SPARC Act
- Last Action
- 3/19/2026
Actions
- 2026-03-19Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
- 2025-04-09Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-04-09Introduced in Senate
CRS Summary
As of 2025-04-09 (00)
Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care Act or the SPARC Act
This bill establishes student loan repayment programs to support the provision of specialty medical care in rural areas.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) must carry out such a program for specialty medicine physicians (i.e., practicing in an area other than primary care) who provide care in rural communities with shortages of such physicians. Physicians must agree to a period of obligated service and, for each year of such service, HRSA must pay one-sixth of the principal payment and interest on eligible loans up to a maximum cap of $250,000. Additionally, HRSA may carry out a similar loan repayment program for nonphysician specialty health care providers.
Cosponsors (5)
- Roger Wicker (R-MS)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Subjects
- Government lending and loan guarantees
- Health personnel
- Higher education
- Rural conditions and development
- Student aid and college costs
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.