[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4844 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4844

To improve the quality of child care through grants and a commission on 
             child care standards, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 15, 1998

  Mr. Stark introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve the quality of child care through grants and a commission on 
             child care standards, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care Quality Improvement Act 
of 1998''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCE.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, wherever in 
this Act a section or other provision is amended or repealed, the 
amendment or repeal shall be considered to be made to that section or 
other provision of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 4858 et seq.).

SEC. 3. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Funding.--Section 418 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
618) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Appropriations for Child Care Quality Improvement Grant 
Program.--
            ``(1) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury of 
        the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are 
        appropriated $600,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1999 
        through 2003 for carrying out activities that a State or 
        territory deems appropriate to realize the goal specified in 
        section 658A(b)(6) of the CCDBG Act and the goals set forth in 
        the State's or territory's plan pursuant to section 658E(c)(2) 
        of such Act.
            ``(2) Reservation and allotment of funds.--
                    ``(A) Indian tribes.--The Secretary shall reserve 2 
                percent of the total amount appropriated pursuant to 
                paragraph (1) of this subsection for each fiscal year 
                for payments to Indian tribes. From the amount so 
                reserved for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot 
                to an Indian tribe for the fiscal year an amount that 
                bears the same proportion to the amount so reserved as 
                the proportion of funds provided to the Indian tribe 
                under section 658O(c) of the CCDBG Act for the fiscal 
                year bears to the total amount paid to all Indian 
                tribes under such section for the fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Territories.--The Secretary shall reserve \1/
                2\ of 1 percent of the total amount appropriated 
                pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection for any 
                fiscal year for payments to the territories. From the 
                amount so reserved for a fiscal year, the Secretary 
                shall allot to a territory for the fiscal year an 
                amount that bears the same ratio to the amount so 
                reserved as the amount provided to the territory under 
                the CCDBG Act for fiscal year 1998 bears to the total 
                amount provided to all territories under such Act for 
                fiscal year 1998.
                    ``(C) States.--The Secretary shall allot the total 
                amount appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to 
                paragraph (1) of this subsection that remains after 
                applying subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph 
                for the fiscal year, among the qualifying States 
                pursuant to the formula used for determining the amount 
                to be allotted to the State under section 658O of the 
                CCDBG Act.
            ``(3) Matching payments to states and territories.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall pay to each 
                State and each territory that is a qualifying 
                jurisdiction for a fiscal year an amount equal to the 
                lesser of--
                            ``(i) the amount allotted to the State or 
                        territory under paragraph (2) of this 
                        subsection; or
                            ``(ii) 80 percent of expenditures by the 
                        State or territory for activities that the 
                        State or territory deems appropriate to realize 
                        the goal specified in section 658A(b)(6) of the 
                        CCDBG Act and the goals set forth in the 
State's or territory's plan pursuant to section 658E(c)(2) of such Act.
                    ``(B) Redistribution.--Subsection (a)(2)(D) shall 
                apply to amounts allotted to States under this 
                subsection.
            ``(4) Payments to indian tribes.--The Secretary shall pay 
        to each Indian tribe for a fiscal year an amount equal to the 
        lesser of--
                    ``(A) the amount allotted to the Indian tribe under 
                paragraph (2)(A) of this subsection; or
                    ``(B) the total amount of expenditures by the tribe 
                for activities that the tribe deems appropriate to 
                realize the goal specified in section 658A(b)(6) of the 
                CCDBG Act.
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) CCDBG act.--The term `CCDBG Act' means the 
                Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
                U.S.C. 9801 et seq.).
                    ``(B) Qualifying jurisdiction.--The term 
                `qualifying jurisdiction' means a State or territory 
                that has in effect under its plan under section 658E(c) 
                of the CCDBG Act goals listed pursuant to paragraph 
                (2)(I) of such section.
                    ``(C) Territory.--The term `territory' means Puerto 
                Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the 
                Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.
    (b) Goals.--Section 658A(b) (42 U.S.C. 9801 note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'';
            (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) to assist States in improving the quality of child 
        care for infants and children.''.
    (c) Application; Use of Funds.--Section 658E (42 U.S.C. 9858c) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(2), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(I) Quality benchmarks.--In an application in 
                which the State requests amounts available under 
                section 418(c) of the Social Security Act, list 
                established goals for quantifiable improvements in 
                child care quality within the State, that accomplish 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Increased training for child care 
                        providers and administrators.
                            ``(ii) Enhanced licensing standards 
                        (including at a minimum health and safety, 
                        adult-to-child ratios, groups sizes, and 
                        criminal background checks) that will apply to 
                        a broader range of child care facilities.
                            ``(iii) Reduced number of unlicensed 
                        facilities offering child care.
                            ``(iv) Increased State monitoring and 
                        enforcement of licensed providers.
                            ``(v) Decreased caregiver turnover rates at 
                        child care facilities through incentives such 
                        as increased compensation.
                            ``(vi) Higher levels of accreditation among 
                        licensed child care facilities.
                            ``(vii) Other standards and practices to 
                        improve the quality of child care.'';
            (2) in paragraph (c)(3), by striking ``(3) Use'' and 
        inserting ``(3) General use'';
            (3) in subparagraph (c)(3)(B)--
                    (A) by striking ``(5)'' and inserting ``(6)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following: ``The State 
                shall use amounts provided to the State for each fiscal 
                year under section 418(c) of the Social Security Act 
                only for activities that the State deems appropriate to 
                realize the goal specified in section 658A(b)(6) of 
                this Act and the goals set forth in the State's plan 
                pursuant to section 658E(c)(2) of this Act. Child care 
                providers that meet the definition in section 
                658P(5)(B) of this Act and family child care providers 
                (unless the family child care provider is an eligible 
                child care provider under section 658P(5)(A) of this 
                Act) shall not be eligible for amounts provided to the 
                State under section 418(c) of the Social Security 
                Act.'';
            (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) Grants to Local Collaboratives.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State that receives amounts provided 
        under section 418(c) of the Social Security Act shall use such 
        amounts, to the extent possible, to make grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to local collaboratives to carry out child 
        care quality improvement activities.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--A local collaborative that receives a 
        grant made under paragraph (1) may use funds made available 
        through the grant--
                    ``(A) to provide, in the community, activities 
                designed to strengthen the quality of child care for 
                young children and expand the supply of high quality 
                child care services for young children; and
                    ``(B) to pay for the salary and expenses of the 
                administrator described in paragraph (5)(D), in 
                accordance with such regulations as the Secretary shall 
                prescribe.
            ``(3) Multi-year funding.--In making grants under this 
        subsection, a State may make grants for grant periods of more 
        than 1 year to local collaboratives with demonstrated success 
        in carrying out young child assistance activities.
            ``(4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection for a community, a local collaborative shall 
        demonstrate that the local collaborative--
                    ``(A) is able to provide, through a coordinated 
                effort, child care quality improvement activities; and
                    ``(B) includes--
                            ``(i) parents of young children in the 
                        community;
                            ``(ii) all public agencies primarily 
                        providing services to young children in the 
                        community;
                            ``(iii) businesses in the community;
                            ``(iv) representatives of the local 
                        government for the county or other political 
                        subdivision in which the community is located;
                            ``(v) officers of community organizations 
                        serving low-income individuals, as defined by 
                        the Secretary, in the community;
                            ``(vi) community-based organizations 
                        providing services to young children and the 
                        parents of young children, such as 
                        organizations providing child care, carrying 
                        out Head Start programs, or providing pre-
                        kindergarten education, mental health, or 
                        family support services; and
                            ``(vii) nonprofit organizations that serve 
                        the community and that are described in section 
                        501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
                        and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) 
                        of such Code.
            ``(5) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, a local collaborative shall submit an 
        application to the State at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the State may require. At a 
        minimum, the application shall contain--
                    ``(A) sufficient information about the entity 
                described in paragraph (4)(B) to enable the State to 
                determine whether the entity complies with the 
                requirements of such paragraph; and
                    ``(B) a comprehensive plan for carrying out child 
                care quality improvement activities in the community, 
                including information indicating--
                            ``(i) the availability and cost of quality 
                        child care in the community, as of the date of 
                        submission of the plan, including information 
                        on efforts to improve the quality;
                            ``(ii) the unmet needs of young children, 
                        and parents of young children, in the community 
                        for quality child care;
                            ``(iii) the manner in which funds made 
                        available through the grant will be used to 
                        improve child care quality in the community and 
                        assist the State in accomplishing the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) Increased training for child 
                                care providers and administrators.
                                    ``(II) Enhanced licensing standards 
                                (including at a minimum health and 
                                safety, adult-to-child ratios, groups 
                                sizes, and criminal background checks) 
                                that will apply to a broader range of 
                                child care facilities.
                                    ``(III) Reduced number of 
                                unlicensed facilities offering child 
                                care.
                                    ``(IV) Increased State monitoring 
                                and enforcement of licensed providers.
                                    ``(V) Decreased caregiver turnover 
                                rates at child care facilities through 
                                incentives such as increased 
                                compensation.
                                    ``(VI) Higher levels of 
                                accreditation among licensed child care 
                                facilities.
                                    ``(VII) Other standards and 
                                practices to improve the quality of 
                                child care;
                            ``(iv) how the local cooperative will use 
                        at least 60 percent of the funds made available 
                        through the grant to improve child care quality 
                        as described in paragraph (6);
                            ``(v) the comprehensive methods that the 
                        collaborative will use to ensure that--
                                    ``(I) each entity carrying out 
                                child care quality activities through 
                                the collaborative will coordinate the 
                                activities with such activities carried 
                                out by other entities through the 
                                collaborative; and
                                    ``(II) the local collaborative will 
                                coordinate the activities of the local 
                                collaborative with--
                                            ``(aa) other services 
                                        provided to young children, and 
                                        the parents of young children, 
                                        in the community; and
                                            ``(bb) the activities of 
                                        other local collaboratives 
                                        serving young children and 
                                        families in the community, if 
                                        any; and
                            ``(vi) the manner in which the 
                        collaborative will--
                                    ``(I) evaluate the results achieved 
                                by the collaboratives for improving 
                                child care quality for young children 
                                through activities carried out through 
                                the grant; and
                                    ``(II) prepare and submit to the 
                                State annual reports describing the 
                                results;
                    ``(C) an assurance that the local collaborative 
                will comply with the requirements of clauses (iv), (v), 
                and (vi) of subparagraph (B), and paragraph (7); and
                    ``(D) an assurance that the local collaborative 
                will hire an administrator to oversee the provision of 
                the activities described in paragraph (2).
            ``(6) Distribution.--In making grants under this 
        subsection, the State shall ensure that at least 60 percent of 
        the funds made available through each grant are used to improve 
        child care quality for young children who reside in school 
        districts in which half or more of the students receive free or 
        reduced price lunches under the National School Lunch Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
            ``(7) Local share.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The local collaborative shall 
                contribute a percentage (referred to in this paragraph 
                as the `local share') of the cost of carrying out child 
                care improvement activities.
                    ``(B) Percentage.--The Secretary shall by 
                regulation specify the percentage referred to in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) Form.--The local share of the cost shall be 
                in cash.
                    ``(D) Source.--The local collaborative shall 
                provide for the local share of the cost through 
                donations from private entities.
                    ``(E) Waiver.--The State shall waive the 
                requirement of subparagraph (A) for poor rural and 
                urban areas, as defined by the Secretary.
            ``(8) Monitoring.--The State shall monitor the activities 
        of local collaboratives that receive grants under this 
        subsection to ensure compliance with the requirements of this 
        subsection.''.
    (d) Improvements on Existing Facilities.--Section 658F(b) (42 
U.S.C. 9858d(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, 
        funds available under section 418(c) of the Social Security Act 
        may be used to renovate or repair a child care facility, other 
        than a private residence, to the extent that such renovation or 
        repair is necessary to bring the facility into compliance with 
        State licensing requirements or requirements for accreditation 
        by organizations with nationally recognized standards for 
        providing high-quality care to children.''.
    (e) Consumer Education; Information Sharing.--Section 658I(a) (42 
U.S.C. 9858g(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting 
        a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) collect, publish, and make available to States, child 
        care providers, and the general public consumer education 
        information designed to promote informed child care choices; 
        and
            ``(5) provide technical assistance to enable States and 
        local organizations--
                    ``(A) to share information on best child care 
                practices with the public; and
                    ``(B) to conduct activities designed to improve the 
                quality and availability of child care.''.
    (f) Compliance.--Section 658I(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 9858g(b)(1)) is 
amended by inserting before the period the following: ``, including the 
extent to which the State is achieving the goals listed in the plan 
pursuant to section 658E(c)(2)(I)''.
    (g) Reports by States.--Section 658K (42 U.S.C. 9858i) is amended--
            (1) in the heading for such section, by striking 
        ``REPORTS'' and inserting ``reports'';
            (2) in paragraph (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (E), by adding ``and'' at the 
                end; and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the 
                following:
                    ``(F) in the case of a State that receives amounts 
                from funds provided under section 418(c) of the Social 
                Security Act--
                            ``(i) the amount of such funds which were 
                        provided to local collaboratives under section 
                        658E(d) of this Act;
                            ``(ii) the manner in which such funds were 
                        used;
                            ``(iii) the number of child care providers 
                        that received funds from such amounts as 
                        separately identified based on the types of 
                        providers listed in section 658P(5) of this 
                        Act;
                            ``(iv) the total number (without 
                        duplication) of children and families served 
                        with such amounts; and
                            ``(v) the progress, if any, that the State 
                        has made in attaining the goals listed under 
                        section 658E(c)(2)(I) of this Act in the plan 
                        submitted by the State.''.
    (h) Reports by Secretary.--Section 658L (42 U.S.C. 9858j) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading for such section by striking ``report'' 
        and inserting ``reports'';
            (2) by inserting ``(a) Access to Child Care Reports.--'' 
        before ``Not later than'';
            (3) in subsection (a), as so designated by paragraph (2) of 
        this subsection--
                    (1) by inserting ``and the Committee on Ways and 
                Means'' after ``Opportunities''; and
                    (2) by adding at the end the following: ``and 
                progress on development and results of research and 
                demonstration projects as carried out under section 
                658U'' after ``under section 658K''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Quality of Child Care Reports.--
            ``(1) Benchmark reports.--Not later 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of the Child Care Quality Improvement Act of 
        1998, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to 
        Congress a report that contains a summary and analysis of the 
        information provided to the Secretary in the State reports 
        submitted pursuant to section 658K(a)(2)(F).
            ``(2) Improvement reports.--Not later 5 years after the 
        date of the enactment of the Child Care Quality Improvement Act 
        of 1998, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report that 
        contains a summary and analysis of the extent to which funds 
        provided under section 418(c) of the Social Security Act have 
        improved the quality of child care.''.
    (i) Establishment of Research and Demonstration Activities.--The 
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 658U. RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized, either directly or 
through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other 
arrangements, to carry out research, demonstration projects, and other 
activities relating to child care, including activities designed to 
improve the quality and increase the availability of child care. Such 
activities shall be coordinated with activities under the Department of 
Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
    ``(b) Allowable Activities.--Activities under this section may 
include the following:
            ``(1) Research on child care needs of low-income 
        families.--Research designed to identify and overcome barriers 
        restricting availability, affordability, and quality of child 
        care for low-income families.
            ``(2) Research on good policies and practices.--Research 
        designed to identify good child care policies and practices, 
        including the types of child care settings, parent activities, 
        and provider training that most benefit the early development 
        of children.
            ``(3) Research on retention of child care provider staff.--
        Research on factors affecting retention of child care provider 
        staff, including the National Child Care Provider Scholarship 
        Program under section 658G(b) and its subsequent effect on 
        outcomes for children.
            ``(4) Demonstrations of technology-based education and 
        training.--Demonstration projects testing use of remote site 
        and interactive computer technology to provide education and 
        training to child care providers and parents.
            ``(5) Demonstration projects for new methods.--
        Demonstration projects addressing ways to assist parents, such 
        as parents who choose to stay at home with their children and 
        parents with particular child care needs, including parents of 
        children with special health care needs or disabilities, 
        homeless families, migrant families, teen parents and foster 
        parents.
            ``(6) National center on child care statistics.--
        Establishment and operation of a National Center on Child Care 
        Statistics for the collection and dissemination of data and 
        information on child care.
            ``(7) Hotline and consumer education.--Establishment and 
        operation of a hotline to assist parents to locate their local 
        child care resource and referral agency and public education 
        activities to assist parents in becoming informed consumers of 
        quality child care.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 1999 through 2003.''.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the ``Advisory Commission on Quality Child Care''.
    (b) Duties.--The Commission shall--
            (1) identify and study--
                    (A) the most important issues affecting the quality 
                of child care;
                    (B) the most efficient and effective manner of 
                ensuring that families in the United States will 
                receive quality child care; and
                    (C) other related topics that the Commission 
                considers appropriate; and
            (2) develop and make recommendations regarding--
                    (A) feasible goals and targets for child care 
                programs operated by the States to improve the quality 
                of child care provided in accordance with such 
                programs;
                    (B) national standards for the quality of child 
                care; and
                    (C) other related topics that the Commission 
                considers appropriate.
    (c) Number and Appointment of Members.--The Commission shall be 
composed of 9 members who shall be appointed by the President before 
the expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Qualifications of Members.--Each of the individuals appointed 
under subsection (a) shall be an individual with distinctive expertise 
or experience in child care or early childhood development.
    (e) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 5 members appointed may 
be of the same political party.
    (f) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, 
but shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 
made.
    (g) Basic Pay.--Each member shall serve without pay.
    (h) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (i) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (j) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
designated by the President. The term of office of the Chairperson 
shall be for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the office of the 
Chairperson shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
designation was made.
    (k) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet not less than 4 times. The 
initial meeting of the Commission shall be at the call of the 
Chairperson and shall occur within the 90-day period beginning on the 
date on which all members of the Commission have been appointed. After 
the initial meeting, the Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson or a majority of its members.
    (l) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall fix the pay of the Director.
    (m) Staff.--Upon request of the Commission, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall detail, and the head of any other Federal 
department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it 
in carrying out its duties under this Act.
    (n) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.
    (o) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (p) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (q) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable the Commission to carry out this Act. Upon request 
of the Chairperson, the head of the department or agency shall furnish 
the information to the Commission.
    (r) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Commission may accept, use, 
and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, 
both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and 
proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or 
devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be available for 
disbursement upon order of the Commission.
    (s) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (t) Reports.--
            (1) Interim reports.--As soon as practicable after any 
        hearing held by the Commission, the Commission shall submit to 
        the President, Congress, and the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services an interim report summarizing the hearing and 
        containing any other information the Commission considers 
        appropriate.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        the initial meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall 
        submit to the President, Congress, and the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services a final report that--
                    (A) shall set forth the consensus findings and 
                recommendations of the Commission; and
                    (B) may set forth the majority but non-consensus 
                findings and recommendations of the Commission and any 
                other information that the Commission considers 
                appropriate.
            (3) Report by secretary.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date on which the Commission submits its final report, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress 
        a report describing any actions that the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services has taken with respect to the final report 
        of the Commission.
    (u) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate 2 years after the 
date of its initial meeting, or on the date on which the Commission 
submits its final report, whichever occurs first.
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