Rural Health Equity Act
Bill: S.3149 | Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff (D-OR)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Rural Health Equity Act
This bill establishes within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the Office of Rural Health. The office must serve as the primary point of contact within the CDC on rural health matters, coordinate public health research on issues affecting rural populations, and carry out related activities.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish 
 within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
   and Prevention the Office of Rural Health, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the``Rural Health Equity Act''.

SEC. 2. CDC OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish within the Office of 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an 
office to be known as the ``Office of Rural Health'', to be headed by a 
director appointed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
    (b) Duties.--The Director of the Office shall--
            (1) serve as the primary point of contact in the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention on matters pertaining to 
        rural health;
            (2) assist the Secretary in conducting, coordinating, and 
        promoting research regarding public health issues affecting 
        rural populations, and in disseminating the results of such 
        research;
            (3) work with all personnel and offices of the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention to develop, refine, coordinate, 
        and promulgate policies, best practices, lessons learned, and 
        innovative, successful programs to improve care, services, and 
        social determinants of health for populations who reside in 
        rural areas of the United States;
            (4) coordinate and support rural health research, conduct 
        and support educational outreach, and disseminate evidence-
        based interventions related to health outcomes, access to 
        health care, and lifestyle challenges, to prevent death, 
        disease, injury, and disability, and promote healthy behaviors, 
        in rural populations, including rural minority and LGBTQ 
        populations;
            (5) improve the understanding of the challenges faced by 
        rural populations;
            (6) identify disparities in the availability of health care 
        and public health interventions for populations living in rural 
        areas;
            (7) administer grants, cooperative agreements, and 
        contracts to provide technical assistance and other activities 
        as necessary to support activities related to improving health 
        and health care in rural areas; and
            (8) perform such other functions and duties as the 
        Secretary determines appropriate.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``Office'', except as otherwise specified, 
        means the Office of Rural Health established pursuant to 
        subsection (a).
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 
and each subsequent fiscal year.
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