42 U.S.C. § 247b–7: Loan repayment program

Summary

The Secretary may run a program that hires qualified health professionals to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). For each year they work doing prevention, preparedness, or emergency response duties, the federal government can pay up to $50,000 of the worker’s student loan principal and interest. To qualify, the person must have a lot of student debt compared to their income and must agree to work as a CDC or ATSDR employee for at least two years. Rules from the National Health Service Corps loan program apply here unless they conflict with these rules. Congress authorized $500,000 for fiscal year 1994 and whatever money was needed for 1995–2002. For the Epidemic Intelligence Service, $1,000,000 was authorized for each year 2019–2023. Funds made available for these contracts can be used until the end of the second fiscal year after they were appropriated.

Title 42, §247b–7

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

(1)Authority

Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may carry out a program of entering into contracts with appropriately qualified health professionals under which such health professionals agree to conduct prevention activities or preparedness and response activities, including rapid response to public health emergencies and significant public health threats, as employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to repay, for each year of such service, not more than $50,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of such health professionals.

(2)Limitation

The Secretary may not enter into an agreement with a health professional pursuant to paragraph (1) unless such professional—

(A)has a substantial amount of educational loans relative to income; and

(B)agrees to serve as an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for purposes of paragraph (1) for a period of not less than 2 years.

(b)Applicability of certain provisions

With respect to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in subpart III of part D of this subchapter, the provisions of such subpart shall, except as inconsistent with subsection (a), apply to the program established in this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.

(c)Authorization of appropriations

(1)In general

For the purpose of carrying out this section, except as described in paragraph (2), there are authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 2002.

(2)Epidemic Intelligence Service program

For purposes of carrying out this section with respect to qualified health professionals serving in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, as authorized under section 247b–8 of this title, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(d)Availability of appropriations

Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year for contracts under subsection (a) shall remain available until the expiration of the second fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year for which the amounts were appropriated.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–22, § 301(c)(1)(A), inserted “or preparedness and response activities, including rapid response to public health emergencies and significant public health threats” after “conduct prevention activities” and substituted “$50,000” for “$35,000”. Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116–22, § 301(c)(1)(B), substituted “2 years” for “3 years”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–22, § 301(c)(2), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, substituted “For the purpose of carrying out this section, except as described in paragraph (2)” for “For the purpose of carrying out this section”, and added par. (2). 1998—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–392, § 406(1), substituted “$35,000” for “$20,000”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–392, § 406(2), substituted “2002” for “1998”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–392, § 406(3), added subsec. (d).

§247b–7 Loan Repayment Program

Summary

Title 42, §247b–7

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata