[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1091 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 343
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1091
To establish a Federal Task Force to Support Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 10, 2017
Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Casey, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Nelson, Ms.
Warren, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Manchin, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Brown,
Ms. Smith, Mr. Young, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr. Scott) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
March 12, 2018
Reported by Mr. Alexander, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a Federal Task Force to Support Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Grandparents
Raising Grandchildren Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) More than 80 percent of Americans over the age
of 65 are grandparents and more than 2,500,000 grandparents in
the United States are the primary caretaker of their
grandchildren. Experts report that such numbers are increasing
as the opioid epidemic expands.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Grandparents' lives are enhanced by caring for
their grandchildren; the overwhelming majority of grandparents
report experiencing significant benefits in serving as their
grandchildren's primary caregivers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Providing full-time care to their
grandchildren may increase grandparents' likelihood of
experiencing physical illness and mental health problems and
decrease their ability to save for retirement.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Grandparents raising grandchildren may face
difficulty enrolling their grandchildren in school, medical
care, and Federal assistance services.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) The Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3001 et seq.) includes services that support grandfamilies,
including the National Family Caregiver Support
Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Grandparents would benefit from better
coordination and information about resources available to
support them in their caregiving responsibilities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. FEDERAL TASK FORCE TO SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS RAISING
GRANDCHILDREN.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Establishment.--There is established a Federal Task
Force to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (referred to in
this section as the ``Task Force'').</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed
of the following members, or their designee:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) The Secretary of Health and Human
Services.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) The Attorney General.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) The Administrator of the
Administration for Community Living.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) The Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) The Assistant Secretary for Mental
Health and Substance Use.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) The Assistant Secretary for the
Administration for Children and Families.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) The head of each Federal department,
agency, or other governmental entity identified by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services as having
responsibilities, or administering programs, relating
to current issues affecting grandparents or other
relatives raising children in their care.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Lead agency.--The Department of Health and
Human Services shall be the lead agency for the Task
Force.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Requirement.--Each member of the Task Force
shall be an officer or employee of the Federal
Government.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Duties.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) Information.--The Task Force shall
identify, promote, coordinate, and disseminate
information publicly about Federal information,
resources, and best practices available, on the date of
the determination, to help grandparents or other
relatives raising children in their care meet the
health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of
the children in their care as well as maintain their
own physical and mental health and emotional well-
being, including those raising children in their care
as a result of the opioid epidemic.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Native americans.--In carrying out the
duties described in subparagraph (A), the Task Force
shall ensure that the needs of members of Native
American tribes are addressed.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Report.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Task Force
shall submit a report to the Special Committee on Aging
and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate that includes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) best practices, resources, and
other useful information for grandparents and
other relatives raising children in their care;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) an identification of the gaps
in needs of grandparents and other relatives
raising children in their care.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Follow-up report.--Not later than the
date that is 2 years after the date the report under
subparagraph (A) is submitted, the Task Force shall
submit a follow-up report to the Special Committee on
Aging and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate that includes the
information described in subparagraph (A).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Process for public input.--The Task Force
shall establish a process for public input to inform the
development of, and updates to, the best practices, resources,
and other useful information and the gaps in needs described in
paragraph (2), including a process for the public to submit
recommendations to the Task Force and an opportunity for public
comment.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date
that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL TASK FORCE TO SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS RAISING
GRANDCHILDREN.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a Federal Task Force to
Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (referred to in this section
as the ``Task Force'').
(b) Older Relative Caregiver.--In this section, the term ``older
relative caregiver'' has the meaning given the term under section
372(a)(3) of the National Family Caregiver Support (42 U.S.C.
3030s(a)(3)).
(c) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of the
following members, or their designee:
(A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(B) The Attorney General.
(C) The Administrator of the Administration for
Community Living.
(D) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
(E) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and
Substance Use.
(F) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration
for Children and Families.
(G) The Director of the Indian Health Service.
(H) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services.
(I) The head of each Federal department, agency, or
other governmental entity identified by the Secretary
of Health and Human Services as having
responsibilities, or administering programs, relating
to the current health, educational, nutritional, and
other needs and current issues affecting older relative
caregivers, including grandparents, raising children in
their care.
(J) A grandparent raising a grandchild or
grandchildren as well as another older relative
caregiver of children.
(2) Lead agency.--The Department of Health and Human
Services shall be the lead agency for the Task Force.
(d) Duties.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Information.--The Task Force shall identify,
coordinate, and disseminate information publicly about
Federal information, resources, and best practices
available, on the date of the determination, to help
older relative caregivers, including grandparents,
raising children in their care, including those raising
children in their care as a result of the opioid
crisis, meet the health, educational, nutritional, and
other needs of the children in their care as well as
maintain their own physical and mental health and
emotional well-being.
(B) Native americans.--In carrying out the duties
described in subparagraph (A), the Task Force shall
ensure that the needs of Native Americans (as defined
in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42
U.S.C. 3002)) are considered.
(2) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 360 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall
submit a report to the Special Committee on Aging, the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
and the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee
on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives that includes--
(i) best practices, resources, and other
useful information for older relative
caregivers, including grandparents, raising
children in their care; and
(ii) an identification of the gaps in needs
of older relative caregivers, including
grandparents, raising children in their care.
(B) Final report.--Not later than 4 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall
submit a final report to the Special Committee on
Aging, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions, and the Committee on Finance of the Senate
and the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on
Ways and Means of the House of Representatives that
includes the final findings of the Task Force,
recommendations for future actions to address issues
faced by older relative caregivers, including
grandparents, raising children in their care, and any
other useful information.
(3) Process for public input.--The Task Force shall
establish a process for public input to inform the
identification of, and updates to, the best practices,
resources, and other useful information and the gaps in needs
described in paragraph (2), including a process for the public
to submit recommendations to the Task Force and an opportunity
for public comment.
(e) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date that is 5
years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(f) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force.
(g) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section. The Task Force shall be carried out with
funds otherwise appropriated.
Calendar No. 343
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1091
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a Federal Task Force to Support Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 12, 2018
Reported with an amendment