[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5131-H5133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SUPPORTING GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN ACT

  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 1091) to establish a Federal Task Force to 
Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1091

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Grandparents 
     Raising Grandchildren Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) More than 2,500,000 grandparents in the United States 
     are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren, and experts 
     report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid 
     epidemic expands.
       (2) Between 2009 and 2016, the incidence of parental 
     alcohol or other drug use as a contributing factor for 
     children's out-of-home placement rose from 25.4 to 37.4 
     percent.
       (3) When children cannot remain safely with their parents, 
     placement with relatives is preferred over placement in 
     foster care with nonrelatives because placement with 
     relatives provides stability for children and helps them 
     maintain family connections.
       (4) The number of foster children placed with a grandparent 
     or other relative increased from 24 percent in 2006 to 32 
     percent in 2016, according to data from the Department of 
     Health and Human Services.
       (5) 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.
       (6) Providing full-time care to their grandchildren may 
     decrease grandparents' ability to address their own physical 
     and mental health needs and personal well-being.
       (7) Grandparents would benefit from better coordination and 
     dissemination of information and resources available to 
     support them in their caregiving responsibilities.

     SEC. 3. ADVISORY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS RAISING 
                   GRANDCHILDREN.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established an Advisory 
     Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
       (b) Membership.--
       (1) In general.--The Advisory Council shall be composed of 
     the following members, or their designee:
       (A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       (B) The Secretary of Education.
       (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) A grandparent raising a grandchild.
       (H) An older relative caregiver of children.
       (I) As appropriate, the head of other Federal departments, 
     or agencies, identified by the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services as having responsibilities, or administering 
     programs, relating to current issues affecting grandparents 
     or other older relatives raising children.
       (2) Lead agency.--The Department of Health and Human 
     Services shall be the lead agency for the Advisory Council.
       (c) Duties.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Information.--The Advisory Council shall identify, 
     promote, coordinate, and disseminate to the public 
     information, resources, and the best practices available to 
     help grandparents and other older relatives--
       (i) meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other 
     needs of the children in their care; and
       (ii) maintain their own physical and mental health and 
     emotional well-being.
       (B) Opioids.--In carrying out the duties described in 
     subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider the 
     needs of those affected by the opioid crisis.
       (C) Native americans.--In carrying out the duties described 
     in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider the 
     needs of members of Native American tribes.
       (2) Report.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Advisory Council shall submit a 
     report to--
       (i) the appropriate committees;
       (ii) the State agencies that are responsible for carrying 
     out family caregiver programs; and
       (iii) the public online in an accessible format.
       (B) Report format.--The report shall include--
       (i) best practices, resources, and other useful information 
     for grandparents and other older relatives raising children 
     identified under paragraph (1)(A) including, if applicable, 
     any information related to the needs of children who have 
     been impacted by the opioid epidemic;
       (ii) an identification of any gaps in items under clause 
     (i); and
       (iii) where applicable, identification of any additional 
     Federal legislative authority necessary to implement the 
     activities described in clause (i) and (ii).
       (3) Follow-up report.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     date on which the report required under paragraph (2)(A) is 
     submitted, the Advisory Council shall submit a follow-

[[Page H5132]]

     up report that includes the information identified in 
     paragraph (2)(B) to--
       (A) the appropriate committees;
       (B) the State agencies that are responsible for carrying 
     out family caregiver programs; and
       (C) the public online in an accessible format.
       (4) Public input.--
       (A) In general.--The Advisory Council shall establish a 
     process for public input to inform the development of, and 
     provide updates to, the best practices, resources, and other 
     information described in paragraph (1) that shall include--
       (i) outreach to States, local entities, and organizations 
     that provide information to, or support for, grandparents or 
     other older relatives raising children; and
       (ii) outreach to grandparents and other older relatives 
     with experience raising children.
       (B) Nature of outreach.--Such outreach shall ask 
     individuals to provide input on--
       (i) information, resources, and best practices available, 
     including identification of any gaps and unmet needs; and
       (ii) recommendations that would help grandparents and other 
     older relatives better 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.
       (d) FACA.--The Advisory Council shall be exempt from the 
     requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
     App.).
       (e) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be 
     appropriated to carry out this Act.
       (f) Sunset.--The Advisory Council shall terminate on the 
     date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Advisory council.--In this Act, the term ``Advisory 
     Council'' means the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents 
     Raising Grandchildren that is established under section 3.
       (2) Appropriate committees.--In this Act, the term 
     ``appropriate committees'' means the following:
       (A) The Special Committee on Aging of the Senate.
       (B) The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate.
       (C) The Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (D) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Lewis) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.

                              {time}  1545


                             General Leave

  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1091, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as 
I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendment to S. 1091, 
the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.
  As the opioid public health emergency continues to unfold, it has 
become clear that the epidemic is not contained to a single generation. 
Rather, it affects everyone, from infants who have been left behind by 
an addicted parent or a guardian, to seniors who have stepped into the 
role of primary caregiver to take care of their grandchildren.
  At present, there are more than 2.5 million grandparents in the 
United States who are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren. 
Experts believe this number is increasing in large part due to the rise 
of the opioid epidemic.
  A child going to live with his or her grandparent is often the best 
outcome in a difficult situation, as it allows for important family 
connections to remain intact and can reduce the trauma a child feels. 
However, it can present certain challenges to grandparents who lack the 
necessary information and tools to provide their grandchildren with 
loving attention and proper care.
  The House amendment to S. 1091, the Supporting Grandparents Raising 
Grandchildren Act, will help to support these grandparents in their 
caregiving responsibilities. The bill directs the creation of an 
advisory council, led by the Department of Health and Human Services, 
to identify and disseminate useful information to grandparents who are 
primary caretakers of their grandchildren, placing a special emphasis 
on those families who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.
  The advisory council will focus on disseminating information to help 
grandparents meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs 
of the children they are caring for.
  The House amendment ensures the council will solicit input from State 
and local entities and grandparents themselves to inform the best 
practices, and ensure the most useful information is in circulation. It 
also terminates the council after 3 years, to ensure the information is 
disseminated in a timely manner.
  Madam Speaker, with so many parents struggling with addiction, 
grandparents are increasingly coming to the rescue. It is important 
that we provide these grandparents with the information they need to 
care for their grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1091, as amended, the 
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.
  This bill will provide support to the millions of grandparents and 
other older caregivers across the country who are raising children. As 
my colleague, Mr. Lewis, mentioned, more than 2.5 million grandparents 
are raising their grandchildren across the Nation today.
  Child welfare experts agree that substance use disorders, especially 
addiction to opioids, are behind much of the growing number of 
grandparents raising their grandchildren.
  Raising grandchildren can dramatically alter the lives of these 
grandparents, who can sometimes be overwhelmed by the unique challenges 
they face as they adapt to their new roles and responsibilities.
  The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act would create an 
advisory council charged with identifying best practices, resources, 
and other tools to help grandparents and other older caregivers address 
common challenges when raising children. This might include how to 
navigate a school system or access healthcare.
  This information is vital and will prove to be lifesaving to 
grandparents striving to care both for themselves and for their 
families.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Senator Susan Collins and Senator Bob Casey 
for their work on this bill, and I thank Congressman McGovern, 
Congressman King, and Congressman Lewis for their leadership in the 
House.
  This bipartisan, bicameral effort is a testament to the importance of 
this growing and important issue. I urge my colleagues to support S. 
1091.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the cosponsor of this 
House legislation.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Bonamici for 
yielding time.
  First, let me say how proud I am to have introduced the House 
companion to an important bipartisan, bicameral bill.
  Madam Speaker, one of the most heartbreaking aspects of the opiate 
epidemic is that a tremendous strain is placed not only on those who 
are struggling with addiction or dealing with substance use disorders, 
but also on their families, their friends, and their support networks.
  Oftentimes when parents are struggling with addiction and unable to 
raise a child, that responsibility falls to a grandparent. Right now, 
as has been said, over 2.5 million children are being raised by their 
grandparents, and we only expect that number to grow.
  These grandparent-led households often face unique challenges. They 
may not have time to plan financially for raising another child. They 
may not have the resources to ensure their home or their car is ready 
to raise a child. There may be barriers for them to access the child's 
medical or school information. It may be difficult for them to navigate 
the complex school

[[Page H5133]]

requirements in many communities to ensure that their grandchild does 
not fall behind during a move. They may need to spend down their 
savings or refinance a home in order to provide for their 
grandchildren, putting their own financial future in jeopardy.

  This bill, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, 
will help us bring to the forefront the resources that grandparents 
need to raise their grandchildren. It will create an important new 
Federal advisory council focused on developing and disseminating 
information designed to help grandparents.
  The advisory council would examine information about how to address 
mental health issues, how to navigate school systems, and how to build 
social and support networks that create the best possible environment 
for children.
  Madam Speaker, we are so grateful that these grandparents have 
stepped in to care for grandchildren, and we need to do everything we 
can to support and sustain them.
  Madam Speaker, I thank especially Senator Susan Collins of Maine for 
her leadership on this issue, along with Senator Casey from 
Pennsylvania, and I am grateful to my colleague, Congressman Peter King 
of New York, for his work and help getting this legislation passed.
  As we deal with the opiate crisis, we have to deal with many 
different issues. There is not just one issue. There are multiple 
issues, and this is one of them.
  Madam Speaker, I appreciate the bipartisan support for my bill, and I 
appreciate the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.
  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close if the 
gentlewoman is, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, again, I support this legislation, the Supporting 
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, and other efforts of my 
colleagues to address the opioid crisis, but these policies will only 
be a drop in the bucket if the administration continues undermining 
access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare that includes robust 
Affordable Care Act protections for preexisting conditions like 
substance use disorder.
  If we are to stem the tide of this epidemic, Medicare, Medicaid, and 
private insurers must fully cover addiction treatment and safer 
alternatives to opioids for pain.
  One thing is clear: Changing policy alone won't stop this crisis. We 
also need more resources for prevention, treatment, and innovative 
solutions.
  The urgent need for more funding is wide and varied. Prevention 
programs need to be able to reach more people. Researchers need 
additional funding to gather data that will drive effective solutions. 
Overstretched public health departments need to be able to coordinate a 
comprehensive response. Treatment facilities need more beds and more 
staff. Healthcare providers need further education and training.
  We must increase the resources to match the scale of this problem, 
this crisis, and focus on making smart investments to adequately 
address the opioid crisis.
  Madam Speaker, once again, I thank Senators Collins and Casey, as 
well as Congressmen McGovern and King, for their work on this 
legislation, and I urge its passage.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues across the aisle for their 
efforts in this regard.
  I too agree that, absolutely, we need healthcare reform to ensure 
that people have the kind of coverage that covers things like opioid 
and substance abuse. Part of that effort means that people can afford a 
good insurance policy and choose the kind of coverage they want so that 
they are not priced out of the market and go without any insurance at 
all, which is really a problem with some of these people suffering 
through this epidemic.
  Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor 
of S. 1091, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KING of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act. I am proud to be a 
lead cosponsor of this legislation.
  Grandparents play a crucial and increasingly significant role in the 
lives of their grandchildren. There are approximately 2.6 million 
grandparents who are raising their grandchildren in the United States.
  Unlike parents or foster parents who plan for months or years to care 
for a child, grandparents often step in to raise the children 
unexpectedly with little to no support. This has become more prevalent 
in the wake of the opioid crisis. As a result, many grandparents are 
left without adequate information on available resources to help them 
with their caregiving duties.
  This legislation will enable the federal government to provide much 
needed support to grandparents. Specifically, this bill will establish 
a federal advisory council to identify, promote, coordinate, and 
disseminate information and resources in order to help grandparents 
meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the 
children in their care. The task force will also help identify 
resources to help grandparents meet their own physical and mental 
health needs.
  I thank Senator Collins, Senator Casey, and Congressman McGovern for 
working with me on this important legislation. I urge my colleagues to 
join me in supporting this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Lewis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 1091, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising 
Grandchildren''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________