[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.
____________________