[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3110 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  2d Session
                                S. 3110

To ensure that victims of domestic violence get the help they need in a 
                           single phone call


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2000

  Mr. Wellstone (for himself, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Bayh, and Mr. Kennedy) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To ensure that victims of domestic violence get the help they need in a 
                           single phone call.

    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 ``National Domestic Violence Hotline 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) There are 2,000 domestic violence shelters in the 
        United States.
            (2) The National Domestic Violence Hotline has received 
        close to 500,000 calls from victims of domestic violence 
        nationwide since 1996 and continues to receive 11,000 to 13,000 
        calls per month.
            (3) Access to shelter that will address the specific needs 
        of battered women and their children is critical for women who 
        are trying to escape violence.
            (4) In Minnesota, the only State that has a statewide, 
        online network of domestic violence shelters, being able to 
        make a single phone call to access the most appropriate shelter 
        has led to significant improvement for survivors and their 
        families in receiving the most appropriate services for their 
        unique needs.
            (5) Having an online network of shelters in Minnesota has 
        also allowed survivors and their children to relocate to a 
        broader number of areas in the State so that they can be as 
        safe as possible.
            (6) Having an online network has also reduced the number of 
        calls women need to make to find shelter.
            (7) In Minnesota, 99 percent of women and children are 
        assured to receive the services they need when they need them 
        and where they need them in a single call.
            (8) The National Network to End Domestic Violence estimates 
        that only 43 percent of domestic violence shelters in the 
        United States have access to the Internet.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to provide funds to a nonprofit organization to develop 
        a fully secure, continuously updated network of available 
        domestic violence shelters and services around the United 
        States, which shall be made available to the National Domestic 
        Violence Hotline and member shelters nationwide to enable these 
        programs to connect victims of domestic violence to the most 
        safe, appropriate, and convenient shelter while the caller 
        remains on the line; and
            (2) to ensure that victims of domestic violence get the 
        help they need in a single phone call.

SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall award a grant to a 
nonprofit organization to establish and operate an Internet website 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Website''), which--
            (1) shall link, to the greatest extent possible, the 
        National Domestic Violence Hotline and every domestic violence 
        shelter in the United States;
            (2) shall be highly secure;
            (3) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, contain 
        continuously updated information as to available services and 
        space in domestic violence shelters around the United States; 
        and
            (4) shall be made available to the National Domestic 
        Violence Hotline and domestic violence shelters around the 
        United States so the Hotline and shelters will be able to 
        connect victims of domestic violence to the most safe, 
        appropriate, and convenient domestic violence shelter while the 
        caller remains on the line or in the most efficient way 
        possible.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, a nonprofit organization shall submit to the Secretary an 
application, which shall--
            (1) demonstrate the experience of the applicant in 
        successfully developing and managing a technology-based network 
        of domestic violence shelters;
            (2) demonstrate a record of success of the applicant in 
        meeting the specific shelter needs of victims of domestic 
        violence and their families, as well as the general needs of 
        victims of domestic violence and their families; and
            (3) include a certification that the applicant will--
                    (A) implement the highest level security system to 
                ensure the confidentiality of the Website;
                    (B) have established the Website and, within 5 
                years, have linked--
                            (i) the Hotline;
                            (ii) domestic violence shelters around the 
                        United States; and
                            (iii) other domestic violence organizations 
                        that receive calls for shelter, such as 
                        national and State domestic violence 
                        coalitions, that the grantee determines can 
                        practically and safely be given access to the 
                        Website;
                    (C) consult with the national, State, and local 
                domestic violence organizations in developing and 
                implementing the site and providing Internet 
                connections; and
                    (D) otherwise comply with the requirements of this 
                section.
    (c) Use of Grant Award.--The recipient of a grant award under this 
section shall--
            (1) collaborate with the National Domestic Violence Hotline 
        in developing and implementing the network;
            (2) ensure that the Website is continuously updated;
            (3) ensure that the Website provides information describing 
        the services each domestic violence shelter can provide, such 
        as services for individuals with limited English proficiency, 
        access to medical care, social services, and other relevant 
        services so that Hotline callers and callers to shelters can 
        receive the most appropriate placement for their individual 
        needs;
            (4) ensure that the Website, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, provides up-to-the-minute information on available 
        bed space in shelters around the United States;
            (5) provide training to the staff of the Hotline and to 
        staff of shelters nationally regarding how to use the Website 
        to best meet the needs of callers;
            (6) provide Internet access to the maximum extent 
        practicable, to domestic violence shelters in the United States 
        that do not have the appropriate technology; and
            (7) ensure that after the third year of the project, the 
        grantee will develop a plan to expand the sources of funding 
        for the Website to include funding from public and private 
        entities, although nothing in this paragraph shall preclude a 
        grantee from raising funds from other sources at any time 
        during the 5-year grant period.
    (d) Duration of Grant.--The term of the grant under this section be 
for 5 years. The grant may be renewed after 5 years for 1 or more 
additional 5-year periods.
    (e) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall annually--
            (1) conduct an evaluation of the grant program under this 
        section and the confidentiality of the Website; and
            (2) submit to Congress a report on the results of that 
        evaluation.
    (f) Oversight.--The Secretary shall monitor and help ensure the 
security of the Website.
    (g) Waiver.--The Secretary will have discretion to waive the 5-year 
time limit if the Secretary finds that more time is necessary to 
complete the project.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act--
            (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
        2003 through 2006.
    (b) Administrative Costs.--Of the amount made available to carry 
out this Act in each fiscal year the Secretary may use not more than 2 
percent for administrative costs associated with the grant program, of 
which 5 percent shall be used to assist the National Domestic Violence 
Hotline in participating in the establishment of the Website.
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