Impacts and Outcomes for Health Career Training Act

Bill Number

H.R. 5376

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

2026-06-11T23:41:32Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Impacts and Outcomes for Health Career Training Act (H.R. 5376) aims to promote an evidence-based approach by requiring the study and evaluation of Health Profession Opportunity Grant demonstration projects. These projects provide training and support to help low-income individuals, including those on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), enter careers in the health professions.

Key Provisions

• Mandated Study: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) must conduct a study on the short-term (immediate), medium-term (a few years), and long-term (several years or more) effects of the demonstration projects. This includes assessing participants' employment rates and earnings.
• Funding Allocation: At least 4% of the total funds available each fiscal year for these grants must be used for the study, related evaluations, staffing, and ongoing analysis of project effectiveness, including any new features added to the projects.
• Effective Date: The changes take effect on October 1, 2025.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Section 2008 of the Social Security Act (which authorizes the Health Profession Opportunity Grants) by:

• Inserting a new subsection (c) to require the study and dedicate funding for evaluations.
• Redesignating existing subsections (c) and (d) as (d) and (e) to accommodate the new addition.

These changes introduce a formal, ongoing evaluation requirement that was not previously specified, shifting toward more rigorous, data-driven oversight of the grant program.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The HHS Secretary will need to allocate resources for studies and evaluations, potentially improving program accountability but reducing funds available for direct grants by at least 4% annually.
• On Citizens: Participants in the demonstration projects—primarily low-income individuals seeking health career training—could benefit from evidence-based improvements to the programs, leading to better employment outcomes over time.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic workforce development.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Government: HHS (led by the Secretary) is responsible for conducting and funding the studies.
• Grant Recipients: State, local, or tribal organizations that receive grants to run the demonstration projects, as evaluations may influence future funding or program design.
• Program Participants: Low-income individuals, including TANF recipients, who participate in health training; they stand to gain from more effective programs based on study findings.
• Congress: Oversight committees, such as the House Committee on Ways and Means, may use the study results to inform future legislation or budget decisions.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens accountability in federal grant programs under the Social Security Act by mandating evidence-based evaluations, potentially setting a precedent for similar requirements in other social welfare initiatives without altering participants' rights.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; the bill operates within Congress's spending power to allocate funds and oversee federal programs.
• Political: Encourages data-driven policy-making, which could reduce waste in workforce development but may face debate over diverting grant funds to administrative studies rather than direct services.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]

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

• Impacts and Outcomes for Health Career Training Act — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (3 pages)