April 3, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 58 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 58
(Senate - April 03, 2019)
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[Pages S2241-S2243] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Rounds): S. 1001. A bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to allow the Indian Health Service to cover the cost of a copayment of an Indian or Alaska Native veteran receiving medical care or services from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Indian Affairs. 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. 1001 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 ``Tribal Veterans Health Care Enhancement Act''. SEC. 2. LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT. Section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1621u) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(d) Veterans Affairs Copayments.--The Service may pay, in accordance with section 412, the cost of a copayment assessed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to an eligible Indian veteran (as defined in section 412) for covered medical care (as defined in such section).''. SEC. 3. COPAYMENTS FOR TRIBAL VETERANS RECEIVING CERTAIN MEDICAL SERVICES. Title IV of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 412. PAYMENTS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIAN VETERANS RECEIVING COVERED MEDICAL CARE AT VA FACILITIES. ``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term `appropriate committees of Congress' means-- ``(A) in the Senate-- ``(i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and [[Page S2242]] ``(ii) the Committee on Indian Affairs; and ``(B) in the House of Representatives-- ``(i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and ``(ii) the Committee on Natural Resources. ``(2) Covered medical care.--The term `covered medical care' means any medical care or service that is-- ``(A) authorized for an eligible Indian veteran under the contract health service and referred by the Service; and ``(B) administered at a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including any services rendered under a contract with a non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider. ``(3) Eligible indian veteran.--The term `eligible Indian veteran' means an Indian or Alaska Native veteran who is eligible for assistance from the Service. ``(b) Memorandum of Understanding.-- ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary (or a designee, including the director of any area office of the Service), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or a designee), and any tribal health program, as applicable, shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, in consultation with Indian tribes to be impacted by the memorandum of understanding (on a national or regional basis), that authorizes the Secretary or tribal health program, as applicable, to pay to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs any copayments owed to the Department of Veterans Affairs by eligible Indian veterans for covered medical care. ``(2) Factors for consideration.--In entering into a memorandum of understanding under paragraph (1), the Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and any tribal health program, as applicable, shall take into consideration any findings contained in the report under subsection (e). ``(3) Exception.--The Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and any tribal health program, as applicable, shall not be required to enter into a memorandum of understanding under paragraph (1) if the Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and any tribal health program, as applicable, jointly certify to the appropriate committees of Congress that such a memorandum of understanding would-- ``(A) decrease the quality of health care provided to eligible Indian veterans; ``(B) impede the access of those veterans to health care; or ``(C) substantially decrease the quality of, or access to, health care by individuals receiving health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs or beneficiaries of the Service. ``(c) Payment by Service.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in accordance with the relevant memorandum of understanding described in subsection (b), the Service may cover the cost of any copayment assessed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to an eligible Indian veteran receiving covered medical care. ``(d) Authorization To Accept Funds.--Notwithstanding section 407(c), section 2901(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (25 U.S.C. 1623(b)), or any other provision of law, and in accordance with the relevant memorandum of understanding described in subsection (b), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may accept a payment from the Service under subsection (c). ``(e) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes-- ``(1) the number of veterans, disaggregated by State, who-- ``(A) are eligible for assistance from the Service; and ``(B) have received health care at a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs; ``(2) the number of veterans, disaggregated by State and calendar year, who-- ``(A) are eligible for assistance from the Service; and ``(B) were referred to a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs from a facility of the Service during the period-- ``(i) beginning on January 1, 2013; and ``(ii) ending on December 31, 2018; and ``(3) an update regarding efforts of the Secretary and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to streamline health care for veterans who are eligible for assistance from the Service and have received health care at a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs and at a facility of the Service, including a description of-- ``(A) any changes to the provision of health care required under this Act; and ``(B) any barriers to efficiently streamline the provision of health care to veterans who are eligible for assistance from the Service.''. ______ By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Kaine): S. 1017. A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 in order to address the needs of caregivers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Mr. DURBIN. 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. 1017 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 ``Supporting America's Caregivers and Families Act''. SEC. 2. ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF CAREGIVERS. (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Family Caregiver Support.--Section 303(e) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3023(e)) is amended by striking ``$154,336,482'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ``$360,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024''. (b) Improving Caregiver Assessment.-- (1) Increasing use of caregiver assessment tools.--Section 202 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(h) By not later than January 1, 2021, the Assistant Secretary shall-- ``(1) in consultation with caregivers, older individuals, the aging network, and other experts and stakeholders, develop and implement a strategy to increase the use of comprehensive caregiver assessment tools that-- ``(A) are standardized across a planning and service area; ``(B) assess the specific problems, needs, strengths, and resources of caregivers-- ``(i) as identified by a recognized caregiver, as appropriate, through voluntary participation; ``(ii) through direct contact with the caregiver, which may include in-person, phone, or online contact; and ``(iii) at appropriate intervals, including to accommodate significant changes in the caregiving situation; ``(C) determine whether a caregiver would benefit from support services; and ``(D) lead to providing targeted caregiver support services to best benefit caregivers, where appropriate and available based upon identified unmet needs, including through referrals; ``(2) conduct a study on the best practices and potential considerations regarding mandatory use of comprehensive caregiver assessment tools standardized across a planning and service area by an area agency on aging, which shall examine-- ``(A) the current use of caregiver assessments, as of the date of the study; ``(B) the efficacy and feasibility of mandatory use of comprehensive caregiver assessment tools standardized across a planning and service area, including the value to caregivers and the older individuals to whom they provide care; and ``(C) the potential impact on the aging network of using such assessments; and ``(3) prepare and submit to Congress a report regarding the study under paragraph (2) that provides recommendations for the appropriate use of comprehensive caregiver assessments standardized across a planning and service area by an area agency on aging, and a proposed budget, based on the Assistant Secretary's professional judgment, for appropriately implementing the recommendations.''. (2) Assessing needs of caregivers.--Section 373(e)(3) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3030s-1(e)(3)) is amended by inserting ``assess the needs of family caregivers or older relative caregivers and'' before ``provide''. (3) Family caregiver resource center and technical assistance.--Section 202(b) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012(b)) is amended-- (A) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon; (B) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and (C) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following: ``(11) establish and operate the National Family Caregiver Resource and Technical Assistance Center, which will-- ``(A) by grant or contract with a public or private nonprofit entity, provide information and assistance to State agencies, area agencies on aging, and community-based service providers funded under this Act, including-- ``(i) through technical assistance, research, training, program analysis, and data collection; ``(ii) activities described in section 411(a)(11); and ``(iii) dissemination of best practices, including best practices for conducting assessments of caregiver needs using comprehensive assessment tools standardized across a planning and service area; and ``(B) directly or through grant or contract, provide information, education, and assistance to family caregivers in a manner that is accessible and understandable to the family caregivers.''. (c) Business Acumen Provisions.-- (1) Assistance relating to growing and sustaining capacity.--Section 202(b)(9) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012(b)(9)) is amended-- (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon; (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) business acumen, capacity building, organizational development, innovation, and other methods of growing and sustaining the capacity of the aging network to serve older adults and caregivers most effectively;''. (2) Clarifying partnerships for area agencies on aging.-- Section 306 of the Older [[Page S2243]] Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3026) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(g) Nothing in this Act shall restrict an area agency on aging from providing services not provided or authorized under this Act, including through-- ``(1) contracts with health care payers; ``(2) consumer private pay programs; or ``(3) other arrangements with entities or individuals that increase the availability of home and community-based services and supports in the planning and service area supported by the area agency on aging.''. ______ By Mr. McCONNELL: S. 1021. A bill to amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 with respect to a portion of the Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Mr. McCONNELL. 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. 1021 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. WENDELL H. FORD (WESTERN KENTUCKY) PARKWAY. (a) Designation as High Priority Corridor.--Section 1105(c) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 105 Stat. 2032; 131 Stat. 797) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(91) The Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway from the interchange with the William H. Natcher Parkway in Ohio County, Kentucky, west to the interchange of the Western Kentucky Parkway with the Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) Parkway.''. (b) Designation as Future Interstate.--Section 1105(e)(5)(A) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 109 Stat. 597; 131 Stat. 797) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``and subsection (c)(90)'' and inserting ``subsection (c)(90), and subsection (c)(91)''. (c) Numbering of Parkway.--Section 1105(e)(5)(C)(i) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 109 Stat. 598; 126 Stat. 426; 131 Stat. 797) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The route referred to in subsection (c)(91) is designated as Interstate Route I-369.''. (d) Operation of Vehicles.--Section 127(l)(3)(A) of title 23, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), in the first sentence, by striking ``clause (i) or (ii)'' and inserting ``clauses (i) through (iii)''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(iii) The Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway (to be designated as a spur of Interstate Route 69) from the interchange with the William H. Natcher Parkway in Ohio County, Kentucky, west to the interchange of the Western Kentucky Parkway with the Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) Parkway.''. ____________________
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