,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dihb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bh1
 #bjbb,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 
,moran1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1  
,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 ,mrs4    
,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,kaine1    
,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,mr4
 ,murphy7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations   
,a ,,bill  ,to establish the            
,international ,children with           
,disabilities ,protection ,program      
within the ,department of ,state1 and   
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the          
,international ,children with           
,disabilities ,protection ,act of #bjbb4
  #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the     
following findings3 7#a7 ,according to  
the ,united ,nations ,children's ,fund  
7,,unicef71 there are at least          
#bdj1jjj1jjj children and youth with    
disabilities in the world1 including    

approximately #ec1jjj1jjj children under
 age #e4  7#b7 ,families and children   
with disabilities together make up      
nearly #b1jjj1jjj1jjj people1 or #be    
percent of the world's population4  7#c7
 ,millions of children1 particularly    
children with intellectual and other    
developmental disabilities1 are placed  
in large or small residential           
institutions and most of those children 
are left to grow up without the love1   
support1 and guidance of a family4 ,the 
vast majority of children placed in     
residential institutions have at least  
one living parent or have extended      
family1 many of whom would keep their   
children at home if they had the support
 and legal protections necessary to do  
so4  7#d7 ,as described in the #bjac    
world report published by ,,unicef1 many
 parents who wish to keep their children
 with disabilities feel that they have  
no choice but to give up their child to 
a residential institution because of    
prejudice and stigma against disability1

 the lack of support and protection that
 families receive1 and the fact that    
education and community services are    
often inaccessible or inappropriate for 
children with disabilities4  7#e7       
,extensive scientific research          
demonstrates that placing children in   
residential institutions may lead to    
psychological harm1 increased           
developmental disabilities1 stunted     
growth1 rapid spread of infectious      
diseases1 and high rates of mortality4  
7#f7 ,leading child protection          
organizations have documented that      
children and adolescents raised without 
families in residential institutions    
face high risk of violence1 trafficking 
for forced labor or the sex industry1   
forced abortion or sterilization1 and   
criminal detention4  7#g7 ,the danger of
 family breakup and institutionalization
 has grown enormously as a result of the
 ,,covid-#ai pandemic4 ,according to a  
study published in ,the ,lancet1 as of  
,february #bjbb1 a minimum of #f1ijj1jjj

 children globally have lost a parent or
 co-residing caregiver to ,,covid-#ai   
and are now at increased risk of        
placement in a residential institution4 
7#h7 ,the disability rights movement in 
the ,united ,states has been a world    
leader and an inspiration to the growth 
of a global disability rights movement4 
,the ,united ,states has many models of 
practice that could be shared with      
countries around the world to support   
laws1 policies1 and services to promote 
the full inclusion of children with     
disabilities in families around the     
world4  7#i7 ,the ,advancing ,protection
 and ,care for ,children in ,adversity  
strategy of the ,united ,states         
,government 7,,apcca7 and the ,global   
,child ,thrive ,act of #bjbj 7subtitle  
,i of title ,,xii of division ,a of     
,public ,law #aaf-bhc2 #acd ,stat4      
#cihe7 commit the ,united ,states       
,government to investing in the         
development1 care1 dignity1 and safety  
of vulnerable children and their        

families around the world1 including    
efforts to keep children with their     
families and reduce placement of        
children in residential institutions4   
#c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense
 of ,congress that-- 7#a7 stigma and    
discrimination against children with    
disabilities1 particularly intellectual 
and other developmental disabilities1   
and lack of support for community       
inclusion have left people with         
disabilities and their families         
economically and socially marginalized2 
7#b7 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   
sources2  7#c7 as a result of the       
factors described in paragraphs 7#a7 and
 7#b71 key stakeholders have often been 
left out of public policymaking on      
matters that affect children with       
disabilities2 and  7#d7 financial       

support1 technical assistance1 and      
active engagement of people with        
disabilities and their families is      
needed to ensure the development of     
effective policies that protect families
 and ensure the full inclusion in       
society of children with disabilities4  
#d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7    
,department ,the term ,department means 
the ,department of ,state4  7#b7 ,family
 ,the term family includes married and  
unmarried parents1 single parents1      
adoptive families1 kinship care1        
extended family1 and foster care4  7#c7 
,organization of persons with           
disabilities ,the term organization of  
persons with disabilities means a       
nongovernmental civil society           
organization with staff leadership and a
 board of directors the majority of     
which consists of-- 7,a7 people with    
disabilities2  7,b7 individuals who were
 formerly placed in a residential       
institution2 or  7,c7 family members of 
children or youth with disabilities4    

7#d7 ,residential institution ,the term 
residential institution-- 7,a7 means a  
facility where children live in a       
collective arrangement that is not      
family-based and that-- 7i7 may be      
public or privately managed and staffed2
  7ii7 may be small or large2 and  7iii7
 may or may not be designated for       
children with disabilities2 and  7,b7   
includes an orphanage1 a children's     
institution1 a group home1 an infant    
home1 a children's village or cottage   
complex1 a boarding school used         
primarily for care1 and any other       
residential setting for children4  #e4  
,statement of policy ,it is the policy  
of the ,united ,states to-- 7#a7 assist 
countries abroad in creating rights     
protection programs for people with     
disabilities and developing policies and
 social supports to ensure that children
 with disabilities can grow up as       
members of families and make the        
transition to independent living as     
adults2  7#b7 promote the development of

 advocacy skills and leadership         
abilities of people with disabilities   
and family members of children and youth
 with disabilities so that such         
individuals can effectively participate 
in their local1 regional1 and national  
governments to promote policy reforms   
and programs to support full inclusion  
in families of children with            
disabilities2  7#c7 promote the         
development of laws and policies that-- 
7,a7 strengthen families and protect    
against the unnecessary                 
institutionalization of children with   
disabilities2 and  7,b7 create          
opportunities for youth with            
disabilities to receive the resources   
and support needed to achieve their full
 potential2  7#d7 promote participation 
by different groups of people with      
disabilities and their families in      
advocating for disability rights and    
reforms to legal frameworks2 and  7#e7  
promote the sustainable action needed to
 bring about changes in law1 policy1 and

 programs to ensure full family         
inclusion of children with disabilities4
  #f4 ,international ,children with     
,disabilities ,protection ,program and  
capacity building  7a7 ,international   
,children with ,disabilities ,protection
 ,program  7#a7 ,establishment of       
program ,there is established within the
 ,bureau of ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 
and ,labor of the ,department a grant   
and capacity-building program to be     
known as the ,international ,children   
with ,disabilities ,protection ,program 
7in this section referred to as the     
,program74  7#b7 ,purpose ,the purpose  
of the ,program is to assist            
organizations of persons with           
disabilities and family members of      
children with disabilities in           
communicating about and advocating for  
policies that ensure the family         
inclusion and transition to independent 
living of children with disabilities to 
advance the policy described in section 
#e4  7#c7 ,criteria ,the ,secretary of  

,state1 in consultation with leading    
civil society groups with expertise in  
global disability rights1 shall         
establish criteria for-- 7,a7           
applications for grants awarded under   
paragraph 7#d72 and  7,b7 the selection 
of-- 7i7 the countries or regions       
targeted under the ,program2  7ii7      
priority activities funded through      
grants awarded under paragraph 7#d72 and
  7iii7 capacity-building needs of      
recipients of grants awarded under      
paragraph 7#d74  7#d7 ,disability       
inclusion grants  7,a7 ,in general ,the 
,secretary of ,state may award grants to
 eligible implementing partners to      
administer grant amounts directly or    
through subgrants4  7,b7 ,eligible      
implementing partners ,for purposes of  
this paragraph1 an eligible implementing
 partner is a nongovernmental           
organization or other civil society     
organization that-- 7i7 has the capacity
 to administer grant amounts-- 7,i7     
directly2 or  7,,ii7 through subgrants  

that can be effectively used by emerging
 new organizations of persons with      
disabilities2 and  7ii7 has expertise in
 disability rights4  7,c7 ,priority ,the
 ,secretary of ,state shall prioritize  
awarding grants under this paragraph to 
eligible implementing partners with     
experience operating or administering   
subgrants in countries for which the    
,assistant ,secretary of ,state for     
,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,labor1 
in consultation with the ,united ,states
 ,government ,special ,adviser and      
,senior ,coordinator for the            
,administrator of the ,united ,states   
,agency for ,international ,development 
on ,children in ,adversity1 has         
determined that there are significant   
populations of children living in       
residential institutions4  7,d7         
,subgrants ,an eligible implementing    
partner that receives a grant under this
 paragraph should seek to-- 7i7 provide 
not less than #ej percent of the grant  
amount through subgrants to local       

organizations of persons with           
disabilities and other nongovernmental  
organizations working in country to     
advance the policy described in section 
#e2 and  7ii7 provide1 of any amount    
distributed pursuant to clause 7i7--    
7,i7 #ge percent to organizations of    
persons with disabilities2 and  7,,ii7  
#be percent to other nongovernmental    
organizations4  7b7 ,capacity-,building 
programs ,the ,secretary of ,state is   
authorized to provide funds to          
nongovernmental organizations with      
expertise in capacity building and      
technical assistance to develop         
capacity-building programs to-- 7#a7    
develop disability leaders1 legislators1
 policymakers1 and service providers to 
plan and implement programs to advance  
the policy described in section #e2     
7#b7 build the advocacy capacity and    
knowledge of successful models of rights
 enforcement1 family support1 and       
disability inclusion among disability1  
youth1 and allied civil society         

advocates1 attorneys1 and professionals 
to advance the policy described in      
section #e2  7#c7 create online programs
 to train policymakers1 activists1 and  
other individuals on successful models  
of reform1 services1 and rights         
protection to ensure that children with 
disabilities can live and grow up with  
families and become full participants in
 society1 which-- 7,a7 are available    
globally2  7,b7 offer low cost or       
no-cost training accessible to persons  
with disabilities1 family members of    
such persons1 and other individuals with
 potential to offer future leadership in
 the advancement of the goals of family 
inclusion and rights protection for     
children with disabilities2 and  7,c7   
should be targeted to government        
policymakers1 disability activists1 and 
other potential allies and supporters   
among civil society groups2 and  7#d7   
create study tours so activists and     
policymakers from abroad can observe and
 better understand the operation of     

successful models of family and         
community inclusion and rights advocacy1
 including exposing such activists and  
policymakers to models of good practice 
in the ,united ,states4  7c7            
,authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,in general ,there are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section  
amounts as follows3 7,a7 #b1jjj1jjj for 
fiscal year #bjbd4  7,b7 #aj1jjj1jjj for
 each of fiscal years #bjbe through     
#bjbi4  7#b7 ,capacity-building and     
technical assistance programs ,of the   
amounts authorized to be appropriated by
 paragraph 7#a71 not less than          
#a1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd and not
 less than #c1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal
 years #bjbe through #bjbi are          
authorized to be available for          
capacity-building and technical         
assistance programs to support          
disability rights leadership and to     
train and engage policymakers1          
professionals1 and allies in civil      
society organizations in foreign        

countries4  #g4 ,briefings and reports  
on implementation  7a7 ,annual briefing 
required  7#a7 ,in general ,not less    
frequently than annually through fiscal 
year #bjbi1 the ,secretary of ,state    
shall submit to the ,committee on       
,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and        
,pensions1 the ,committee on ,foreign   
,relations1 and the ,committee on       
,appropriations of the ,senate a        
briefing on-- 7,a7 the programs and     
activities carried out to advance the   
policy described in section #e2 and     
7,b7 any broader work of the ,department
 in advancing that policy4  7#b7        
,elements ,each briefing required by    
paragraph 7#a7 shall include1 with      
respect to each program carried out     
under section #f-- 7,a7 the rationale   
for the country and program selection2  
7,b7 the goals and objectives of the    
program1 and the kinds of participants  
in the activities and programs          
supported2  7,c7 a description of the   
types of technical assistance and       

capacity building provided2 and  7,d7 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    
program4  7b7 ,reports required  7#a7   
,in general ,not less frequently than   
once every #c years through fiscal year 
#bjbi1 the ,secretary of ,state shall   
submit to the ,committee on ,health1    
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions1 the  
,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 and  
the ,committee on ,appropriations of the
 ,senate a report on the matters        
described in subsection 7a77#a74  7#b7  
,elements ,each report required by      
paragraph 7#a7 shall include the        
elements described in subsection        
7a77#b74  7#c7 ,consultation ,in        
preparing each report required by       
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,state
 shall consult with organizations of    
persons with disabilities4  #h4         
,promoting international protection and 

advocacy for children with disabilities 
7a7 ,sense of ,congress on programming  
and programs ,it is the sense of        
,congress that-- 7#a7 all programming of
 the ,department and the ,united ,states
 ,agency for ,international ,development
 related to childcare reform1           
improvement of health care systems1     
primary and secondary education1        
disability rights1 and human rights     
should seek to be consistent with the   
policy described in section #e2 and     
7#b7 programs of the ,department and the
 ,united ,states ,agency for            
,international ,development related to  
children1 health care1 and education--  
7,a7 should-- 7i7 engage organizations  
of persons with disabilities in         
policymaking and program implementation2
 and  7ii7 support full inclusion of    
children with disabilities in families2 
and  7,b7 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 7b74  7b7   
,sense of ,congress on conflict and     
emergencies ,it is the sense of         
,congress that-- 7#a7 programs of the   
,department and the ,united ,states     
,agency for ,international ,development 
serving children in situations of       
conflict or emergency1 among displaced  
or refugee populations1 or in natural   
disasters should seek to ensure that    
children with and without disabilities  
can maintain family ties2 and  7#b7 in  
situations of emergency1 if children are
 separated from parents or have no      
family1 every effort should be made to  
ensure that children are placed with    
extended family1 in kinship care1 or in 
a substitute family4