[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2527 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2527
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and
eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal
organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support
those efforts.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2025
Mr. Veasey (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and
eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal
organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support
those efforts.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Early Detection of Vision
Impairments for Children Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND
SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE HEALTH.
Part Q of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
280h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 399Z-3. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE
HEALTH.
``(a) Grants or Cooperative Agreements.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, shall make awards of grants or cooperative
agreements to eligible entities to develop and implement
statewide early detection and intervention programs and systems
related to children's vision and eye health.
``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or
cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), an entity shall--
``(A) be a State, territory, Indian Tribe or Tribal
organization, or Urban Indian organization, including a
State or community department of children and families,
health, or public health, or a State educational
agency; and
``(B) submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(3) Use of awards.--Amounts provided under a grant or
cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) shall be used for
three or more of the following activities:
``(A) Implementing early detection practices (such
as vision screening) and intervention initiatives for
the purpose of identifying vision concerns in children
as they engage in the medical, home, public
educational, or early learning setting, promoting
referrals to eye care, and promoting the use of
evidence-based and age-appropriate standards guided by
nationally recognized and uniform guidelines.
``(B) Developing an integrated approach to State-
level data collection and management to advance State-
based performance improvement systems and uniform
children's vision and eye health guidelines across
relevant and appropriate State-level jurisdictions.
``(C) Identifying strategies to improve eye health
outcomes, expand access to care, and reduce health
disparities for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment
of ocular disease and eye conditions in children who
experience barriers to eye care from rural and
underserved populations.
``(D) Raising awareness by providing the public,
including families, guardians (permanent, legal, or
temporary), family or community caregivers, and early
learning settings with children's vision and eye health
information that is accurate, accessible, culturally
and linguistically competent, comprehensive, up-to-
date, and evidence-based or evidence-informed.
``(E) Establishing a coordinated public health
system for vision care and eye health, including early
detection, referral to eye care, diagnosis and
intervention, and follow-up for children.
``(F) Providing referrals to wrap-around vision
services, as necessary, for a future of independent
living.
``(4) Collaboration with necessary community and state
partners.--In carrying out activities under this subsection,
the recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement shall consult
with necessary community and State partners, including State
agencies responsible for the administration of title V of
Social Security Act (the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant
Program), title XIX of such Act (the Medicaid Early Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program), title XXI of such
Act (the State Children's Health Insurance Program), and parts
B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the
Indian Health Service, and consumer groups for the purposes of
program and policy development, collaboration, and improvement.
``(5) Evaluation and report.--
``(A) In general.--An entity that receives a grant
or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall
annually submit to the Secretary a report that
describes the activities carried out under the grant or
agreement, including a description of the period of
performance covered under the report, the scope of
activities carried out during such period, the outcomes
of such activities, and a demonstration of whether
funding recipients have met project goals for the
designated time period outlined in the initial
application under paragraph (2).
``(B) Availability of reports.--The Secretary shall
make available to the general public the annual reports
under subparagraph (A).
``(b) Technical Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide eligible
entities under subsection (a) with technical support in the
development, implementation, and enhancement of activities
described in such subsection.
``(2) Grants.--The Secretary, acting through the Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award
grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical
assistance to eligible entities to--
``(A) develop, maintain, and improve data
collection systems related to children's vision
screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention
services;
``(B) disseminate information for stakeholders,
including States and local governments, Indian Tribes,
Tribal organizations, Urban Indian organizations,
public health departments, and nonprofit organizations,
to launch effective strategies and interventions in
preventing and treating childhood vision disorders;
``(C) conduct applied research related to early
vision screening and intervention programs and
outcomes;
``(D) ensure quality monitoring of vision
screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and
systems; and
``(E) assist eligible entities in coordinating on
best practices and maintaining national goals related
to vision and eye health.
``(3) Evaluation.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the
date of enactment of this section, the recipient of a
grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection
shall evaluate the activities conducted with funds
received under this section and submit a report to the
Secretary on the outcomes, costs, and program
effectiveness of such activities.
``(B) Contents.--A report under subparagraph (A)
shall be in such form and contain such information as
the Secretary determines appropriate.
``(C) Submission.--Upon determination by the
Secretary that a report under subparagraph (A) meets
the requirements of this paragraph, the recipient shall
submit the report to Congress.
``(4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or
cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity shall be
a public or nonprofit private organization or institution, with
expertise, or demonstrated proficiency, in developing systems-
based approaches to children's vision and eye health for the
purpose of providing technical assistance in relation to one or
more of the activities described in subsection (a).
``(c) Coordination and Consultation.--The Secretary shall
coordinate and consult with the Health Resources and Services
Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Administration for
Communities and Families, the Indian Health Service, and the Department
of Education on recommendations for policy development at the Federal,
State, and Tribal levels with the private sector, including consumer,
medical, and other health and education child serving not-for-profit
organizations with respect to early detection and intervention programs
and systems.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian Tribe' has the
meaning given to the term `Indian tribe' in section 102 of the
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994.
``(2) State educational agency.--The term `State
educational agency' has the meaning given such term in section
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
``(3) Tribal organization.--The term `Tribal organization'
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
``(4) Urban indian organization.--The term `Urban Indian
organization' has the meaning given such term in section 4 of
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated--
``(1) to carry out this section, other than subsection
(a)(5), $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030;
and
``(2) to carry out subsection (a)(5), $5,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.''.
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