[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 81 (Tuesday, May 11, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2168-H2169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BIPARTISAN SOLUTION TO CYCLICAL VIOLENCE ACT OF 2021
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1260) to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a
grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and
violence prevention programs, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1260
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 ``Bipartisan Solution to
Cyclical Violence Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTING TRAUMA CENTER VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 399V-7. GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTING TRAUMA CENTER
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION
PROGRAMS.
``(a) Authority Established.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities to establish or expand violence
intervention or prevention programs for services and research
designed to reduce the incidence of reinjury and
reincarceration caused by intentional violent trauma,
excluding intimate partner violence.
``(2) First award.--Not later than 9 months after the date
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall make the
first award under paragraph (1).
``(3) Grant duration.--Each grant awarded under paragraph
(1) shall be for a period of three years.
``(4) Grant amount.--The total amount of each grant awarded
under paragraph (1) for the 3-year grant period shall be not
less than $250,000 and not more than $500,000.
``(5) Supplement not supplant.--A grant awarded under
paragraph (1) to an eligible entity with an existing program
described in paragraph (1) shall be used to supplement, and
not supplant, any other funds provided to such entity for
such program.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under subsection (a)(1), an entity shall--
``(1) either be--
``(A) a State-designated trauma center, or a trauma center
verified by the American College of Surgeons, that conducts
or seeks to conduct a violence intervention or violence
prevention program; or
``(B) a nonprofit entity that conducts or seeks to conduct
a program described in subparagraph (A) in cooperation with a
trauma center described in such subparagraph;
``(2) serve a community in which at least 100 incidents of
intentional violent trauma occur annually; and
``(3) submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
``(c) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
``(1) Geographic diversity.--In selecting grant recipients
under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall ensure that
collectively grantees represent a diversity of geographic
areas.
``(2) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients under
subsection (a)(1), the Secretary
[[Page H2169]]
shall prioritize applicants that serve one or more
communities with high absolute numbers or high rates of
intentional violent trauma.
``(3) Health professional shortage areas.--
``(A) Encouragement.--The Secretary shall encourage
entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) that are located
in or serve a health professional shortage area to apply for
grants under subsection (a)(1).
``(B) Definition.--In subparagraph (A), the term `health
professional shortage area' means a health professional
shortage area designated under section 332.
``(d) Reports.--
``(1) Reports to secretary.--
``(A) In general.--An entity that receives a grant under
subsection (a)(1) shall submit reports on the use of the
grant funds to the Secretary, including progress reports, as
required by the Secretary. Such reports shall include--
``(i) any findings of the program established, or expanded,
by the entity through the grant; and
``(ii) if applicable, the manner in which the entity has
incorporated such findings in the violence intervention or
violence prevention program conducted by such entity.
``(B) Option for joint report.--To the extent feasible and
appropriate, an entity that receives a grant under subsection
(a)(1) may elect to coordinate with one or more other
entities that have received such a grant to submit a joint
report that meets the requirements of subparagraph (A).
``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than six years after
the date of enactment of the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical
Violence Act of 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report--
``(A) on any findings resulting from reports submitted to
the Secretary under paragraph (1);
``(B) on best practices developed by the Secretary under
subsection (e); and
``(C) with recommendations for legislative action relating
to intentional violent trauma prevention that the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(e) Best Practices.--Not later than six years after the
date of enactment of the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical
Violence Act of 2021, the Secretary shall--
``(1) develop, and post on a public website of the
Department of Health and Human Services, best practices for
intentional violent trauma prevention, based on any findings
reported to the Secretary under subsection (d)(1); and
``(2) disseminate such best practices to stakeholders, as
determined appropriate by the Secretary.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000
for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2025.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Madam 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 on H.R. 1260.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Trauma is a pressing public health epidemic. In 2016 alone, trauma
accounted for more than 29 million emergency department visits and 39
million physician office visits in the United States.
Tragically, homicide is the leading cause of death for Black males
between the ages of 1 and 24 and the second leading cause of death in
Hispanic males in the same age group. Regardless of race, of the people
who survive a single violent trauma, it is estimated that up to 45
percent will experience a second violent trauma.
This is where H.R. 1260 steps in to provide critical data-driven
interventions. The Bipartisan Solution of Cyclical Violence Act directs
the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a grant
program for specified trauma centers and nonprofits to establish or
expand intervention or prevention programs related to intentional
violent trauma.
These programs, Madam Speaker, help identify patients at risk of
repeat violent injury and connects them with hospital and community-
based resources. The bill bridges tragedy with hospital-based violence
intervention programs by providing intensive case management to people
who have experienced at least one violent trauma. These programs have
been shown to successfully reduce injury recidivism and help those at
risk for violence live safer lives.
I commend my colleagues, Representatives Ruppersberger and Kinzinger,
for spearheading this initiative.
Again, I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1260, the Bipartisan
Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021 introduced by Representative
Ruppersberger and fellow Energy and Commerce Committee member
Kinzinger.
This important legislation would provide Federal grants to hospitals
and trauma centers for intervention services to victims of violent
crime.
Violence in America disproportionately impacts urban and underserved
communities, where poor social determinants of health can contribute to
structural violence.
Hospital-based intervention programs help reduce violence because
they reach high-risk individuals recently admitted to a hospital for
treatment of a serious violent injury. Hospitalization presents an
opportunity when an individual may be open to help to break the cycle
of violence by immediate intervention following the violent incident.
By supporting hospital-based violence intervention programs, this
bill will connect at-risk individuals with local resources that address
underlying risk factors for violence.
I thank Representatives Ruppersberger and Kinzinger for tackling this
challenging issue and for putting forward a meaningful solution to help
address violence in our communities.
Madam Speaker, it is important to break the cycle of violence. Having
someone in a hospital setting who has just been a victim of violence is
a great time to address that.
I think this is the right policy at the right time, and I urge my
colleagues to vote for this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to support this
bill. Again, this one, dealing with intervention for violent traumas,
is part of this package today.
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 New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1260, as amended.
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. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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