I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1603 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve education 
opportunities for physician assistants, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2017 
Ms. BASS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve 
education opportunities 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 
Higher Education Modernization Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASING ANNUAL LOAN LIMITS FOR PHYSICIAN 
ASSISTANT STUDENTS UNDER THE FEDERAL 
DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 455 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(r) INCREASING ANNUAL LOAN LIMITS FOR PHYSI-
CIAN ASSISTANT STUDENTS.—Notwithstanding section 
428H(d)(2)(A), the maximum annual amount of Federal 
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans that a graduate stu-
dent in a physician assistant education program (as de-
fined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 295p)) may borrow in any academic year (as 
defined in section 481(a)(2)) or its equivalent shall be— 
‘‘(1) $40,000 in the first academic year of such 
program; 
‘‘(2) $40,000 in the second academic year of 
such program; and 
‘‘(3) $15,000 in the third academic year of such 
program.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall apply with respect to award years begin-
ning more 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 3. MAKING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ELIGIBLE FOR IN-
CENTIVES WHEN SERVING AS PRIMARY CARE 
PROVIDERS OR FACULTY MEMBERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 428K of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078–11) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(19) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.—The individual 
is a physician assistant employed full-time— 
‘‘(A) as a physician assistant in a clinical 
setting providing primary care services; or 
‘‘(B) as a member of the physician assist-
ant faculty at a physician assistant education 
program (as defined in section 799B of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)).’’; 
(2) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(11) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT.—The term ‘phy-
sician assistant’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) graduated from a physician assistant 
education program (as defined in section 799B 
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p)); 
‘‘(B) is certified as a physician assistant by 
the National Commission on the Certification of 
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Physician Assistants or any successor organiza-
tion; and 
‘‘(C) either— 
‘‘(i) holds a valid and unrestricted li-
cense to practice medicine as a physician 
assistant in the State in which the physi-
cian assistant practices in a clinical set-
ting; or 
‘‘(ii) is qualified for licensure in the 
State where the individual is employed as 
a full-time physician assistant faculty 
member of a physician assistant education 
program (as defined in section 799B of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p)).’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2009’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2018’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to employment occur-
ring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAMS AT 
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNI-
VERSITIES AND PREDOMINANTLY BLACK IN-
STITUTIONS. 
(a) HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVER-
SITIES.—Section 723 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1136a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘physician 
assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘physi-
cian assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘physi-
cian assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (11), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(C) by redesignating paragraph (12) as 
paragraph (13); and 
(D) by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
following: 
‘‘(12) in the case of a grant for a physician as-
sistant education program (as defined in section 
799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p))— 
‘‘(A) creating or improving facilities for 
Internet or other distance education tech-
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nologies, including purchase or rental of tele-
communications technology equipment or serv-
ices; and 
‘‘(B) collaborating with other institutions 
of higher education to expand postbaccalaureate 
degree offerings; and’’. 
(b) PREDOMINANTLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS.—Sec-
tion 724 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1136b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘physician 
assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting ‘‘physi-
cian assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘physi-
cian assistant studies,’’ after ‘‘allied health,’’; 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (12) as 
paragraph (13); and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
following: 
‘‘(12) in the case of a grant for a physician as-
sistant education program (as defined in section 
799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p))— 
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‘‘(A) creating or improving facilities for 
Internet or other distance education tech-
nologies, including purchase or rental of tele-
communications technology equipment or serv-
ices; and 
‘‘(B) collaborating with other institutions 
of higher education to expand postbaccalaureate 
degree offerings; and’’. 
(c) EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—Subsections (a) and (b) of section 725 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1136c) are each 
amended by striking ‘‘fiscal year 2009’’ and inserting ‘‘fis-
cal year 2018’’. 
SEC. 5. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT POSTBACCALAUREATE OP-
PORTUNITIES FOR HISPANIC AMERICANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 514 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1102c) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY
FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDU-
CATION PROGRAMS.—The Secretary shall give preference 
to an application by an eligible institution for a grant 
under this part that demonstrates that the grant funds 
awarded under this part will be used to support physician 
assistant education programs (as defined in section 799B 
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)).’’. 
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(b) EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—Section 528(a)(2) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1103g(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$100,000,000 for fiscal year 
2009 and’’; and 
(2) by inserting after ‘‘such sums as may be 
necessary for’’ the following: ‘‘fiscal year 2018 and’’. 
SEC. 6. GRANTS TO RURAL SERVING INSTITUTIONS OF 
HIGHER EDUCATION FOR PHYSICIAN ASSIST-
ANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
Part Q of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161q) is amended— 
(1) in section 861(b), by striking ‘‘For the pur-
poses of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘For the pur-
poses of this part’’; and 
(2) by inserting after section 861 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 862. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND 
EXPANSION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDU-
CATION PROGRAMS AT RURAL-SERVING IN-
STITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to award grants on a competitive basis to a rural- 
serving institution of higher education or a consor-
tium of such institutions— 
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‘‘(A) to increase, for students from rural 
areas, enrollment and graduation rates for 
postbaccalaureate physician assistant education 
programs; and 
‘‘(B) to train physician assistants in rural 
areas through the development of new physician 
assistant education programs and the expansion 
of existing physician assistant education pro-
grams in rural areas. 
‘‘(2) DURATION.—A grant awarded under this 
section shall be awarded for a period of not longer 
than 3 years. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS.—A rural-serving institution 
of higher education or a consortium of such institu-
tions shall not receive more than one grant under 
this section. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each rural-serving institu-
tion of higher education or consortium of such insti-
tutions desiring a grant under this section shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to applica-
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tions that demonstrate the most potential and pro-
pose the most promising and innovative approaches 
for— 
‘‘(A) creating new physician assistant edu-
cation programs in rural areas; 
‘‘(B) increasing the number of physician 
assistants that practice medicine in rural areas; 
‘‘(C) meeting the employment needs of re-
gional employers of physician assistants with 
graduates of physician assistant education pro-
grams at rural-serving institutions of higher 
education; and 
‘‘(D) improving the health of Americans 
residing in rural areas. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A rural-serving institution of 
higher education or consortium of such institutions that 
receives a grant under this section shall use grant funds 
for the establishment and expansion of physician assistant 
education programs in rural areas. 
‘‘(d) PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAM.—In this section, the term ‘physician assistant edu-
cation program’ has the meaning given to such term in 
section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p). 
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‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018 and 
each of the five succeeding fiscal years.’’. 
SEC. 7. IMPROVING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION 
PROGRAMS. 
Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is 
amended by inserting after section 898 (20 U.S.C. 
1161aa–1) the following: 
‘‘PART BB—PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION 
ENHANCEMENT 
‘‘SEC. 899. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PHYSI-
CIAN ASSISTANT FACULTY PREPARATION. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
grants to not more than 10 institutions of higher 
education to develop, expand, and support graduate- 
level programs to prepare certified physician assist-
ants to become physician assistant faculty members 
in accredited graduate-level physician assistant edu-
cation programs through collaboration between such 
a program and an institution of higher education 
that awards a graduate degree in education. 
‘‘(2) CAP.—No institution of higher education 
may receive more than an aggregate of $600,000 
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under this section during fiscal years 2018, 2019, 
and 2020. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—An institution of higher 
education desiring a grant under this section shall 
submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary may require, an application 
including— 
‘‘(A) a description of the intended collabo-
ration to develop, expand, and support grad-
uate-level programs to prepare certified physi-
cian assistants to become physician assistant 
faculty members in accredited graduate-level 
physician assistant education programs; and 
‘‘(B) an estimate of the number of stu-
dents who will be affected by such collaboration. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority to applications that demonstrate the potential 
to maximize quality instruction through the use of 
technology. 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the first grant under this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report that— 
‘‘(1) describes the steps taken to implement this 
section; and 
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‘‘(2) lists all recipients of grants under this sec-
tion as of the date of such submission. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101. 
‘‘(2) PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘physician assistant education 
program’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 295p). 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2018 
through 2020. 
‘‘SEC. 899A. GRANTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECH-
NOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS IN PHYSICIAN AS-
SISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to award grants, on a competitive basis, to not more 
than 20 physician assistant education programs to 
enhance physician assistant education programs and 
improve patient safety by supporting the purchase of 
new infrastructure and technology. 
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‘‘(2) DURATION.—A grant awarded under this 
section shall be awarded for a period of not longer 
than five years. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A physician assistant edu-
cation program may apply for a grant under this 
section by submitting an application to the Secretary 
at such time and in such manner as the Secretary 
may require that demonstrates how the grant funds 
will be used to improve physician assistant education 
programs and patient safety with respect to such 
programs. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to applica-
tions that demonstrate the potential to— 
‘‘(A) increase the number of physician as-
sistant graduates; and 
‘‘(B) maximize accessibility to new and 
emerging technologies, including human patient 
simulators for physician assistant education 
programs, through partnerships between the 
grant recipient and other institutions of higher 
education. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A physician assistant edu-
cation program that receives a grant awarded under this 
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section may use the grant for one or more of the following 
purposes: 
‘‘(1) Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific, 
medical or laboratory equipment, including human 
patient simulators and other new and emerging tech-
nologies, for education purposes, including instruc-
tional and research purposes. 
‘‘(2) Construction, maintenance and renovation, 
and improvement of classrooms, libraries, labora-
tories, and other instructional facilities, including 
purchase or rental of telecommunications technology 
equipment or services. 
‘‘(3) Supporting faculty training in the use of 
new and emerging technologies, including human pa-
tient simulators. 
‘‘(4) Other activities proposed in the application 
submitted pursuant to subsection (b) that— 
‘‘(A) contribute to carrying out the pur-
poses of this section; and 
‘‘(B) are approved by the Secretary as part 
of the review and acceptance of such applica-
tion. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘physician assistant education 
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program’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 295p). 
‘‘(2) HUMAN PATIENT SIMULATOR.—The term 
‘human patient simulator’ means a computerized de-
vice that is anatomically precise and responds phys-
iologically to interventions. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018 and 
each of the five succeeding fiscal years.’’. 
Æ 
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