119th Congress Health
S. 2954: Health Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2025
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill establishes grants to (1) cover the tuition of certain students at health professions schools, (2) expand enrollment at health professions schools, and (3) assist health care practitioners with relocating their practices to rural areas.
The Department of Education must provide grants to students at schools of medicine, dentistry, and nursing to fully pay their tuition and required fees. Medical students must agree to practice primary care for 10 years after graduation, and dentistry students must agree to practice in a rural area for 10 years after graduation. If recipients fail to complete such service, the grants become loans requiring repayment of up to $50,000.
Additionally, the bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, with a focus on psychiatry and primary care residencies. It also reauthorizes through FY2035 the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, which supports education and training of medical students in primary care residency programs in community-based ambulatory patient care centers.
Read the full summary
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) must provide 10-year grants to schools of medicine, dentistry, and nursing to expand student enrollment, such as through educational partnerships and modernizing programs.
HRSA must also provide grants to physicians, dentists, and nurses to assist with relocating their practices to rural areas. Grant recipients must agree to practice in the new location for at least three years.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Jeff Merkley D-OROriginal
Who scored on this bill
- 1Bernard Sanders SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
Other bills by Bernard Sanders
History
- Introduced in the Senate by Bernard Sanders.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
- Introduced in Senate
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


