Introduced in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10694 Introduced in House (IH)] 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10694 To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide eligibility for nurses working in an elementary or secondary school within a health professional shortage area to participate in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 1, 2026 Ms. Perez (for herself and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide eligibility for nurses working in an elementary or secondary school within a health professional shortage area to participate in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``More Nurses in Rural Schools Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN SCHOOL NURSES TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN SCHOOL NURSES TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1) is

Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(i) Eligibility of Certain School Nurses.-- ``(1) Special rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary may permit an individual to meet the requirement of subsection (f)(1)(A)(iv), relating to a period of obligated service, by agreeing to serve for a time period equal to 2 years, or such longer period as the individual may agree, as a school nurse in an elementary or secondary school located within a health professional shortage area (designated under section 332). ``(2) Part-time service.-- ``(A) In general.--In the case of an individual described in paragraph (1) who agrees to serve in a position as a school nurse on less than a full-year basis or less than a full-time basis (or both), the Secretary shall increase the time period of service required under paragraph (1) so that such individual is required to serve the same number of hours as an individual serving in such a position on a full-year, full-time basis. ``(B) Certification.--The Secretary shall establish annual certification requirements for individuals described in subparagraph (A) for the purpose of verifying the number of hours worked by such individuals. ``(3) Waiver of certain priorities and limitations.--The assignment priorities and limitations under sections 333(a)(1)(D), 333(b), 333A(a)(1)(B)(ii), and 333A(a)(1)(B)(iii) shall not apply to an individual described in paragraph (1). ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Elementary school; secondary school.--The terms `elementary school' and `secondary school' have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). ``(B) School nurse.--The term `school nurse' means a registered nurse who is employed by a school or local educational agency or State or State educational agency and is qualified under State law to provide assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational, therapeutic, and other health services to meet student needs. ``(5) Set-aside.--Of the amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not less than 5 percent shall be used to provide for the participation of school nurses in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program as authorized by this subsection.''.