[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 58 (Wednesday, April 3, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2241-S2243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Rounds):
  S. 1001. A bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to 
allow the Indian Health Service to cover the cost of a copayment of an 
Indian or Alaska Native veteran receiving medical care or services from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1001

       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 ``Tribal Veterans Health Care 
     Enhancement Act''.

     SEC. 2. LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT.

       Section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 
     U.S.C. 1621u) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Veterans Affairs Copayments.--The Service may pay, in 
     accordance with section 412, the cost of a copayment assessed 
     by the Department of Veterans Affairs to an eligible Indian 
     veteran (as defined in section 412) for covered medical care 
     (as defined in such section).''.

     SEC. 3. COPAYMENTS FOR TRIBAL VETERANS RECEIVING CERTAIN 
                   MEDICAL SERVICES.

       Title IV of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 
     U.S.C. 1641 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 412. PAYMENTS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIAN VETERANS RECEIVING 
                   COVERED MEDICAL CARE AT VA FACILITIES.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     `appropriate committees of Congress' means--
       ``(A) in the Senate--
       ``(i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and

[[Page S2242]]

       ``(ii) the Committee on Indian Affairs; and
       ``(B) in the House of Representatives--
       ``(i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and
       ``(ii) the Committee on Natural Resources.
       ``(2) Covered medical care.--The term `covered medical 
     care' means any medical care or service that is--
       ``(A) authorized for an eligible Indian veteran under the 
     contract health service and referred by the Service; and
       ``(B) administered at a facility of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs, including any services rendered under a 
     contract with a non-Department of Veterans Affairs health 
     care provider.
       ``(3) Eligible indian veteran.--The term `eligible Indian 
     veteran' means an Indian or Alaska Native veteran who is 
     eligible for assistance from the Service.
       ``(b) Memorandum of Understanding.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary (or a 
     designee, including the director of any area office of the 
     Service), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or a designee), 
     and any tribal health program, as applicable, shall enter 
     into a memorandum of understanding, in consultation with 
     Indian tribes to be impacted by the memorandum of 
     understanding (on a national or regional basis), that 
     authorizes the Secretary or tribal health program, as 
     applicable, to pay to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs any 
     copayments owed to the Department of Veterans Affairs by 
     eligible Indian veterans for covered medical care.
       ``(2) Factors for consideration.--In entering into a 
     memorandum of understanding under paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and any tribal 
     health program, as applicable, shall take into consideration 
     any findings contained in the report under subsection (e).
       ``(3) Exception.--The Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, and any tribal health program, as applicable, shall 
     not be required to enter into a memorandum of understanding 
     under paragraph (1) if the Secretary, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, and any tribal health program, as 
     applicable, jointly certify to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress that such a memorandum of understanding would--
       ``(A) decrease the quality of health care provided to 
     eligible Indian veterans;
       ``(B) impede the access of those veterans to health care; 
     or
       ``(C) substantially decrease the quality of, or access to, 
     health care by individuals receiving health care from the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs or beneficiaries of the 
     Service.
       ``(c) Payment by Service.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law and in accordance with the relevant 
     memorandum of understanding described in subsection (b), the 
     Service may cover the cost of any copayment assessed by the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs to an eligible Indian veteran 
     receiving covered medical care.
       ``(d) Authorization To Accept Funds.--Notwithstanding 
     section 407(c), section 2901(b) of the Patient Protection and 
     Affordable Care Act (25 U.S.C. 1623(b)), or any other 
     provision of law, and in accordance with the relevant 
     memorandum of understanding described in subsection (b), the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs may accept a payment from the 
     Service under subsection (c).
       ``(e) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees 
     of Congress a report that describes--
       ``(1) the number of veterans, disaggregated by State, who--
       ``(A) are eligible for assistance from the Service; and
       ``(B) have received health care at a medical facility of 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs;
       ``(2) the number of veterans, disaggregated by State and 
     calendar year, who--
       ``(A) are eligible for assistance from the Service; and
       ``(B) were referred to a medical facility of the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs from a facility of the Service during the 
     period--
       ``(i) beginning on January 1, 2013; and
       ``(ii) ending on December 31, 2018; and
       ``(3) an update regarding efforts of the Secretary and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs to streamline health care for 
     veterans who are eligible for assistance from the Service and 
     have received health care at a medical facility of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs and at a facility of the 
     Service, including a description of--
       ``(A) any changes to the provision of health care required 
     under this Act; and
       ``(B) any barriers to efficiently streamline the provision 
     of health care to veterans who are eligible for assistance 
     from the Service.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Kaine):
  S. 1017. A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 in order to 
address the needs of caregivers, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1017

       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 America's 
     Caregivers and Families Act''.

     SEC. 2. ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF CAREGIVERS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Family Caregiver 
     Support.--Section 303(e) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
     (42 U.S.C. 3023(e)) is amended by striking ``$154,336,482'' 
     and all that follows through the period at the end and 
     inserting ``$360,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 
     through 2024''.
       (b) Improving Caregiver Assessment.--
       (1) Increasing use of caregiver assessment tools.--Section 
     202 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) By not later than January 1, 2021, the Assistant 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(1) in consultation with caregivers, older individuals, 
     the aging network, and other experts and stakeholders, 
     develop and implement a strategy to increase the use of 
     comprehensive caregiver assessment tools that--
       ``(A) are standardized across a planning and service area;
       ``(B) assess the specific problems, needs, strengths, and 
     resources of caregivers--
       ``(i) as identified by a recognized caregiver, as 
     appropriate, through voluntary participation;
       ``(ii) through direct contact with the caregiver, which may 
     include in-person, phone, or online contact; and
       ``(iii) at appropriate intervals, including to accommodate 
     significant changes in the caregiving situation;
       ``(C) determine whether a caregiver would benefit from 
     support services; and
       ``(D) lead to providing targeted caregiver support services 
     to best benefit caregivers, where appropriate and available 
     based upon identified unmet needs, including through 
     referrals;
       ``(2) conduct a study on the best practices and potential 
     considerations regarding mandatory use of comprehensive 
     caregiver assessment tools standardized across a planning and 
     service area by an area agency on aging, which shall 
     examine--
       ``(A) the current use of caregiver assessments, as of the 
     date of the study;
       ``(B) the efficacy and feasibility of mandatory use of 
     comprehensive caregiver assessment tools standardized across 
     a planning and service area, including the value to 
     caregivers and the older individuals to whom they provide 
     care; and
       ``(C) the potential impact on the aging network of using 
     such assessments; and
       ``(3) prepare and submit to Congress a report regarding the 
     study under paragraph (2) that provides recommendations for 
     the appropriate use of comprehensive caregiver assessments 
     standardized across a planning and service area by an area 
     agency on aging, and a proposed budget, based on the 
     Assistant Secretary's professional judgment, for 
     appropriately implementing the recommendations.''.
       (2) Assessing needs of caregivers.--Section 373(e)(3) of 
     the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3030s-1(e)(3)) is 
     amended by inserting ``assess the needs of family caregivers 
     or older relative caregivers and'' before ``provide''.
       (3) Family caregiver resource center and technical 
     assistance.--Section 202(b) of the Older Americans Act of 
     1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012(b)) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:
       ``(11) establish and operate the National Family Caregiver 
     Resource and Technical Assistance Center, which will--
       ``(A) by grant or contract with a public or private 
     nonprofit entity, provide information and assistance to State 
     agencies, area agencies on aging, and community-based service 
     providers funded under this Act, including--
       ``(i) through technical assistance, research, training, 
     program analysis, and data collection;
       ``(ii) activities described in section 411(a)(11); and
       ``(iii) dissemination of best practices, including best 
     practices for conducting assessments of caregiver needs using 
     comprehensive assessment tools standardized across a planning 
     and service area; and
       ``(B) directly or through grant or contract, provide 
     information, education, and assistance to family caregivers 
     in a manner that is accessible and understandable to the 
     family caregivers.''.
       (c) Business Acumen Provisions.--
       (1) Assistance relating to growing and sustaining 
     capacity.--Section 202(b)(9) of the Older Americans Act of 
     1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012(b)(9)) is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) business acumen, capacity building, organizational 
     development, innovation, and other methods of growing and 
     sustaining the capacity of the aging network to serve older 
     adults and caregivers most effectively;''.
       (2) Clarifying partnerships for area agencies on aging.--
     Section 306 of the Older

[[Page S2243]]

     Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3026) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(g) Nothing in this Act shall restrict an area agency on 
     aging from providing services not provided or authorized 
     under this Act, including through--
       ``(1) contracts with health care payers;
       ``(2) consumer private pay programs; or
       ``(3) other arrangements with entities or individuals that 
     increase the availability of home and community-based 
     services and supports in the planning and service area 
     supported by the area agency on aging.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. McCONNELL:
  S. 1021. A bill to amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act of 1991 with respect to a portion of the Wendell H. Ford 
(Western Kentucky) Parkway, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1021

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

     SECTION 1. WENDELL H. FORD (WESTERN KENTUCKY) PARKWAY.

       (a) Designation as High Priority Corridor.--Section 1105(c) 
     of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
     1991 (Public Law 102-240; 105 Stat. 2032; 131 Stat. 797) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(91) The Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway from 
     the interchange with the William H. Natcher Parkway in Ohio 
     County, Kentucky, west to the interchange of the Western 
     Kentucky Parkway with the Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) 
     Parkway.''.
       (b) Designation as Future Interstate.--Section 
     1105(e)(5)(A) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
     Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 109 Stat. 597; 
     131 Stat. 797) is amended in the first sentence by striking 
     ``and subsection (c)(90)'' and inserting ``subsection 
     (c)(90), and subsection (c)(91)''.
       (c) Numbering of Parkway.--Section 1105(e)(5)(C)(i) of the 
     Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 
     (Public Law 102-240; 109 Stat. 598; 126 Stat. 426; 131 Stat. 
     797) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The 
     route referred to in subsection (c)(91) is designated as 
     Interstate Route I-369.''.
       (d) Operation of Vehicles.--Section 127(l)(3)(A) of title 
     23, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), in the first 
     sentence, by striking ``clause (i) or (ii)'' and inserting 
     ``clauses (i) through (iii)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) The Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway (to 
     be designated as a spur of Interstate Route 69) from the 
     interchange with the William H. Natcher Parkway in Ohio 
     County, Kentucky, west to the interchange of the Western 
     Kentucky Parkway with the Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) 
     Parkway.''.

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