§297–1. Nurse anesthetists

(a) Authority of Secretary; program eligibility; payments; limitations

(1) The Secretary may make grants to public or private nonprofit institutions to cover the costs of traineeships for licensed registered nurses to become nurse anesthetists and to cover the costs of projects to develop and operate programs for the education of nurse anesthetists. In order to be eligible for such a grant, the program of an institution must be accredited by an entity or entities designated by the Secretary of Education and must meet such requirements as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe.

(2)(A) In making grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to qualified applicants carrying out traineeship programs whose participants gain significant experience in providing health services at rural health facilities.

(B) The Secretary may make a grant under paragraph (1) only if the institution involved agrees that, in providing traineeships under such paragraph, the institution will give preference to individuals who are residents of health professional shortage areas designated under section 254e of this title.

(3) The Secretary may make a grant under paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved agrees that traineeships provided with the grant will pay all or part of the costs of-

(A) the tuition, books, and fees of the program of nursing with respect to which the traineeship is provided; and

(B) reasonable living expenses of the individual during the period for which the traineeship is provided.

(b) Additional granting authorities

The Secretary may make grants to public or private nonprofit institutions to cover the cost of projects to improve existing programs for the education of nurse anesthetists which are accredited by an entity or entities designated by the Secretary of Education. Such grants shall include grants to such institutions for the purpose of providing financial assistance and support to certified registered nurse anesthetists who are faculty members of accredited programs to enable such nurse anesthetists to obtain advanced education relevant to their teaching functions.

(c) Authorization of appropriations; limitations

For the purpose of making grants under this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,800,000 for each of the fiscal years 1989 through 1991, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1994. Not more than 20 percent of the amount appropriated under this section for any fiscal year shall be obligated for grants under the second sentence of subsection (b) of this section.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, §831, as added Sept. 29, 1979, Pub. L. 96–76, title I, §111, 93 Stat. 580 ; amended Jan. 4, 1983, Pub. L. 97–414, §8(l), 96 Stat. 2061 ; Aug. 16, 1985, Pub. L. 99–92, §7, 99 Stat. 396 ; Nov. 4, 1988, Pub. L. 100–607, title VII, §712, 102 Stat. 3160 ; Oct. 13, 1992, Pub. L. 102–408, title II, §207, 106 Stat. 2074 .)

Amendments

1992-Subsec. (a)(2), (3). Pub. L. 102–408, §207(a), added pars. (2) and (3) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "Payments to institutions under this subsection may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement, and at such intervals and on such conditions, as the Secretary finds necessary. Payments for traineeships shall be limited to such amounts as the Secretary determines to be necessary to cover the costs of tuition and fees and a stipend and allowances (including travel and subsistence expenses) for trainees."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–408, §207(b), inserted before period at end of first sentence ", $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1994".

1988-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–607, §712(a)(1), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: "The Secretary may make grants to public or private nonprofit institutions to cover the costs of traineeships for the training, in programs which meet such requirements as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe and which are accredited by an entity or entities designated by the Secretary of Education, of licensed, registered nurses to be nurse anesthetists."

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 100–607, §712(a)(2), amended second sentence generally. Prior to amendment, sentence read as follows: "Such payments may be used only for traineeships and shall be limited to such amounts as the Secretary finds necessary to cover the costs of tuition and fees, and a stipend and allowances (including travel and subsistence expenses) for the trainees."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–607, §712(b), amended first sentence generally. Prior to amendment, sentence read as follows: "For the purpose of making grants under this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $800,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1986, $800,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1987, and $800,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1988."

1985-Pub. L. 99–92, §7(d), struck out "traineeships for training of" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 99–92, §7(a), substituted "Secretary of Education" for "Commissioner of Education".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–92, §7(b), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–92, §7(b), (c), redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c) and amended it generally, substituting provisions authorizing appropriations for fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 1986, 1987, and 1988, for provisions authorizing appropriations for fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 1980, 1983, and 1984, and inserting provision imposing 20 percent limitation on obligations for grants under second sentence of subsec. (b).

1983-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–414 inserted provisions relating to fiscal years 1983 and 1984.

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–92 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 10(a) of Pub. L. 99–92, set out as a note under section 296k of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 298b–7 of this title.