PrEP Assistance Program Act
This bill establishes a grant program to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and related services to individuals at no cost. PrEP is medication given to individuals at risk of HIV to reduce their likelihood of contracting the virus.
The Department of Health and Human Services must award the grants to state, tribal, and local governments; certain health clinics; and community-based organizations.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5605 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5605
To establish a grant program that provides grants to States, Indian
Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health
clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations to
establish and support PrEP programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 15, 2021
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Jones, Mr.
Schiff, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Cohen, Ms.
Garcia of Texas, Mr. Takano, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Moore of
Wisconsin, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Porter, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Tonko,
Mr. Welch, Mr. Higgins of New York, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Ms. Bass, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Kuster, Mr.
Espaillat, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Pappas, and Ms.
Velazquez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program that provides grants to States, Indian
Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health
clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations to
establish and support PrEP programs, 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 ``PrEP Assistance Program Act''.
SEC. 2. PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS PROGRAM GRANT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish
a program that provides grants to States, Indian Tribal governments,
Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local
governments, and community-based organizations to establish and support
PrEP programs.
(b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (a), a State, Indian Tribal government, Federally qualified
health center, rural health clinic, local government, or community-
based organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, including a description of how any amounts awarded shall
be used.
(c) Amount.--Any grant provided to a State, Indian Tribal
government, Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic,
local government, or community-based organization under this section
may not exceed $10,000,000.
(d) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--Any State, Indian Tribal government,
Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, local
government, or community-based organization that is awarded an
amount under subsection (a) shall use such amount for expenses
associated with establishing a PrEP program or supporting an
existing PrEP program.
(2) Eligible expenses.--The Secretary shall publish a list
of eligible expenses associated with establishing a PrEP
program or supporting an existing PrEP program and this list
shall include--
(A) clinic and laboratory fees;
(B) office visits;
(C) PrEP medication;
(D) blood and urine testing as required in
association with the use of PrEP medication;
(E) sexually transmitted disease testing in
accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention;
(F) adherence services and counseling;
(G) outreach activities directed toward assisting
health professionals to become eligible to prescribe
pre-exposure prophylaxis medications in the State or
Indian Tribal government where the program is
operating;
(H) outreach activities directed toward physicians
that provide education about PrEP; and
(I) other similar items or services.
(e) Payment for Services.--An individual that receives a service or
item from a PreP program established or supported using amounts under
this section may not be required to provide payment for such service or
item.
(f) Matching.--
(1) In general.--Except with respect to an Indian Tribal
government, a grantee under this section shall contribute, to
the PrEP program established or supported by the grant, an
amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the amount of the
grant.
(2) Exception.--The Secretary may waive the requirement
under paragraph (1) for Federally qualified health centers,
rural health clinics, and community-based organizations if the
Secretary determines such a waiver is necessary.
(g) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall, in each of the first
5 years beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
submit to Congress, and make public on the Internet website of the
Department of Health and Human Services, a report on the impact of
grants provided to States, Indian Tribal governments, Federally
qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local governments, and
community-based organizations under this Act.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $400,000,000 for each of the first 5
fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(i) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Community-based organization.--The term ``community-
based organization'' means a nonprofit or private organization
that--
(A) represents a community or significant segments
of a community;
(B) provides health care or health-related services
to high-risk or high-need individuals in a community;
and
(C) demonstrates effectiveness with respect to such
health care or health-related services.
(2) Federally qualified health center.--The term
``Federally qualified health center'' has the meaning given the
term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395x(aa)).
(3) Indian tribal government.--The term ``Indian Tribal
government'' means the governing body of any Indian or Alaska
Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that
the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an
Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List
Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a et seq.).
(4) PrEP program.--The term ``PrEP program'' means a
program designed to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis and pre-
exposure prophylaxis- related services to individuals.
(5) Pre-exposure prophylaxis.--The term ``pre-exposure
prophylaxis'' means any medication approved by the Federal Drug
Administration and designed to prevent individuals at risk of
contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from contracting
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
(6) Rural health clinic.--The term ``rural health clinic''
has the meaning give such term in section 1861(aa) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(8) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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