[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.

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