[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 62 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2094-S2097]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Booker):
S. 4025. A bill to require additional disclosures with respect to
nominees to serve as chiefs of missions, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, the United States places special trust and
confidence in the integrity, judgement, and abilities of those men and
women chosen to represent the United States abroad as an Ambassador.
The Constitution balances the President's need to have officials
overseas able to execute U.S. foreign policy as directed by the
President, with Congress' interest in ensuring that these officials
will serve honorably and ably in the positions for which they are
nominated. Apart from the Foreign Service Act of 1980, the Ambassador
nomination process has changed very little since our Nation was
founded. However, it is fair to say that Presidents of all parties have
on occasion appointed individuals Ambassadors whose profiles indicate
political closeness with the President more than deep substantive
experience in a particular foreign country.
Historically, the majority of Ambassadors are selected from the
career ranks of the State Department. Roughly 30 percent of Ambassadors
are typically selected outside of those ranks, including from among
political supporters of the President. This is not categorically
problematic--Ambassadors who are not professional diplomats have long
served our country admirably, from Benjamin Franklin in France to
former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield in Japan. A foreign
country may benefit from having a U.S. Ambassador who has a close
relationship with the President and the
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ability to elevate issues to the highest levels or the independent
gravitas to bring substantial public attention to that country's needs.
That said, I do believe it is appropriate to ask Presidents and their
Secretaries of State to explain their rationale for choosing Ambassador
nominees outside of the Foreign and Civil Services so that the public
can understand the rationale for these appointments. This would give
both the U.S. public and foreign publics the assurance that the White
House is not merely doling out political sinecures but is devoting
meaningful thought to these selections.
The legislation I am introducing today with Senator Booker would not
constrain the President's discretion to choose appointees but would
require him or her to justify these selections and explain to Congress
why someone from outside the State Department is the optimal choice to
represent America's interests abroad. I am proud to introduce this bill
to ensure that U.S. foreign policy and our national security interests
are advanced by the most qualified Americans, and I look forward to
working with my colleagues to ensure that this legislation is swiftly
considered by the Senate.
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By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Cardin):
S. 4039. A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services
to provide guidance to States regarding Federal reimbursement for
furnishing behavioral health services and treatment under Medicaid and
the Children's Health Insurance Program using telehealth services, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
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. 4039
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 ``Medicaid Ensuring Necessary
Telehealth is Available Long-term Health for Kids and
Underserved Act'' or the ``MENTAL Health for Kids and
Underserved Act''.
SEC. 2. GUIDANCE TO STATES ON FURNISHING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SERVICES VIA TELEHEALTH UNDER MEDICAID AND
CHIP.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, shall issue guidance to States on the
following:
(1) State options for Federal reimbursement of expenditures
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program
for furnishing clinically appropriate services and treatment
for behavioral health needs, including assessment,
counseling, and medication management, using telehealth
services. Such options shall include, to the extent
appropriate, options for States to receive Federal
reimbursement for such expenditures without the need for
approval of a State plan amendment or waiver. Such guidance
shall also include guidance on furnishing services and
treatments that address the needs of high-risk individuals,
including racial and ethnic minorities, such as American
Indians and Alaska Natives.
(2) State options for Federal reimbursement of expenditures
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program
for furnishing clinically appropriate behavioral health
services and treatment to school-aged youth and teens
enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance
Program using telehealth services. Such options shall
include, to the extent appropriate, options for States to
receive Federal reimbursement for such expenditures without
the need for approval of a State plan amendment or waiver.
(3) Best practices for integrating clinically appropriate
behavioral health provided via telehealth services covered by
a State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of the
Social Security Act (or a waiver of such a plan) or a State
plan for child health assistance under title XXI of such Act
(or a waiver of such a plan) into school-based settings,
including full-service community schools. Such best practices
shall include resources and information specifically for
educators and other school-based staff on how to recognize
signs of distress in high-risk students and make appropriate
referrals for school-based behavioral health services.
(4) Best practices for evaluating how utilizing clinically
appropriate telehealth services for behavioral health
services and treatment affects outcomes, as well as costs.
(5) Best practices for monitoring fraud, waste, and abuse
that may occur during behavioral health services furnished
through telehealth services covered under Medicaid and the
Children's Health Insurance Program.
SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit
to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a
report on the impact of telehealth on access, cost, and
quality of behavioral health services offered to
beneficiaries under the Medicaid program and the Children's
Health Insurance Program, including specific information on
the impact of telehealth on access to and the quality of
behavioral health services in schools.
______
By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse):
S. 4040. A bill to amend subtitle IV of title 46, United States Code,
with respect to ship agents, and for other purposes; to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Ship Agent
Licensure Act along with my colleague Senator Whitehouse. This
legislation seeks to improve supply chain efficiencies and port safety
and security by creating a Federal standard and licensure for
independent ship agent companies, just as we already do for
transportation intermediaries like Freight Forwarders and Non-Vessel
Operating Common Carriers, NVOCCs.
Ship agents are one of the most important yet least understood
stakeholders in the international marine trade supply chain, but in the
United States, there is no Federal licensing for these essential
players.
A ship agent can best be understood as the general contractor of the
port call, tasked by ship owners and charterers with managing thousands
of vendors to ensure a safe, secure, and cost efficient port call. This
includes coordinating critical Federal Government clearances and
inspections for Agencies that include the Coast Guard, Customs and
Border Protection, the EPA, USDA, and others. Government officials rely
on ship agents to fulfill their critical role of facilitating commerce,
and protecting life, property, and the environment. More than any other
stakeholder, the ship agent facilitates efficiencies at the Nation's
ports of entry, the frontline of the supply chain.
While the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has
established minimum international standards for ship agent competency,
quality, and fiduciary responsibility, there is no requirement for
independent ship agent companies to abide by these, or any set of
standards in the United States. Many domestic independent ship agent
companies voluntarily certify through third-party accreditation
associations in accordance with these international standards, but not
all do. When ship agents are not properly trained and do not carry the
appropriate bond and insurance, it creates delays and inefficiencies
during vessel calls, jeopardizes port entry and clearance, and
increases risk for Federal Agencies.
That is why it is critical to require Federal licensing for
independent ship agent companies. Indeed, such a licensing requirement
represents a unique opportunity for the United States to adopt its own
uniform nationwide standards, consistent with the existing
international standards, to ensure that ship agents have the knowledge,
experience, and skills needed to manage these high stakes vessel calls
and help our government agencies fulfill their responsibilities.
I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this commonsense
legislation.
______
By Mr. REED (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Merkley):
S. 4041. A bill to promote environmental literacy; to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today, I am introducing bipartisan,
bicameral legislation with Senator Collins and Senator Merkley and
Congressman Sarbanes that targets the fundamental goal of public
education, which is to equip the next generation with the knowledge,
skills, and experiences to understand the world around them and their
ability to shape it. In the face of a global climate crisis, it is
essential that all students graduate with environmental literacy skills
to secure and sustain their future. The No Child Left Inside Act will
ensure that our students will have the opportunity to develop
environmental literacy.
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Environmental education provides broad benefits. It has been shown to
enhance student achievement in science and other core subjects and to
increase student engagement and critical thinking skills. Moreover, it
promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging kids to get outside.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how vital understanding the
environment is to our own health, well-being, and ability to carry out
our daily activities. As the pandemic took hold, Rhode Island's
environmental educators sprung into action, creating outdoor learning
support opportunities and virtual programs for students as they did
school from home. We need this to work on a national level for all
students.
The No Child Left Inside Act authorizes $150 million annually to
supports States in the development and implementation of environmental
literacy plans to integrate environmental education and field
experiences into the core academic program in public schools, with an
emphasis on professional development in environmental education for
teachers. With this funding, States will provide grants for
partnerships between school districts and parks, natural resource
management agencies, educator preparation programs, museums or other
organizations with expertise in engaging young people with real world
examples of environmental and scientific concepts. The legislation also
establishes a pilot program for outdoor school education programs that
offer intensive, hands-on learning experiences, such as residential
programs and summer camps.
The No Child Left Inside Act will also help coordinate the Federal
efforts on environmental education. It requires the Secretary of
Education to establish environmental literacy advisory panel to
coordinate and report on environmental literacy activities across
Federal Agencies. It also will prove easy access to environmental
education resources through the Department of Education's website.
The No Child Left Inside Act has the support of nearly 100
organizations, representing educators, parks, museums, environmental
organizations, and community-based organizations at the national,
State, and local levels. They stand ready and willing to partner with
schools across the Nation. The Federal Government should be a partner
too. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring the No
Child Left Inside Act.
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By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr.
Merkley):
S. 4060. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide
for inflation rebates, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Food and Fuel
Family Savings Act, FFFSA, along with Senator Whitehouse, Senator
Feinstein, and Senator Merkley. Price increases, particularly for basic
necessities like food and gas, are weakening household buying power and
cutting family budgets across the country. Americans are struggling,
and it is critically important that we both address the long-term
factors driving inflation and support the millions of families facing
higher prices right now. That is why we are introducing this
legislation, which would provide eligible individuals and families with
debit cards to cover higher food and fuel prices in the short term and
help tame inflation in the medium and long term.
A number of factors are driving our current bout of inflation.
Pandemic-driven supply chain snarls, a surge and shift in demand
towards goods, and corporate consolidation have created an imbalance
between supply and demand. Energy prices have risen particularly
quickly, as OPEC limits output and oil companies refuse to invest in
domestic production to meet growing demand. Russia's invasion of
Ukraine has also decreased global oil, fertilizer, and wheat supplies,
moving prices higher for food and energy. These wide-ranging pressures
pushed the Consumer Price Index up 7.9 percent in February--its fastest
increase in 40 years.
Hard-working Americans are not at fault for these global price
pressures. Yet, these households, which often put a large share of
their income towards basic necessities, are being forced to bear the
burden of higher costs. Indeed, U.S. grocery prices rose 8.6 percent in
February, the largest annual increase in over 40 years, and U.S. gas
prices were up a whopping 38 percent. While the wealthiest Americans
can afford more expensive everyday goods, higher prices erode working
families' buying power and can force them to delay or reduce critically
needed purchases. We need to help them.
Our bill would take the burden off the shoulders of working Americans
by providing targeted relief to low- and moderate-income individuals
and families. It would provide eligible households with debit cards
loaded with $600 per family member that work exclusively at grocery
stores and gas pumps. The average American household would receive
$1,500. Using estimates from Bloomberg economists, this payment should
cover the additional $183 the average family will spend each month on
food and fuel for the rest of 2022. In other words, our legislation
would ensure households can put food on the table and gas in the car
this year.
Importantly, this fiscally responsible legislation is fully paid for.
In fact, offsets would pay for the cost of the debit cards and slash
the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. More than that, it
would tamp down inflation in the medium and long term. Indeed, this
bill would help families weather today's inflation while cooling price
increases in the years ahead.
Congress must continue working on other measures to foster a
stronger, more resilient postpandemic economy. Our legislation would
aid these long-term efforts while providing Americans the financial
help they need right now.
I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this important
legislation.
______
By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr.
Heinrich, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Murphy, and Ms.
Rosen):
S. 4068. A bill to promote and support collaboration between
Hispanic-serving institutions and local educational agencies with high
enrollments of Hispanic or Latino students, and for other purposes; to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment Act of 2022, which I
introduced today.
Hispanic-serving institutions provide incredible opportunities for
millions of low-income and first-generation students. I am proud that
my State of California is home to 174 HSls and 51 emerging HSls, the
most in the country. That is why I launched the first-ever Senate HSI
Caucus with my colleague, Senator Menendez--to spotlight and advocate
for the 559 HSIs across our country. These critical institutions
educate our future leaders and help to build a more diverse and
inclusive workforce.
Over the last 2 years, the number of HSls in our country declined for
the first time in two decades. A decrease in higher education
enrollment among Latino students during the COVID-19 pandemic has led
to the decrease in the number of HSls, illustrating the need to invest
in Latino youth. That is why I am introducing the HERE Act.
If enacted, this bill would support Latino students throughout
secondary and postsecondary education. Specifically, the HERE Act would
provide $150 million for grants to create partnerships between HSls and
K-12 school districts that serve large populations of Latino students.
Schools could use this funding to provide academic support that
better prepares students for postsecondary education. They could create
new programs to foster a college-going culture by exposing students and
their families to postsecondary opportunities. And they could better
support students through the college application and transition
process. Additionally, schools could use grants to address non-academic
needs that serve as barriers to college enrollment and completion--such
as childcare, food insecurity, financial hardship, and more.
Latinos are the largest, youngest, and second fastest growing
minority population in the United States. While making up 18 percent of
our country's population, Latinos comprise 26 percent of
prekindergarten through grade 12 enrollment. Latino students are going
to college more than ever before,
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but they still face lower educational outcomes, including lower grades,
lower scores on standardized tests, and higher dropout rates.
As a Senator representing one of the most diverse States in the
country, I am proud to work with my leagues to ensure the American
dream is a reality for every student.
I want to thank Congressman Joaquin Castro for introducing this bill
with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this
effort to empower Latino youth.
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