[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10424-H10425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOP, OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACT OF 2018
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 767) to establish the Stop,
Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training pilot program
to address human trafficking in the health care system.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop, Observe, Ask, and
Respond to Health and Wellness Act of 2018'' or the ``SOAR to
Health and Wellness Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT.
Part E of title XII of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300d-51 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1254. STOP, OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND
WELLNESS TRAINING PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program
to be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health
and Wellness Training Program or the SOAR to Health and
Wellness Training Program (in this section referred to as the
`Program') to provide training to health care and social
service providers on human trafficking in accordance with
this section.
``(b) Activities.--
``(1) In general.--The Program shall include the Stop,
Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training
Program's activities existing on the day before the date of
enactment of this section and the authorized initiatives
described in paragraph (2).
``(2) Authorized initiatives.--The authorized initiatives
of the Program shall include--
``(A) engaging stakeholders, including victims of human
trafficking and Federal, State, local, and tribal partners,
to develop a flexible training module--
``(i) for supporting activities under subsection (c); and
``(ii) that adapts to changing needs, settings, health care
providers, and social service providers;
``(B) providing technical assistance to grantees related to
implementing activities described in subsection (c) and
reporting on any best practices identified by the grantees;
``(C) developing a reliable methodology for collecting
data, and reporting such data, on the number of human
trafficking victims identified and served by grantees in a
manner that, at a minimum, prevents disclosure of
individually identifiable information consistent with all
applicable privacy laws and regulations; and
``(D) integrating, as appropriate, the training described
in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c) with training
programs, in effect on the date of enactment of this section,
for health care and social service providers for victims of
intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, child
abuse, child neglect, child maltreatment, and child sexual
exploitation.
``(c) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to
appropriate entities to train health care and social service
providers to--
``(1) identify potential human trafficking victims;
``(2) implement best practices for working with law
enforcement to report and facilitate communication with human
trafficking victims, in accordance with all applicable
Federal, State, local, and tribal laws, including legal
confidentiality requirements for patients and health care and
social service providers;
``(3) implement best practices for referring such victims
to appropriate health care, social, or victims service
agencies or organizations; and
``(4) provide such victims with coordinated, age-
appropriate, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, patient-
centered, and evidence-based care.
``(d) Consideration in Awarding Grants.--The Secretary, in
making awards under this section, shall give consideration
to--
``(1) geography;
``(2) the demographics of the population to be served;
``(3) the predominant types of human trafficking cases
involved; and
``(4) health care and social service provider profiles.
``(e) Data Collection and Reporting.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall collect data and
report on the following:
``(A) The total number of entities that received a grant
under this section.
``(B) The total number and geographic distribution of
health care and social service providers trained through the
Program.
``(2) Initial report.--In addition to the data required to
be collected under paragraph (1), for purposes of the initial
report to be submitted under paragraph (3), the Secretary
shall collect data on the total number of facilities and
health care professional organizations that were operating
under, and the total number of health care and social service
providers trained through, the Stop, Observe, Ask, and
Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program existing
prior to the establishment of the Program under this section.
``(3) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit an annual report to Congress on the
data collected under this subsection in a manner that, at a
minimum, prevents the disclosure of individually identifiable
information consistent with all applicable privacy laws and
regulations.
``(f) Sharing Best Practices.--The Secretary shall make
available, on the Internet website of the Department of
Health and Human Services, a description of the best
practices and procedures used by entities that receive a
grant for carrying out activities under this section.
``(g) Definition.--In this section, the term `human
trafficking' has the meaning given the term `severe forms of
trafficking in persons' as defined in section 103 of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this Act, $4,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Ben Ray
Lujan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. 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 in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Montana (Mr. Gianforte), my good friend.
Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, Montanans didn't send me here to shut down the
government, but they also didn't send me here to let their priorities
die in a lameduck session that is in every part lame. I stand here
still urging this body to take up a public lands package and secure the
border.
A public lands package should include the permanent reauthorization
of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. A public lands package should
include the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act that permanently
conserves public land in Paradise Valley. A public lands package should
include
[[Page H10425]]
H.R. 3764 to provide long-overdue Federal recognition to the Little
Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Mr. Speaker, we could just kick the can here on government funding,
on our public lands, and on border security all because Chuck Schumer
and Nancy Pelosi are folding their arms, shaking their heads no, and
refusing to secure our border.
Mr. Speaker, this lame-duck session doesn't have to produce lame
results. I urge my colleagues to take up a public lands package and to
secure our border.
Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 767,
the SOAR to Health and Wellness Act of 2018.
This bill establishes a training program for healthcare and social
service providers in order to better identify potential victims of
human trafficking when they come into contact with healthcare or social
services professionals. The bill provides grants to appropriate
entities to help train these providers on how to identify and
appropriately treat potential victims of human trafficking.
Nearly 21 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking,
forced labor, or sexual exploitation. At some point, many of these
unidentified victims will come into contact with a healthcare provider
or social services professional. It is critical for these providers to
know how best to care for these individuals and how to ensure they can
coordinate their treatment with other providers in a way that is
culturally relevant, trauma informed, and patient centered. Helping
healthcare professionals better recognize the signs of trafficking and
improve their ability to intervene can truly be the difference between
life and death.
Mr. Speaker, the House passed H.R. 767 on February 26 of this year,
and we are now considering the amendment to the bill that the Senate
agreed to yesterday. These changes reflect bipartisan efforts to
streamline the text of the legislation, while maintaining the bill's
intent and scope as originally passed in the House.
I want to thank Congressman Cohen for sponsoring this important piece
of legislation and for his leadership on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I have no
further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed working with my colleague from
New Mexico in moving this bill forward.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 767, the SOAR Act, will head to the President's
desk after passage today. It is critical in ensuring adequate treatment
of victims of human trafficking.
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 767.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. AMASH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________