Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Medical Accreditation Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9605
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T10:23:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9605: Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Medical Accreditation Act
Purpose of the Legislation
This bill transfers oversight of accreditation for foreign medical schools from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The goal is to place this responsibility with the agency more directly involved in health matters.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Transfer of Functions: Moves all duties related to the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (an advisory panel under the Higher Education Act) from the Secretary of Education to the Secretary of HHS, including related staff and resources.
- Exercise of Authorities: Allows HHS to use existing legal powers previously held by the Department of Education for these tasks.
- Resource Transfers: Shifts personnel, contracts, property, records, and unspent funds to HHS, with requirements that unspent money be used only for its original purposes.
- Oversight by Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Ensures no net increase in federal employees and handles any needed adjustments to functions or resources.
- Delegation and References: Permits HHS to assign tasks to its staff and updates all legal references from the Department of Education to HHS.
- Savings and Transition Rules: Preserves existing legal documents, ongoing proceedings, lawsuits, and benefits; allows temporary use of Department of Education resources during the shift.
- Effective Date: Takes effect 6 months after enactment, though transfers can begin earlier.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
- Relocates authority over foreign medical school accreditation from the Department of Education to HHS, altering the structure of federal education and health oversight without creating new programs.
- Introduces OMB review to maintain current staffing levels across affected agencies.
Potential Impacts on Government Agencies, Citizens, or International Relations
- Government Agencies: Consolidates related functions within HHS, potentially streamlining health-related accreditation while requiring coordination between departments during transition; OMB enforces no added staff.
- Citizens: May affect U.S. students attending foreign medical schools by changing the reviewing agency, though day-to-day processes remain similar.
- International Relations: Could influence how foreign medical institutions are evaluated for U.S. recognition, with possible effects on global medical education partnerships.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Foreign medical schools seeking U.S. accreditation.
- U.S. students and graduates of foreign medical programs.
- The Department of Education and HHS, along with their staff.
- The Office of Management and Budget for oversight duties.
- Medical licensing bodies and healthcare employers relying on accredited foreign credentials.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill follows standard procedures for agency transfers, including protections for ongoing legal matters to avoid disruptions.
- It emphasizes administrative efficiency without altering constitutional powers or creating new regulatory frameworks.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Medical Accreditation Act — issued 2026-07-09 — PDF (9 pages)