HR5444119th CongressWALLET

Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

Introduced

Summary

Integration of medical laboratory personnel into the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) would extend federal workforce supports to lab staff. The bill would add lab personnel to NHSC targeting and loan repayment and create a Medical Laboratory Personnel Education Program with an initial $25 million authorization.

Show full summary
  • Medical laboratory workers: Would become eligible for NHSC loan repayment and have medical laboratory science explicitly listed as an eligible degree, helping students and early career lab staff manage debt.
  • Rural and underserved communities: Establishes Medical Laboratory Health Professional Target Areas to assign trained lab personnel to areas with shortages and aligns targeting references to support lab services.
  • Training programs and students: Creates a new grant program to fund accredited medical laboratory education with priorities for rural, underrepresented, and culturally competent training and an initial $25 million authorized for the first full fiscal year.

*Would authorize at least $25 million in new federal spending for the first full fiscal year and allows additional sums as necessary for later years, increasing federal outlays.*

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Loan repayment for medical lab workers

If enacted, the National Health Service Corps loan repayment would open to medical lab workers. A degree in medical laboratory science would count toward eligibility, along with other listed health credentials. The bill would also add medical laboratory services to Corps rules and define who counts, including phlebotomists, technicians, histotechnologists, lab scientists, and genetic counselors. These changes would take effect upon enactment.

More lab staff in shortage areas

If enacted, the government would set up target areas that lack medical lab workers. The Secretary would assign National Health Service Corps lab personnel to those places. If you live in a target area, you could get better access to lab tests and services. This would start upon enactment.

Grants for medical lab training

If enacted, the government would fund grants to expand medical lab training and faculty. Nonprofit hospitals, allied health schools, and certain nonprofits could apply. Each award would last three years. Priority would go to programs serving rural, underrepresented, or disadvantaged students and teaching teamwork and cultural competency. The bill would authorize $25 million for the first full fiscal year after enactment, and more as needed later.

Free Policy Watch

You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.

Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.

Pick a topic to get started

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

NC • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]

    VA • R

    Sponsored 9/17/2025

  • Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 11/12/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation

Take It Personal

Get Your Personalized Policy View

Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.

Already have an account? Sign in