[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 696 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 696

To establish grants to improve and study the National Domestic Violence 
                                Hotline.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2005

 Mr. Conyers introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
    Committee on the Judiciary, 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 establish grants to improve and study the National Domestic Violence 
                                Hotline.

    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 ``Domestic Violence Connections 
Campaign Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) More than 500 men and women call the National Domestic 
        Violence Hotline every day to get immediate, informed, and 
        confidential assistance to help deal with family violence.
            (2) The National Domestic Violence Hotline service is 
        available, toll-free, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, with 
        bilingual staff, access to translators in 150 languages, and a 
        TTY line for the hearing-impaired.
            (3) With access to over 5,000 shelters and service 
        providers in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United 
        States Virgin Islands, the National Domestic Violence Hotline 
        provides crisis intervention and immediately connects callers 
        with sources of help in their local community.
            (4) The National Domestic Violence Hotline, which was 
        created by the Violence Against Women Act and is located in 
        Austin, Texas, answered its first call on February 21, 1996, 
        and answered its one millionth call on August 4, 2003.
            (5) Approximately 60 percent of the callers indicate that 
        calling the Hotline is their first attempt to address a 
        domestic violence situation and that they have not called the 
        police or any other support services.
            (6) Between 2000 and 2003, there was a 27 percent increase 
        in call volume.
            (7) Due to high call volume and limited resources, 
        approximately 26,000 calls to the Hotline went unanswered in 
        2002 due to long hold times or busy signals.
            (8) Widespread demand for the Hotline service continues. 
        The Department of Justice reported that over 18,000 acts of 
        violence were committed by intimate partners in the United 
        States each day during 2001. An average of 3 women are murdered 
        every day in the Nation by their husbands or boyfriends.
            (9) Working with outdated telephone and computer equipment 
        creates many challenges for the National Domestic Violence 
        Hotline.
            (10) Improving technology infrastructure at the National 
        Domestic Violence Hotline and training advocates, volunteers, 
        and other staff on upgraded technology will drastically 
        increase the Hotline's ability to answer more calls quickly and 
        effectively.
            (11) Partnerships between the public sector and the private 
        sector are an effective way of providing necessary technology 
        improvements to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
            (12) The Connections Campaign is a project that unites 
        nonprofit organizations, major corporations, and Federal 
        agencies to launch a major new initiative to help ensure that 
        the National Domestic Violence Hotline can answer every call 
        with upgraded, proficient, and sophisticated technology tools.

SEC. 3. TECHNOLOGY GRANT TO NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall award a grant to the 
National Domestic Violence Hotline.
    (b) Use of Funds.--The grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be 
used to provide technology and telecommunication training and 
assistance for advocates, volunteers, staff, and others affiliated with 
the Hotline so that such persons are able to effectively use improved 
equipment made available through the Connections Campaign.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH GRANT TO STUDY NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE.

    (a) Grant Authorized.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services and the National Domestic 
Violence Hotline, shall award a grant to a university or other research 
institution with demonstrated experience and expertise with domestic 
violence issues to conduct a study of the National Domestic Violence 
Hotline for the purpose of conducting the research described under 
subsection (c), and for the input, interpretation, and dissemination of 
research data.
    (b) Application.--Each university or research institution desiring 
to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to 
the Attorney General, at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
such additional information as the Attorney General, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the National 
Domestic Violence Hotline, may reasonably require.
    (c) Issues to Be Studied.--The study described in subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) compile statistical and substantive information about 
        calls received by the Hotline since its inception, or a 
        representative sample of such calls, while maintaining the 
        confidentiality of Hotline callers;
            (2) interpret the data compiled under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) to determine the trends, gaps in services, and 
                geographical areas of need; and
                    (B) to assess the trends and gaps in services to 
                underserved communities and the military community; and
            (3) gather other important information about domestic 
        violence.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the grantee conducting the study under this section shall 
submit a report on the results of such study to Congress and the 
Attorney General.

SEC. 5. GRANT TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES.

    (a) Grant Authorized.--Not later than 6 months after the submission 
of the report required under section 4(d), the Attorney General, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the 
National Domestic Violence Hotline, shall award a grant to an 
experienced organization to conduct a public awareness campaign to 
increase the public's understanding of domestic violence issues and 
awareness of the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
    (b) Application.--Each organization desiring to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Attorney General, 
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such additional 
information as the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services and the National Domestic Violence 
Hotline, may reasonably require.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated, for each 
of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007--
            (1) $500,000 to carry out section 3;
            (2) $250,000 to carry out section 4; and
            (3) $800,000 to carry out section 5.
    (b) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authority of subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
    (c) Nonexclusivity.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
limit or restrict the National Domestic Violence Hotline to apply for 
and obtain Federal funding from any other agency or department or any 
other Federal grant program.
    (d) No Condition on Appropriations.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
to subsection (a) shall not be considered amounts appropriated for 
purposes of the conditions imposed under section 316(g)(2) of the 
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10416(g)(2)).
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