Rural Health Liaison Act of 2018

Rural Health Liaison Act of 2018

This bill amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish a Rural Health Liaison within the Department of Agriculture to coordinate the role of the department with respect to rural health; provide expertise, guidance, and technical assistance; and perform other specified advocacy, communications, and consulting duties.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2894 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2894

 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
establish in the Department of Agriculture the position of Rural Health 
                                Liaison.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2018

   Mr. Jones (for himself, Mr. Rounds, and Ms. Smith) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
establish in the Department of Agriculture the position of Rural Health 
                                Liaison.

    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 Liaison Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. RURAL HEALTH LIAISON.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle C of title II of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 236. RURAL HEALTH LIAISON.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary shall establish in the 
Department the position of Rural Health Liaison.
    ``(b) Duties.--The Rural Health Liaison shall--
            ``(1) in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services, coordinate the role of the Department with 
        respect to rural health;
            ``(2) integrate across the Department the strategic 
        planning and activities relating to rural health;
            ``(3) improve communication relating to rural health within 
        the Department and between Federal agencies;
            ``(4) advocate on behalf of the health care and relevant 
        infrastructure needs in rural areas;
            ``(5) provide to stakeholders, potential grant applicants, 
        Federal agencies, State agencies, Indian Tribes, private 
        organizations, and academic institutions relevant data and 
        information, including the eligibility requirements for, and 
        availability and outcomes of, Department programs applicable to 
        the advancement of rural health;
            ``(6) maintain communication with public health, medical, 
        occupational safety, and telecommunication associations, 
        research entities, and other stakeholders to ensure that the 
        Department is aware of current and upcoming issues relating to 
        rural health;
            ``(7) consult on programs, pilot projects, research, 
        training, and other affairs relating to rural health at the 
        Department and other Federal agencies;
            ``(8) provide expertise on rural health to support the 
        activities of the Secretary as Chair of the Interagency Task 
        Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity; and
            ``(9) provide technical assistance and guidance with 
        respect to activities relating to rural health to the outreach, 
        extension, and county offices of the Department.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 296(b) of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) The authority of the Secretary to establish in the 
        Department the position of Rural Health Liaison under section 
        236.''.
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