April 28, 2026
Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Tillis, and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To establish procedures for the detailing of Public Health Service officers for purposes of advancing care in underserved communities.
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 Public Health Services for Advancing Care and Creating Efficient Support Systems in Underserved Communities Act
or the PHS ACCESS Act
.
Sec. 2. Detail of personnel
(a) In general
Section 214 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 215) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f), respectively;
(2)
by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
(d)
The Secretary may detail Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers to Urban Indian organizations, as defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, to cooperate in or conduct work related to the functions of the Department of Health and Human Services.; and
(3)
in subsection (e), as so redesignated—
(A)
by striking subsections (b) and (c)
and inserting subsection (b) or (c)
; and
(B)
by striking subsections (b) or (c)
and inserting subsection (b) or (c)
.
(b) Appointment of personnel
Section 207(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 209(d)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking shall,
and inserting may, at the discretion of the Secretary, after consideration of the criteria described in paragraph (5),
; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(5)
(A)
The Secretary shall develop objective, transparent criteria for purposes of determining whether to grant a person appointed under subsection (a) constructive credit for length of service as described in paragraph (1). Such criteria shall—
(i)
give preference to appointees who—
(I)
serve in a rural or remote (as determined by the Secretary in accordance with objective and transparent criteria established by the Secretary) agency for which the Service is statutorily required to provide services;
(II)
are specialists in an area with a demonstrated workforce shortage;
(III)
serve in an area with significant access to care challenges; or
(IV)
serve with an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or Urban Indian organization (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act); and
(ii)
consider established Federal designation systems and workforce assessments.
(B)
The Secretary shall review and update the criteria established under subparagraph (A) periodically to reflect current workforce needs.