I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1686 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan repayment incentives 
for physician assistants, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2019 
Ms. BASS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan 
repayment incentives for physician assistants, 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 ‘‘Physician Assistant 
Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. 
The Public Health Service Act is amended by insert-
ing after section 749A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 293l–1) 
the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 749A–1. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNI-
TIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, shall award grants to physician assistant 
education programs to establish or expand clinical edu-
cation and training for physician assistants at underserved 
sites including Federally qualified health centers, critical 
access hospitals, and rural health clinics. 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION
FOR
RURAL
SITES.—Of the 
amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall allocate 50 percent of such 
amount for clinical education and training at underserved 
sites that are located in rural areas. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to physician assist-
ant education programs proposing to establish or expand 
clinical rotations for physician assistants in pediatrics, 
women’s health, or behavioral health. 
‘‘(d) REPORTING
TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) not later than March 1, 2022, submit an 
interim report to the Congress on the implementa-
tion of this section; and 
‘‘(2) not later than March 1, 2025, submit a 
final report to the Congress on such implementation. 
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‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
2024.’’. 
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF PRIMARY CARE TRAINING 
AND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS. 
Section 747(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 293k(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ‘‘2014’’ 
the following: ‘‘and each of fiscal years 2020 
through 2024’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Fifteen’’ and 
inserting ‘‘At least 15’’. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT 
EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall provide grants to eligible entities to 
fund eligible researchers to increase research on physician 
assistant education. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an appli-
cation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) CONDITION OF RECEIPT.—As a condition of re-
ceipt of a grant under this section, an entity shall each 
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year award not fewer than eight eligible researchers funds 
to support physician assistant education research. 
(d) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—An entity receiving a 
grant under this section shall provide to the Secretary 
with respect to each year that such entity receives funds 
under this section a report on the activities conducted 
using such funds, including— 
(1) the number of researchers supported during 
such year by such entity using such funds; 
(2) a list of the researchers counted under 
paragraph (1), organized by researcher, including— 
(A) the institution such researcher is affili-
ated with; and 
(B) the research topic of such researcher; 
(3) citations to published clinical and scientific 
research by researchers described in paragraph (1) 
that is attributable to support under this section; 
(4) an evaluation of the benefits of grants 
under this section; and 
(5) any other information the Secretary may re-
quest. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means an organization that— 
(A) is a non-profit organization; and 
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(B) has demonstrated expertise in physi-
cian assistant education and faculty develop-
ment. 
(2) ELIGIBLE RESEARCHER.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble researcher’’ means, with respect to an eligible en-
tity, a researcher that— 
(A) has demonstrated expertise in physi-
cian assistant education and faculty develop-
ment; and 
(B) at such time and in such manner as 
such entity may require, provides such entity 
with a research proposal on improving physician 
assistant education and faculty development. 
(3) PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘physician assistant education’’ means select-
ing, educating, and graduating students in accred-
ited graduate physician assistant educational pro-
grams. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2024. 
Æ 
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