[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5186 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5186
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish scholarship and
loan repayment programs regarding the provision of veterinary services
in veterinarian shortage areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 14, 2000
Mr. Pickering (for himself and Mr. John) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the
Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish scholarship and
loan repayment programs regarding the provision of veterinary services
in veterinarian shortage areas.
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 ``Veterinary Health Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS
REGARDING VETERINARY MEDICINE.
Subpart III of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
section:
``SEC. 338M. SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS REGARDING
VETERINARY MEDICINE.
``(a) Scholarship Program.--The Secretary, acting through the
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration,
shall establish a program of entering into agreements with students
under which the Federal Government provides to the students
scholarships for attending schools of veterinary medicine in
consideration of the students agreeing to provide, for a period of time
specified in the agreement, veterinary services in veterinarian
shortage areas.
``(b) Loan Repayment Program.--The Secretary, acting through the
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration,
shall carry out a program of entering into agreements with
veterinarians under which the veterinarians agree to provide, for a
period of time specified in the agreement, veterinary services in
veterinarian shortage areas in consideration of the Federal Government
agreeing to repay, for each year of such service, not more than $35,000
of the principal and interest of the educational loans of the
veterinarians.
``(c) Veterinarian Shortage Areas.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, the term
`veterinarian shortage area'' means any of the following:
``(A) An area in an urban or rural area (which need
not conform to the geographic boundaries of a political
subdivision and which is a rational area for the
delivery of veterinary services) that the Secretary
determines has a shortage of veterinarians.
``(B) A population group that the Secretary
determines has such a shortage.
``(C) A public or nonprofit private medical
facility or other public facility that the Secretary
determines has such a shortage.
``(2) State participation.--In designating a veterinarian
shortage area in a State, the Secretary shall consult with the
chief veterinary-medicine official of the State and with other
appropriate entities in the State, including representatives of
schools of veterinary medicine in the State; representatives of
State members of professional associations regarding veterinary
medicine; and representatives of large-animal veterinarians in
the State.
``(d) Eligible Individuals.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may approve an individual
for participation in the program under subsection (a) or (b)
only if (in addition to the requirements that apply under
subsection (e)) the individual has been approved by the chief
veterinary-medicine official of the State involved, after such
official consulted with appropriate entities in the State
regarding such approval, including representatives specified in
subsection (c)(2).
``(2) State involved.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the
State involved with respect to an individual is the State
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) (as applicable), as
follows:
``(A) In the case of the program under subsection
(a), the State in which the individual attends or will
attend a school of veterinary medicine with a
scholarship under the program.
``(B) In the case of the program under subsection
(b), the State that contains the veterinarian shortage
area for which the individual will provide veterinary
services under the program.
``(e) Applicability of Certain Provisions.--
``(1) Scholarship program.--With respect to the National
Health Service Corps Scholarship Program established in section
338A, the provisions of this subpart that apply to such program
shall, except as determined by the Secretary to be inconsistent
with subsection (a), apply to the program established in
subsection (a) in the same manner and to the same extent as
such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps
Scholarship Program.
``(2) Loan repayment program.--With respect to the National
Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in
section 338B, the provisions of this subpart that apply to such
program shall, except as determined by the Secretary to be
inconsistent with subsection (b), apply to the program
established in subsection (b) in the same manner and to the
same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health
Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.
``(f) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term `school
of veterinary medicine' has the meaning given such term in section
799B.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) Scholarship program.--For the purpose of carrying out
this section with respect to the program under subsection (a),
there are authorized to be appropriated up to $5,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
``(2) Loan repayment program.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section with respect to the program under subsection
(b), there are authorized to be appropriated up to $5,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Risk Management, Research and Specialty Crops.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
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