[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8499-S8500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RAISE FAMILY CAREGIVERS ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 306, S. 1719.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1719) to provide for the establishment and 
     maintenance of a National Family Caregiving Strategy, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause 
and insert in lieu thereof the following:

                                S. 1719

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Recognize, Assist, Include, 
     Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2015'' or the 
     ``RAISE Family Caregivers Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Advisory council.--The term ``Advisory Council'' means 
     the Family Caregiving Advisory Council convened under section 
     4.
       (2) Family caregiver.--The term ``family caregiver'' means 
     an adult family member or other individual who has a 
     significant relationship with, and who provides a broad range 
     of assistance to, an individual with a chronic or other 
     health condition, disability, or functional limitation.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services.
       (4) Strategy.--The term ``Strategy'' means the National 
     Family Caregiving Strategy established, maintained, and 
     updated under section 3.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVING STRATEGY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall develop, 
     maintain, and periodically update a National Family 
     Caregiving Strategy.
       (b) Contents.--The Strategy shall identify specific actions 
     that Federal, State, and local governments, communities, 
     health care, long-term services and supports and other 
     providers, employers, and others can take to recognize and 
     support family caregivers in a manner that reflects their 
     diverse needs, including with respect to the following:
       (1) Promoting greater adoption of person- and family-
     centered care in all health and long-term services and 
     supports settings, with the person receiving services and 
     supports and the family caregiver (as appropriate) at the 
     center of care teams.
       (2) Assessment and service planning (including care 
     transitions and coordination) involving family caregivers and 
     care recipients.
       (3) Training and other supports.
       (4) Information, education, referral, and care 
     coordination, including hospice, palliative care, and advance 
     planning services.
       (5) Respite options.
       (6) Financial security.
       (7) Workplace policies and supports that allow family 
     caregivers to remain in the workforce.
       (c) Responsibilities of the Secretary.--The Secretary, in 
     carrying out this section, shall be responsible for the 
     following:
       (1) Collecting and making publicly available information, 
     including evidence-based or promising practices and 
     innovative models (both domestically and internationally) 
     regarding the provision of care by family caregivers or 
     support for family caregivers.
       (2) Coordinating Federal Government programs and activities 
     to recognize and support family caregivers while ensuring 
     maximum effectiveness and avoiding unnecessary duplication.
       (3) Providing technical assistance, such as best practices 
     and information sharing, to State or local efforts, as 
     appropriate, to support family caregivers.
       (4) Addressing disparities in recognizing and supporting 
     family caregivers and meeting the needs of the diverse family 
     caregiving population.
       (5) Assessing all Federal programs regarding family 
     caregivers, including with respect to funding levels.
       (d) Initial Strategy; Updates.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, develop, publish, and submit to Congress the 
     initial Strategy incorporating the items addressed in the 
     Advisory Council's report in section 4(d)(2) and other 
     priority actions for recognizing and supporting family 
     caregivers; and
       (2) not less than every 2 years, update, republish, and 
     submit to Congress the Strategy, taking into account the most 
     recent annual report submitted under section 4(d)(1)--
       (A) to reflect new developments, challenges, opportunities, 
     and solutions; and
       (B) to assess progress in implementation of the Strategy 
     and, based on the results of such assessment, recommend 
     priority actions for such implementation.
       (e) Process for Public Input.--The Secretary shall 
     establish a process for public input to inform the 
     development of, and updates to, the Strategy, including a 
     process for the public to submit recommendations to the 
     Advisory Council and an opportunity for public comment on the 
     proposed Strategy.
       (f) No Preemption.--Nothing in this Act preempts any 
     authority of a State or local government to recognize or 
     support family caregivers.

     SEC. 4. FAMILY CAREGIVING ADVISORY COUNCIL.

       (a) Convening.--The Secretary shall convene a Family 
     Caregiving Advisory Council to provide advice to the 
     Secretary on recognizing and supporting family caregivers.
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) In general.--The members of the Advisory Council shall 
     consist of--
       (A) the appointed members under paragraph (2); and
       (B) the Federal members under paragraph (3).
       (2) Appointed members.--In addition to the Federal members 
     under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall appoint not more 
     than 15 members

[[Page S8500]]

     of the Advisory Council who are not representatives of 
     Federal departments or agencies and who shall include at 
     least one representative of each of the following:
       (A) Family caregivers.
       (B) Older adults with long-term services and supports 
     needs, including older adults facing disparities.
       (C) Individuals with disabilities.
       (D) Advocates for family caregivers, older adults with 
     long-term services and supports needs, and individuals with 
     disabilities.
       (E) Health care and social service providers.
       (F) Long-term services and supports providers.
       (G) Employers.
       (H) Paraprofessional workers.
       (I) State and local officials.
       (J) Accreditation bodies.
       (K) Relevant industries.
       (L) Veterans.
       (M) As appropriate, other experts in family caregiving.
       (3) Federal members.--The Federal members of the Advisory 
     Council, who shall be nonvoting members, shall consist of the 
     following:
       (A) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & 
     Medicaid Services (or the Administrator's designee).
       (B) The Administrator of the Administration for Community 
     Living (or the Administrator's designee who has experience in 
     both aging and disability).
       (C) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for 
     Children and Families (or the Assistant Secretary's 
     designee).
       (D) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or the Secretary's 
     designee).
       (E) The Secretary of Labor (or the Secretary's designee).
       (F) The Secretary of the Treasury (or the Secretary's 
     designee).
       (G) The National Coordinator for Health Information 
     Technology (or the National Coordinator's designee).
       (H) The Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
     (or the Administrator's designee).
       (I) The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for 
     National and Community Service (or the Chief Executive 
     Officer's designee).
       (J) The heads of other Federal departments or agencies (or 
     their designees), as appointed by the Secretary or the Chair 
     of the Advisory Council.
       (4) Diverse representation.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that the membership of the Advisory Council reflects the 
     diversity of family caregivers and individuals receiving 
     services and supports.
       (c) Meetings.--The Advisory Council shall meet quarterly 
     during the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment 
     of this Act and at least three times during each year 
     thereafter. Meetings of the Advisory Council shall be open to 
     the public.
       (d) Advisory Council Annual Reports.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Advisory 
     Council shall submit to the Secretary and Congress a report 
     concerning the development, maintenance, and updating of the 
     Strategy and the implementation thereof, including a 
     description of the outcomes of the recommendations and 
     priorities under paragraph (2), as appropriate. Such report 
     shall be made publicly available by the Advisory Council.
       (2) Initial report.--The Advisory Council's initial report 
     under paragraph (1) shall include--
       (A) an inventory and assessment of all federally funded 
     efforts to recognize and support family caregivers and the 
     outcomes of such efforts, including analyses of the extent to 
     which federally funded efforts are reaching family caregivers 
     and gaps in such efforts;
       (B) recommendations for priority actions--
       (i) to improve and better coordinate programs; and
       (ii) to deliver services based on the performance, mission, 
     and purpose of a program while eliminating redundancies and 
     ensuring the needs of family caregivers are met;
       (C) recommendations to reduce the financial impact and 
     other challenges of caregiving on family caregivers; and
       (D) an evaluation of how family caregiving impacts the 
     Medicare program, and Medicaid program, and other Federal 
     programs.
       (e) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory 
     Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory 
     Council.

     SEC. 5. SUNSET PROVISION.

       The authority and obligations established by this Act shall 
     terminate on December 31, 2025.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as 
amended, be read a third time and passed; and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1719), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

                          ____________________