Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008
Public Law 110-355 · H.R. 1343 · 110th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 8, 2008 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. Gene Green (D-TX-29)
Cosponsors (249): Rep. Chip Pickering, Rep. Lois Capps,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize appropriations for FY2008-FY2012 for health centers to meet the health care needs of medically underserved populations.
Requires the Comptroller General to study the economic costs and benefits of school-based health centers and their impact on the health of students, including an analysis of: (1) the impact that federal funding could have on the operation of such centers; (2) any cost savings to other federal programs derived from providing health services in such centers; and (3) the impact of such centers in rural or underserved areas.
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to submit a report to the relevant congressional committees that describes efforts to expand and accelerate quality improvement activities in community health centers.
Requires the Administrator to establish a mechanism for the dissemination of initiatives, best practices, and other information that may assist health care quality improvement efforts in community health centers.
Directs the Comptroller General to study: (1) integrated health system models for the delivery of health care services to medically underserved and uninsured populations; and (2) the implications of extending Federal Tort Claims Act coverage to health care professionals who volunteer to furnish care to patients of health centers.
Authorizes the Secretary to recognize the unique needs of high poverty areas in making grants for projects to plan and develop health centers to serve medically underserved populations.
(Sec. 3) Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012 for: (1) the National Health Service Corps program; and (2) the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program and National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.
Repeals provisions requiring each center or clinic designated as having a health manpower shortage to demonstrate every six years that it meets the applicable requirements of the definition of a health professional shortage area.
Revises requirements for assigning members of the Corps to a health professional shortage area to require that the Secretary determine that an entity demonstrates willingness to support or facilitate mentorship, professional development, and training opportunities for Corps members.
Requires the Secretary to assist Corps members in establishing and maintaining professional relationships and developmental opportunities.
Includes the District of Columbia and U.S. territories as eligible jurisdictions under a grant program for states to provide educational loan repayment to health professionals in exchange for the provision of primary health services in health professional shortage areas. Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2012 for such grants.
(Sec. 4) Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012 for grants for expanded delivery of health care services in rural areas, for the planning and implementation of integrated health care networks in rural areas, and for the planning and implementation of small health care provider quality improvement activities.
(Sec. 5) Reauthorizes appropriations for grants to help states develop and implement innovative programs to address the dental workforce needs of designated dental health professional shortage areas.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to: (1) provide guidance and technical assistance to health centers, state and local health departments, and emergency managers to integrate health centers into state and local emergency response plans and to better meet the primary care needs of populations served by health centers during public health emergencies; and (2) encourage employees at health centers to participate in emergency medical response programs.
(Sec. 7) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the definition of "rural health clinics" to extend from three years to four years the time frame for making certain designations related to a shortage of health services in an area.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Health Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 901Related bill
Health Care Safety Net Act of 2007
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 32 actions.
- Oct 8, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-355.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 30, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 25, 2008Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Pallone moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1343.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Sep 24, 2008FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 5, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Jun 4, 2008FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 - 24 (Roll no. 372).House roll call 372
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1343.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Green, Gene moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 425.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 110-680.
- May 7, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 23, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Dec 4, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Mar 7, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5642SenateSen. Ted KennedyD-MA· offered Sep 24, 2008Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Sep 24, 2008: Amendment SA 5642 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.