§ 291. Congressional declaration of purpose

The purpose of this subchapter is—

(a) to assist the several States in the carrying out of their programs for the construction and modernization of such public or other nonprofit community hospitals and other medical facilities as may be necessary, in conjunction with existing facilities, to furnish adequate hospital, clinic, or similar services to all their people;

(b) to stimulate the development of new or improved types of physical facilities for medical, diagnostic, preventive, treatment, or rehabilitative services; and

(c) to promote research, experiments, and demonstrations relating to the effective development and utilization of hospital, clinic, or similar services, facilities, and resources, and to promote the coordination of such research, experiments, and demonstrations and the useful application of their results.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VI, § 600, as added Pub. L. 88–443, § 3(a), Aug. 18, 1964, 78 Stat. 447.)

Prior Provisions

Prior Provisions

A prior section 291, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VI, § 601, as added Aug. 13, 1946, ch. 958, § 2, 60 Stat. 1041; amended Oct. 25, 1949, ch. 722, § 6, 63 Stat. 900; July 12, 1954, ch. 471, § 4(a), 68 Stat. 464, related to subject matter similar to this section, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 88–443.

Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in former section 291o, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VI, § 641, as added July 12, 1954, ch. 471, § 2, 68 Stat. 461, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 88–443.

Effective Date

Effective Date

Section 3(b) of Pub. L. 88–443, as amended by Pub. L. 91–296, title I, § 120, June 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 343, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section and sections 291a to 291j, 291k to 291m, 291n, and 291o of this title] shall become effective upon the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 18, 1964], except that—

“(1) all applications approved by the Surgeon General under title VI of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 291 et seq.] prior to such date, and allotments of sums appropriated prior to such date, shall be governed by the provisions of such title VI in effect prior to such date;

“(2) allotment percentages promulgated by the Surgeon General under such title VI during 1962 shall continue to be effective for purposes of such title as amended by this Act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1965;

“(3) the terms of members of the Federal Hospital Council who are serving on such Council prior to such date shall expire on the date they would have expired had this Act not been enacted;

“(4) the provisions of the fourth sentence of section 636(a) of the Public Health Service Act [former 42 U.S.C. 291n(a)], as in effect prior to the enactment of this Act, shall apply in lieu of the fourth sentence of section 624(a) of the Public Health Service Act [former 42 U.S.C. 291n(a)], as amended by this Act, in the case of any project for construction of a facility or for acquisition of equipment with respect to which a grant for any part thereof or for planning such construction or equipment was made prior to the enactment of this Act;

“(5) no application with respect to a project for modernization of any facility in any State may be approved by the Surgeon General, for purposes of receiving funds from an allotment under section 602(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by this Act [42 U.S.C. 291b(a)(2)], before July 1, 1965, or before such State has had a State plan approved by the Surgeon General as meeting the requirements of section 604(a)(4)(E) [42 U.S.C. 291d(a)(4)(E)] as well as the other requirements of section 604 of such Act as so amended [42 U.S.C. 291d];

“(6) the provisions of clause (b) of section 609 of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 291i], as amended by this Act, shall apply with respect to any project whether it was approved, and whether the event specified in such clause occurred, before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act [June 30, 1970], except that it shall not apply in the case of any project with respect to which recovery under title VI of such Act [42 U.S.C. 291 et seq.] has been made prior to the enactment of this paragraph.”