S. 4110 · On the floor · Health

EMPOWER for Health Act

What it does

Reauthorize through fiscal year 2031 HRSA programs that fund recruiting, training, and retaining health profession workers and educators.
Revise the pediatric health specialist loan repayment program to require at least half of service hours be direct clinical care, expand eligible specialties to include pediatric mental and behavioral health, and authoriz
Authorize new grants to states and health professions schools for nursing workforce support, including analysis, technical assistance, and best practices to address nursing shortages.
Expand public health career recruitment outreach to include middle school students, not only high school students as current law permits.

Official summary

Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act or the EMPOWER for Health Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises a range of programs that provide funding and other resources to support recruiting, training, and retaining individuals to work or teach in the health professions. These programs are administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). For instance, the bill revises an educational loan repayment program for certain pediatric health specialists that agree to practice in areas with shortages of such specialists. The bill (1) requires direct clinical care to comprise at least half of the required service hours, (2) broadens the eligible specialties to include any pediatric mental or behavioral health discipline HRSA determines appropriate, and (3) specifically authorizes focusing care on children enrolled in Medicaid. Also, the bill specifically authorizes grants to entities such as states and health professions schools for supporting the nursing workforce by providing analysis, technical assistance, and best practices for alleviating nursing workforce shortages. Finally, the bill expands…

Latest action

Jul 28, 2026: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 529.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions