PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 529.
Congressional Research Service
Version 25 · Reported to Senate · Jul 28, 2026
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.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
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 grants for recruiting youth into public health careers to include outreach to middle school students (current law only includes outreach to high school students).
People & committees
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · D–RI
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 529.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1093)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 22, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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