[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 93 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INDIAN CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT 
                            REAUTHORIZATION

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Resources be discharged from further consideration of the Senate 
bill (S. 441) to reauthorize appropriations for certain programs under 
the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, and for 
other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield 
to the gentleman from California to explain this piece of legislation.
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the immediate 
consideration of S. 441, legislation which would reauthorize, for the 
upcoming 2 fiscal years, funding for the Indian Child Protection and 
Family Violence Prevention Act.
  That 1990 act, Public Law 101-630, currently provides prevention and 
mental health treatment for child abuse and family violence victims on 
Indian reservations.
  S. 441 would reauthorize $10 million each year to be provided in the 
form of Indian Health Service grants to tribes for treatment programs 
for Indians who have been victims of child sexual abuse.
  This legislation would also reauthorize $30 million each year to be 
provided to tribes to be used for the development of Indian Child 
Protection and Family Violence Prevention Programs. In addition, S. 441 
would reauthorize $3 million each year to fund Indian Child Resource 
and Family Service Centers within each Bureau of Indian Affairs area 
office.
  Mr. Speaker, Public Law 101-630 has spent 5 years awaiting 
implementation primarily because the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the 
Indian Health Service have failed to promulgate regulations needed 
under the act. However, it is my understanding that these long-awaited 
regulations have finally been completed and are now awaiting final 
approval.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of S. 441, without amendment, so 
that this legislation can be forwarded to the White House as soon as 
possible and, thus, so that the Appropriations Committees can move 
forward in considering funding pursuant to a program which is 
authorized for each of the 2 upcoming fiscal years.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, 
S. 441 extends the authorization of certain programs under the Indian 
Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act for 2 years.
  This act was written to counter a rising number of prosecutions of 
Federal, State, and tribal employees for child abuse on reservations 
and the high rate of incidents of family violence affecting American 
Indian families. It provides for on reservation treatment for abused 
children. Suffering abuse is traumatic enough for small children to 
endure, but to then be taken for treatment far from those who love and 
support the child only deepens the wounds already inflicted.
  This act also provides tribes with needed assistance in reporting 
child abuse, and resources for family violence prevention programs on 
reservations.
  Mr. Speaker, the work of this important act has only just begun. I 
strongly support this bill and urge my colleagues to join me.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                 S. 441

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

     SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS.

       Sections 409(e), 410(h), and 411(i) of the Indian Child 
     Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act (25 U.S.C. 
     3208(e), 3209(h), and 3210(i), respectively) are each amended 
     by striking ``and 1995'' and inserting ``1995, 1996, and 
     1997''.

  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

                          ____________________