---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 254s"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "254s"
heading: "Native Hawaiian Health Scholarships"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/254s"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part D — Primary Health Care"
  - "Subpart iii — scholarship program and loan repayment program"
---

# §254s. Native Hawaiian Health Scholarships

- (a) **Eligibility—** Subject to the availability of funds appropriated under the authority of [subsection (d)](#d), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall provide funds to Papa Ola Lokahi for the purpose of providing scholarship assistance to students who—
  - (1) meet the requirements of [section 254l(b)](/usc/42/254l.md?p=b) of this title, and
  - (2) are Native Hawaiians.
- (b) **Terms and conditions—**
  - (1) The scholarship assistance provided under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be provided under the same terms and subject to the same conditions, [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d), and rules that apply to scholarship assistance provided under [section 254l](/usc/42/254l.md) of this title.
  - (2) The Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) shall not be administered by or through the Indian Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
- (c) **“Native Hawaiian” defined—** For purposes of this section, the term “Native Hawaiian” means any individual who is—
  - (1) a citizen of the United States,
  - (2) a resident of the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) of Hawaii, and
  - (3) a descendant of the aboriginal people, who prior to 1778, occupied and exercised sovereignty in the area that now constitutes the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) of Hawaii, as evidenced by—
    - (A) genealogical records,
    - (B) Kupuna (elders) or Kama’aina (long-term community residents) verification, or
    - (C) birth records of the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) of Hawaii.
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated $1,800,000 for each of the fiscal years 1990, 1991, and 1992 for the purpose of funding the scholarship assistance provided under [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 338K, formerly § 338J, as added Pub. L. 100–713, title I, § 106, Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4787; renumbered § 338K, Pub. L. 101–597, title III, § 302, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3032; amended Pub. L. 101–644, title IV, § 401, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4668; Pub. L. 107–116, title V, § 514(b), Jan. 10, 2002, 115 Stat. 2220.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–116, which directed the amendment of subsec. (a) by substituting “Papa Ola Lokahi” for “Kamehameha School/Bishop Estate”, was executed by making the substitution for “Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–644, which directed the general amendment of subsec. (a) of section 338J of the Public Health Service Act, was executed to subsec. (a) of this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening renumbering of section 338J as 338K by Pub. L. 101–597. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Subject to the availability of funds appropriated under the authority of subsection (d) of this section, the Secretary shall provide scholarship assistance, pursuant to a contract with the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate, to students who—

“(1) meet the requirements of section 254l(b) of this title, and

“(2) are Native Hawaiians.”