[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2486-S2487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 292. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Tillis, and Mr. Moran) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and 
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title XII, insert the 
     following:

    Subtitle __--International Children With Disabilities Protection

     SEC. _1. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``International Children 
     with Disabilities Protection Act of 2023''.

     SEC. _2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) stigma and discrimination against children with 
     disabilities, particularly intellectual and other 
     developmental disabilities, and lack of support for community 
     inclusion have left people with disabilities and their 
     families economically and socially marginalized;
       (2) organizations of persons with disabilities and family 
     members of persons with disabilities are often too small to 
     apply for or obtain funds from domestic or international 
     sources or ineligible to receive funds from such sources;
       (3) as a result of the factors described in paragraphs (1) 
     and (2), key stakeholders have often been left out of public 
     policymaking on matters that affect children with 
     disabilities; and
       (4) financial support, technical assistance, and active 
     engagement of persons with disabilities and their families is 
     needed to ensure the development of effective policies that 
     protect families, ensure the full inclusion in society of 
     children with disabilities, and promote the ability of 
     persons with disabilities to live in the community with 
     choices equal to others.

     SEC. _3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of State.
       (2) Eligible implementing partner.--The term ``eligible 
     implementing partner'' means a nongovernmental organization 
     or other civil society organization that--
       (A) has the capacity to administer grants directly or 
     through subgrants that can be effectively used by local 
     organizations of persons with disabilities; and
       (B) has international expertise in the rights of persons 
     with disabilities, including children with disabilities and 
     their families.
       (3) Organization of persons with disabilities.--The term 
     ``organization of persons with disabilities'' means a 
     nongovernmental civil society organization run by and for 
     persons with disabilities and families of children with 
     disabilities.

     SEC. _4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States to--
       (1) assist partner countries in developing policies and 
     programs that recognize, support, and protect the civil and 
     political rights of and enjoyment of fundamental freedoms by 
     persons with disabilities, including children, such that the 
     latter may grow and thrive in supportive family environments 
     and make the transition to independent living as adults;
       (2) promote the development of advocacy and leadership 
     skills among persons with disabilities and their families in 
     a manner that

[[Page S2487]]

     enables effective civic engagement, including at the local, 
     national, and regional levels, and promote policy reforms and 
     programs that support full economic and civic inclusion of 
     persons with disabilities and their families;
       (3) promote the development of laws and policies that--
       (A) strengthen families and protect against the unnecessary 
     institutionalization of children with disabilities; and
       (B) create opportunities for children and youth with 
     disabilities to access the resources and support needed to 
     achieve their full potential to live independently in the 
     community with choices equal to others;
       (4) promote the participation of persons with disabilities 
     and their families in advocacy efforts and legal frameworks 
     to recognize, support, and protect the civil and political 
     rights of and enjoyment of fundamental freedoms by persons 
     with disabilities; and
       (5) promote the sustainable action needed to bring about 
     changes in law, policy, and programs to ensure full family 
     inclusion of children with disabilities and the transition of 
     children with disabilities to independent living as adults.

     SEC. _5. INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES PROTECTION 
                   PROGRAM AND CAPACITY BUILDING.

       (a) International Children With Disabilities Protection 
     Program.--
       (1) In general.--There is authorized to be established 
     within the Department of State a program to be known as the 
     ``International Children with Disabilities Protection 
     Program'' (in this section referred to as the ``Program'') to 
     carry out the policy described in [section _4].
       (2) Criteria.--In carrying out the Program under this 
     section, the Secretary of State, in consultation with leading 
     civil society groups with expertise in the protection of 
     civil and political rights of and enjoyment of fundamental 
     freedoms by persons with disabilities, may establish criteria 
     for priority activities under the Program in selected 
     countries.
       (3) Disability inclusion grants.--The Secretary of State 
     may award grants to eligible implementing partners to 
     administer grant amounts directly or through subgrants.
       (4) Subgrants.--An eligible implementing partner that 
     receives a grant under paragraph (3) should provide subgrants 
     and, in doing so, shall prioritize local organizations of 
     persons with disabilities working within a focus country or 
     region to advance the policy described in [section _4].
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Of funds made available in fiscal years 
     2024 through 2029 to carry out the purposes of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq), there are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subtitle 
     amounts as follows:
       (A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
       (B) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
       (2) Capacity-building and technical assistance programs.--
     Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated by paragraph 
     (1), not less than $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
     through 2029 should be available for capacity-building and 
     technical assistance programs to--
       (A) develop the leadership skills of persons with 
     disabilities, legislators, policymakers, and service 
     providers in the planning and implementation of programs to 
     advance the policy described in [section _4];
       (B) increase awareness of successful models of the 
     promotion of civil and political rights and fundamental 
     freedoms, family support, and economic and civic inclusion 
     among organizations of persons with disabilities and allied 
     civil society advocates, attorneys, and professionals to 
     advance the policy described in [section _4]; and
       (C) create online programs to train policymakers, 
     advocates, and other individuals on successful models to 
     advance reforms, services, and protection measures that 
     enable children with disabilities to live within supportive 
     family environments and become full participants in society, 
     which--
       (i) are available globally;
       (ii) offer low-cost or no-cost training accessible to 
     persons with disabilities, family members of such persons, 
     and other individuals with potential to offer future 
     leadership in the advancement of the goals of family 
     inclusion, transition to independent living as adults, and 
     protection measures for children with disabilities; and
       (iii) should be targeted to government policymakers, 
     advocates, and other potential allies and supporters among 
     civil society groups.

     SEC. _6. ANNUAL REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.

       (a) Annual Report Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not less frequently than annually through 
     fiscal year 2029, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives a report on--
       (A) the programs and activities carried out to advance the 
     policy described in [section _4]; and
       (B) any broader work of the Department in advancing that 
     policy.
       (2) Elements.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include, with respect to each program carried out under 
     [section _5]--
       (A) the rationale for the country and program selection;
       (B) the goals and objectives of the program, and the kinds 
     of participants in the activities and programs supported;
       (C) a description of the types of technical assistance and 
     capacity building provided; and
       (D) an identification of any gaps in funding or support 
     needed to ensure full participation of organizations of 
     persons with disabilities or inclusion of children with 
     disabilities in the program.
       (3) Consultation.--In preparing each report required by 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall consult with 
     organizations of persons with disabilities.

     SEC. _7. PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR 
                   CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.

       (a) Sense of Congress on Programming and Programs.--It is 
     the sense of Congress that--
       (1) all programming of the Department and the United States 
     Agency for International Development related to health 
     systems strengthening, primary and secondary education, and 
     the protection of civil and political rights of persons with 
     disabilities should seek to be consistent with the policy 
     described in [section _4]; and
       (2) programs of the Department and the United States Agency 
     for International Development related to children, global 
     health, and education--
       (A) should--
       (i) engage organizations of persons with disabilities in 
     policymaking and program implementation; and
       (ii) support full inclusion of children with disabilities 
     in families; and
       (B) should aim to avoid support for residential 
     institutions for children with disabilities except in 
     situations of conflict or emergency in a manner that protects 
     family connections as described in subsection (b).
       (b) Sense of Congress on Conflict and Emergencies.--It is 
     the sense of Congress that--
       (1) programs of the Department and the United States Agency 
     for International Development serving children in situations 
     of conflict or emergency, among displaced or refugee 
     populations, or in natural disasters should seek to ensure 
     that children with and without disabilities can maintain 
     family ties; and
       (2) in situations of emergency, if children are separated 
     from parents or have no family, every effort should be made 
     to ensure that children are placed with extended family, in 
     kinship care, or in an adoptive or foster family.
                                 ______