[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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