{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://tokuda.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tokuda-leads-bipartisan-bill-support-health-workforce", "Rep. Tokuda Leads Bipartisan Bill to Support Health Workforce", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Jill N. Tokuda", "T000487", "tokuda.house.gov", "tokuda", "https://tokuda.house.gov/media/press-releases?PageNum_rs=5&", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Last week, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and Carol Miller (R-WV-01) introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act to increase access to federal programs that help grow and strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals in primary care, mental and behavioral health, and dental services.\n\nThe Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act would provide tax-exempt status to certain federal scholarship and loan repayment programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) including the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, and the Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Exempting scholarships and loan repayment awards from federal income tax would allow HRSA to make additional and higher awards to increase program participation. Furthermore, awardees\u2014students, residents, faculty, and providers\u2014would receive the full financial benefit of their awards to cover educational costs without the added tax burden.\n\n\u201cThe shortage of healthcare workers in the United States has left millions of patients without access to the care they need, while causing undue stress and strain on the current workforce. Without further action, tough working conditions and increased financial barriers will only continue to discourage more people from joining the profession,\u201d said Rep. Tokuda. \u201cThat\u2019s why I introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act, which would boost the value of federal scholarships and loan repayment funds that support aspiring healthcare professionals and enable us to recruit and retain providers in rural and underserved areas. This bipartisan effort will help us fill critical gaps in our healthcare workforce to increase health systems\u2019 capacity and improve patient care and outcomes.\u201d\n\n\u201cA shortage of health care workers in rural communities presents many challenges for hospitals and medical facilities trying to provide the best possible care for their patients. The Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act will extend the tax-exempt status provided to awards of the National Health Service Corps programs which would give financial relief to health care personnel. Individuals in the health care industry should receive the full amount of the scholarship or grant they receive, and this legislation will help grow and strengthen the medical field,\u201d said Congresswoman Miller.\n\n\u201cFor more than 30 years, the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program has been a critical tool to help grow Native Hawaiian leaders in healthcare. But the high cost of living and rising medical education costs have made it increasingly difficult for the program to reach more of our \u02bboiwi interested in pursuing careers in healthcare, said Sheri-Ann Daniels, CEO of Papa Ola L\u014dkahi. \u201cWe are grateful for the leadership of Representatives Tokuda and Miller on this issue. This legislation will create more opportunities for Native Hawaiian students and strengthen our ability to recruit and retain more healthcare providers serving our Native Hawaiian communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe savings provided through the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act will allow HRSA to make additional awards through several important Title VII and VIII workforce programs,\u201d said Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, chief public policy officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges. \u201cStudies show that these programs increase the number of underrepresented students enrolled in health professions schools, heighten awareness of factors contributing to health disparities, and attract health professionals more likely to serve in rural and underserved areas.\u201d\n\nThe bill is endorsed by 50 national and local organizations including the American College of Physicians, America\u2019s Essential Hospitals, Association of American Medical Colleges, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Rural Health Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Papa Ola L\u014dkahi, Hawai\u02bbi State Center for Nursing, Healthcare Association of Hawai\u02bbi, the Queen\u2019s Health Systems, and West Virginia Hospital Association.\n\nThe full text of the bill can be found here.\n\nA summary of the bill and endorsing organizations can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://tokuda.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tokuda-leads-bipartisan-bill-support-health-workforce"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.209890004247427, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}