[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 44 (Thursday, March 5, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1607-S1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1522. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Alexander) proposed an amendment to
the bill S. 2683, to establish a task force to assist States in
implementing hiring requirements for child care staff members to
improve child safety; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care Protection
Improvement Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. TASK FORCE TO ASSIST IN IMPROVING CHILD SAFETY.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a task force, to
be known as the Interagency Task Force for Child Safety
(referred to in this section as the ``Task Force'') to
identify, evaluate, and recommend best practices and
technical assistance to assist Federal and State agencies in
fully implementing the requirements of section 658H(b) of the
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
9858f(b)) for child care staff members.
(b) Composition.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the President shall appoint the
members of the Task Force, which shall--
(1) consist of only Federal officers and employees; and
(2) include--
(A) the Director of the Office of Child Care of the
Department of Health and Human Services (or the Director's
designee), the Associate Commissioner of the Children's
Bureau of the Department of Health and Human Services (or the
Associate Commissioner's designee), and the Director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (or the Director's designee);
and
(B) such other Federal officers and employees (or their
designees) as may be appointed by the President.
(c) Chairperson.--The chairperson of the Task Force shall
be the Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children
and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services.
(d) Consultation.--The Task Force shall consult with
representatives from State child care agencies, State child
protective services, State criminal justice agencies,
providers of child care services, including providers in the
private sector, and other relevant stakeholders on
identifying problems in implementing, and proposing solutions
to implement, the requirements of section 658H(b) of the
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, as
described in that section. Such consultation shall include
consultation with State agencies that are at different stages
of such implementation.
[[Page S1608]]
(e) Task Force Duties.--The Task Force shall--
(1) develop recommendations for improving implementation of
the requirements of section 658H(b) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990, including
recommendations about how the Task Force and member agencies
will collaborate and coordinate efforts to implement such
requirements, as described in that section; and
(2) develop recommendations in which the Task Force
identifies best practices and evaluates technical assistance
to assist relevant Federal and State agencies in implementing
section 658H(b) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990, which identification and evaluation shall
include--
(A) an analysis of available research and information at
the Federal and State levels regarding the status of the
interstate requirements of that section for child care staff
members who have resided in one or more States during the
previous 5 years and who seek employment in a child care
program in a different State;
(B) a list of State agencies that are not responding to
interstate requests covered by that section for relevant
information on child care staff members;
(C) identification of the challenges State agencies are
experiencing in responding to such interstate requests;
(D) an analysis of the length of time it takes the State
agencies in a State to receive such results from State
agencies in another State in response to such an interstate
request, in accordance with that section;
(E) an analysis of the average processing time for the
interstate requests, in accordance with that section;
(F) identification of any fees (and entities responsible
for paying any such fees) associated with the interstate
requests in each State to meet requirements, in accordance
with section 658H of the Child Care and Development Block
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f), including identification
of--
(i) the extent to which such fees are consistent with
subsection (f) of that section; and
(ii) information regarding factors that impact such fees;
(G) a list of States that are participating in the National
Fingerprint File program, as administered by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and an analysis of reasons States
have or have not chosen to participate in the program,
including barriers to participation such as barriers related
to State regulatory requirements and statutes; and
(H) a list of States that have closed record laws or
systems that prevent the States from sharing complete
criminal records data or information with State agencies in
another State.
(f) Meetings.--Not later than 3 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall hold its first
meeting.
(g) Final Report.--Not later than 1 year after the first
meeting of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the
Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives a final report containing all of the
recommendations required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subsection (e). The report shall also include a list of the
members of the Task Force, the agencies such members
represent, and the individuals and entities with whom the
Task Force consulted under subsection (d).
(h) No Compensation for Members.--A member of the Task
Force shall serve without compensation in addition to any
compensation received for the service of the member as an
officer or employee of the United States.
(i) Exemption From FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force.
(j) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate 1 year after
submitting its final report under subsection (g), but not
later than the end of fiscal year 2021.
______