Valadao, 50 colleagues offer bill to support medically underserved communities

U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) on July 26 joined 50 of his colleagues to introduce a bipartisan bill that would provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities across America.

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, H.R. 4942, is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and cosponsored by 50 other original cosponsors, including Rep. Valadao.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act to fill a critical need for our underserved communities,” said Rep. Valadao.

If enacted, H.R. 4942 would reauthorize and modify the Conrad 30 Program, which allows foreign doctors studying in the United States to obtain a visa following medical residency if they practice in a medically underserved area for at least three years, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Valadao’s staff.

“Rural communities like many throughout the Central Valley too often lack basic and necessary healthcare services, forcing people to drive long distances for routine medical treatments or forgo care altogether,” Rep. Valadao said. “Programs like Conrad 30 are a critical part of correcting this problem by helping bring qualified physicians into rural and medically underserved areas across the country.”

The legislation also would create a process to gradually increase the total number of waivers per state, require additional transparency in employment contract terms, and permit more immigration flexibilities for spouses and children of participating physicians, the summary says.

Additionally, the bill would require an annual report from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on the annual utilization of the waivers to better inform rural states about how to make full use of the program.

“The American medical education system attracts top international talent and produces the best-trained graduates in the world,” said Rep. Schneider. “It is irrational and irresponsible to force these highly skilled new doctors out of the country at a time when many of our communities struggle to meet the demand for qualified physicians.”

Among the members who joined Rep. Valadao as an original cosponsor of H.R. 4942 are U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Tom Cole (R-OK).