S. 4110

119 S4110 IS: Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act
 U.S. Senate
 2026-03-17
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 4110  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   March 17, 2026   Mr. Reed  (for himself and  Ms. Murkowski ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions    A BILL
To revise and extend health workforce programs under title VII of the Public Health Service Act.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act   or the   EMPOWER for Health Act  .
2.
Reauthorization of health professions workforce programs
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 292 et seq. ) is amended—
(1)
in section 736(i) ( 42 U.S.C. 293(i) ), by striking  $23,711,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $28,422,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(2)
in section 740 ( 42 U.S.C. 293d )—
(A)
in subsection (a), by striking  $51,470,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $55,014,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(B)
in subsection (b), by striking  appropriated, $1,190,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  appropriated $2,310,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(C)
in subsection (c), by striking  $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ; and
(D)
in subsection (d), by striking  September 30, 2025  and inserting  September 30, 2030 ;
(3)
in section 747(c)(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 293k(c)(1) ), by striking  $48,924,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $49,924,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(4)
in section 748(f) ( 42 U.S.C. 293k–2(f) ), by striking  $28,531,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $42,673,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(5)
in section 751(j)(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 294a(j)(1) ), by striking  $41,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $47,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(6)
in section 753(d) ( 42 U.S.C. 294c(d) ), by striking  $40,737,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $48,245,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(7)
in section 761(e)(1)(A) ( 42 U.S.C. 294n(e)(1)(A) ), by striking  2021 through 2025  and inserting  2026 through 2030 ;
(8)
in section 762(i) ( 42 U.S.C. 294o(i) ), by striking  September 30, 2023  and inserting  September 30, 2030 ;
(9)
in section 770(a) ( 42 U.S.C. 295e(a) ), by striking  $17,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025  and inserting  $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 ;
(10)
in section 775(e) ( 42 U.S.C. 295f(e) ), by striking  is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.  and inserting the following: “are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030—
(1)
to carry out subsection (c)(1)(A), $5,000,000; and
(2)
to carry out subsection (c)(1)(B), $5,000,000.
 ; and
(11)
in section 776(i) ( 42 U.S.C. 295f–1(i) ), by striking  2023 through 2025  and inserting  2026 through 2030 .
3.
Investment in tomorrow’s pediatric health care workforce
Section 775 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 295f ) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking  be employed full-time  and inserting  perform full-time service ;
(2)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking  in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty that has a sufficient pediatric population to support such pediatric subspecialty, as determined by the Secretary  and inserting  to underserved children or in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty ; and
(B)
in paragraph (2)(B)—
(i)
by striking  employment  and inserting  service ; and
(ii)
by striking  an area or  and inserting  a ;
(3)
in subsection (c)—
(A)
by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through the paragraph designation and heading in paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(c)
Eligibility
(1)
Definition of qualified health professional
In this section:
 ;
(B)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A)—
(I)
in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting  under this section  after  contracts ; and
(II)
in clause (ii), by striking  subparagraph (B)  and inserting  clause (i) ; and
(ii)
in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting  under this section  after  contracts ; and
(C)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking  this subsection with an eligible individual  and inserting  this section with a qualified health professional ;
(ii)
in subparagraph (A)—
(I)
by striking  individual  and inserting  qualified health professional ; and
(II)
by striking  medically underserved population  and inserting  medically underserved pediatric population (including children enrolled in the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act) ; and
(iii)
in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking  individual  and inserting  qualified health professional ;
(4)
by redesignating subsection (e) (as amended by section 2(10)) as subsection (f); and
(5)
by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
(e)
Full-Time service obligations
(1)
In general
With respect to qualified health professionals described in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B) of subsection (c)(1) who enter into contracts under this section, the Secretary shall establish requirements for full-time service that are consistent with the practice standards, including research and teaching obligations, of the applicable pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care field in which such qualified health professional practices.
(2)
Fellowships or residencies
With respect to qualified health professionals described in subsection (c)(1)(A)(i), the Secretary shall establish requirements for full-time service that are consistent with the requirements of the accrediting body for the applicable residency or fellowship for full-time service.
 .
4.
Area health education centers
Section 751 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 294a ) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)(1)(G), by striking  high school  and inserting  pre-collegiate ; and
(2)
in subsection (h)(1)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  12 years  and inserting  2 award cycles ; and
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  6 years  and inserting  1 award cycle .