A bill to amend title VIII of the Public Health Service Act to extend for one fiscal year the program of assistance for nurse training, and for other purposes.

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #396 (344-6))

=Title I: Nurse Training= - Nurse Training Amendments of 1979 - Amends title VIII of the Public Health Service Act to extend the assistance program for nurse training and students, generally at reduced levels of authorization for fiscal year 1980.

Establishes a new assistance program for training nurse anesthetists.

Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to arrange for the conduct of a study, either with the National Academy of Sciences (if such body agrees) or with another public or nonprofit private entity (if the Academy declines), to determine the need to continue a specific Federal assistance program for nursing education, taking into account specified factors, and to report the results of such study to Congress.

=Title II: Other Health Professions Programs= - Amends title VII of the Public Health Service Act (Health Research and Teaching Facilities and Training of Professional Health Personnel) to authorize the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to increase the ceiling on federally insured loans in any academic year to a medical student in a school of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry from $10,000 to $15,000 upon a determination that educational costs require such increase. Increases the aggregate insured unpaid principal amount for all such insured loans made to any such borrower from $50,000 to $60,000.

Authorizes the Secretary to defer the date used with respect to service requirements for National Health Service Corps scholarships for students of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry for a period longer than the current three-year limit for such deferment.

Authorizes the Secretary to defer the service obligation of a scholarship recipient in a school of veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, or pharmacy so that such individual may complete an internship, residency, or other advanced clinical training.

Exempts a medical or osteopathic school participating in an area health education center program from the requirement that such school conduct a program for training physician assistants or nurse practitioners which emphasizes enrolling individuals from the area served by the center of the program, if another school participating in the same program meets such requirement.

Increases from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 the sums which may be obligated for schools of medicine and other types of health care which are financially distressed or unaccredited, from the total authorizations for start-up assistance, financial distress training, and curriculum development of medical schools.

Authorizes the Secretary to waive the capitation grant requirement for schools of dentistry which requires such schools which have increased their enrollment of full-time first-year students to maintain such increased enrollment, if compliance will result in the loss of their accreditation.

Prohibits any entity which receives any funding under the Public Health Service Act, the Community Mental Health Centers Act, or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act from discriminating against an applicant for training or study because of such applicant's views on abortion.

=Title III: Public Health Service Administration= - Public Health Service Administrative Amendments of 1979 - Amends title II of the Public Health Service Act (Administration) to revise the administration of the Public Health Service.

Permits warrant officers to be appointed to the Public Health Service.

Establishes two additional positions of Assistant Surgeon General (the Chief Nurse Officer of the Service and the Chief Pharmacist Officer of the Service).

Revises the severance requirements with respect to the promotion of officers of the Regular Corps.

Authorizes the Surgeon General to detail service personnel to congressional committees.

Makes certain revisions with respect to the reimbursement of the Service by an officer who voluntarily leaves the Service after receiving educational assistance.

Allows commissioned officers of the Service additional benefits which are provided for commissioned officers of the Army.

Entitles a commissioned officer of the Reserve Corps who is released from active duty for specified reasons to a severance payment.

Increases the pay grade of the Surgeon General from 0-8 to 0-9.

Allows service credit for certain commissioned officers of the Service who attain educational degrees before entry or reentry into active service.

Authorizes: (1) advance pay to be made to members of the Public Health Service; and (2) a uniform allowance to certain commissioned officers of the Service.