(a) In general

(1) Authority
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may carry out a program of entering into contracts with appropriately qualified health professionals under which such health professionals agree to conduct prevention activities or preparedness and response activities, including rapid response to public health emergencies and significant public health threats, as employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to repay, for each year of such service, not more than $50,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of such health professionals.

(2) Limitation
The Secretary may not enter into an agreement with a health professional pursuant to paragraph (1) unless such professional—

(A) has a substantial amount of educational loans relative to income; and

(B) agrees to serve as an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for purposes of paragraph (1) for a period of not less than 2 years.

(b) Applicability of certain provisions
With respect to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in subpart III of part D of this subchapter, the provisions of such subpart shall, except as inconsistent with subsection (a), apply to the program established in this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.

(c) Authorization of appropriations

(1) In general
For the purpose of carrying out this section, except as described in paragraph (2), there are authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 2002.

(2) Epidemic Intelligence Service program
For purposes of carrying out this section with respect to qualified health professionals serving in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, as authorized under section 247b–8 of this title, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(d) Availability of appropriations
Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year for contracts under subsection (a) shall remain available until the expiration of the second fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year for which the amounts were appropriated.