[House Report 118-519]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


118th Congress   }                                      {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                      {      118-519

======================================================================

 
    TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO REAUTHORIZE THE STOP, 
   OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS TRAINING PROGRAM

                                _______
                                

  May 22, 2024.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 7224]

    The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 7224) to amend the Public Health Service Act to 
reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and 
Wellness Training Program, having considered the same, reports 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the 
bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     1
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Committee Action.................................................     2
Committee Votes..................................................     2
Oversight Findings and Recommendations...........................     4
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     4
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     4
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     4
Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings......................     4
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     5
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits.......     5
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     5
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     5

                          Purpose and Summary

    H.R. 7224 reauthorizes the Stop, Observe, and Respond 
(SOAR) to Health and Wellness training program for five fiscal 
years.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Individuals who have experienced human trafficking 
oftentimes encounter a health care or social service provider 
at some point during or after their exploitation. The Stop, 
Observe, Ask, and Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Act was 
originally signed into law in 2018 and authorizes resources to 
help build capacity in local communities to identify and 
respond to the various needs of individuals who have 
experienced trafficking.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Public Law 115-398: Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health 
and Wellness Act of 2018. https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/115/
398.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            Committee Action

    On February 14, 2024, the Subcommittee on Health held a 
hearing on H.R. 7224. The title of the hearing was 
``Legislative Proposals to Support Patients and Caregivers.'' 
The Subcommittee received testimony from:
           Andy Shih, PhD, Chief Science Officer, 
        Autism Speaks;
           Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Co-Founder and CEO, 
        Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation;
           Joanne Pike, DrPH, President and CEO, 
        Alzheimer's Association;
           Gordon Tomaselli, MD, Former President, 
        American Heart Association; Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz 
        Dean, Emeritus and Professor of Medicine, Albert 
        Einstein College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of 
        Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;
           Michelle Whitten, President, CEO, and Co-
        Founder, Global Down Syndrome Foundation;
           Randy Strozyk, President, American Ambulance 
        Association; and
           Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, Senior Vice 
        President of Extramural Discovery Science, American 
        Cancer Society.
    On March 12, 2024, the Subcommittee on Health met in open 
markup session and forwarded H.R. 7224, without amendment, to 
the full Committee by a record vote of 24 yeas and 0 nays.
    On March 20, 2024, the full Committee on Energy and 
Commerce met in open markup session and ordered H.R. 7224, 
without amendment, favorably reported to the House by a record 
vote of 45 yeas and 0 nays.

                            Committee Votes

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the 
record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto. The following reflects the record votes taken during 
the Committee consideration:


    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                 Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII, the Committee held a hearing and made findings that 
are reflected in this report.

   New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII, the Committee 
finds that H.R. 7224 would result in no new or increased budget 
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or 
revenues.

                  Congressional Budget Office Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII, at the time this 
report was filed, the cost estimate prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general 
performance goal or objective of this legislation is to support 
victims of human trafficking by ensuring communities have the 
resources available to provide appropriate care services.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII, no provision of 
H.R. 7224 is known to be duplicative of another Federal 
program, including any program that was included in a report to 
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the 
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

              Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII, the following 
related hearing was used to develop or consider H.R. 7224:
           February 14, 2024, the Subcommittee on 
        Health held a hearing on H.R. 7224. The title of the 
        hearing was ``Legislative Proposals to Support Patients 
        and Caregivers.'' The Subcommittee received testimony 
        from:
                   Andy Shih, PhD, Chief Science 
                Officer, Autism Speaks;
                   Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Co-Founder 
                and CEO, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation;
                   Joanne Pike, DrPH, President and 
                CEO, Alzheimer's Association;
                   Gordon Tomaselli, MD, Former 
                President, American Heart Association; Marilyn 
                and Stanley M. Katz Dean, Emeritus and 
                Professor of Medicine, Albert Einstein College 
                of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, 
                Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;
                   Michelle Whitten, President, 
                CEO, and Co-Founder, Global Down Syndrome 
                Foundation;
                   Randy Strozyk, President, 
                American Ambulance Association; and
                   Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, 
                Senior Vice President of Extramural Discovery 
                Science, American Cancer Society.

                        Committee Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee 
adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was 
filed, the estimate was not available.

       Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits

    Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the 
Committee finds that H.R. 7224 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation


Section 1. Reauthorization of the SOAR to health and wellness training 
        program

    Section 1 reauthorizes the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond 
to Health and Wellness Training Program through fiscal year 
2029.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

                       PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT




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TITLE XII--TRAUMA CARE

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Part E--Miscellaneous Programs

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SEC. 1254. STOP, OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS 
                    TRAINING PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program to 
be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and 
Wellness Training Program or the SOAR to Health and Wellness 
Training Program (in this section referred to as the 
``Program'') to provide training to health care and social 
service providers on human trafficking in accordance with this 
section.
  (b) Activities.--
          (1) In general.--The Program shall include the Stop, 
        Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness 
        Training Program's activities existing on the day 
        before the date of enactment of this section and the 
        authorized initiatives described in paragraph (2).
          (2) Authorized initiatives.--The authorized 
        initiatives of the Program shall include--
                  (A) engaging stakeholders, including victims 
                of human trafficking and Federal, State, local, 
                and tribal partners, to develop a flexible 
                training module--
                          (i) for supporting activities under 
                        subsection (c); and
                          (ii) that adapts to changing needs, 
                        settings, health care providers, and 
                        social service providers;
                  (B) providing technical assistance to 
                grantees related to implementing activities 
                described in subsection (c) and reporting on 
                any best practices identified by the grantees;
                  (C) developing a reliable methodology for 
                collecting data, and reporting such data, on 
                the number of human trafficking victims 
                identified and served by grantees in a manner 
                that, at a minimum, prevents disclosure of 
                individually identifiable information 
                consistent with all applicable privacy laws and 
                regulations; and
                  (D) integrating, as appropriate, the training 
                described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of 
                subsection (c) with training programs, in 
                effect on the date of enactment of this 
                section, for health care and social service 
                providers for victims of intimate partner 
                violence, sexual assault, stalking, child 
                abuse, child neglect, child maltreatment, and 
                child sexual exploitation.
  (c) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to appropriate 
entities to train health care and social service providers to--
          (1) identify potential human trafficking victims;
          (2) implement best practices for working with law 
        enforcement to report and facilitate communication with 
        human trafficking victims, in accordance with all 
        applicable Federal, State, local, and tribal laws, 
        including legal confidentiality requirements for 
        patients and health care and social service providers;
          (3) implement best practices for referring such 
        victims to appropriate health care, social, or victims 
        service agencies or organizations; and
          (4) provide such victims with coordinated, age-
        appropriate, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, 
        patient-centered, and evidence-based care.
  (d) Consideration in Awarding Grants.--The Secretary, in 
making awards under this section, shall give consideration to--
          (1) geography;
          (2) the demographics of the population to be served;
          (3) the predominant types of human trafficking cases 
        involved; and
          (4) health care and social service provider profiles.
  (e) Data Collection and Reporting.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall collect data and 
        report on the following:
                  (A) The total number of entities that 
                received a grant under this section.
                  (B) The total number and geographic 
                distribution of health care and social service 
                providers trained through the Program.
          (2) Initial report.--In addition to the data required 
        to be collected under paragraph (1), for purposes of 
        the initial report to be submitted under paragraph (3), 
        the Secretary shall collect data on the total number of 
        facilities and health care professional organizations 
        that were operating under, and the total number of 
        health care and social service providers trained 
        through, the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health 
        and Wellness Training Program existing prior to the 
        establishment of the Program under this section.
          (3) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, and annually 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit an annual report 
        to Congress on the data collected under this subsection 
        in a manner that, at a minimum, prevents the disclosure 
        of individually identifiable information consistent 
        with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
  (f) Sharing Best Practices.--The Secretary shall make 
available, on the Internet website of the Department of Health 
and Human Services, a description of the best practices and 
procedures used by entities that receive a grant for carrying 
out activities under this section.
  (g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``human 
trafficking'' has the meaning given the term ``severe forms of 
trafficking in persons'' as defined in section 103 of the 
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
  (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this Act, $4,000,000 for each of 
[fiscal years 2020 through 2024] fiscal years 2025 through 
2029.

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