[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 501 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 501

To amend titles IV and XX of the Social Security Act to restore funding 
 for the Social Services Block Grant, to restore the ability of States 
  to transfer up to 10 percent of TANF funds to carry out activities 
    under such block grant, and to require an annual report on such 
       activities by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 8, 2001

Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Rockefeller, Ms. Snowe, Mr. 
 Wellstone, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. 
 Dodd, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Clinton, 
Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Torricelli) introduced the following bill; which 
        was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend titles IV and XX of the Social Security Act to restore funding 
 for the Social Services Block Grant, to restore the ability of States 
  to transfer up to 10 percent of TANF funds to carry out activities 
    under such block grant, and to require an annual report on such 
       activities by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

    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 ``Social Services Block Grant 
Restoration Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Since 1975, title XX of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1397 et seq.), commonly referred to as the Social 
        Services Block Grant (in this section referred to as ``SSBG''), 
        has authorized funding for social services to ensure that at-
        risk children and families, the elderly, and physically and 
        mentally disabled individuals remain stable, independent, and 
        economically self sufficient. In 1981, Congress and the Reagan 
        Administration converted SSBG into a block grant designed to 
        give maximum flexibility to States to serve these fundamental 
        purposes.
            (2) Funds provided under the SSBG focus cost-effective 
        support at the community level that prevents the need for 
        inappropriate institutional care which is more costly for 
        Federal and State programs such as the medicaid, medicare, and 
        the social security disability benefits programs.
            (3) The SSBG helps to further the goals set forth in the 
        Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 
        of 1996 (Public Law 104-193; 110 Stat. 2105) by supporting the 
        Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF) and 
        support-related programs such as on-the-job training, child 
        care, transportation, counseling, and other services that 
        facilitate long-term family stability and economic self-
        sufficiency.
            (4) The SSBG provides essential funding to many States for 
        child welfare services that support the goals of the Adoption 
        and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-89; 111 Stat. 
        2115) to promote a safe family environment and encourage 
        adoption to move children into stable and permanent families.
            (5) The SSBG helps promote independent living for 
        vulnerable and low-income elderly individuals by supporting 
        home care services, including home-delivered meals, adult 
        protective services, adult day care, and other essential case 
        management services provided in every State.
            (6) It is reported that 820,000 older Americans are abused 
        and neglected in this country each year. There are additional 
        concerns about the under reporting of elderly abuse and 
        neglect. The SSBG supports adult protective services that 
        prevent widespread abuse and neglect of older Americans and 
        help more than 651,000 elderly individuals in 31 States.
            (7) More than 570,000 disabled individuals receive a range 
        of community-based services and supports nationwide. The SSBG 
        provides significant resources to fill the funding gaps in the 
        developmental disabilities system by supporting such services 
        as early intervention and crisis intervention, adult day care, 
        respite care, transportation, employment training, and 
        independent living services in 38 States.
            (8) The SSBG supports essential mental health and related 
        services to ensure that vulnerable adults and children receive 
        early intervention to prevent more serious and costly mental 
        health crises in the future. Such services include the 
        provision of counseling to almost 400,000 adults and children, 
        case management services for nearly 900,000 families, and the 
        provision of information and referral assistance to more than 
        1,300,000 individuals.
            (9) There are nearly 3,000,000 reports of child abuse and 
        neglect each year. There are currently over 300,000 children in 
        the American foster care system. The SSBG enables the provision 
        of child protective services to 1,300,000 children, adoption 
        services to over 150,000 children and families, and prevention 
        and intervention services to more than 700,000 families.
            (10) The SSBG has been eroded by more than $1,000,000,000 
        over the last 6 years resulting in cuts in services in many 
States and local communities.
            (11) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block 
        grants cannot be used to make up cuts to the SSBG because a 
        large percentage of SSBG funds are used for the elderly, 
        disabled, and other populations that are ineligible for TANF 
        funds.
            (12) The 104th Congress made a commitment to the SSBG in 
        the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation 
        Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193; 110 Stat. 2105) by authorizing 
        the program at $2,380,000,000 through fiscal year 2002 and 
        returning the authorization for the program to $2,800,000,000 
        in fiscal year 2003 and each succeeding fiscal year.

SEC 3. RESTORATION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TANF 
              FUNDS TO THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.

    (a) In General.--Section 404(d)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 604(d)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Limitation on amount transferable to title xx 
        programs.--A State may use not more than 10 percent of the 
        amount of any grant made to the State under section 403(a) for 
        a fiscal year to carry out State programs pursuant to title 
        XX.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) applies 
to amounts made available for fiscal year 2002 and each fiscal year 
thereafter.

SEC. 4. RESTORATION OF FUNDS FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.

    (a) In General.--Section 2003(c) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397b(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following 
        new paragraphs:
            ``(11) $1,725,000,000 for the fiscal year 2001; and
            ``(12) $2,380,000,000 for the fiscal year 2002 and each 
        fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of the Departments of 
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2001 (as enacted into law by section 1(a)(1) of 
Public Law 106-554).

SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 2006(c) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397e(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sentence: ``The Secretary shall compile the information submitted by 
the States and submit that information to Congress on an annual 
basis.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) applies 
to information submitted by States under section 2006 of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397e) with respect to fiscal year 2001 and 
each fiscal year thereafter.
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