October 1, 2026
Mr. Smith of Washington (for himself and Mr. Krishnamoorthi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To address barriers immigrants and refugees face to entering the health care workforce, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title; finding
(a) Short title
This Act may be cited as the Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act of 2026
.
(b) Finding
Congress finds that several States have implemented alternative pathways to licensure for internationally trained physicians to address health workforce shortages and improve access to care in underserved communities.
Title I Incentivizing States to allow transitional practice by international medical graduates
Sec. 101. Grants
(a) In general
The Secretary of Health and Human Services may award grants to States to develop and implement and to build upon existing programs providing for State-led alternative pathways to licensure that enable internationally trained physicians to contribute to patient care while completing steps 1, 2, and 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Such programs may allow such physicians to practice medicine under the supervision of a fully licensed physician for a duration determined by the State.
(b) Definition
In this section:
(1)
The term eligible internationally trained physician
means an individual who—
(A)
graduated from a school of medicine outside of the United States or Canada; and
(B)
is—
(i)
lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
(ii)
admitted as a refugee under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157);
(iii)
granted asylum under section 208 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1158); or
(iv)
a person otherwise authorized to be employed in the United States.
(2)
The term State
includes the District of Columbia and any territory of the United States.
Sec. 102. Exemption of certain eligible internationally trained physicians from application of FTE cap
(a) In general
Section 1886(h)(4)(H) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(4)(H)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
(vii) Exemption of certain internationally trained physicians from counting towards cap
(I) In general
For purposes of applying the limit described in subparagraph (F), a specified resident (as defined in subclause (II)) shall not be taken into account in determining the total number of full-time equivalent residents before application of weighting factors (as determined under this paragraph) with respect to a hospital’s approved medical residency training program.
(II) Specified resident defined
For purposes of subclause (I), the term
specified residentmeans an eligible internationally trained physician (as defined in section 101(b) of the Pathways to Health Care Act of 2022) who is a resident in a hospital’s approved medical residency training program, but only if such hospital—(aa)
has in effect an agreement with a Federally qualified health center, or a hospital located in a rural area (as defined in subsection (d)(2)(D)) or that is treated as being located in a rural area pursuant to subsection (d)(8)(E), under which residents training in such program spend time training at such center or hospital;
(bb)
is located in a State that allows such eligible internationally trained physicians to practice medicine as described in section 101(a) of such Act; and
(cc)
predominantly serves medically underserved populations (as defined in section 330(b)(3)(A) of the Public Health Service Act), as determined by the Secretary.
(b) Study on removal of resident cap
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the possibility of removing the resident cap under section 1886(h)(4)(F) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(4)(F)).
Title II Assisting internationally trained physicians during pursuit of licensure and employment
Sec. 201. Grants
(a) In general
The Secretary of Health and Human Services may award grants to States to provide assistance to eligible internationally trained physicians while such graduates are completing steps 1, 2, and 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
(b) Covered assistance
Assistance provided to an eligible internationally trained physician pursuant to this section may include paying the costs of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, career counseling, case management, classes in English as a second language, assistance in diploma verification, and test preparation courses.
(c) Definition
In this section, the terms eligible international medical graduate
and State
have the meanings given to those terms in section 101.