,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #cdc #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ajia ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #aj1 #bjag,ms4 ,collins 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,mrs4 ,capito1 ,mr4 ,nelson1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,manchin1 ,ms4 ,heitkamp1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 and ,mr4 ,scott7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,march #ab1 #bjah,reported by ,mr4 ,alexander1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,supporting ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,more than #hj percent of ,americans over the age of #fe are grandparents and more than #b1ejj1jjj grandparents in the ,united ,states are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren4 ,experts report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid epidemic expands4 7#b7 ,grandparents' lives are enhanced by caring for their grandchildren2 the overwhelming majority of grandparents report experiencing significant benefits in serving as their grandchildren's primary caregivers4 7#c7 ,providing full-time care to their grandchildren may increase grandparents' likelihood of experiencing physical illness and mental health problems and decrease their ability to save for retirement4 7#d7 ,grandparents raising grandchildren may face difficulty enrolling their grandchildren in school1 medical care1 and ,federal assistance services4 7#e7 ,the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja et seq47 includes services that support grandfamilies1 including the ,national ,family ,caregiver ,support ,program4 7#f7 ,grandparents would benefit from better coordination and information about resources available to support them in their caregiving responsibilities4 #c4 ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established a ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren 7referred to in this section as the ,task ,force74 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall be composed of the following members1 or their designee3 7,a7 ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,b7 ,the ,attorney ,general4 7,c7 ,the ,administrator of the ,administration for ,community ,living4 7,d7 ,the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7,e7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use4 7,f7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for the ,administration for ,children and ,families4 7,g7 ,the head of each ,federal department1 agency1 or other governmental entity identified by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services as having responsibilities1 or administering programs1 relating to current issues affecting grandparents or other relatives raising children in their care4 7#b7 ,lead agency ,the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services shall be the lead agency for the ,task ,force4 7#c7 ,requirement ,each member of the ,task ,force shall be an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government4 7c7 ,duties 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,information ,the ,task ,force shall identify1 promote1 coordinate1 and disseminate information publicly about ,federal information1 resources1 and best practices available1 on the date of the determination1 to help grandparents or other relatives raising children in their care meet the health1 educational1 nutritional1 and other needs of the children in their care as well as maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being1 including those raising children in their care as a result of the opioid epidemic4 7,b7 ,native ,americans ,in carrying out the duties described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,task ,force shall ensure that the needs of members of ,native ,american tribes are addressed4 7#b7 ,report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,task ,force shall submit a report to the ,special ,committee on ,aging and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate that includes-- 7i7 best practices1 resources1 and other useful information for grandparents and other relatives raising children in their care2 and 7ii7 an identification of the gaps in needs of grandparents and other relatives raising children in their care4 7,b7 ,follow-up report ,not later than the date that is #b years after the date the report under subparagraph 7,a7 is submitted1 the ,task ,force shall submit a follow-up report to the ,special ,committee on ,aging and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate that includes the information described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,process for public input ,the ,task ,force shall establish a process for public input to inform the development of1 and updates to1 the best practices1 resources1 and other useful information and the gaps in needs described in paragraph 7#b71 including a process for the public to submit recommendations to the ,task ,force and an opportunity for public comment4 7d7 ,sunset ,the ,task ,force shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,supporting ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren ,act4 #b4 ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established a ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren 7referred to in this section as the ,task ,force74 7b7 ,older relative caregiver ,in this section1 the term older relative caregiver has the meaning given the term under section #cgb7;a77#c7 of the ,national ,family ,caregiver ,support 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjcjs7a77#c774 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall be composed of the following members1 or their designee3 7,a7 ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,b7 ,the ,attorney ,general4 7,c7 ,the ,administrator of the ,administration for ,community ,living4 7,d7 ,the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7,e7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use4 7,f7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for the ,administration for ,children and ,families4 7,g7 ,the ,director of the ,indian ,health ,service4 7,h7 ,the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services4 7,i7 ,the head of each ,federal department1 agency1 or other governmental entity identified by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services as having responsibilities1 or administering programs1 relating to the current health1 educational1 nutritional1 and other needs and current issues affecting older relative caregivers1 including grandparents1 raising children in their care4 7,j7 ,a grandparent raising a grandchild or grandchildren as well as another older relative caregiver of children4 7#b7 ,lead agency ,the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services shall be the lead agency for the ,task ,force4 7d7 ,duties 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,information ,the ,task ,force shall identify1 coordinate1 and disseminate information publicly about ,federal information1 resources1 and best practices available1 on the date of the determination1 to help older relative caregivers1 including grandparents1 raising children in their care1 including those raising children in their care as a result of the opioid crisis1 meet the health1 educational1 nutritional1 and other needs of the children in their care as well as maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being4 7,b7 ,native ,americans ,in carrying out the duties described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,task ,force shall ensure that the needs of ,native ,americans 7as defined in section #ajb of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjb77 are considered4 7#b7 ,report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #cfj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,task ,force shall submit a report to the ,special ,committee on ,aging1 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions1 and the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce1 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives that includes-- 7i7 best practices1 resources1 and other useful information for older relative caregivers1 including grandparents1 raising children in their care2 and 7ii7 an identification of the gaps in needs of older relative caregivers1 including grandparents1 raising children in their care4 7,b7 ,final report ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,task ,force shall submit a final report to the ,special ,committee on ,aging1 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions1 and the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce1 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives that includes the final findings of the ,task ,force1 recommendations for future actions to address issues faced by older relative caregivers1 including grandparents1 raising children in their care1 and any other useful information4 7#c7 ,process for public input ,the ,task ,force shall establish a process for public input to inform the identification of1 and updates to1 the best practices1 resources1 and other useful information and the gaps in needs described in paragraph 7#b71 including a process for the public to submit recommendations to the ,task ,force and an opportunity for public comment4 7e7 ,sunset ,the ,task ,force shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7f7 ,nonapplicability of ,,faca ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,task ,force4 7g7 ,funding ,no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section4 ,the ,task ,force shall be carried out with funds otherwise appropriated4 ,march #ab1 #bjah,reported with an amendment