Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act of 2023

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3731 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to reduce barriers to immigrants becoming nurses or allied health profes- sionals in the United States, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 25, 2023 Mr. SMITH of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to reduce barriers to immigrants becom- ing nurses or allied health professionals in the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Immigrants in Nursing 4 and Allied Health Act of 2023’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:44 Jun 19, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3731.IH H3731 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3731 IH SEC. 2. GRANTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO IMMIGRANTS 1 BECOMING NURSES OR ALLIED HEALTH PRO- 2 FESSIONALS. 3 Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended 4 by inserting after section 755 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5 294e) the following: 6 ‘‘SEC. 755A. GRANTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO IMMI- 7 GRANTS BECOMING NURSES OR ALLIED 8 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. 9 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 10 to State, local, and Tribal governments and private orga- 11 nizations to reduce barriers to becoming nurses or allied 12 health professionals in the United States for individuals 13 who are— 14 ‘‘(1) lawfully admitted for permanent residence; 15 ‘‘(2) admitted as a refugee under section 207 of 16 the Immigration and Nationality Act; 17 ‘‘(3) granted asylum under section 208 of such 18 Act; or 19 ‘‘(4) an immigrant otherwise authorized to be 20 employed in the United States. 21 ‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A State, local, or Tribal gov- 22 ernment receiving a grant under this section shall use the 23 grant to reduce barriers described in subsection (a), which 24 may include— 25 ‘‘(1) paying the costs of— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:44 Jun 19, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3731.IH H3731 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3731 IH ‘‘(A) education or training to become a 1 nurse or allied health professional; and 2 ‘‘(B) licensing or certification, including 3 the costs of preparing for and taking any exam- 4 ination applicable to the nursing or allied health 5 profession selected by the individual; 6 ‘‘(2) providing a living stipend to individuals 7 studying for such examination; 8 ‘‘(3) providing classes in English as a second 9 language; and 10 ‘‘(4) assisting in obtaining overseas academic or 11 training records.’’. 12 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN IMMIGRANTS TO SERVE 13 IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS. 14 Section 331 of the Public Health Service Act (42 15 U.S.C. 254d) is amended— 16 (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub- 17 section (k); and 18 (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the fol- 19 lowing: 20 ‘‘(j) SERVICE BY IMMIGRANTS.—Notwithstanding 21 any provision of law that would otherwise require a mem- 22 ber of the National Health Service Corps to be a United 23 States citizen or national, an individual described in sec- 24 tion 755A(a) may be eligible— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:44 Jun 19, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3731.IH H3731 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 3731 IH ‘‘(1) to serve in the National Health Service 1 Corps; and 2 ‘‘(2) to participate in the National Health Serv- 3 ice Corps Scholarship Program under section 338A 4 or the National Health Service Corps Loan Repay- 5 ment Program under section 338B.’’. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:44 Jun 19, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3731.IH H3731 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB