Community Health Workforce Development Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7289
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-30: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-18T07:53:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Community Health Workforce Development Act (H.R. 7289) aims to improve training programs for health professionals in community health centers by creating a new advisory committee. This committee will provide expert guidance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on policy, performance, and evaluation related to these training efforts, ultimately supporting better healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of the Advisory Committee: Adds a new section (749-1) to the Public Health Service Act, creating the Advisory Committee on Training in Community Health Centers. The HHS Secretary must establish it and appoint initial members within 90 days of the bill's enactment.
- Membership Requirements:
- 15 voting members, none of whom can be federal employees.
- At least 75% must have experience as health professionals; at least one must be a current patient of a community health center.
- Members represent a balance of health professions, with broad geographic coverage including urban and rural areas.
- Initial terms staggered (one-third for 1 year, one-third for 2 years, one-third for 3 years); all subsequent terms are 3 years.
- Vacancies filled by the Secretary to complete unexpired terms.
- Non-voting representatives from federal agencies (e.g., Assistant Secretary for Health, CMS Administrator, HRSA Administrator) may be appointed but receive no extra pay.
- Duties:
- Advise the Secretary on policy, program development, and significant issues for training in community health centers.
- Develop and publish performance measures for relevant programs.
- Create guidelines for long-term evaluations of these programs.
- Operations:
- Meets at least twice yearly, potentially jointly with related groups.
- Must publish meeting agendas 14 days in advance and summaries/actions within 30 days after meetings.
- Compensation and Support:
- Voting members compensated at the daily rate for Level IV of the Executive Schedule (a federal pay scale for high-level officials) and reimbursed for travel expenses.
- Non-voting federal representatives unpaid beyond their regular salaries.
- Reporting:
- Starting 3 years after enactment, submit annual public reports to the Secretary and congressional committees (House Energy and Commerce; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) on activities, findings, recommendations for training, and funding levels.
- Governance:
- Subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA, a law regulating advisory groups for transparency and accountability), but with exceptions where this bill's rules conflict; the committee does not automatically terminate under FACA.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Inserts a entirely new advisory committee into the Public Health Service Act (after section 749), which previously lacked a dedicated body for advising on community health center training.
- Introduces specific composition rules (e.g., patient representative, professional balance) and operational mandates (e.g., performance measures, evaluation guidelines) not previously outlined for such training programs.
- Modifies FACA application to allow perpetual existence without automatic sunset, ensuring ongoing advice without conflicting with federal advisory standards.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS (including HRSA and related divisions) gains structured expert input to refine training policies, potentially improving efficiency and effectiveness of federal health workforce programs. Increases administrative workload for appointments, meetings, and reporting but enhances coordination with agencies like CMS and the Veterans Health Administration.
- Citizens: Improves training quality for health workers in community health centers, which serve low-income and underserved populations, potentially leading to better access to primary care, especially in rural and urban areas with shortages. Patients, particularly those relying on these centers, may benefit from more skilled providers.
- International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. health workforce development.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Health Professionals and Trainers: Gain influence through committee membership and representation, with opportunities for compensation and input on program improvements.
- Community Health Centers and Patients: Centers benefit from enhanced training guidelines; patients (especially underserved groups) indirectly gain via better services, with one patient explicitly represented on the committee.
- Federal Agencies: HHS, HRSA, CMS, and Veterans Health Administration provide non-voting input and implement recommendations, affecting program funding and operations.
- Congress: Receives annual reports to inform oversight and appropriations for health workforce initiatives.
- General Public: Particularly those in medically underserved areas, through strengthened community-based healthcare.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Aligns with existing federal authority under the Public Health Service Act to create advisory bodies, promoting transparency via FACA while customizing rules for specificity. No challenges to separation of powers, as it involves executive appointments with congressional reporting.
- Constitutional: Supports the government's role in promoting general welfare (Article I, Section 8) by addressing public health without infringing on individual rights or states' powers.
- Political: Bolsters bipartisan efforts to expand community health infrastructure, potentially influencing future funding debates for Title VII/VIII health professions programs. Emphasizes equity through diverse representation, which could appeal to advocates for rural/urban and minority health access, but may face scrutiny over costs and committee permanence.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-30: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-01-30: Introduced in House
- 2026-01-30: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Community Health Workforce Development Act — issued 2026-01-30 — PDF (8 pages)