[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2278 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2278
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to improve
health care in rural 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 ``State Offices of Rural Health
Reauthorization Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. STATE OFFICES OF RURAL HEALTH.
Section 338J of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254r) is
amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 338J. GRANTS TO STATE OFFICES OF RURAL HEALTH.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (established under section
711 of the Social Security Act), shall make grants to each State Office
of Rural Health for the purpose of improving health care in rural
areas.
``(b) Requirement of Matching Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the State
office of rural health involved agrees, with respect to the
costs to be incurred in carrying out the purpose described in
such subsection, to provide non-Federal contributions toward
such costs in an amount equal to $3 for each $1 of Federal
funds provided in the grant.
``(2) Waiver or reduction.--The Secretary may waive or
reduce the non-Federal contribution if the Secretary determines
that requiring matching funds would limit the State office of
rural health's ability to carry out the purpose described in
subsection (a).
``(3) Determination of amount of non-federal
contribution.--Non-Federal contributions required in paragraph
(1) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including
plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal
Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any
significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be
included in determining the amount of such non-Federal
contributions.
``(c) Certain Required Activities.--Recipients of a grant under
subsection (a) shall use the grant funds for purposes of--
``(1) maintaining within the State office of rural health a
clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating information on--
``(A) rural health care issues;
``(B) research findings relating to rural health
care; and
``(C) innovative approaches to the delivery of
health care in rural areas;
``(2) coordinating the activities carried out in the State
that relate to rural health care, including providing
coordination for the purpose of avoiding redundancy in such
activities; and
``(3) identifying Federal and State programs regarding
rural health, and providing technical assistance to public and
nonprofit private entities regarding participation in such
programs.
``(d) Requirement Regarding Annual Budget for Office.--The
Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the State
involved agrees that, for any fiscal year for which the State office of
rural health receives such a grant, the office operated pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section will be provided with an annual budget
of not less than $150,000.
``(e) Certain Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Restrictions.--The Secretary may not make a grant
under subsection (a) unless the State office of rural health
involved agrees that the grant will not be expended--
``(A) to provide health care (including providing
cash payments regarding such care);
``(B) to conduct activities for which Federal funds
are expended--
``(i) within the State to provide technical
and other nonfinancial assistance under section
330A(f);
``(ii) under a memorandum of agreement
entered into with the State office of rural
health under section 330A(h); or
``(iii) under a grant under section 338I;
``(C) to purchase medical equipment, to purchase
ambulances, aircraft, or other vehicles, or to purchase
major communications equipment;
``(D) to purchase or improve real property; or
``(E) to carry out any activity regarding a
certificate of need.
``(2) Authorities.--Activities for which a State office of
rural health may expend a grant under subsection (a) include--
``(A) paying the costs of maintaining an office of
rural health for purposes of subsection (a);
``(B) subject to paragraph (1)(B)(iii), paying the
costs of any activity carried out with respect to
recruiting and retaining health professionals to serve
in rural areas of the State; and
``(C) providing grants and contracts to public and
nonprofit private entities to carry out activities
authorized in this section.
``(3) Limit on indirect costs.--The Secretary may impose a
limit of no more than 15 percent on indirect costs claimed by
the recipient of the grant.
``(f) Reports.--The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection
(a) unless the State office of rural health involved agrees--
``(1) to submit to the Secretary reports or performance
data containing such information as the Secretary may require
regarding activities carried out under this section; and
``(2) to submit such a report or performance data not later
than September 30 of each fiscal year immediately following any
fiscal year for which the State office of rural health has
received such a grant.
``(g) Requirement of Application.--The Secretary may not make a
grant under subsection (a) unless an application for the grant is
submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made
in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and
information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out
such subsection.
``(h) Noncompliance.--The Secretary may not make payments under
subsection (a) to a State office of rural health for any fiscal year
subsequent to the first fiscal year of such payments unless the
Secretary determines that, for the immediately preceding fiscal year,
the State office of rural health has complied with each of the
agreements made by the State office of rural health under this section.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--For the purpose of making grants under
subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated
$12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
``(2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated under paragraph
(1) shall remain available until expended.''.
Passed the Senate July 24, 2018.
Attest:
Secretary.
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2278
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to improve
health care in rural areas.