Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Strengthening Telehealth and Education for Rural Communities Act of 2023”.
Strengthening Telehealth and Education for Rural Communities Act of 2023
A BILL
To reauthorize the distance learning and telemedicine grant program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Distance learning and telemedicine grant program
Use of grants for operating expenses— Section 2333 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–2) is amended—
in subsection (a), by inserting “and operation” after “construction”;
in subsection (c)—
in paragraph (1)(B), by adding “and” at the end; and
in paragraph (2)(A), by striking “or extend” each place it appears and inserting “extend, or operate”;
in subsection (f)—
in paragraph (3), by striking “or” at the end;
by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
“(4) operation of the programming, equipment, or facilities referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2); or”
by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
“(g) Operating expenses—Not more than 15 percent of the amount of financial assistance provided to a recipient under this chapter may be used for recurring or operating expenses, including salaries or administrative expenses, that are reasonable and allocable to the project carried out by the recipient.”
Waiver of matching requirement— Section 2334 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–3) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(g) Waiver of matching requirement—The Secretary shall waive any requirement for a recipient of financial assistance under this chapter to provide non-Federal matching funds—
“(1) in a case of demonstrated need or if the matching requirement would create a substantial burden, as determined by the Secretary; or
“(2) if the recipient is a federally recognized Indian Tribe.”
Authorization of appropriations— Section 2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–5) is amended by striking “2019 through 2023” and inserting “2024 through 2028”.
Set-Aside for substance use disorder treatment and mental health services—
In general—
Substance use disorder set-aside— Subject to subparagraph (B), for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make available not less than 20 percent of amounts made available under section 2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–5) for financial assistance under chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XXIII of that Act (7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq.) for telemedicine projects that provide substance use disorder treatment services or mental health services.
Exception— In the case of a fiscal year for which the Secretary of Agriculture determines that there are not sufficient qualified applicants to receive financial assistance for projects providing substance use disorder treatment services or mental health services to reach the 20-percent requirement under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Agriculture may make available less than 20 percent of amounts made available under section 2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–5) for those services.
Conforming amendments— Section 6101(a)(1)(A)(i) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–334; 132 Stat. 4726) is amended—
by inserting “for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023,” before “the Secretary”; and
by striking “(7 U.S.C. 950aaa–2)” and inserting “(7 U.S.C. 950aaa–5)”.