H.R. 8916

119 HR 8916 IH: Connections to Health Infrastructure and Emergency Recovery Services Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-05-20
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 8916  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   May 20, 2026   Ms. Bonamici  (for herself,  Mr. Valadao , and  Mr. Bacon ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on  Financial Services , 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   A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to jointly award grants for the purposes of improving access to, developing, or expanding services that provide an individual with transportation to or from substance use disorder treatment or supportive services.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Connections to Health Infrastructure and Emergency Recovery Services Act of 2026   or the   CHIERS Act of 2026  .
2.
Grants for transportation to substance use disorder treatment or supportive services
(a)
In general
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall jointly award grants to eligible entities for the purposes of improving access to, developing, or expanding services that provide a covered individual with transportation, including first and last mile transportation, to or from substance use disorder treatment or supportive services at no cost to such individual.
(b)
Use of funds
(1)
In general
A grant awarded under this section may be used for the following purposes:
(A)
To provide the transportation services described in subsection (a) on a prescheduled or on-demand basis.
(B)
To acquire a motor vehicle for the transportation services described in subsection (a).
(C)
To assist personnel who provide the transportation services described in subsection (a) in obtaining any license that may be required to provide such services.
(D)
To provide training and professional development for personnel who provide the transportation services described in subsection (a).
(E)
To raise awareness about the transportation services described in subsection (a), including through expanding street outreach activities.
(F)
For ridesharing or taxi services that provide the transportation services described in subsection (a) on an on-demand basis.
(G)
For such other activities as the Secretaries determine appropriate.
(2)
Exclusions
A grant awarded under this section may not be used—
(A)
for transporting an individual to receive involuntary inpatient treatment; or
(B)
by law enforcement personnel.
(c)
Application
An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretaries an application including—
(1)
a description of the activities the eligible entity plans to carry out using grant funds under this section;
(2)
the identity of each entity that the eligible entity plans to partner with to conduct such activities, including the activities the identified entity plans to carry out using grant funds under this section; and
(3)
performance measures the eligible entity intends to use to measure the effectiveness of the activities carried out using grant funds under this section in reducing cancelled or missed appointments.
(d)
Duration
A grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of not less than 1 year.
(e)
Supplement not supplant
A recipient of a grant under this section shall use the grant to supplement, not supplant, the level of State or local funds that would be made available for the activities funded under this section in the absence of the receipt of a grant under this section.
(f)
Report
Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under this section, a grantee shall submit to the Secretaries a report including such information as the Secretaries determine necessary to evaluate the performance of the grantee under the grant.
(g)
Technical assistance
The Secretaries—
(1)
shall jointly provide technical assistance, publish best practices, and conduct outreach to grantees and eligible entities under this section; and
(2)
to the extent amounts are made available in advance in appropriation Acts, may make available not more than 2 percent of the funds made available pursuant to this section for the purposes of paragraph (1).
(h)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Covered individual
The term  covered individual  means an individual with a substance use disorder who—
(A)
is experiencing homelessness;
(B)
resides in a low-income community, as such term is defined in  section 45D  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
(C)
resides in a community in which transportation poses a barrier to health care access, as determined by the Secretaries.
(2)
Eligible entity
The term  eligible entity  means—
(A)
a nonprofit organization that has experience in providing—
(i)
substance use disorder treatment;
(ii)
services to individuals experiencing homelessness; or
(iii)
services to a population that experiences disparities in health status and health care access;
(B)
a State or county governmental entity, or any other local or regional governmental entity, including a public health agency;
(C)
an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 );
(D)
a continuum of care established and operating for a geographic area for purposes of the Continuum of Care Program under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq. );
(E)
a Federally qualified health center, as such term is defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa) );
(F)
a comprehensive opioid recovery center funded by a grant under section 552 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–7 );
(G)
an entity conducting street outreach funded by a grant under the emergency solutions grants program authorized under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq. );
(H)
a consortium of 2 or more entities described in this paragraph; and
(I)
such other entities as the Secretaries determine appropriate.
(3)
First and last mile transportation
The term  first and last mile transportation  means, for purposes of the travel of a covered individual to and from substance use disorder treatment or supportive services, the provision of such transportation services as may be necessary to ensure that the individual has transportation for the entire route to be traveled, including transportation to and from a source of public transit.
(4)
Law enforcement personnel
The term  law enforcement personnel  has the meaning given such term in section 884(g) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 464(g) ).
(5)
Nonprofit organization
The term  nonprofit organization  means an organization that is described in  section 501(c)(3)  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
(6)
Secretaries
The term  Secretaries  means—
(A)
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use; and
(B)
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, acting through the Director of the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs.
(7)
State
The term  State  means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
(8)
Substance use disorder
The term  substance use disorder  has the meaning given such term in section 1934 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300x–34 ).
(9)
Substance use disorder treatment
The term  substance use disorder treatment —
(A)
has the meaning given such term in section 702 of the  Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998  ( 21 U.S.C. 1701 ); and
(B)
includes—
(i)
an overdose prevention program; and
(ii)
detoxification services.
(10)
Supportive services
The term  supportive services  has the meaning given such term in section 401 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11360 ).