[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 87 (Monday, July 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7357-S7359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LEVIN:
  S. 2261. A bill to amend chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, 
to increase the amount of leave time available to a

[[Page S7358]]

Federal employee in any year in connection with serving as an organ 
donor, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Governmental 
Affairs.


                        ORGAN DONOR LEGISLATION

 Mr. LEVIN: Mr. President, I introduce legislation which would 
increase the amount of leave time available to a Federal employee who 
serves as an organ donor. Presently, Federal employees are allowed a 
maximum of 7 days when serving as an organ or bone-marrow donor. 
Although a 7 day recovery period is sufficient for bone-marrow donors, 
often times, the donation of an organ requires a lengthier period for 
recovery. This bill seeks to address this need.
  Under this bill, Federal employees that serve as organ donors would 
be allowed to take up to 30 days of leave for recovery. Thus, this 
legislation provides Federal employees the security of knowing that 
they can take sufficient leave time when considering the option of 
organ donation. This will also serve as a guide for both public and 
private employers who may wish to provide similar benefits to their 
employees.
  Medical technology and improved surgical techniques have improved the 
survival rate of persons needing an organ transplant. It is important 
that the Federal Government continues to do whatever it can to assist 
the medical community in encouraging citizens to become organ donors.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a bill summary be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

       The bill would increase the current limit of 7 days to 30 
     days for organ donation. Recent surveys of doctors and 
     hospitals show that the current limit, while sufficient time 
     for bone-marrow donation, is an insufficient amount of time 
     for organ transplant procedures, where recovery time is 
     lengthier. This change would properly differentiate the two 
     types of donations to reflect that difference in the time it 
     takes to recuperate.
       I would also amend the table of sections at the beginning 
     of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, by adding after 
     the item relating to section 6327 a second section 6328 which 
     relates to absence due to funerals of fellow Federal law 
     enforcement officers.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. LEVIN:
  S. 2262 A bill to amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, 
relating to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, to enable 
the Federal Government to enroll an employee and the family of the 
employee in the program when a State court orders the employee to 
provide health insurance coverage for a child of an employee but the 
employee fails to provide the coverage, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.


    Federal Employees Health Benefits Children's Equity Act of 1998

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, today I introduce the Federal 
Employees Health Benefit Children's Equity Act of 1998.
  This legislation concerns Federal employees who are under a court 
order to provide health insurance to their dependent children. If a 
Federal employee is under such a court order and his dependent children 
have no health insurance coverage, the Federal government would be 
authorized to enroll the employee in a ``family coverage'' health plan. 
If the employee is not enrolled in any health care plan, the Federal 
government would be authorized to enroll the employee in the ``family 
coverage'' plan of the standard option of the service benefit plan, 
typically Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The bill would also prevent the 
employee from canceling health coverage for his children for the term 
of the court order.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a summary of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

       Section 1 provides the bill's short title, the ``Federal 
     Employees Health Benefits Children's Equity Act of 1997.''
       Section 2 would amend 5 U.S.C. Sec. 8905 by adding a new 
     subsection (f) to allow an employee who is not enrolled in an 
     FEHB plan to enroll in a plan for self and family coverage if 
     the employee is required by a court order or administrative 
     order to provide health insurance coverage for a child who 
     meets the definition of ``member of family'' under 5 U.S.C. 
     8901(5). Moreover, if such an employee fails to enroll and 
     cannot show that the child is covered by other health 
     insurance, this section would require the employing agency to 
     enroll the employee for self and family under the low-option 
     Service Benefit Plan (currently Blue Cross/Blue Shield).
       Section 2 also prescribes similar treatment for a 
     similarly-situated employee who is enrolled as an individual 
     in an FEHB plan. The amendment would ensure that, under the 
     circumstances described in the preceding paragraph, the 
     employee's enrollment would be changed to a self and family 
     enrollment that would cover the child. An employee who did 
     not so change his or her enrollment voluntarily would be 
     enrolled for self and family in the same plan in which the 
     employee was already covered as an individual, unless that 
     plan does not provide full benefits and services where the 
     child resides. In the latter event, the employee would be 
     enrolled for self and family under the low-option Service 
     Benefit Plan.
       Finally, Section 2 would create the new section 8905(f) of 
     title 5 that would bar the employee from discontinuing the 
     self and family enrollment as long as the order remains in 
     effect and the child continues to meet the definition in 
     section 8901(f), unless the employee can show that the child 
     has other health insurance.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. GORTON (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Faircloth, Mr. 
        Harkin, and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 2263. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
the expansion, intensification, and coordination of the activities of 
the National Institutes of Health with respect to research on autism; 
to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


              advancement in pediatric autism research act

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, today, I join with my colleagues 
Senators Lieberman, Faircloth, Harkin, and Boxer to introduce 
legislation that will build on current scientific advances in 
understanding autism and will promote additional research in this 
promising field. Many think autism is rare. In fact, it is the third 
most prevalent childhood disability, affecting an estimated four 
hundred thousand Americans and their families. It is also a condition 
that doctors and scientists believe can be cured. It is not something 
that we simply must accept.
  When people think of autism they might remember the character played 
by Dustin Hoffman in the movie ``Rainman.'' Yet autism has many faces; 
it affects people from every background, social and ethnic category. 
Children with autism may be profoundly retarded and may never learn to 
speak, while others may be extremely hyperactive and bright. Some may 
have extraordinary talents, such as an exceptional memory or skill in 
mathematics. However, all share the common traits of difficulty with 
communication and social interaction. And for reasons we do not yet 
understand, eighty percent of those with autism are males.
  But autism is not about statistics or medical definitions--it is 
about children and families. The Kruegers, from Washington state, have 
an all too typical story. Their little girl Chanel developed like any 
other child--she happily played with her parents, took her first steps, 
learned some of her first words and then she started to regress. In 
four short months, by the time she was two, Chanel had become almost 
completely enveloped in her own private world. Chanel's mother told me 
``it was like somebody came in the middle of the night and took my 
child.''
  Like many children with autism, the Krueger's daughter no longer 
responded when her parents called her name; words she once spoke 
clearly became garbled; and socializing became more and more difficult. 
Fortunately, due to her parents dedication and intervention Chanel 
Krueger at age 5, is doing remarkably well.
  But, many autistic children completely lose the ability to interact 
with the outside world. The hours these kids should be spending in 
little league or playing with their friends are often spent staring out 
the window, transfixed by the dust floating in the sunlight or the 
pattern of leaves on the ground.
  Even today, with advances in therapy and early intervention, few of 
these children will go to college, hold a regular job, live 
independently or marry. More than half never learn how to speak.
  The facts about autism can be sobering--but there is hope. Early 
intervention and treatment has helped many

[[Page S7359]]

children. Science has also made great strides in understanding this 
disorder. We now know that autism is a biological condition, it is not 
an emotional problem and it is not caused by faulty parenting. 
Scientists believe that autism is one of the most heritable 
developmental disorders and is the most likely to benefit from the 
latest advances in genetics and neurology. Once the genetic link is 
discovered, the opportunitis for understanding, treating, and 
eventually curing autism are endless.

  The promise of research is exactly why I am introducing this 
legislation and my colleague Representative Jim Greenwood has 
introduced similar legislation in the House. This bill will increase 
the federal commitment to autism research. Its cornerstone is 
authorization for five Centers of Excellence where basic researchers, 
clinicians and scientists can come together to increase our 
understanding of this devastating disorder.
  I also want to encourage the collaboration beginning to take place 
between the various Institutes at the HIH conducting autism research. 
The bill formalizes the current autism coordinating committee and 
includes a mechanism to ensure public input.
  While we are hoping to advance our understanding and treatment of 
autism through research, it is also important that pediatricians and 
other health professionals have the most current information so that 
children and their families can receive help as early as possible. The 
bill includes authorization for an Autism Awareness Program to educate 
doctors and other health professionals about autism.
  Finally, the bill includes a provision to fund a gene and brain 
tissue bank developed from families affected with autism to be 
available for research purposes. This library of genetic information 
should be a valuable tool for researchers trying to identify the 
genetic basis for the disorder.
  While the focus of this bill is on autism, advances in this area are 
also likely to shed light on related problems such as attention deficit 
disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and various seizure disorders 
and learning disabilities.
  Research is the key to unlocking the door and freeing those with 
autism from the isolation and loneliness of their private world. This 
bill is intended to give the NIH the resources to take advantage of the 
tremendous opportunity before us to find more effective treatments and 
ultimately a cure for autism. The promise is real. Fulfillment of that 
promise only requires our commitment. I urge my Senate colleagues to 
support this important investment in the future of our children and our 
Nation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HATCH:
  S. 2264. A bill to revise, codify, and enact without substantive 
change certain general and permanent laws, related to patriotic and 
national observances, ceremonies, and organizations, as title 36, 
United States Code, ``Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, 
and Organizations''; to the Committee on the Judiciary.


   PATRIOTIC AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES, CEREMONIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS 
                            CODIFICATION ACT

 Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce today the 
Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations 
Codification Act.
  This legislation will codify as title 36, United States Code, certain 
general and permanent laws related to various Federally chartered 
patriotic and national observances, ceremonies, and organizations. 
Without making substantive changes, this bill restates existing law to 
remove ambiguities and inconsistencies and repeals obsolete, 
unnecessary, and superseded provisions.
  Some of the important organizations whose charters will be codified 
with this legislation include, among other: The American Legion, The 
American Society of International Law, Army and Navy Union of the 
United States of America, Boy Scouts of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of 
America, Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States of 
America, Girl Scouts of the United States of America, Jewish War 
Veterans of the United States of America, Incorporated, Little League 
Baseball, Incorporated, National Academy of Sciences, National Fund for 
Medical Education, United States Olympic Committee, The American 
National Red Cross.
  The bill was drafted by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel under 
the Office's statutory mandate to prepare and submit periodically to 
the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, one 
title at a time, a restatement and revision of the general and 
permanent laws of the United States for enactment into positive law (2 
U.S.C. 285b).

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