Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2022” or the “Health Equity and MENA Community Inclusion Act of 2022”.
Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2022
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to include Middle Easterners and North Africans in the statutory definition of a racial and ethnic minority group, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Inclusion of Middle Easterners and North Africans in definition of racial and ethnic minority groups
In general— Section 1707(g)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)(1)) is amended by striking “and Hispanics” and inserting “Hispanics, and Middle Easterners and North Africans”.
References— Except as otherwise specified, any reference to the term “racial and ethnic minority group” in any Federal regulation, guidance, order, or document for establishment or implementation of any federally conducted or supported health care or public health program, activity, or survey shall be treated as having the definition given to such term in section 1707(g)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)(1)).
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of the Congress that subsections (a) and (b) should be implemented so as to ensure that—
the definition of a “racial and ethnic minority group” in section 1707(g)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)(1)), as amended by subsection (a), is applied in the implementation and execution of Federal programs and activities that reference such definition;
no racial and ethnic minority group served by such programs and activities is negatively impacted by subsection (a) or (b); and
the level of funding authorized for such programs and activities in connection with communities of Middle Easterners and North Africans is commensurate with the level of funding authorized for such programs and activities in connection with other racial and ethnic minority groups, taking into consideration the size and needs of the respective populations.