September 22, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 164 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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GLOBAL CHILD THRIVE ACT OF 2020; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 164
(House of Representatives - September 22, 2020)
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[Pages H4671-H4674] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] GLOBAL CHILD THRIVE ACT OF 2020 Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4864) to develop and implement policies to advance early childhood development, to provide assistance for orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4864 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 ``Global Child Thrive Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) According to a 2019 report from the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation entitled ``Levels & Trends in Child Mortality'', the annual number of deaths among children younger than 15 years of age dropped by 56 percent between 1990 and 2018, from approximately 14,200,000 to approximately 6,200,000. (2) According to a 2016 article published in The Lancet entitled ``Early childhood development: the foundation of sustainable development''-- (A) an estimated 250,000,000 children in low-income and middle-income countries suffer suboptimal development due to poverty and stunting alone; and (B) children who do not meet developmental milestones are expected to lose about 25 percent of their average yearly income once they become adults. (3) According to a report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), entitled ``The State of the World's Children 2016: A fair chance for every child'', nearly 250,000,000 of the world's 650,000,000 primary school age children do not master basic literacy and numeracy. (4) According to a 2018 report from the World Health Organization entitled ``Nurturing Care for early childhood development''-- (A) the environment in which a child grows has a profound impact on future learning, behavior, and health; and (B) a country's economic diversity and growth could be improved by investment in early childhood development. (5) According to a 2017 UNICEF report entitled ``UNICEF's Programme Guidance for Early Childhood Development'', nurturing care, which is key to early childhood development, consists of a core set of interrelated components, including-- (A) behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge about caregiving, including health, hygiene care, and feeding; (B) stimulation, such as talking, singing, and playing; (C) responsiveness, such as early bonding, secure attachment, trust, and sensitive communication; and (D) safety, including routines, protection from violence, abuse, neglect, harm, and environmental pollution. (6) According to a 2016 report published in The Lancet entitled ``Advancing Early Childhood Development: From Science to Scale''-- (A) nurturing care from parents, relatives, and other caregivers and services are formative experiences for young children; (B) programs promoting nurturing care can improve early childhood development outcomes; and (C) children who do not receive nurturing care display negative development outcomes, such as greater sensitivity to the effects of stress or behavioral problems, especially children who do not receive nurturing care before their second birthday. (7) According to the ``Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity 2019-2023: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance'', children who live without protective family care, in abusive households, on the streets, or in institutions, or who are trafficked, are participating in armed groups, or are being exploited for their labor are more likely to be exposed to violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. (8) According to a 2017 UNICEF report entitled ``Early Moments Matter for every child'', violence, abuse, neglect, and traumatic experiences produce toxic stress that limits neural connectivity in developing brains. (9) According to a 2014 working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child at Harvard University entitled ``Excessive Stress Disrupts the Architecture of the Developing Brain''-- (A) situations that produce toxic stress increase the production of cortisol in a child's brain, which disrupts its healthy development; and (B) chronic stress can potentially affect the expression of genes that regulate the stress response across the life course. (10) According to a 2018 article in the North Carolina Medical Journal entitled ``Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): An Important Element of a Comprehensive Approach to the Opioid Crisis'', adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic or stressful experiences, including emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, domestic violence, household substance abuse, household mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and the incarceration of a household family member. (11) According to a 2016 report in Development and Psychopathology entitled ``Childhood Adversity and Epigenetic Regulation of Glucocorticoid Signaling Genes: Associations in Children and Adults''-- (A) children and adults are at risk of developing psychiatric disorders and other medical conditions if they have had an adverse childhood experience; and (B) adults who have had numerous ACEs die nearly 20 years earlier, on average, than adults who have not had numerous ACEs. SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the United States Government should continue efforts to reduce child mortality rates and increase attention on prevention efforts and early childhood development programs; [[Page H4672]] (2) investments in early childhood development ensure healthy and well-developed future generations that contribute to a country's stability, security and economic prosperity; (3) efforts to provide training and education on nurturing care could result in improved early childhood development outcomes and support healthy brain development; and (4) integration and cross-sector coordination of early childhood development programs is critical to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and continued implementation of such programs. SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTCOMES GLOBALLY. (a) Authorization of Assistance.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 135 in chapter 1 of part 1 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 are authorized to be made available to support early childhood development activities in conjunction with relevant, existing programming, such as water, sanitation and hygiene, maternal and child health, basic education, nutrition and child protection. (b) Assistance to Improve Early Childhood Outcomes Globally.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 137. ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTCOMES GLOBALLY. ``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term `appropriate congressional committees' means-- ``(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; ``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; ``(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and ``(D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. ``(2) Early childhood development.--The term `early childhood development' means the development and learning of a child younger than 8 years of age, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development and approaches to learning that allow a child to reach his or her full developmental potential. ``(3) Early childhood development program.--The term `early childhood development program' means a program that ensures that every child has the conditions for healthy growth, nurturing family-based care, development and learning, and protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect, which may include-- ``(A) a health, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene program that serves pregnant women, children younger than 5 years of age, and the parents of such children; ``(B) a nutrition program, combined with stimulating child development activity; ``(C) age appropriate cognitive stimulation, especially for newborns, infants, and toddlers, including an early childhood intervention program for children experiencing at-risk situations, developmental delays, disabilities, and behavioral and mental health conditions; ``(D) an early learning (36 months and younger), preschool, and basic education program for children until they reach 8 years of age or complete primary school; or ``(E) a child protection program, with an emphasis on the promotion of permanent, safe, and nurturing families, rather than placement in residential care or institutions, including for children with disabilities. ``(4) Federal departments and agencies.--The term `Federal departments and agencies' means-- ``(A) the Department of State; ``(B) the United States Agency for International Development; ``(C) the Department of the Treasury; ``(D) the Department of Labor; ``(E) the Department of Education; ``(F) the Department of Agriculture; ``(G) the Department of Defense; ``(H) the Department of Health and Human Services, including-- ``(i) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and ``(ii) the National Institutes of Health; ``(I) the Millennium Challenge Corporation; ``(J) the Peace Corps; and ``(K) any other department or agency specified by the President for the purposes of this section. ``(5) Residential care.--The term `residential care' means care provided in any non-family-based group setting, including orphanages, transit or interim care centers, children's homes, children's villages or cottage complexes, group homes, and boarding schools used primarily for care purposes as an alternative to a children's home. ``(b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States-- ``(1) to support early childhood development in relevant foreign assistance programs, including by integrating evidence-based, efficient, and effective interventions into relevant strategies and programs, in coordination with partner countries, other donors, international organizations, international financial institutions, local and international nongovernmental organizations, private sector partners, civil society, and faith-based and community-based organizations; and ``(2) to encourage partner countries to lead early childhood development initiatives that include incentives for building local capacity for continued implementation and measurable results, by-- ``(A) scaling up the most effective, evidence-based, national interventions, including for the most vulnerable populations and children with disabilities and developmental delays, with a focus on adaptation to country resources, cultures, and languages; ``(B) designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs in a manner that enhances their quality, transparency, equity, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in improving child and family outcomes in partner countries; and ``(C) utilizing and expanding innovative public-private financing mechanisms. ``(c) Implementation.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall direct relevant Federal departments and agencies-- ``(A) to incorporate, to the extent practical and relevant, early childhood development into foreign assistance programs to be carried out during the following 5 fiscal years; and ``(B) to promote inclusive early childhood development in partner countries. ``(2) Elements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator, the Secretary, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies as appropriate shall-- ``(A) build on the evidence and priorities outlined in `Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019- 2023', published in June 2019 (referred to in this section as `APCCA'); ``(B) to the extent practicable, identify evidence-based strategic priorities, indicators, outcomes, and targets, particularly emphasizing the most vulnerable populations and children with disabilities and developmental delays, to support inclusive early childhood development; ``(C) support the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects in partner countries, with the goal of taking such projects to scale; ``(D) support inclusive early childhood development within all relevant sector strategies and public laws, including-- ``(i) the Global Water Strategy required under section 136(j); ``(ii) the whole-of-government strategy required under section 5 of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9304 note); ``(iii) the Basic Education Strategy set forth in section 105(c); ``(iv) the U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan, 2016-2021; and ``(v) APCCA; and others as appropriate; ``(E) improve coordination with foreign governments and international and regional organizations with respect to official country policies and plans to improve early childhood development, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition care, basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and child protection plans which promote nurturing, appropriate, protective, and permanent family care, while reducing the percentage of children living in residential care or on the street; and ``(F) consult with partner countries, other donors, international organizations, international financial institutions, local and international nongovernmental organizations, private sector partners and faith-based and community-based organizations, as appropriate. ``(d) Annual Report on the Implementation of the Strategy.--The Special Advisor for Children in Adversity shall include, in the annual report required under section 5 of the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 2152g), which shall be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees and made publicly available, a description of-- ``(1) the progress made toward integrating early childhood development interventions into relevant strategies and programs; ``(2) the efforts made by relevant Federal departments and agencies to implement subsection (c), with a particular focus on the activities described in such subsection; ``(3) the progress achieved during the reporting period toward meeting the goals, objectives, benchmarks, described in subsection (c); and ``(4) the progress achieved during the reporting period toward meeting the goals, objectives, benchmarks, and timeframes described in subsection (c) at the program level, along with specific challenges or gaps that may require shifts in targeting or financing in the following fiscal year. ``(e) Interagency Task Force.--The Special Advisor for Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children should regularly convene an interagency task force, to coordinate-- ``(1) intergovernmental and interagency monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the activities carried out pursuant to this section; ``(2) early childhood development initiatives that include children with a variety of needs and circumstances; and ``(3) United States Government early childhood development programs, strategies, and partnerships across relevant Federal departments and agencies.''. [[Page H4673]] SEC. 5. SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR ASSISTANCE TO ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN. Section 135(e)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2152f(e)(2)) is amended-- (1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: ``(A) Coordinate assistance to orphans and other vulnerable children among the relevant Executive branch agencies and officials.''; and (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the various offices, bureaus, and field missions within the United States Agency for International Development'' and inserting ``the relevant Executive branch agencies and officials''. SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. Nothing in the amendments made by this Act may be construed to restrict or abrogate any other authorization for United States Agency for International Development activities or programs. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro). General Leave Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include in the Record extraneous material on H.R. 4864. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas? There was no objection. Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As I begin, I express deep gratitude to Chairman Engel for his strong and steady leadership on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and specifically, with respect to this bill, for working with me to move important legislation through the committee and the Congress. I also thank Representative Brian Fitzpatrick for working with me on this legislation that enjoys wide bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. Finally, I recognize USAID as the country's lead agency to provide humanitarian assistance and lead in international development. The tireless efforts of its staff helped millions of vulnerable people every year and advanced core United States interests. The Global Child Thrive Act shows that the leadership in Congress is concerned about future generations in developing countries, and we are concerned that they be empowered to survive and succeed. I would like to speak to the importance of this bill that we are considering here today in the House of Representatives. Over 250 million children worldwide are at risk of stunted growth and damage to their brains due to the long-lasting impacts of poverty, conflict, and displacement. Research indicates that poor health, stress, and lack of learning impairs a child's growth and development, with lifelong negative effects. The Global Child Thrive Act is designed to reduce the devastating effects of poverty through early childhood development programming. Early childhood development, or ECD, provides for the care and nurturing that restores a child's prospects for success in the future. ECD interventions build a brain architecture that is necessary for growth through reading, singing, play activities with shape and color, and responsive interaction. The benefits of ECD are particularly critical during this coronavirus pandemic when children face severe disruptions in development. Hundreds of thousands of children have already lost a family member, and quarantines and school closures have led to isolation and increased child protection concerns. With so much at stake, we need to take action now. This bill is not just my bill or a Democratic bill, but a bipartisan bill that has garnered widespread support because saving children's lives is not a partisan measure but a human imperative. The Global Child Thrive Act shows that the United States is there for the world's most vulnerable and precious possession, its children. It also shows that we are serious about combating poverty as one of the greatest scourges that affects human dignity. This leadership is critical because we, as a nation, need to demonstrate to the world that we are still the North Star of freedom, democracy, and human rights. We need to show that the world can trust and follow our lead in welcoming those seeking refuge and helping marginalized populations around the world who just want the chance not only to survive but to thrive. I have spoken about the need to build up what I call an infrastructure of diplomacy. The work of USAID and international development, and our partnerships with NGOs that implement these programs, is an important component of that infrastructure that enables our Nation's leadership on the world's stage. Foreign affairs issues need the attention of our Nation because the truth is, foreign affairs touches all aspects of our lives, including national security, personal health, and access to essential goods. It determines how we trust and look at the goodness of our neighbors, not only across borders but across our own streets. This is a good measure. It has bipartisan support, and I hope that my colleagues will support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1315 Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Castro and Representative Fitzpatrick for their leading efforts on the Global Child Thrive Act, which we are considering here today. Although children have not faced as many direct health effects from COVID-19, the follow-on effects of the pandemic endanger the welfare of countless vulnerable children around the world. Over the summer, the U.N. estimated that an additional 10,000 children are dying every month due to hunger caused by COVID-19. This pandemic is also reversing hard-fought gains we have made in combating other diseases, increasing access to education, and reducing extreme poverty. This legislation supports efforts to integrate early childhood development into existing interventions on nutrition, education, maternal health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. It also expands the role of the Special Advisor for Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children in coordinating U.S. assistance and improving interagency cooperation. This bill, in short, Madam Speaker, protects the most vulnerable in our society, our children, from hunger and disease, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), the coauthor of the bill. An esteemed member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the gentleman, again, working with my good friend, Congressman Castro, has brought this measure forward today. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McCaul for yielding me time to speak on the Global Child Thrive Act. Madam Speaker, as a lifelong FBI special agent, one of my greatest concerns has always been the welfare of children, not just children in the United States, but children across the globe. Last year, as the ranking member indicated, I partnered with my colleague, Congressman Castro, to introduce H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act. This legislation was written to support young children and their families across the globe. Our bill has wide bipartisan and bicameral support. Our bill passed unanimously out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in December. We have over 60 bipartisan cosponsors. It is also supported by over 50 civil society groups working in child and international development. Madam Speaker, I want to particularly thank Catholic Relief Services, whose constituent advocates in my home district have championed these issues. Madam Speaker, the Global Child Thrive Act would update our foreign [[Page H4674]] aid programs to increase their effectiveness and multiply developmental outcomes for young children. Currently, less than 1 percent of our U.S. budget goes towards international aid programs, so it is critical that those limited dollars do as much good as possible. Today, the need for the enactment of our bill into law is more pressing than ever, as experts agree that the secondary impacts of COVID-19, such as increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and violence, will fall most heavily on vulnerable children. The Global Child Thrive Act will support the most vulnerable children to withstand the secondary impacts of the coronavirus, as well as future deadly pandemics. Moreover, this act is crucial, since children around the globe are continuously affected by widespread poverty and the lack of adequate childcare. According to UNICEF, extreme poverty in low- and middle- income countries is the reason why 250 million children 5 years old and younger may not achieve their full developmental potential. Moreover, UNICEF reports that at least ``75 million children under age five live in areas affected by conflict.'' Conflict increases a child's ``risk of toxic stress'' and ``can inhibit brain cell connections.'' Finally, Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Castro for his bipartisanship and his hard work on this legislation. I also thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, all fine colleagues of mine, for their cooperation and support on our legislation. As we all know, Madam Speaker, focusing on children is focusing on our future, and I urge all of my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act. Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am prepared to close. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, Brian Fitzpatrick, for his work in the FBI. I thought it was very compelling, the testimony about putting children's lives as the highest priority as he served as a very distinguished special agent in the Bureau and now serves in this Congress. I think Georgetown University ranked him as the most bipartisan Member of this body, of the House. I take pride in being on the top of the list, but Mr. Fitzpatrick's service in this House has been to issues of importance to Americans. Most Americans don't want us bickering. Most Americans want us working across the aisle to get good things done for the people of this country. The gentleman has demonstrated that every day I have witnessed him in office in this Congress and since he has served in office. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Castro for his leadership. Finally, Madam Speaker, being a Catholic myself, I do want to thank Catholic Relief Services and the development community for their work on this bill, working so hard to get to this point where we are now on the floor of the House of Representatives in the United States Congress getting ready to pass such an important bill that will save so many children's lives. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. It is now up to us to pass this bill that is before us today and to send a strong signal to the Senate that passing the Global Child Thrive Act into law is urgent. I also, Madam Speaker, as folks have said, want to thank Catholic Relief Services for all of their work and the work of their members and different chapters throughout the country in helping to shepherd this bill. As the world toils through a devastating pandemic, now more than ever, we must keep child welfare and the elimination of poverty front and center if we are to lead our country and the world to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient condition. We must stand united and be the acting conscience of the country. It is our job to do so. I, therefore, Madam Speaker, urge my colleagues in the House to support this measure so we can get it to the President's desk and have it signed into law. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4864, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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