WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) joined Reps. Brad Schneider (IL-10), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) to reintroduce the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes and modifies the Conrad 30 program, which allows foreign doctors studying in the United States to obtain a visa following medical residency if they practice in a medically-underserved area for at least three years.

“Families in the Central Valley continue to struggle to receive healthcare due to a shortage of doctors,” said Congressman Valadao. “Programs like Conrad 30 have been instrumental in helping address this gap by bringing highly trained physicians to the areas that need them most. I’m proud to join my colleagues in reauthorizing this bipartisan effort to strengthen our healthcare workforce and improve access to care for families in rural and underserved communities.”

“Anyone who has recently tried to schedule a health care visit or spent endless hours in an emergency room knows all too well that America needs more doctors," said Rep. Schneider. "While we are fortunate to attract many top international medical graduates to American residency programs, we needlessly diminish our doctor ranks by requiring newly minted, US trained physicians to return to their home country after completing their medical residency instead of taking care of patients here. Expanding the Conrad 30 visa waiver program is a smart, commonsense step that both parties can support to ensure all Americans have access to quality health care, from doctors they trust, where and when they need it.”

“Out of Nebraska’s 93 counties, 90 of them struggle with finding enough doctors and 30 of them also lack hospitals and infrastructure,” said Rep. Bacon. “This program helps fulfill those needs by bringing these USA trained physicians to our state. I’m pleased to join my colleagues on this commonsense legislation. It makes zero sense to send foreign-born physicians who have been trained in US soil back to their home country, when we need them here.”

“No family should have to struggle to find a doctor, but for too many communities—whether in rural Texas or underserved neighborhoods in Houston—that’s the reality,” said Rep. Garcia. “The Conrad 30 program helps change that by allowing U.S.-trained physicians from abroad to stay and serve where they’re needed most, addressing critical doctor shortages and keeping our communities healthier. I’m proud to join my colleagues in strengthening and expanding this program so more families can get the care they deserve.”

“With the physician workforce crisis showing no signs of abating, the Conrad 30 program remains an important tool to help ensure patients, particularly in rural and underserved communities, continue to have access to physicians. The Conrad 30 program has expanded the physician workforce across all communities, yet it would benefit greatly from the long-term reauthorization and targeted policy improvements outlined in this legislation. Once again, Reps. Valadao, Schneider, Bacon, and Garcia have stepped up for patients and physicians, and we applaud them for introducing the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act.” -Bruce A. Scott, M.D., President, American Medical Association

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act:

• Extends authorization of the program for three years.
• Creates a process to gradually increase the total number of waivers per state.
• Requires additional transparency in employment contracts.
• Permits greater immigration flexibilities for spouses and children of participating physicians.
• Requires an annual report from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to the Department of Health and Human Services on the annual utilization of waivers in hopes of better informing rural states about how to make use of the program.

Background:

Created in 1994 and named after former Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), the Conrad 30 program has brought over 15,000 physicians who completed their residency in the United States to rural and other medically-underserved communities. Every state has utilized the Conrad 30 program since its inception.