Sponsor
Terri Sewell
Representative · D-AL
Representative · D-AL
The bill increases access to workforce training for rural residents and lowers transportation barriers, but redistributes limited grant resources toward rural areas and adds cost and reporting burdens that could shrink program scope elsewhere.
Rural residents and communities will be more likely to receive funded training projects because the Secretary must prefer applications serving rural areas, improving local access to workforce programs.
Participants in funded programs (especially those in rural areas) will get transportation support, reducing a key barrier to completing training and taking jobs.
Congress and policymakers will receive data on rural uptake and program effectiveness, giving evidence to better target future workforce policy and funding decisions.
Non-rural areas with high workforce need may receive less grant funding because statutory preference for rural projects shifts a limited pool of resources.
Requiring transportation subsidies could raise program costs for grantees or HHS, potentially reducing the number or scope of funded projects if no additional funds are provided.
New reporting requirements on rural uptake and effectiveness may divert administrative time and resources at HHS and among grantees away from service delivery.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Gives HHS a rural preference for certain demonstration grants, requires transportation assistance plans for funded projects, and adds congressional reporting, effective Oct 1, 2025.
Official title: To require geographical diversity in the provision of health profession opportunity grants under section 2008 of the Social Security Act, and to require the support services provided through the use of the grants to include a transportation assistance plan.
Introduced September 16, 2025 by Terri Sewell · Last progress September 16, 2025
Requires the HHS Secretary to give funding preference for certain health workforce demonstration grants to projects that serve rural areas, requires every funded project to include a transportation assistance plan for participants, and mandates Congress-facing reporting on applications and project effectiveness. The changes amend the Social Security Act grant authority and take effect October 1, 2025.