[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2018 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2018

  To allow the Department of Housing and Urban Development to better 
   serve persons with limited proficiency in the English language by 
     providing technical assistance to recipients of Federal funds.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 5, 2007

 Mr. Menendez introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To allow the Department of Housing and Urban Development to better 
   serve persons with limited proficiency in the English language by 
     providing technical assistance to recipients of Federal funds.

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

SECTION 1. ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMS FOR PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH 
              PROFICIENCY.

    (a) HUD Responsibilities.--To allow the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development to better serve persons with limited proficiency in 
the English language by providing technical assistance to recipients of 
Federal funds, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
take the following actions:
            (1) Task force.--Within 90 days after the date of enactment 
        of this Act, convene a task force comprised of appropriate 
        industry groups, recipients of funds from the Department of 
        Housing and Urban Development (in this section referred to as 
        the ``Department''), community-based organizations that serve 
        individuals with limited English proficiency, civil rights 
        groups, and stakeholders, which shall identify a list of vital 
        documents, including Department and certain property and other 
        documents, to be competently translated to improve access to 
        federally conducted and federally assisted programs and 
        activities for individuals with limited English proficiency. 
        The task force shall meet not less frequently than twice per 
        year.
            (2) Translations.--Within 6 months after identification of 
        documents pursuant to paragraph (1), produce translations of 
        the documents identified in all necessary languages and make 
        such translations available as part of the library of forms 
        available on the website of the Department and as part of the 
        clearinghouse developed pursuant to paragraph (4).
            (3) Plan.--Develop and carry out a plan that includes 
        providing resources of the Department to assist recipients of 
        Federal funds to improve access to programs and activities for 
        individuals with limited English proficiency, which plan shall 
        include the elements described in paragraph (4).
            (4) Housing information resource center.--Develop and 
        maintain a housing information resource center to facilitate 
        the provision of language services by providers of housing 
        services to individuals with limited English proficiency. 
        Information provided by such center shall be made available in 
        printed form and through the Internet. The resources provided 
        by the center shall include the following:
                    (A) Translation of written materials.--The center 
                may provide, directly or through contract, vital 
                documents from competent translation services for 
                providers of housing services.
                    (B) Toll-free customer service telephone number.--
                The center shall provide a 24-hour toll-free 
                interpretation service telephone line, by which 
                recipients of funds of the Department and individuals 
                with limited English proficiency may--
                            (i) obtain information about federally 
                        conducted or federally assisted housing 
                        programs of the Department;
                            (ii) obtain assistance with applying for or 
                        accessing such housing programs and 
                        understanding Federal notices written in 
                        English; and
                            (iii) communicate with housing providers, 
                        and learn how to access additional language 
                        services.
                The toll-free telephone service provided pursuant to 
                this subparagraph shall supplement resources in the 
                community identified by the plan developed pursuant to 
                paragraph (3).
                    (C) Document clearinghouse.--The center shall 
                collect and evaluate for accuracy or develop, and make 
                available, templates and documents that are necessary 
                for consumers, relevant industry representatives, and 
                other stakeholders of the Department, to access, make 
                educated decisions, and communicate effectively about 
                their housing, including--
                            (i) administrative and property documents;
                            (ii) legally binding documents;
                            (iii) consumer education and outreach 
                        materials;
                            (iv) documents regarding rights and 
                        responsibilities of any party; and
                            (v) remedies available to consumers.
                    (D) Study of language assistance programs.--The 
                center shall conduct a study that evaluates best-
                practices models for all programs of the Department 
                that promote language assistance and strategies to 
                improve language services for individuals with limited 
                English proficiency. Not later than 18 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the center shall 
                submit a report to the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
                and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
                Financial Services of the House of Representatives, 
                which shall provide recommendations for implementation, 
                specific to programs of the Department, and information 
                and templates that could be made available to all 
                recipients of grants from the Department.
                    (E) Cultural and linguistic competence materials.--
                The center shall provide information relating to 
                culturally and linguistically competent housing 
                services for populations with limited English 
                proficiency.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development shall submit a report regarding its 
compliance with the requirements under subsection (a) to the Committee 
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Financial Services of the House of Representative.
                                 <all>