied health professionals; 
and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(ii) significant changes in diversity 
by profession, specialty, and geographic lo-
cation. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
AUTHORITIES.—In carrying 
out this section, the Secretary may— 
‘‘(A) allow States receiving grants to work 
together in regional authorities; 
‘‘(B) impose matching fund requirements 
as a condition on receipt of a grant; and 
‘‘(C) allow States to use grant funds for 
planning and infrastructure development. 
‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Subject to the pur-
poses described in subsection (a)(2), nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to prohibit a State from making 
funds received under this section available to other enti-
ties, including entities receiving funds under other provi-
sions of this title or title VIII. 
‘‘(g) FEDERAL RESEARCH AND PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make 
grants to, or enter into contracts or jointly financed 
cooperative agreements with, public or nonprofit in-
stitutions of higher education and public or non-
profit private agencies and organizations engaged in 
research to identify best practices and innovative ap-
proaches to improving the supply, distribution, diver-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:09 Oct 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
sity, and development of the health workforce, tak-
ing into consideration the supply, distribution, diver-
sity, and development of health workforce profession 
specialties and subspecialties. 
‘‘(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall incorporate the best practices and innovative 
approaches identified under paragraph (1) into any 
technical assistance provided to grant recipients 
under this section. 
‘‘(3) 
COORDINATION.—The 
Secretary 
shall 
carry out this subsection in coordination with the ac-
tivities of the National Center for Health Workforce 
Information and Analysis, including any research, 
demonstrations, and evaluations under section 
792(b)(4). 
‘‘(h) NATIONAL
HEALTH
WORKFORCE
OBJEC-
TIVES.—The Secretary, based on information and analysis 
of the National Center for Health Workforce Information 
and Analysis and the findings and recommendations of the 
National Health Workforce Advisory Council, shall de-
velop national health workforce objectives to be used for 
purposes of subsections (a)(2)(C) and (b)(2)(B)(i). 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘diversity’ includes racial, ethnic, 
language ability, and gender diversity. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
‘‘(2) The term ‘health workforce’ includes phy-
sicians, nurses (including registered nurses and li-
censed practical nurses), advance practice nurses 
(including nurse practitioners, certified registered 
nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, clinical 
nurse specialists, doctorates of nursing practice, and 
clinical nurse leaders), dentists, physician assistants, 
chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists and opti-
cians, pharmacists, mental health providers (includ-
ing psychologists and clinical social workers), allied 
health professionals (including physical therapists, 
occupational therapists, speech-language patholo-
gists, audiologists, respiratory therapists, techni-
cians, technologists, emergency medical technicians, 
paramedics, medical and clinical laboratory tech-
nologists and technicians, medical records and health 
information technicians, nuclear medicine tech-
nologists, radiologic technologists, dieticians, and nu-
tritionists), auxiliary health professionals (including 
home health aides, certified nursing assistants, nurs-
ing aides, orderlies, and attendants), and any other 
providers determined by the Secretary for purposes 
of this section to be part of the health workforce. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘National Center for Health 
Workforce Information and Analysis’ means the Na-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:33 Sep 30, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7065.IH
H7065
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS