[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 164 (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4671-H4674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GLOBAL CHILD THRIVE ACT OF 2020
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4864) to develop and implement policies to advance
early childhood development, to provide assistance for orphans and
other vulnerable children in developing countries, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4864
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 ``Global Child Thrive Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) According to a 2019 report from the United Nations
Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation entitled
``Levels & Trends in Child Mortality'', the annual number of
deaths among children younger than 15 years of age dropped by
56 percent between 1990 and 2018, from approximately
14,200,000 to approximately 6,200,000.
(2) According to a 2016 article published in The Lancet
entitled ``Early childhood development: the foundation of
sustainable development''--
(A) an estimated 250,000,000 children in low-income and
middle-income countries suffer suboptimal development due to
poverty and stunting alone; and
(B) children who do not meet developmental milestones are
expected to lose about 25 percent of their average yearly
income once they become adults.
(3) According to a report from the United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF), entitled ``The State of the World's
Children 2016: A fair chance for every child'', nearly
250,000,000 of the world's 650,000,000 primary school age
children do not master basic literacy and numeracy.
(4) According to a 2018 report from the World Health
Organization entitled ``Nurturing Care for early childhood
development''--
(A) the environment in which a child grows has a profound
impact on future learning, behavior, and health; and
(B) a country's economic diversity and growth could be
improved by investment in early childhood development.
(5) According to a 2017 UNICEF report entitled ``UNICEF's
Programme Guidance for Early Childhood Development'',
nurturing care, which is key to early childhood development,
consists of a core set of interrelated components,
including--
(A) behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge about caregiving,
including health, hygiene care, and feeding;
(B) stimulation, such as talking, singing, and playing;
(C) responsiveness, such as early bonding, secure
attachment, trust, and sensitive communication; and
(D) safety, including routines, protection from violence,
abuse, neglect, harm, and environmental pollution.
(6) According to a 2016 report published in The Lancet
entitled ``Advancing Early Childhood Development: From
Science to Scale''--
(A) nurturing care from parents, relatives, and other
caregivers and services are formative experiences for young
children;
(B) programs promoting nurturing care can improve early
childhood development outcomes; and
(C) children who do not receive nurturing care display
negative development outcomes, such as greater sensitivity to
the effects of stress or behavioral problems, especially
children who do not receive nurturing care before their
second birthday.
(7) According to the ``Advancing Protection and Care for
Children in Adversity 2019-2023: A U.S. Government Strategy
for International Assistance'', children who live without
protective family care, in abusive households, on the
streets, or in institutions, or who are trafficked, are
participating in armed groups, or are being exploited for
their labor are more likely to be exposed to violence,
exploitation, abuse, and neglect.
(8) According to a 2017 UNICEF report entitled ``Early
Moments Matter for every child'', violence, abuse, neglect,
and traumatic experiences produce toxic stress that limits
neural connectivity in developing brains.
(9) According to a 2014 working paper from the National
Scientific Council on the Developing Child at Harvard
University entitled ``Excessive Stress Disrupts the
Architecture of the Developing Brain''--
(A) situations that produce toxic stress increase the
production of cortisol in a child's brain, which disrupts its
healthy development; and
(B) chronic stress can potentially affect the expression of
genes that regulate the stress response across the life
course.
(10) According to a 2018 article in the North Carolina
Medical Journal entitled ``Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs): An Important Element of a Comprehensive Approach to
the Opioid Crisis'', adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are
traumatic or stressful experiences, including emotional,
physical, or sexual abuse, domestic violence, household
substance abuse, household mental illness, parental
separation or divorce, and the incarceration of a household
family member.
(11) According to a 2016 report in Development and
Psychopathology entitled ``Childhood Adversity and Epigenetic
Regulation of Glucocorticoid Signaling Genes: Associations in
Children and Adults''--
(A) children and adults are at risk of developing
psychiatric disorders and other medical conditions if they
have had an adverse childhood experience; and
(B) adults who have had numerous ACEs die nearly 20 years
earlier, on average, than adults who have not had numerous
ACEs.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States Government should continue efforts to
reduce child mortality rates and increase attention on
prevention efforts and early childhood development programs;
[[Page H4672]]
(2) investments in early childhood development ensure
healthy and well-developed future generations that contribute
to a country's stability, security and economic prosperity;
(3) efforts to provide training and education on nurturing
care could result in improved early childhood development
outcomes and support healthy brain development; and
(4) integration and cross-sector coordination of early
childhood development programs is critical to ensure the
efficiency, effectiveness, and continued implementation of
such programs.
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTCOMES
GLOBALLY.
(a) Authorization of Assistance.--Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to carry out section 135 in chapter 1 of part 1
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et
seq.) for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 are
authorized to be made available to support early childhood
development activities in conjunction with relevant, existing
programming, such as water, sanitation and hygiene, maternal
and child health, basic education, nutrition and child
protection.
(b) Assistance to Improve Early Childhood Outcomes
Globally.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``SEC. 137. ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTCOMES
GLOBALLY.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
`appropriate congressional committees' means--
``(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
``(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives; and
``(D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
``(2) Early childhood development.--The term `early
childhood development' means the development and learning of
a child younger than 8 years of age, including physical,
cognitive, social, and emotional development and approaches
to learning that allow a child to reach his or her full
developmental potential.
``(3) Early childhood development program.--The term `early
childhood development program' means a program that ensures
that every child has the conditions for healthy growth,
nurturing family-based care, development and learning, and
protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect,
which may include--
``(A) a health, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
program that serves pregnant women, children younger than 5
years of age, and the parents of such children;
``(B) a nutrition program, combined with stimulating child
development activity;
``(C) age appropriate cognitive stimulation, especially for
newborns, infants, and toddlers, including an early childhood
intervention program for children experiencing at-risk
situations, developmental delays, disabilities, and
behavioral and mental health conditions;
``(D) an early learning (36 months and younger), preschool,
and basic education program for children until they reach 8
years of age or complete primary school; or
``(E) a child protection program, with an emphasis on the
promotion of permanent, safe, and nurturing families, rather
than placement in residential care or institutions, including
for children with disabilities.
``(4) Federal departments and agencies.--The term `Federal
departments and agencies' means--
``(A) the Department of State;
``(B) the United States Agency for International
Development;
``(C) the Department of the Treasury;
``(D) the Department of Labor;
``(E) the Department of Education;
``(F) the Department of Agriculture;
``(G) the Department of Defense;
``(H) the Department of Health and Human Services,
including--
``(i) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
``(ii) the National Institutes of Health;
``(I) the Millennium Challenge Corporation;
``(J) the Peace Corps; and
``(K) any other department or agency specified by the
President for the purposes of this section.
``(5) Residential care.--The term `residential care' means
care provided in any non-family-based group setting,
including orphanages, transit or interim care centers,
children's homes, children's villages or cottage complexes,
group homes, and boarding schools used primarily for care
purposes as an alternative to a children's home.
``(b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States--
``(1) to support early childhood development in relevant
foreign assistance programs, including by integrating
evidence-based, efficient, and effective interventions into
relevant strategies and programs, in coordination with
partner countries, other donors, international organizations,
international financial institutions, local and international
nongovernmental organizations, private sector partners, civil
society, and faith-based and community-based organizations;
and
``(2) to encourage partner countries to lead early
childhood development initiatives that include incentives for
building local capacity for continued implementation and
measurable results, by--
``(A) scaling up the most effective, evidence-based,
national interventions, including for the most vulnerable
populations and children with disabilities and developmental
delays, with a focus on adaptation to country resources,
cultures, and languages;
``(B) designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating
programs in a manner that enhances their quality,
transparency, equity, accountability, efficiency and
effectiveness in improving child and family outcomes in
partner countries; and
``(C) utilizing and expanding innovative public-private
financing mechanisms.
``(c) Implementation.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development, in
coordination with the Secretary of State, shall direct
relevant Federal departments and agencies--
``(A) to incorporate, to the extent practical and relevant,
early childhood development into foreign assistance programs
to be carried out during the following 5 fiscal years; and
``(B) to promote inclusive early childhood development in
partner countries.
``(2) Elements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Administrator, the Secretary, and the heads of other relevant
Federal departments and agencies as appropriate shall--
``(A) build on the evidence and priorities outlined in
`Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A
U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019-
2023', published in June 2019 (referred to in this section as
`APCCA');
``(B) to the extent practicable, identify evidence-based
strategic priorities, indicators, outcomes, and targets,
particularly emphasizing the most vulnerable populations and
children with disabilities and developmental delays, to
support inclusive early childhood development;
``(C) support the design, implementation, and evaluation of
pilot projects in partner countries, with the goal of taking
such projects to scale;
``(D) support inclusive early childhood development within
all relevant sector strategies and public laws, including--
``(i) the Global Water Strategy required under section
136(j);
``(ii) the whole-of-government strategy required under
section 5 of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C.
9304 note);
``(iii) the Basic Education Strategy set forth in section
105(c);
``(iv) the U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination
Plan, 2016-2021; and
``(v) APCCA; and others as appropriate;
``(E) improve coordination with foreign governments and
international and regional organizations with respect to
official country policies and plans to improve early
childhood development, maternal, newborn, and child health
and nutrition care, basic education, water, sanitation and
hygiene, and child protection plans which promote nurturing,
appropriate, protective, and permanent family care, while
reducing the percentage of children living in residential
care or on the street; and
``(F) consult with partner countries, other donors,
international organizations, international financial
institutions, local and international nongovernmental
organizations, private sector partners and faith-based and
community-based organizations, as appropriate.
``(d) Annual Report on the Implementation of the
Strategy.--The Special Advisor for Children in Adversity
shall include, in the annual report required under section 5
of the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children
in Developing Countries Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152g), which
shall be submitted to the appropriate congressional
committees and made publicly available, a description of--
``(1) the progress made toward integrating early childhood
development interventions into relevant strategies and
programs;
``(2) the efforts made by relevant Federal departments and
agencies to implement subsection (c), with a particular focus
on the activities described in such subsection;
``(3) the progress achieved during the reporting period
toward meeting the goals, objectives, benchmarks, described
in subsection (c); and
``(4) the progress achieved during the reporting period
toward meeting the goals, objectives, benchmarks, and
timeframes described in subsection (c) at the program level,
along with specific challenges or gaps that may require
shifts in targeting or financing in the following fiscal
year.
``(e) Interagency Task Force.--The Special Advisor for
Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children should
regularly convene an interagency task force, to coordinate--
``(1) intergovernmental and interagency monitoring,
evaluation, and reporting of the activities carried out
pursuant to this section;
``(2) early childhood development initiatives that include
children with a variety of needs and circumstances; and
``(3) United States Government early childhood development
programs, strategies, and partnerships across relevant
Federal departments and agencies.''.
[[Page H4673]]
SEC. 5. SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR ASSISTANCE TO ORPHANS AND
VULNERABLE CHILDREN.
Section 135(e)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2152f(e)(2)) is amended--
(1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
``(A) Coordinate assistance to orphans and other vulnerable
children among the relevant Executive branch agencies and
officials.''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the various offices,
bureaus, and field missions within the United States Agency
for International Development'' and inserting ``the relevant
Executive branch agencies and officials''.
SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in the amendments made by this Act may be construed
to restrict or abrogate any other authorization for United
States Agency for International Development activities or
programs.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Castro) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro).
General Leave
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include in the Record extraneous material on H.R. 4864.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As I begin, I express deep gratitude to Chairman Engel for his strong
and steady leadership on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and
specifically, with respect to this bill, for working with me to move
important legislation through the committee and the Congress.
I also thank Representative Brian Fitzpatrick for working with me on
this legislation that enjoys wide bipartisan support in both the House
and the Senate.
Finally, I recognize USAID as the country's lead agency to provide
humanitarian assistance and lead in international development. The
tireless efforts of its staff helped millions of vulnerable people
every year and advanced core United States interests.
The Global Child Thrive Act shows that the leadership in Congress is
concerned about future generations in developing countries, and we are
concerned that they be empowered to survive and succeed.
I would like to speak to the importance of this bill that we are
considering here today in the House of Representatives.
Over 250 million children worldwide are at risk of stunted growth and
damage to their brains due to the long-lasting impacts of poverty,
conflict, and displacement. Research indicates that poor health,
stress, and lack of learning impairs a child's growth and development,
with lifelong negative effects.
The Global Child Thrive Act is designed to reduce the devastating
effects of poverty through early childhood development programming.
Early childhood development, or ECD, provides for the care and
nurturing that restores a child's prospects for success in the future.
ECD interventions build a brain architecture that is necessary for
growth through reading, singing, play activities with shape and color,
and responsive interaction.
The benefits of ECD are particularly critical during this coronavirus
pandemic when children face severe disruptions in development. Hundreds
of thousands of children have already lost a family member, and
quarantines and school closures have led to isolation and increased
child protection concerns.
With so much at stake, we need to take action now.
This bill is not just my bill or a Democratic bill, but a bipartisan
bill that has garnered widespread support because saving children's
lives is not a partisan measure but a human imperative.
The Global Child Thrive Act shows that the United States is there for
the world's most vulnerable and precious possession, its children. It
also shows that we are serious about combating poverty as one of the
greatest scourges that affects human dignity.
This leadership is critical because we, as a nation, need to
demonstrate to the world that we are still the North Star of freedom,
democracy, and human rights.
We need to show that the world can trust and follow our lead in
welcoming those seeking refuge and helping marginalized populations
around the world who just want the chance not only to survive but to
thrive.
I have spoken about the need to build up what I call an
infrastructure of diplomacy. The work of USAID and international
development, and our partnerships with NGOs that implement these
programs, is an important component of that infrastructure that enables
our Nation's leadership on the world's stage.
Foreign affairs issues need the attention of our Nation because the
truth is, foreign affairs touches all aspects of our lives, including
national security, personal health, and access to essential goods. It
determines how we trust and look at the goodness of our neighbors, not
only across borders but across our own streets.
This is a good measure. It has bipartisan support, and I hope that my
colleagues will support it.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1315
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Castro and Representative
Fitzpatrick for their leading efforts on the Global Child Thrive Act,
which we are considering here today.
Although children have not faced as many direct health effects from
COVID-19, the follow-on effects of the pandemic endanger the welfare of
countless vulnerable children around the world. Over the summer, the
U.N. estimated that an additional 10,000 children are dying every month
due to hunger caused by COVID-19.
This pandemic is also reversing hard-fought gains we have made in
combating other diseases, increasing access to education, and reducing
extreme poverty.
This legislation supports efforts to integrate early childhood
development into existing interventions on nutrition, education,
maternal health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene.
It also expands the role of the Special Advisor for Assistance to
Orphans and Vulnerable Children in coordinating U.S. assistance and
improving interagency cooperation.
This bill, in short, Madam Speaker, protects the most vulnerable in
our society, our children, from hunger and disease, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), the coauthor of the bill. An esteemed
member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the gentleman, again,
working with my good friend, Congressman Castro, has brought this
measure forward today.
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McCaul for
yielding me time to speak on the Global Child Thrive Act.
Madam Speaker, as a lifelong FBI special agent, one of my greatest
concerns has always been the welfare of children, not just children in
the United States, but children across the globe.
Last year, as the ranking member indicated, I partnered with my
colleague, Congressman Castro, to introduce H.R. 4864, the Global Child
Thrive Act. This legislation was written to support young children and
their families across the globe.
Our bill has wide bipartisan and bicameral support. Our bill passed
unanimously out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in December. We
have over 60 bipartisan cosponsors. It is also supported by over 50
civil society groups working in child and international development.
Madam Speaker, I want to particularly thank Catholic Relief Services,
whose constituent advocates in my home district have championed these
issues.
Madam Speaker, the Global Child Thrive Act would update our foreign
[[Page H4674]]
aid programs to increase their effectiveness and multiply developmental
outcomes for young children. Currently, less than 1 percent of our U.S.
budget goes towards international aid programs, so it is critical that
those limited dollars do as much good as possible.
Today, the need for the enactment of our bill into law is more
pressing than ever, as experts agree that the secondary impacts of
COVID-19, such as increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and
violence, will fall most heavily on vulnerable children. The Global
Child Thrive Act will support the most vulnerable children to withstand
the secondary impacts of the coronavirus, as well as future deadly
pandemics.
Moreover, this act is crucial, since children around the globe are
continuously affected by widespread poverty and the lack of adequate
childcare. According to UNICEF, extreme poverty in low- and middle-
income countries is the reason why 250 million children 5 years old and
younger may not achieve their full developmental potential.
Moreover, UNICEF reports that at least ``75 million children under
age five live in areas affected by conflict.'' Conflict increases a
child's ``risk of toxic stress'' and ``can inhibit brain cell
connections.''
Finally, Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Castro for his
bipartisanship and his hard work on this legislation. I also thank
Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, all fine colleagues of mine,
for their cooperation and support on our legislation.
As we all know, Madam Speaker, focusing on children is focusing on
our future, and I urge all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican,
to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am prepared to close.
Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, Brian Fitzpatrick, for his
work in the FBI. I thought it was very compelling, the testimony about
putting children's lives as the highest priority as he served as a very
distinguished special agent in the Bureau and now serves in this
Congress. I think Georgetown University ranked him as the most
bipartisan Member of this body, of the House. I take pride in being on
the top of the list, but Mr. Fitzpatrick's service in this House has
been to issues of importance to Americans.
Most Americans don't want us bickering. Most Americans want us
working across the aisle to get good things done for the people of this
country. The gentleman has demonstrated that every day I have witnessed
him in office in this Congress and since he has served in office.
Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Castro for his leadership.
Finally, Madam Speaker, being a Catholic myself, I do want to thank
Catholic Relief Services and the development community for their work
on this bill, working so hard to get to this point where we are now on
the floor of the House of Representatives in the United States Congress
getting ready to pass such an important bill that will save so many
children's lives.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I
may consume.
It is now up to us to pass this bill that is before us today and to
send a strong signal to the Senate that passing the Global Child Thrive
Act into law is urgent.
I also, Madam Speaker, as folks have said, want to thank Catholic
Relief Services for all of their work and the work of their members and
different chapters throughout the country in helping to shepherd this
bill.
As the world toils through a devastating pandemic, now more than
ever, we must keep child welfare and the elimination of poverty front
and center if we are to lead our country and the world to a stronger,
healthier, and more resilient condition. We must stand united and be
the acting conscience of the country. It is our job to do so.
I, therefore, Madam Speaker, urge my colleagues in the House to
support this measure so we can get it to the President's desk and have
it signed into law.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4864, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________