Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act of 2025

[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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