H.R. 8916

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8916 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8916

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

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.

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 ``Connections to Health Infrastructure 
and Emergency Recovery Services Act of 2026'' or the ``CHIERS Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 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).
<all>