Promoting Health Careers in Community and Technical Colleges Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5374
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-25T14:12:08Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Promoting Health Careers in Community and Technical Colleges Act" (H.R. 5374) aims to improve the Health Professions Opportunity Demonstration Projects under the Social Security Act. It ensures that these projects, which help low-income individuals enter health care careers, provide training leading to recognized credentials. It also expands grant eligibility to include community colleges, promoting accessible education in health professions.
Key Provisions
- Credential Requirement: Grantees must train participants to earn a "recognized postsecondary credential," such as an industry-recognized certificate or degree that employers value.
- Eligibility Expansion: Community colleges are explicitly made eligible for grants to run these demonstration projects by updating references in the law to include definitions of higher education institutions that cover community colleges.
- Effective Date: Changes take effect on October 1, 2025.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 2008 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397g):
- Adds a new subsection (c) mandating credential-focused training, shifting from optional to required outcomes for participants.
- Updates subsection (a)(4)(D) to reference both Section 101 (general institutions of higher education) and Section 102(a)(1)(B) (specifically public community colleges) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002), broadening who can apply for funding.
- These changes redesignate existing subsections to accommodate the new requirements without altering core program structure.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees these grants, may see increased applications from community colleges and a need to verify credential attainment, potentially improving program accountability and evaluation.
- Citizens: Low-income individuals, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other underserved groups targeted by the program, gain better access to job-ready training, potentially leading to higher employment rates in health care fields with sustainable wages.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic workforce development.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Project Participants: Primarily low-income adults seeking health care careers, who benefit from guaranteed pathways to credentials.
- Educational Institutions: Community and technical colleges, now eligible for grants, enabling them to expand health professions training programs.
- Grantees and Providers: Nonprofits, workforce boards, and other eligible entities, required to align training with credential outcomes.
- Government: HHS and state agencies administering TANF-related programs, with enhanced oversight responsibilities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens enforcement by tying federal funding to measurable outcomes (credentials), reducing ambiguity in grant requirements and aligning with broader workforce laws like the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. No conflicts with existing statutes anticipated.
- Constitutional: Supports equal protection under the law by promoting educational access for disadvantaged groups, without raising federalism concerns as it builds on established Social Security Act programs.
- Political: Encourages bipartisan support for community college funding and health workforce development amid labor shortages, potentially influencing future appropriations for education and social services.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Promoting Health Careers in Community and Technical Colleges Act — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (3 pages)