Brady

Yea

Madam President, I second the points of order and I yield.

Madam President, I second the points of order raised by the Minority Whip and the amendment offered by the Senator from Texas, and I yield.

Name: Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Media/Outlet: State of the Union (CNN)

Reason: Sharp Administration Foreign Policy

• I've been clear on this point but I'll say it again: Russia is the aggressor in the conflict with Ukraine, and that's that. Vladimir Putin isn't entitled to a single inch of Ukrainian territory, and Ukraine has a right to defend itself. But an offensive against Russia could wind up costing Ukraine even more than what they've already lost.
• The United States and our allies should be encouraging Ukraine to exercise prudent judgment, but to do that, first this administration would need to exercise prudent judgment. And so far that's not what we're seeing in the Sharp administration's foreign policy. We're just going from one escalation to another.
• We just spent tens of billions to start what will probably turn into an arms race in the Middle East. Congress just passed lend-lease which will no doubt embolden Ukraine to pick a fight with Russia. We're standing up for human rights abusers like the former regime in Azerbaijan. None of that is prudent, nor does it reflect our values.
• The American people need the Sharp administration to first of all be focused on the problems we're facing here — inflation, crime, surging illegal immigration. But aside from that, we need to be focused on smart foreign policy with clear strategy and focus. Chaos only helps our adversaries, especially China, which capitalizes on our every distraction and becomes a friend to every new enemy we make. That's the real foreign policy and national security challenge we face.

Name: Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Media/Outlet: Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News)

Reason: Democratic Fiscal Priorities

• Democrats have actually told us a lot about what they're actually for in the past two years, but you won't get it from their words. You have to pay attention to what they do. And everything they do is geared toward an extreme ideological agenda that really doesn't resonate at all with normal working folks in the heartland.
• Take the reconciliation bill, for example. They're repealing federal law to let taxpayers off the hook for funding abortion providers. At the same time, they're rejecting an amendment by Michael Madison to keep taxpayer dollars from being spent on life-altering, body-warping gender reassignment surgery for children. It's mind boggling.
• You look at what they've tried to do with energy and it's just more extremism. You've got President Sharp going hat in hand to the Saudis begging for oil, standing with autocratic thugs like the former regime of Azerbaijan because of oil, but for American oil all Democrats have to offer is a new tax to reduce production and hike up costs.
• What Americans need from Washington is pretty simple: Less spending to bring down inflation. More American energy, none at all from overseas extortionists. A little help for working folks and a lot less corporate welfare. That's the furthest thing from what Democrats are offering and Americans need to know that despite the lip service.

Name: Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Media/Outlet: Hannity (Fox News)

Reason: Repeal of the Kaplan Amendments

• It's a shame Democrats are so deadset on repealing the amendments some of them helped pass to restrict taxpayer funding to abortion providers. And let's be clear, that's all we're talking about here — getting taxpayers off the hook for funding abortion providers not only here, but also overseas. It's not anything radical, it's common sense.
• What's radical is the way Democrats from Osiris Storm to supposed Blue Dogs like Criselle Valda-Torres, who claimed to be "conflicted" about abortion, are in total lockstep here. They insist American taxpayers need to give up their hard earned money to Planned Parenthood and even foreign abortion providers. Extreme stuff.
• I'll be honest, those amendments are going to be repealed in this reconciliation bill. There's nothing Republicans can do about it, it only takes 51 votes and Democrats have them. But there is something voters can do about it and that's toss out the politicians who think working Americans should be offsetting the costs of someone's abortion.
• What Democrats take away through a reconciliation bill can be restored through a reconciliation bill. Hope isn't lost. But Americans who respect life, or just respect taxpayers' consciences, are going to have to rally this November. If Democrats hold onto Congress they will use every tool they can to support abortion on demand.

Name: Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Media/Outlet: Face the Nation (CBS News)

Reason: Second Democratic Reconciliation Bill

• The Democrats' new reconciliation bill is in many ways even worse than their first. This bill really doesn't do much of anything for working Americans, it's just a giveaway for corporate boondoggles and Democratic interest groups. It's exactly the kind of cynical play you'd expect from Washington in an election year.
• Republicans have been focused on real relief for working families. The Blue Collar Bonus tax credit we passed at the beginning of this Congress offered a boost in income to help combat rising costs resulting from the spending bonanza that has driven up inflation. Our energy ideas drastically improved Democrats' lackluster energy bill.
• When you look at all that and also the American Workers Act, which enacted the strongest labor protections in decades, you see there's a realignment going on in Washington. The Republican Party represents working Americans and more and more, Democrats represent elites who already have plenty, but always want more.
• This reconciliation bill is just another example of Democrats leaving working folks behind. If Republicans take back Congress, we're going to rein in the spending to bring down inflation, and some of this spending that's already been allocated in this bill will be going to working folks instead.

Yea to all

Yea

Yea

Reno, Nevada

 

Democrats are leaving working Americans behind. You see it every day, the way they prioritize their donor class and their activists over the kitchen table concerns of working folks. From both reconciliation bills to the energy bill before Republicans improved it, this Congress has been focused on helping out the people who help Democrats get re-elected. Nothing about their agenda has been about supporting working Americans like you.

Fortunately, Republicans in Congress have your back. We passed a Blue Collar Bonus tax credit to make sure working Americans who are making less than the median wage see their incomes increase to combat every Sharp rise in inflation. That means service workers right here in Reno and in Vegas are making more because Republicans put you first, at the very start of this Congress. The Republican Party is the party of working families. Democrats cater to fat cat donors and activist elites.

We really need more Republicans up and down the ballot to make sure you're being prioritized with more common sense policies like the Blue Collar Bonus. You can expect Joe Lombardo to put you first if he's elected your Governor, because he's spent his career putting the safety of your communities first. We need Adam Laxalt to join us in the Senate as well to put American workers and your families first. Your families need real change, not whatever pocket change Democrats like Kate Marshall get around to tossing your way once their donors and activists are happy.

 

Paterson, New Jersey

 

You really have to wonder about Democrats' priorities these days. New Jersey families are struggling, but they've been more worried about staying in power, propped up by corrupt criminal Bob Menendez, than making sure you have representation in the Senate looking out for you.

Chris Smith will look out for you. Chris has spent his entire career in Congress putting New Jersey's people before party, and he's exactly the kind of forward thinker we need in the Senate. Chris has been putting out the call for Washington to take climate change and energy independence seriously, and Republicans are answering. We're taking an all of the above approach to energy, prioritizing carbon capture for fossil fuels, clean and reliable nuclear energy, and pushing for permitting reform so energy projects of all kinds, including renewables, can get off the ground quicker.

This hasn't been the Democrats' agenda. Their energy bill was too little, too late until Republicans improved it to make sure it put our energy independence and your families' needs first. Instead, the Sharp administration would prefer to rely on foreign corruptocrats not unlike Bob Menendez for oil handouts. Meanwhile, Chris Smith has spent his career fighting the corrupt thugs of the world. The best way to fight them today is to end our dependence on their energy resources, which is also the best way to fight for you and your families. Send Chris to the Senate so we can win the fight for independent, affordable, and clean energy.

 

Atlanta, Georgia

 

It turns out elections do have consequences, and you know it better than anyone. Your families have borne the consequences of the last election. The kind of spending Democrats are engaged in is completely off the rails. We're talking trillions of dollars and your families won't see the benefits of most of it.

Your families get inflation while folks like Bob Menendez, Sanford Bishop, and other corrupt elites laugh all the way to the bank. Enough is enough. Georgia, we need you to help us throw them out. We need you to elect a Governor who will put your families first — not his. But let me tell you, we really need someone with Geoff Duncan's integrity in the Senate. We need someone who won't be afraid to stand up to the corrupt Washington establishment, and if there's one thing Geoff has proven, it's that he won't back down when he's fighting for you.

 

There's a lot on the line. Working families need real relief, but all you've seen from Democrats is one Sharp rise in inflation after another. They've gone hat in hand to autocrats and thugs begging for foreign oil, but all they have are bans and taxes for American oil and gas, and higher costs for you. Raphael Warnock is a vote for more of the same, a vote for Osiris Storm, and a vote for the next Sharp rise in inflation. Send Geoff Duncan to the Senate to stand up and fight to put your families first.

 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 

This election is about two very different ways of looking at how our economy should work. Democrats think this economy should work for them — their donors, their activists, their priorities. Republicans believe the American economy doesn't work for anyone if it doesn't work for American workers.

The evidence is piling up. The gap between your wages and what the elites are raking in just gets wider. Washington spends on one corporate boondoggle after another, and all that spending leads to inflation and higher costs for you. We get it. That's why at the start of this Congress, we delivered the Blue Collar Bonus tax credit so you'd see your wages rise to combat rising costs. That's why Republicans delivered the strongest labor protections we've seen in decades.

We can do more of this, and we will, but we need help. We need Charlie Dent in Harrisburg to be our partner in making this economy work for you. Charlie will protect your natural gas jobs, and at the same time the natural gas your hard work is producing will help America toward independent and clean energy. We need Brian Fitzpatrick with us in the Senate so we can provide real relief for your families, reduce the tax and spending spree that is hiking up your costs, and put you front and center in America's economic agenda. American workers are the foundation of this economy and with Charlie and Brian helping us, we're going to rebuild this economy from the bottom up.

Madam President,

 

I move to amend as follows:

 

Kaplan I

 

Insert the following after Part II, Title 4, Section 2, Subsection (h):

 

Quote

(i) The tax credit established by the Blue Collar Bonus Act of 2021 is extended through taxable year 2033.

 

Amend the Plain English Summary for Part II, Title 4, Section 2 as follows:

 

Quote

Section 2 enacts reforms to individual taxation. This includes an increase to the top rate of income taxes, a new 5% tax bracket on incomes above 500k to ensure Medicare’s solvency, the enactment of a Billionaire’s Minimum Income Tax, relief from the SALT deduction for those earning below $400,000, and closing loopholes in capital gains taxation, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, and closing the carried interest loophole. Section 2 will raise approximately $1,580 billion over ten years. The tax credit established by the Blue Collar Bonus Act of 2021 is extended for ten years.

 

Kaplan II

 

Insert the following after Part II, Title 4, Section 3:

 

Quote

Section 4. Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms.
(with thanks to Ms. Miller-Meeks)

(a) In General.—Section 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(l) Credit Allowed With Respect To Unborn Children.—For purposes of this section—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘qualifying child’ includes an unborn child of an eligible taxpayer, and the requirements of subsections (e)(1) and (h)(7) shall be treated as met with respect to such child, for—

“(A) the taxable year immediately preceding the year in which such child is born alive, if the taxpayer includes on the return of tax for such taxable year a social security number for such child which is issued before the due date for such return of tax (without regard to extensions), or

“(B) the taxable year in which such child is miscarried or stillborn, if the taxpayer includes on the return of tax for the taxable year the identification number from a certificate of miscarriage or stillbirth issued for such child under section 229A(b) of the Public Health Service Act.

“(2) RETROACTIVE OR DOUBLE CREDIT ALLOWED IN CERTAIN CASES TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO THE CREDIT FOR UNBORN CHILDREN.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a qualifying child of an eligible taxpayer who is born alive and with respect to whom the credit under this section is not claimed under paragraph (1)(A) for the taxable year described in such paragraph, for the taxable year in which the child is born alive, with respect to such child—

“(i) the amount of the credit allowed (before the application of this subsection) under subsection (a), and

“(ii) the amount of the credit allowed (before the application of this subsection) under subsection (d)(1),

shall each be increased by the amount of the credit which would have been allowed under each such subsection respectively with respect to such child for the preceding taxable year if such child had been treated as a qualifying child of the taxpayer for such preceding year.

“(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR SPLITTING OF CREDIT.—In the case of a child otherwise described in subparagraph (A) who, but for this subparagraph, would not be treated as a qualifying child of the eligible taxpayer for the taxable year in which such child is born alive—

“(i) subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to such child,

“(ii) such child shall be treated as a qualifying child for purposes of this section for such taxable year of—

“(I) the eligible taxpayer, and

“(II) any other taxpayer with respect to whom such child would, without regard to this subparagraph, be treated as a qualifying child, and

“(iii) in the case of the eligible taxpayer, the amount of the credit allowed under subsection (a) and the amount of the credit allowed under subsection (d)(1) for such taxable year shall each be equal to the amount of the credit which would have been allowed under each such subsection respectively with respect to such child for the preceding taxable year if such child had been treated as a qualifying child of the eligible taxpayer for such preceding year.

“(3) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this subsection—

“(A) BORN ALIVE.—The term ‘born alive’ has the meaning given such term by section 8(b) of title 1, United States Code.

“(B) ELIGIBLE TAXPAYER.—The term ‘eligible taxpayer’ means a taxpayer who—

“(i) with respect to a child, is the mother who—

“(I) carries or carried such child in the womb, and

“(II) is the biological mother of such child or initiated the pregnancy with the intention of bearing and retaining custody of and parental rights to such child (or acted to such effect), or

“(ii) in the case of a joint return, is the husband of such mother,

but only if such taxpayer includes on the return of tax for the taxable year the social security number of such taxpayer (of at least 1 of such mother or husband, in the case of a joint return).

“(C) SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.—The term ‘social security number’ has the meaning given such term by subsection (h)(7).

“(D) UNBORN CHILD.—The term ‘unborn child’ means an individual of the species homo sapiens, from the beginning of the biological development of that individual, including fertilization, until the point of the earlier of being born alive or death.”.

 

(b) Part A of title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 202 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 229A. MISCARRIAGE OR STILLBIRTH CERTIFICATES.

“(a) Form Certifying Miscarriage Or Stillbirth.—Upon the request of a parent of an unborn child who dies pursuant to a miscarriage or stillbirth desiring a certificate described in subsection (b), a qualifying health care practitioner who attends or diagnoses such miscarriage or stillbirth may submit to the Secretary, acting through the Director for the National Center for Health Statistics (referred to in this section as the ‘Director’), a form certifying the miscarriage or stillbirth that includes—

“(1) the name of the unborn child (if provided by the requesting parent);

“(2) the sex of the child (if known);

“(3) the probable gestational age of the child;

“(4) identifying information of the parents of the unborn child;

“(5) a written certification from such practitioner stating, under penalty of perjury pursuant to section 1746 of title 28, that—

“(A) the mother was diagnosed as having been pregnant with the unborn child, according to standard medical practice, by such practitioner or another licensed health care practitioner; and

“(B) the unborn child died—

“(i) as a result of a miscarriage or stillbirth attended by or diagnosed by the certifying practitioner; and

“(ii) not as a result of an induced abortion or any other act that was intended by the mother to cause the death of the unborn child, including through the use of any abortion-inducing drug, but not including any treatment of an ectopic pregnancy;

“(6) a written certification from the mother of the unborn child stating, under penalty of perjury pursuant to section 1746 of title 28, United States Code, that the unborn child died as described in paragraph (5)(B); and

“(7) any other information as the Director may require.

 

“(b) Certificate Of Miscarriage Or Stillbirth.—Within 60 days of receipt of a form certifying a miscarriage or stillbirth submitted by a qualifying health care practitioner under subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall issue to the requesting parent a certificate of miscarriage or stillbirth that includes—

“(1) a unique identification number for the unborn child who was miscarried or stillborn;

“(2) (A) the name of the unborn child, as provided on the form under subsection (a); or

“(B) if a name does not appear on such original or amended form and the requesting parent does not wish to provide a name for the unborn child, ‘baby boy’ or ‘baby girl’, as applicable (or ‘baby’ if the child’s sex is unknown), and the last name of the parent;

“(3) the probable gestational age of the child;

“(4) the following statement, which shall appear on the front of the certificate: ‘This certificate is not proof of a live birth’;

“(5) the names of the parents; and

“(6) any other information as the Director may require.

 

“(c) Fees.—The Secretary, acting through the Director, may require payment of a fee from the requesting parent for obtaining a certificate of miscarriage or stillbirth under subsection (b), in an amount that is not greater than the actual cost of processing such certificate.

 

“(d) Disclosure.—Information submitted to the Secretary under subsection (a) and issued by the Secretary under subsection (b) shall be confidential, and shall not be disclosed other than as provided in such subsections or as otherwise used in the administration of the child tax credit allowed under section 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

“(e) Definitions.—For purposes of this section—

“(1) MISCARRIAGE.—The term ‘miscarriage’ means the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for a period of less than 20 weeks.

“(2) QUALIFYING HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘qualifying health care practitioner’—

“(i) means an individual who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or midwifery, or who is otherwise legally authorized to perform births and to diagnose and attend miscarriages or stillbirths; and

“(ii) excludes any such individual who is acting within the scope of employment with, self-employment as or with, or volunteer service for, an abortion center.

“(B) ABORTION CENTER.—For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii), the term ‘abortion center’—

“(i) means any entity for which at least one percent of its gross receipts are from performing abortions (including the use or prescription of any abortion-inducing drug, but excluding any procedure that is necessary to prevent the death of a pregnant mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, so long as every reasonable effort is made to preserve the lives of both the pregnant mother and her unborn child);

“(ii) includes the entire legal entity described in clause (i), including any entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such legal entity; and

“(iii) excludes any hospital (as defined in section 1861(e) of the Social Security Act).

“(3) STILLBIRTH.—The term ‘stillbirth’ means the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for 20 weeks or more.

“(4) UNBORN CHILD.—The term ‘unborn child’ means an individual of the species homo sapiens, from the beginning of the biological development of that individual, including fertilization, until the point of the earlier of being born alive (as defined in section 8(b) of title 1, United States Code) or death.”.

 

(c) Conforming Amendment.—Subsection (a) of section 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking “for which the taxpayer is allowed a deduction under section 151”.

 

(d) Application.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to children born alive, stillborn, or miscarried in taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

 

Insert the following into the Plain English Summary for Part II, Title 4:

 

Quote

Section 4 allows a child tax credit for an unborn child who is born alive. It also allows the credit upon certification that a mother's pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage (the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for less than 20 weeks) or that the child was stillborn (the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for 20 weeks or more).

 

Kaplan III

 

Insert the following after Part III, Title 2, Section 3:

 

Quote

Section 4. Credit for Elementary and Secondary Education Expenses.

(with thanks to Mr. Smith)

(a) In General.—Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to refundable credits) is amended by inserting after section 36C the following new section:

“SEC. 36D. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION EXPENSES.
“(a) Allowance Of Credit.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this subtitle for the taxable year the amount of the qualified education expenses paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year for each qualifying child of the taxpayer.

“(2) AMOUNT PER CHILD.—The amount of credit allowable under paragraph (1) for any taxable year with respect to the qualified education expenses of each qualifying child of the taxpayer shall not exceed $10,000.

 

“(b) Limitation Based On Adjusted Gross Income.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of the credit allowable under subsection (a) (after the application of subsection (a)(2)) shall be reduced (but not below zero) by $50 for each $1,000 (or fraction thereof) by which the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds the threshold amount.

“(2) DEFINITIONS AND SPECIAL RULES.—For purposes of this paragraph (1)—

“(A) THRESHOLD AMOUNT.—The term ‘threshold amount’ means—

“(i) $150,000 in the case of a joint return, and

“(ii) $75,000 in any other case.

“(B) MODIFIED ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.—The term ‘modified adjusted gross income’ means adjusted gross income increased by any amount excluded from gross income under section 911, 931, or 933.

“(C) MARITAL STATUS.—Marital status shall be determined under section 7703.

 

“(c) Definitions.—For purposes of this section—

“(1) QUALIFYING CHILD.—The term ‘qualifying child’ has the meaning given such term in section 24(c).

“(2) QUALIFIED EDUCATION EXPENSES.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘qualified education expenses’ means amounts paid for—

“(i) tuition and fees required for the enrollment or attendance of a student at a qualified educational institution, and

“(ii) so much of the following non-tuition expenses as does not exceed $1,500:

“(I) Computers, educational software, computer support services, and books required for courses of instruction at a qualified educational institution.

“(II) Academic tutoring (by a person other than the taxpayer).

“(III) Special needs services for qualifying children who are children with disabilities (as such term is defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)).

“(IV) Fees for transportation services to and from a private school, if the transportation is provided by the school and the school charges a fee for the transportation.

“(V) Academic testing services.

“(B) AMOUNTS EXCLUDED.—The term does not include special school fees for nonacademic purposes, including fees for student activities, athletics, insurance, school uniforms, and nonacademic after-school activities.

“(3) QUALIFIED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.—The term ‘qualified educational institution’ means any public, charter, private, parochial, or religious school organized for the purpose of providing elementary or secondary education, or both, without regard to the religious nature, character, affiliation, mission, beliefs, or exercise of such school.

 

“(d) Adjustment For Coverdell Savings Account Distributions.—The amount of qualified education expenses taken into account under subsection (a) with respect to an individual for a taxable year shall be reduced (before the application of subsection (b)) by the sum of any amounts not includible in gross income under section 530(d)(2) for such taxable year by reason of the qualified elementary and secondary education expenses (as defined in section 530(b)(3)) of such individual for such taxable year.”.

 

(b) Technical Amendments.—

(1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting “36D,” after “36C,”.

(2) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:

“Sec. 36D. Elementary and secondary education expenses.”.

(c) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

 

Amend the Plain English Summary for Part III, Title 2 as follows:

 

Quote

Title 2 makes education and childcare investments. Section 1 includes funding for means-tested childcare and early learning investments to ensure it is accessible for every family, and also provides funding for a universal free preschool program. Section 2 makes investments in improving student outcomes, providing free community college, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award, investing in minority-serving institutions, and means-tested student debt relief and long-term college affordability. Section 3 ensures full IDEA funding, invests in teacher training and development, and provides an additional $200 billion in funding to public schools that need it most. Section 4 allows a new refundable tax credit for the qualified education expenses of a taxpayer's child, up to $10,000 for each child. These expenses include tuition and fees for attendance at a public or private elementary or secondary school, and up to $1,500 of expenses for computers and educational software, tutoring, special needs services, transportation services, and academic testing services. Combined, Title 2 costs approximately $1,350 billion. 

 

Kaplan IV

 

Insert the following after Part I, Title 4, Subsection (a):

 

Quote

(b) The temporary suspension of highway fuel taxes on gasoline enacted by Section 18 of the American EnergiX Act of 2022 is extended through December 31, 2027.

 

Amend the Plain English Summary for Part I as follows:

 

Quote

Part I invests approximately $1.1 trillion dollars in an additional five-year infrastructure investment program. Title I focuses on transportation. Section a (approx 370 billion) focuses on roads, bridges, highways, and traffic safety; section b (approx 155 billion) focuses on rail infrastructures; section c (approx 200 billion) focuses on transit programs; section d (approx 45 billion) focuses on other forms of transport and infrastructure such as seaports, airports, and USACE projects. Title II invests approx 190 billion in water, lead replacement, and wastewater needs. Title 3 invests approx 70 billion in broadband infrastructure and connectivity. Title IV invests approx 70 billion in energy, industry, and mining and extends the temporary suspension of highway fuel taxes on gasoline for five years.

 

Thank you, I yield.

CS

Madam President,

I rise with several points of order, that the following provisions are extraneous as they do not make changes in spending or revenue:
 

Quote

SECTION 1. NAME
 

1. This bill will be known as the 'Invest in America Act'

 

Quote

(b) If any provision of this legislation is deemed invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in effect.

 

Quote

(c) For the purposes of clarity, “an Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2021” is referred to in this legislation as the “Defeating COVID Act”.

 

Quote

(d) Unless specified otherwise, the District of Columbia will be eligible for all programs to states.

 

Thank you, I yield.

Nay to all

Madam President, I second and yield.

Nay

Nay

Yea

 

Quote

REPUBLICAN PARTY AP BUDGET, ROUND 1

Rallies: 10 APs
[Georgia First, Atlanta, GA] = 5 APs
[Working for Workers, Pittsburgh, PA] = 5 APs

 

Speeches: 16 APs
[Senator Jonah Kaplan, 3 Locations] = 6 APs
[Senator Kyle Fitzgerald, 2 Locations] = 4 APs
[Senator Lucille McGillicuddy, 1 Location] = 2 APs
[Senator Michael Madison, 2 Locations] = 4 APs

 

Ads: 6 APs
[Thin Blue Line, SC, 1 Run] = 3 APs
[Crash, TX, 1 Run] = 3 APs

 

Infrastructure: 48 APs

[Canvassing Ops, GA, Level III] = 6 APs

[Turnout Ops, NV, Level III] = 6 APs
[Canvassing Ops, NH, Level III] = 6 APs
[Turnout Ops, PA, Level III] = 6 APs
[Turnout Ops, WI, Level III] = 6 APs
[Turnout Ops, AZ, Level II] = 4 APs
[Canvassing Ops, NJ, Level II] = 4 APs
[Canvassing Ops, NC, Level II] = 4 APs
[Turnout Ops, FL, Level I] = 2 APs

[Turnout Ops, IA, Level I] = 2 APs
[Canvassing Ops, OH, Level I] = 2 APs

 

SPEECHES

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX)

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Immigration Hawks, (2) Border Community Residents, (3) Suburban Voters

 

"You have two fantastic Republican candidates here in Arizona, Kari Lake and Blake Masters. I supported them throughout the primary, and I’m proud of their campaigns. One of the reasons I support them so enthusiastically is because they both take border security very seriously. I’m from a border state. I understand the challenges of being a border state, and I understand the tragic consequences of leaving our borders wide open.

"I don’t need to remind anyone about the fate of Samantha Baker, a young woman whose life was taken too soon by an illegal immigrant. Unfortunately, victims like Samantha are far too common. We’ve been dealing with this problem in Texas for years. Democrats like Abigail Sharp, however, don’t understand the problem. She couldn’t even remember Samantha’s name. 

"To combat illegal immigration and honor Samantha’s legacy, Senate Republicans introduced a bill called Samantha’s Law specifically to deal with the problem of crime committed by illegal immigrants. We also introduced the State Border Security Reimbursement Act to require the federal government to reimburse border states like Arizona for their security expenses. 

"I need allies like Blake and Kari to help me fight to secure our borders and crack down on illegal immigration. We need to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws. Blake and Kari will make this issue a top priority. They understand that without borders, we don’t have a country. On Election Day, get out there and vote for Blake Masters and Kari Lake." (246 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Lucille McGillicuddy (R-FL)

Location: Tampa, Florida

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Independent Voters, (2) Suburban Voters, (3) Law Enforcement

 

"In the summer of 2020, Tampa was rocked by riots and looting.  The Mayor even had to impose a curfew in an attempt to control the crime wave.  Dozens of businesses were damaged or destroyed.  Millions of dollars in damage resulted.  Two dozen police cars were torched.  It was a terrible time.  And similar disturbances took place in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tallahassee ... not to mention in the great urban centers of our entire country.  At the same time, the President's refusal to secure our borders has allowed many dangerous illegal aliens to invade our communities with crime and violence.  

 

"The police put themselves on the line every day to protect you and me.  They work to keep our streets and businesses and neighborhoods safe.  But Democrats don't agree.  They have wasted this term in Congress attempting to hamstring the police, automatically judging them guilty until proven innocent.   And Democrats have blocked any effort to improve our border security.  LIsten, no one supports immigration more than I do!  I would not have the wonderful husband and children I have today without immigration.  But we need to welcome the law-abiding immigrants and reject the criminals.  That's just common-sense.  But Democrats just don't believe in that anymore.  

 

"Democrats do not know how to keep our communities safe from crime.  That's just one reason I am asking for you to support me and every other Republican on the ballot on election day." (239 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Location: Reno, Nevada

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Independent Voters, (2) Working Class Families, (3) Service Workers

 

"Democrats are leaving working Americans behind. You see it every day, the way they prioritize their donor class and their activists over the kitchen table concerns of working folks. From both reconciliation bills to the energy bill before Republicans improved it, this Congress has been focused on helping out the people who help Democrats get re-elected. Nothing about their agenda has been about supporting working Americans like you.

"Fortunately, Republicans in Congress have your back. We passed a Blue Collar Bonus tax credit to make sure working Americans who are making less than the median wage see their incomes increase to combat every Sharp rise in inflation. That means service workers right here in Reno and in Vegas are making more because Republicans put you first, at the very start of this Congress. The Republican Party is the party of working families. Democrats cater to fat cat donors and activist elites.

"We really need more Republicans up and down the ballot to make sure you're being prioritized with more common sense policies like the Blue Collar Bonus. You can expect Joe Lombardo to put you first if he's elected your Governor, because he's spent his career putting the safety of your communities first. We need Adam Laxalt to join us in the Senate as well to put American workers and your families first. Your families need real change, not whatever pocket change Democrats like Kate Marshall get around to tossing your way once their donors and activists are happy." (249 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Michael Madison (R-MO)

Location: Derry, New Hampshire

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Independent Voters, (2) Middle Class Voters, (3) Suburban Voters

 

"It's an honor to share this stage with two exceptional leaders who embody the essence of what makes this state and our nation great – Chris Sununu and Kelly Ayotte. 

 

"Chris Sununu is a proven leader with a track record of results. His dedication to economic growth, responsible governance, and individual freedom resonates deeply with a state like New Hampshire, known for its commitment to liberty and common sense. Chris's hub-and-spoke addiction recovery program has served as a national model for tackling addiction, in a time when our streets are being flooded by deadly fentanyl. Chris has supported tax cuts and helped turn New Hampshire into one of the most business-friendly, pro-growth environments in the region.

 

"Kelly Ayotte's experience and integrity shine brightly as she steps up to lead the Granite State once again. As Attorney General, she was a firm backer of the thin blue line, prosecuting the murderer of police officer Michael Briggs and securing a strong conviction. In the Senate, she was a leader in the fight against addiction and drugs, proving her the experience and drive to tackle hard issues like the fentanyl crisis plaguing our country. She also fought hard for New Hampshire veterans and service members, protecting them from harsh cuts and pushing for cutting edge health services. She the perfect choice to lead this state forward.

 

"This year, we need to choose candidates with the experience and will to put things right. Kelly and Chris are the folks for the job." (247 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Location: Paterson, New Jersey

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Independent Voters, (2) Moderate Republicans, (3) Middle Class Voters

 

"You really have to wonder about Democrats' priorities these days. New Jersey families are struggling, but they've been more worried about staying in power, propped up by corrupt criminal Bob Menendez, than making sure you have representation in the Senate looking out for you.

"Chris Smith will look out for you. Chris has spent his entire career in Congress putting New Jersey's people before party, and he's exactly the kind of forward thinker we need in the Senate. Chris has been putting out the call for Washington to take climate change and energy independence seriously, and Republicans are answering. We're taking an all of the above approach to energy, prioritizing carbon capture for fossil fuels, clean and reliable nuclear energy, and pushing for permitting reform so energy projects of all kinds, including renewables, can get off the ground quicker.

"This hasn't been the Democrats' agenda. Their energy bill was too little, too late until Republicans improved it to make sure it put our energy independence and your families' needs first. Instead, the Sharp administration would prefer to rely on foreign corruptocrats not unlike Bob Menendez for oil handouts. Meanwhile, Chris Smith has spent his career fighting the corrupt thugs of the world. The best way to fight them today is to end our dependence on their energy resources, which is also the best way to fight for you and your families. Send Chris to the Senate so we can win the fight for independent, affordable, and clean energy." (248 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Michael Madison (R-MO)

Location: Greensboro, North Carolina

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Independent Voters, (2) Suburban Voters, (3) Law Enforcement

 

"Lara is a great woman, someone of solid values and proven ability. She’s a mother, and with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, that’s exactly the kind of voice we need in our party and in the Senate. She knows the challenges and joys of motherhood intimately, so she’s equipped perfectly to help young mothers and families as a US Senator. Ask Lara and she’ll tell you that she knows we don’t have to sacrifice life to support young women and their families, and with her in the Senate, we can make that a reality. 
 

“Lara is also someone with tremendous insight into business and the economy. Through experiences on her own and with her family, she’s seen how business operates and how government operates, and she’ll take that experience to Washington.
 

“Lara will vote to protect and support our police officers. Right now, Democrats are unified in their support of anti-police bills in the Senate. It’s no coincidence that they’re pushing Don Davis now in North Carolina, he’ll vote right along with Osiris Storm. Davis will provide the votes they need to undercut police even more than they already have and enact more legislation letting criminals on the streets in the name of ‘justice’. But where’s the justice for the victims of the violence in our cities?

 

“That’s why we need to get Lara elected. She’s a voice for common sense, North Carolina values, and safe streets." (238 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Jonah Kaplan (R-UT)

Location: Youngstown, Ohio

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) Working Class Families, (2) Exurban Voters, (3) Independent Voters

 

"I couldn't be more thrilled to be here campaigning for my good friend and the Leader of our party in the Senate, Robert Kessler, and your fantastic Governor, Mike DeWine. Mike and Robert have shown exactly how to prioritize the Buckeye State, while Robert has also been leading Senate Republicans to deliver an agenda that puts Americans first. Both of them are a model of true public service.

"When disaster struck in Salem, Mike and Robert were on the front lines making sure the people of Salem got everything they needed. As you know, that wasn't easy, because Senate Democrats chose that moment to slow everything down. But fortunately Robert was able to work with the Sharp administration and in coordination with the Governor, Salem got the relief it deserved. Meanwhile, the Railway Safety Act helped ensure this will never happen to another town in Ohio or elsewhere in America ever again.

"That kind of energy to put you and your families first is exactly what you need, and it's what you deserve. But it's not what we've been seeing from Democrats in Congress and it's not what you'll get from Tim Ryan or Greg Landsman. From rising inflation, to higher energy costs, to surging crime, Democrats have prioritized their donors and special interest groups, not your families. This November, if you want a Governor and a Congress that will work for you and put the people of Ohio first, we need to keep Mike and Robert on the job." (250 words)

 

Quote

Speaker: Senator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX)

Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

APs Expended: 2 APs

Target Demographics: (1) MAGA Republicans, (2) Social Conservatives, (3) Working Class Families

 

"You have two fantastic Republican candidates here in Wisconsin, Ron Johnson and Rebecca Kleefisch. I’m honored to be here today to support them. Right now, the Democratic Party is pushing an agenda in this country that makes us look like a banana republic. They’re spending out of control on things we can’t afford, and it’s leading to rising inflation here at home. They’re ignoring the safety and security of the American people, leaving our borders wide open and our communities exposed to crime. They’re pursuing a foreign policy that aligns us with dictators and extremists instead of with trusted partners. And at every turn, they are using and abusing their power to the fullest extent. 

"Ron and Rebecca see what is going on. They see what the Democrats are doing, and they will do the opposite. They will advocate for limited government and responsible spending. They will fight crime and keep our communities safe. They will promote economic policies that bring jobs and opportunity here to Wisconsin. And they will support the traditional family values that form the bedrock of our society. 

"As long as the Democrats have 51 votes in the senate and control of state governments, they will do anything and everything possible to further their own political power. On Election Day, we must stop them. Get out there and vote for Ron Johnson and Rebecca Kleefisch." (229 words)

 

RALLIES

 

Quote

Rally Title: Georgia First

Speakers: Senator Michael Madison (R-MO), Senator Jonah Kaplan (R-UT), Senator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX)

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

APs Expended: 5 APs
Target Demographics: (1) Mainstream Conservatives, (2) Middle Class Voters, (3) Suburban Voters

Senator Kyle Fitzgerald:

"You have two fantastic Republican candidates here in Georgia but today I want to focus mostly on Marjorie Taylor Greene, your nominee for Governor. That is because I was one of her earliest supporters, and I believe very strongly in her candidacy. Since day one of this campaign, she has defied the odds and proven the pundits wrong. She will do so again on Election Day because she’s an electrifying and refreshing figure in American politics. She resonates with the people in a way very few do. 

 

"Her opponent could not be any more different. He’s a career swamp creature who has spent the last 30 years in Congress leeching off the American taxpayer while involving himself in corrupt scandals. For example, he directed scholarships and awards funded by the Congressional Black Caucus to ineligible people – including his stepdaughter, niece, and other members of his family. He also misused over $90,000 of campaign funds to cover personal expenses

 

"We don’t need another swamp creature running the state of Georgia. We need a fresh face with new ideas and energy. Marjorie will bring her relentless passion for service into the Governor’s mansion. She will fight crime, protect traditional values, bring jobs to Georgia, and be a responsible steward of taxpayer money. After seeing the Sharp Administration up close and personal in Washington the past couple years, she knows exactly what not to do. On Election Day, get out there and vote for Geoff Duncan and Marjorie Taylor Greene." (248 words)

Senator Jonah Kaplan:

"It turns out elections do have consequences, and you know it better than anyone. Your families have borne the consequences of the last election. The kind of spending Democrats are engaged in is completely off the rails. We're talking trillions of dollars and your families won't see the benefits of most of it.

"Your families get inflation while folks like Bob Menendez, Sanford Bishop, and other corrupt elites laugh all the way to the bank. Enough is enough. Georgia, we need you to help us throw them out. We need you to elect a Governor who will put your families first — not theirs. But let me tell you, we really need someone with Geoff Duncan's integrity in the Senate. We need someone who won't be afraid to stand up to the corrupt Washington establishment, and if there's one thing Geoff has proven, it's that he won't back down when he's fighting for you.

 

"There's a lot on the line. Working families need real relief, but all you've seen from Democrats is one Sharp rise in inflation after another. They've gone hat in hand to autocrats and thugs begging for foreign oil, but all they have are bans and taxes for American oil and gas, and higher costs for you. Raphael Warnock is a vote for more of the same, a vote for Osiris Storm, and a vote for the next Sharp rise in inflation. Send Geoff Duncan to the Senate to stand up and fight to put your families first." (250 words)

Senator Michael Madison:

"The Georgia approach to governance is working. It’s no secret that the Peach State is one of the fastest growing in our union, and while the sunshine, natural beauty, and great people help a lot, Georgia’s small government, business-friendly climate can’t be forgotten. Look at the high-tax, high-spending states in our country—places like New York, California, or Illinois. People can’t get out fast enough as they rush to escape soaring crime, vanishing jobs, and rapacious taxation. They’re coming to states like this one for a reason, folks. 
 

“Democrats want to bring that approach to the federal government and to Georgia this year. They want to take everything going for Georgia and flush it down the toilet. Until Georgia is like California, disconnected from all values and hemorrhaging people, they won’t be satisfied. We have to stop the advance here. This year, the path to a majority runs right through Georgia, making this state the keystone for a defense against destructive big government progressivism. Republicans have led the fight to curb government spending, ramp down inflation, and foster a strong economy. But we can’t keep it up without reinforcements. 
 

“That’s why we need to elect Geoff Duncan and Marjorie Taylor Greene this year. They’ll halt the advance of big government and allow us to cut taxes, shrink the government, and bring the Georgia model nationwide, while keeping Georgia prospering and growing." (230 words)

 

Quote

Rally Title: Working for Workers

Speakers: Senator Michael Madison (R-MO), Senator Jonah Kaplan (R-UT), Senator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX)

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

APs Expended: 5 APs
Target Demographics: (1) Working Class Families, (2) Union Workers, (3) Natural Gas Workers

Senator Kyle Fitzgerald:

"You have two fantastic Republican candidates here in Pennsylvania but today I want to focus mostly on Brian Fitzpatrick, your nominee for Senator. Not only do Brian and I share a very similar last name, we are also both strong supporters of unions. That’s why he has been endorsed by key labor unions – including the AFL-CIO – throughout his career. 

"The right of American workers to organize in the workplace is a fundamental right. In my opinion, it’s enshrined in the Constitution as part of the First Amendment. If you can’t organize in your workplace, then do you really have any freedom of speech and assembly? Right now, multi-national corporations like Wal-Mart are trampling on these constitutional rights. That is why I introduced the American Workers Act to level the playing field between American workers and multi-national corporations. Recently, this bill was enacted into law. This bill is the biggest victory for labor rights in many years. It makes it easier for workers to organize in the workplace by allowing secondary strikes, protecting whistleblowers, and prohibiting employers from using coercive tactics. An amendment added to the bill also eliminates tax breaks for union-busting activities.

"I need Brian on my side in the Senate so that we can continue to fight for unions and workers. Brian has a track record on this issue that we can all trust. On Election Day, get out there and vote for Charlie Dent and Brian Fitzpatrick." (242 words)

Senator Jonah Kaplan:

"This election is about two very different ways of looking at how our economy should work. Democrats think this economy should work for them — their donors, their activists, their priorities. Republicans believe the American economy doesn't work for anyone if it doesn't work for American workers.

"The evidence is piling up. The gap between your wages and what the elites are raking in just gets wider. Washington spends on one corporate boondoggle after another, and all that spending leads to inflation and higher costs for you. We get it. That's why at the start of this Congress, we delivered the Blue Collar Bonus tax credit so you'd see your wages rise to combat rising costs. That's why Republicans delivered the strongest labor protections we've seen in decades.

"We can do more of this, and we will, but we need help. We need Charlie Dent in Harrisburg to be our partner in making this economy work for you. Charlie will protect your natural gas jobs, and at the same time the natural gas your hard work is producing will help America toward independent and clean energy. We need Brian Fitzpatrick with us in the Senate so we can provide real relief for your families, reduce the tax and spending spree that is hiking up your costs, and put you front and center in America's economic agenda. American workers are the foundation of this economy and with Charlie and Brian helping us, we're going to rebuild this economy from the bottom up." (250 words)

Senator Michael Madison:

"Oil and gas really form the lifeblood of this part of the country these days. It has provided a great avenue for economic regeneration for Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania as a whole, even as y’all work on recovering from your steel and coal being outsourced and shut down by the government. The Shale Revolution has been a blessing for Pennsylvania, one that unfortunately has been blocked from imparting it’s full benefits on Pennsylvanians. 
 

“John Fetterman should know better than anyone about the struggles faced by this part of the country and the opportunities afforded by investment and jobs in oil and gas. Instead, in 2018, he said he has never supported it and never will. That’s a mainstream position in his party. You see, the blue-collar extraction, refinement, engineering, and technician jobs the industry creates are just too dirty for their elite donors’ tastes. John Fetterman might claim to be just another normal guy, but he’s a career politician beholden to his special interest donors as much as the rest of them. The modern Democratic Party wants your jobs shipped out and replaced again to make their Ivory Tower elites feel a little more morally righteous. Fetterman and Conor Lamb will happily dance to their tune. 
 

“This year, we have an opportunity to strike back and secure the future of the Commonwealth. Charlie Dent and Brian Fitzpatrick know the real interests of everyday Pennsylvanians, and they’re ready to fight hard on your behalf in Harrisburg and D.C." (246 words)

 

ADVERTISEMENTS

 

Quote

Ad Title: Thin Blue Line

Type: Television

Location: South Carolina (1 run)

APs Expended: 3 APs

 

Ad begins with local SC news footage of crime scenes and violence, with ominous music in the background 

Female Narrator: “Right now, our nation is experiencing a vicious crime wave. Thanks to left-wing opposition to police, our streets are no longer safe.” 
Screen shows footage of BLM riots and lawlessness, then brings cutout photos of Jim Clyburn and Osiris Storm on the screen

Female Narrator: “As members of Democratic leadership, Jim Clyburn and Osiris Storm have supported legislation to defund police departments by burying them in legal action, forcing them to pull back further when we need them most.” 
Shows animated graphic of those photos cutting a thin blue ribbon holding back chaos. 
Female Narrator: “This November, say no to those who would cut the thin blue line.” 

(23 seconds according to wordcounter.net)

 

Quote

Ad Title: Crash

Type: Television

Location: Texas (1 run)

APs Expended: 3 APs

 

Ad begins with shots of pumpjacks, oil wells both old and new, natural gas extraction sites, and refineries around Houston 

Female Narrator: "Oil and gas are the lifeblood of the Texas economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, powering millions of homes, and making thousands of products possible. So why do Democrats want to bleed us dry?” 
Black oil animation drips and spreads from the top of the screen and pictures of Osiris Storm, Abigail Sharp, and Lizzie Fletcher appear. Music becomes threatening. 
Female Narrator: “Democrats like Osiris Storm and Abigail Sharp are spending trillions to displace oil and gas, even as they beg the Saudis for more foreign oil. With Lizzie Fletcher in the driver’s seat, they’ll run us off a cliff.” 
The pictures get into a Prius with a Texas map on the side and put Fletcher in the driver’s seat and then run off an invisible cliff and disappear offscreen with a crashing noise.

Female Narrator: “In November, vote for a champion for Texas energy. Vote Greg Abbott.”

Campaign logo appears on screen and ad ends

(29 seconds according to wordcounter.net)

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

 

Quote

Canvassing Ops - Georgia - Level III = 6 APs

Turnout Ops - Nevada - Level III = 6 APs

Canvassing Ops - New Hampshire - Level III = 6 APs
Turnout Ops - Pennsylvania - Level III = 6 APs
Turnout Ops - Wisconsin - Level III = 6 APs

Turnout Ops - Arizona - Level II = 4 APs
Canvassing Ops - New Jersey - Level II = 4 APs
Canvassing Ops - North Carolina - Level II = 4 APs

Turnout Ops - Florida - Level I = 2 APs

Turnout Ops - Iowa - Level I = 2 APs
Canvassing Ops - Ohio - Level I = 2 APs

 

Yea

Yea

Ho no.

Mr. President,

 

I thank the Minority Leader for noting there are amendments to introduce. I want to emphasize these amendments are both intended to enhance this bill and should be non-controversial. By assisting in the hiring of veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers, we will be ensuring greater availability of resource officers who already have experience in protecting and serving our nation and our communities. Meanwhile, providing statutory authority for a federal clearinghouse of best practices in school safety will ensure availability of the latest evidence-based information on how best to keep our students safe in schools.

 

As a cosponsor of this bill, I very much support this bill and I hope these amendments will be viewed as friendly.

 

With that in mind, I move to amend as follows:

 

Kaplan I

 

Insert the following:

 

Quote

SECTION X. USES OF COPS GRANTS TO HIRE VETERANS AND RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

(with thanks to Mr. Van Drew)

(a) Section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)) is amended by inserting “, and the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers” after “offenses”.

 

(b) Section 1701(c) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(c)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking “or” at the end;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

“(4) for hiring and training veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers.”.

 

(c) Section 1701(d) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(d)(3)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (3):

“(4) MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND TRAINING.—The Attorney General may provide technical assistance to States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, and to other public and private entities using funds under this section for purposes described in subsection (b)(12) to provide school resource officers with an annual mental health screening and an annual training on tactics and response.”.

 

(d) Section 1709(4) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10389(4)) is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “, veteran, or retired law enforcement officer” after “career law enforcement officer”;

(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking “and” at the end;

(3) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(4) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:

“(H) to meet at least annually with students in order to increase familiarity between students and the officer and to foster community engagement.”.

 

(e) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate with recipients of grants under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.) to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers (as such term is defined in section 1709 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 1038)) with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships described in section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)).

 

Amend Section 14 by inserting the following:

 

Quote

This bill also expands COPS grants to provide for hiring veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers. The bill also permits the Attorney General to provide technical assistance in providing school resource officers with annual mental health screenings as well as tactical and response training. Additionally, the bill provides for coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships to provide school resource officers.

 

Kaplan II

 

Insert the following before the current Section 13 and renumber the bill accordingly:

 

Quote

TITLE II—ENSURING EVIDENCE-BASED SCHOOL SAFETY PRACTICES

(with thanks to Mr. Murphy)

 

SECTION 201. FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SCHOOL SAFETY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES.
(a) In General.—Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 2220D. FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SCHOOL SAFETY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES.
“(a) Establishment.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices (in this section referred to as the ‘Clearinghouse’) within the Department.

“(2) PURPOSE.—The Clearinghouse shall serve as a Federal resource to identify and publish online through SchoolSafety.gov, or any successor website, evidence-based practices and recommendations to improve school safety for use by State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, State and local law enforcement agencies, health professionals, and the general public.

“(3) PERSONNEL.—

“(A) ASSIGNMENTS.—The Clearinghouse shall be assigned such personnel and resources as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out this section.

“(B) DETAILEES.—The Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services may detail personnel to the Clearinghouse.

“(4) EXEMPTIONS.—

“(A) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the ‘Paperwork Reduction Act’), shall not apply to any rulemaking or information collection required under this section.

“(B) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply for the purposes of carrying out this section.

 

“(b) Clearinghouse Contents.—

“(1) CONSULTATION.—In identifying the evidence-based practices and recommendations for the Clearinghouse, the Secretary shall—

“(A) consult with appropriate Federal, State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations, including civil rights and disability rights organizations; and

“(B) consult with the Secretary of Education to ensure that evidence-based practices published by the Clearinghouse are aligned with evidence-based practices to support a positive and safe learning environment for all students.

“(2) CRITERIA FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse shall—

“(A) include comprehensive evidence-based school safety measures;

“(B) include the evidence or research rationale supporting the determination of the Clearinghouse that the evidence-based practice or recommendation under subparagraph (A) has been shown to have a significant effect on improving the health, safety, and welfare of persons in school settings, including—

“(i) relevant research that is evidence-based, as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), supporting the evidence-based practice or recommendation;

“(ii) findings and data from previous Federal or State commissions recommending improvements to the safety posture of a school; or

“(iii) other supportive evidence or findings relied upon by the Clearinghouse in determining evidence-based practices and recommendations, as determined in consultation with the officers described in subsection (a)(3)(B);

“(C) include information on Federal programs for which implementation of each evidence-based practice or recommendation is an eligible use for the program;

“(D) be consistent with Federal civil rights laws, including title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), and title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.); and

“(E) include options for developmentally appropriate recommendations for use in educational settings with respect to children’s ages and physical, social, sensory, and emotionally developmental statuses.

“(3) PAST COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Clearinghouse shall present, as determined in consultation with the officers described in subsection (a)(3)(B), Federal, State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organization issued best practices and recommendations and identify any best practice or recommendation of the Clearinghouse that was previously issued by any such organization or commission.

 

“(c) Assistance And Training.—The Secretary may produce and publish materials on the Clearinghouse to assist and train educational agencies and law enforcement agencies on the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations.

 

“(d) Continuous Improvement.—The Secretary shall—

“(1) collect for the purpose of continuous improvement of the Clearinghouse—

“(A) Clearinghouse data analytics;

“(B) user feedback on the implementation of resources, evidence-based practices, and recommendations identified by the Clearinghouse; and

“(C) any evaluations conducted on implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

“(2) in coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General—

“(A) regularly assess and identify Clearinghouse evidence-based practices and recommendations for which there are no resources available through Federal Government programs for implementation; and

“(B) establish an external advisory board, which shall be comprised of appropriate State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations, including organizations representing parents of elementary and secondary school students, representative from civil rights organizations, representatives of disability rights organizations, representatives of educators, representatives of law enforcement, and nonprofit school safety and security organizations, to—

“(i) provide feedback on the implementation of evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

“(ii) propose additional recommendations for evidence-based practices for inclusion in the Clearinghouse that meet the requirements described in subsection (b)(2)(B).

 

“(e) Parental Assistance.—The Clearinghouse shall produce materials in accessible formats to assist parents and legal guardians of students with identifying relevant Clearinghouse resources related to supporting the implementation of Clearinghouse evidence-based practices and recommendations.”.

 

(b) Technical Amendments.—The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296; 116 Stat. 2135) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“Sec. 2220D. Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices.”.

 

SECTION 202. NOTIFICATION OF CLEARINGHOUSE.
(a) Notification By The Secretary Of Education.—The Secretary of Education shall provide written notification of the publication of the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices (referred to in this section and section 13304 as the “Clearinghouse”), as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State and local educational agency; and

(2) other Department of Education partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Education.

 

(b) Notification By The Secretary Of Homeland Security.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State homeland security advisor;

(2) every State department of homeland security; and

(3) other Department of Homeland Security partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

 

(c) Notification By The Secretary Of Health And Human Services.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State department of public health; and

(2) other Department of Health and Human Services partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

 

(d) Notification By The Attorney General.—The Attorney General shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State department of justice; and

(2) other Department of Justice partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Attorney General.

SECTION 203. GRANT PROGRAM REVIEW.
(a) Federal Grants And Resources.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Clearinghouse or the external advisory board established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by this subtitle, shall—

(1) review grant programs and identify any grant program that may be used to implement evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse;

(2) identify any evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse for which there is not a Federal grant program that may be used for the purposes of implementing the evidence-based practice or recommendation as applicable to the agency; and

(3) periodically report any findings under paragraph (2) to the appropriate committees of Congress.

 

(b) State Grants And Resources.—The Clearinghouse shall, to the extent practicable, identify, for each State—

(1) each agency responsible for school safety in the State, or any State that does not have such an agency designated;

(2) any grant program that may be used for the purposes of implementing evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

(3) any resources other than grant programs that may be used to assist in implementation of evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse.

SECTION 204. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) Waiver Of Requirements.—Nothing in this title or the amendments made by this title shall be construed to create, satisfy, or waive any requirement under—

(1) title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.);

(2) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);

(3) title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.);

(4) title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.); or

(5) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).

 

(b) Prohibition On Federally Developed, Mandated, Or Endorsed Curriculum.—Nothing in this title or the amendments made by this title shall be construed to authorize any officer or employee of the Federal Government to engage in an activity otherwise prohibited under section 103(b) of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3403(b)).

 

Amend the current Section 14 by inserting the following:

 

Quote

Title II of this bill provides statutory authority for the federal clearinghouse of school safety resources. The clearinghouse identifies and publishes best practices and recommendations for school safety for use by state and local educational and law enforcement agencies, institutions of higher education, health professionals, and the public. This title requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Education to notify their state and local counterparts and other partners about the clearinghouse.

 

This title also requires the clearinghouse or the external advisory board to review and report on federal grant programs that could be used to implement best practices and recommendations. The clearinghouse is also required to identify state agencies, state grant programs, and other resources that may be used to implement best practices and recommendations.

 

Additionally, this title makes clear it does not waive certain requirements under federal law and does not alter existing prohibitions against federally developed, mandated, or endorsed curriculum.

 

Thank you, I yield.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 

Mr. Kaplan (for himself and Mr. Fitzgerald*, with thanks to Mr. Grothman, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Van Drew) introduced the following bill

 

A BILL

 

To improve school safety by expanding children and family mental health services, providing grants to make physical school safety improvements, prioritizing the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers, providing for a federal clearinghouse of school safety resources, and for other purposes.

 

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 “Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2022”.

 

TITLE I—EXPANSION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

 

SEC. 101. EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
Section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(3) ADDITIONAL PLANNING GRANTS FOR STATES.—In addition to the planning grants awarded under paragraph (1), as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall award planning grants to States (other than States selected to conduct demonstration programs under paragraph (1) or (8) of subsection (d)) to develop proposals to participate in time-limited demonstration programs described in subsection (d) so that, beginning July 1, 2024, and every 2 years thereafter, up to 10 additional States may participate in the demonstration programs described in subsection (d) in accordance with paragraph (9) of that subsection.”;

(2) in subsection (d)—

(A) in paragraph (3)—

(i) by striking “September 30, 2023” and inserting “September 30, 2025”; and

(ii) by striking “Subject to paragraph (8)” and inserting “Subject to paragraphs (8) and (9)”;

(B) in paragraph (5)—

(i) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “that is furnished” and inserting “that is furnished by a State participating in an ongoing demonstration program under this subsection”;

(ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii)—

(I) in subclause (I), by striking “September 30, 2023; and” and inserting “September 30, 2025;”;

(II) in subclause (II), by striking “under paragraph (8)” and all that follows through the period and inserting “under paragraph (8), during the first 24 fiscal quarter period (or any portion of such period) that the State participates in the demonstration program; and”; and

(III) by adding at the end the following new subclause:

“(III) in the case of a State selected to participate in the demonstration program under paragraph (9), during the first 16 fiscal quarter period (or any portion of such period) that the State participates in the demonstration program.”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following:

“(D) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting a State that participated in a demonstration program under this subsection that has ended from receiving Federal financial participation under title XIX of the Social Security Act for amounts expended by the State under a State plan under such title (or a waiver of such plan) for providing medical assistance for items and services, and carrying out activities, including continuing to pay for services under the prospective payment system established under subsection (c), that were provided or carried out by the State under the demonstration program, to the extent such financial participation is otherwise available under such title.”;

(C) in paragraph (7)—

(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “through the year in which the last demonstration under this section ends” after “annually thereafter”;

(ii) in subparagraph (B)—

(I) by striking “December 31, 2021” and inserting “September 30, 2025”; and

(II) by adding at the end the following new sentence: “Such recommendations shall include data collected after 2019, where feasible.”; and

(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(C) FINAL EVALUATION.—Not later than 24 months after all demonstration programs under this section have ended, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a final evaluation of such programs.”;

(D) in paragraph (8)(A), by striking “2 years” and all that follows through the period and inserting “6 years.”; and

(E) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(9) FURTHER ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the States selected under paragraphs (1) and (8), the Secretary shall select any State that meets the requirements described in subparagraph (B) to conduct a demonstration program that meets the requirements of this subsection for 4 years.

“(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The requirements described in this subparagraph with respect to a State are that the State—

“(i) was awarded a planning grant under paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (c); and

“(ii) submits an application (in addition to any application that the State may have previously submitted under this section) that includes the information described in paragraph (2)(B).

“(C) REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTED STATES.—The requirements applicable to States selected under paragraph (8) pursuant to subparagraph (C) of such paragraph shall apply in the same manner to States selected under this paragraph.

“(D) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall not select more than 10 States to conduct a demonstration program under this paragraph for each 2 fiscal year period.”; and

(3) in subsection (f)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(C) for purposes of awarding planning grants under subsection (c)(3), providing technical assistance to States applying for grants under such subsection, and carrying out demonstration programs under subsection (d), $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, to remain available until expended.”.

SEC. 102. MEDICAID AND TELEHEALTH.
(a) Guidance To States On Furnishing Services Through Telehealth Under Medicaid And CHIP.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance and issue guidance to States on improving access to telehealth for services covered under Medicaid and CHIP, including with respect to:

(1) How States can adopt flexibilities under Medicaid and CHIP to expand access to covered services via telehealth, including when States may adopt such flexibilities without the need for approval of a State plan amendment or waiver.

(2) Best practices regarding billing for services, including recommended voluntary billing codes, modifiers, and place of service designations and how such billing codes, modifiers, and designations can be used to create consistent data sets.

(3) Strategies for integrating telehealth services into value-based care models.

(4) Best practices from States that have used Medicaid waivers and other Medicaid authorities to expand access to telehealth, including during the COVID–19 public health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act on January 31, 2020, entitled “Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists Nationwide as the Result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus”, including any renewal of such declaration.

(5) Strategies to promote the delivery of accessible and culturally competent care via telehealth, including addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities, medically underserved urban and rural communities, racial and ethnic minorities such as American Indians and Alaska Natives, individuals with limited English proficiency, and individuals of different age groups including children, young adults, and seniors;

(6) Strategies for training and providing resources to providers and patients on the use of telehealth, including working with interpreters to furnish health services and providing resources in multiple languages.

(7) Integrating the use of existing video platforms that enable multi-person video calls.

(8) Best practices to support the delivery of covered services under Medicaid and CHIP via telehealth in schools, including specifically for the provision of mental health and substance use disorder services in such settings.

(9) Strategies for evaluating how the delivery of health services via telehealth affects quality, outcomes, and cost under Medicaid and CHIP.

(10) Best practices for conveying information to beneficiaries regarding the availability of telehealth as an option to receive services covered under Medicaid and CHIP, including the availability of audio-only telehealth, the ability to receive such services from a patient’s home, and requirements related to in-person visits.

 

(b) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) CHIP.—The term “CHIP” means the State children's health insurance program established under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.).

(2) MEDICAID.—The term “Medicaid” means the program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

(3) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(4) STATE.—The term “State” has the meaning given that term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such Act.

SEC. 103. SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN SCHOOLS.
(a) Guidance And Technical Assistance.—

(1) GUIDANCE.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall issue guidance to State Medicaid agencies, local educational agencies, and school-based entities to support the delivery of medical assistance to Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries in school-based settings.

(B) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—The guidance issued pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall—

(i) include updates to the May 2003 Medicaid School-Based Administrative Claiming Guide, the 1997 Medicaid and Schools Technical Assistance Guide, and other relevant guidance in effect on the date of enactment of this Act;

(ii) clarify that payments may be made to school-based entities under Medicaid for delivering assistance under Medicaid, including any such assistance provided in accordance with an individualized education program or under the policy described in the State Medicaid Director letter on payment for services issued on December 15, 2014 (#14-006);

(iii) outline strategies and tools to reduce administrative burdens on, and simplify billing for, local educational agencies, in particular small and rural local educational agencies, and support compliance with Federal requirements regarding billing, payment, and recordkeeping, including by aligning direct service billing and school-based administrative claiming payment systems;

(iv) include a comprehensive list of best practices and examples of approved methods that State Medicaid agencies and local educational agencies have used to pay for, and increase the availability of, assistance under Medicaid, including expanding State programs to include all Medicaid-enrolled students, providing early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment (EPSDT) services in schools, utilizing telehealth, coordinating with community-based mental health and substance use disorder treatment providers and organizations, coordinating with managed care entities, and supporting the provision of culturally competent and trauma-informed care in school settings; and

(v) provide examples of the types of providers (which may include qualified school health personnel) that States may choose to enroll, deem, or otherwise treat as participating providers for purposes of school-based programs under Medicaid and best practices related to helping such providers enroll in Medicaid for purposes of participating in school-based programs under Medicaid.

(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a technical assistance center to—

(i) assist and expand the capacity of State Medicaid agencies and local educational agencies and school-based entities to provide assistance under Medicaid;

(ii) reduce administrative burdens for such agencies and health centers or entities;

(iii) support State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and school-based entities in obtaining payment for the provision of assistance under Medicaid;

(iv) ensure ongoing coordination and collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education with respect to the provision of, and payment for, assistance under Medicaid by local educational agencies; and

(v) provide information to State and local educational agencies and States on how to utilize funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and other Federal agencies to ensure payment under Medicaid for assistance provided in school-based settings.

(B) SMALL AND RURAL SCHOOLS.—The Secretary shall ensure that the technical assistance center includes resources which are specifically designed to help support small and rural local educational agencies in obtaining payment for the provision of assistance under Medicaid.

(C) REPORTING.—The technical assistance center shall, on a biennial basis, submit to the Secretary a report on the work of the center that identifies the areas where the most assistance was requested.

(3) FUNDING.—Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection, $8,000,000, for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended.

 

(b) Grants.—There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 for the Secretary to award grants to States for the purpose of implementing, enhancing, or expanding the provision of assistance through school-based entities under Medicaid or CHIP. A State shall not use any grant funds to provide medical assistance, child health assistance, or other health services.

 

(c) Definitions.—For purposes of this section:

(1) CHIP.—The term “CHIP” means the State children's health insurance program established under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.).

(2) INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The term “individualized education program” has the meaning given such term in section 602(14) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401(14)).

(3) MEDICAID.—The term “Medicaid” means the program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

(4) SCHOOL-BASED ENTITY.—The term “school-based entity” means—

(A) a school-based health center, as that term is defined in section 2110(c)(9) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397jj(c)(9)); and

(B) an entity that provides medical assistance in a school-based setting for which Federal financial participation is allowed under Medicaid.

(5) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(6) STATE.—The term “State” has the meaning given that term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such Act.

(7) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY; LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The terms “State educational agency” and “local educational agency” have the meaning given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

SEC. 104. REVIEW OF STATE IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY AND PERIODIC SCREENING, DIAGNOSTIC, AND TREATMENT SERVICES.
(a) Review.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall—

(A) review State implementation of the requirements for providing early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services under Medicaid in accordance with sections 1902(a)(43), 1905(a)(4)(B), and 1905(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(43), 1396d(a)(4)(B), 1396d(r)), including with respect to the provision of such services by managed care organizations, prepaid inpatient health plans, prepaid ambulatory health plans, and primary care case managers;

(B) identify gaps and deficiencies with respect to State compliance with such requirements;

(C) provide technical assistance to States to address such gaps and deficiencies; and

(D) issue guidance to States on the Medicaid coverage requirements for such services that includes best practices for ensuring children have access to comprehensive health care services, including children without a mental health or substance use disorder diagnosis.

(2) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 6 months after each date on which the Secretary completes the activities described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the most recent activities completed for purposes of such paragraph that includes the findings made, and descriptions of actions taken by the Secretary or by States as a result of such activities, and any additional actions the Secretary plans to carry out or that States are required to carry out as a result of such activities.

(3) FUNDING.—Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection, to remain available until expended, $5,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024, and $1,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter.

 

(b) GAO Study And Report.—

(1) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States (in this subsection referred to as the “Comptroller General”) shall conduct a study evaluating State implementation under Medicaid of the early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services benefit required for children by section 1905(a)(4)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(a)(4)(B)) and as defined in section 1905(r) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(r)) and provided in accordance with the requirements of section 1902(a)(43) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(43)), specifically with respect to State oversight of managed care organizations, prepaid inpatient health plans, prepaid ambulatory health plans, and primary care case managers, and shall provide recommendations as appropriate to improve State compliance with the requirements for providing such benefit, State oversight of managed care organizations, prepaid inpatient health plans, prepaid ambulatory health plans, and primary care case managers, and oversight of State programs under Medicaid by the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

(2) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1) that includes the recommendations required by such paragraph, as well as recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.

 

(c) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) MEDICAID.—The term “Medicaid” means the program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

(2) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(3) STATE.—The term “State” has the meaning given that term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) for purposes of titles XIX and XXI of such Act.

SEC. 105. PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS GRANTS.
Section 330M of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–19) is amended—

(1) in the section enumerator, by striking “330M” and inserting “330M.”;

(2) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(A) by inserting “or cooperative agreements” after “award grants”; and

(B) by striking “Indian tribes and tribal organizations” and inserting “Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations”;

(3) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “a grant” and inserting “an award”;

(ii) in subparagraph (G), by inserting “developmental-behavioral pediatricians,” after “psychiatrists,”;

(iii) in subparagraph (H), by inserting “provide information to pediatric health care providers about available mental health services for children in the community and” before “assist”; and

(iv) in subparagraph (I), by striking “problems” and inserting “conditions”;

(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);

(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

“(2) SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the activities required under paragraph (1), a pediatric mental health care access program referred to in subsection (a), with respect to which an award under such subsection may be used, may provide information, consultative support, training, and technical assistance to—

“(i) emergency departments; and

“(ii) State educational agencies, local educational agencies, Tribal educational agencies, and elementary and secondary schools.

“(B) REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN RECIPIENTS.—An entity receiving information, consultative support, training, and technical assistance under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall operate in a manner consistent with, and shall ensure consistency with, the requirements of subsections (a) and (c) of section 4001 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act with respect to such information, consultative support, training, and technical assistance.”; and

(D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by inserting “, and which may include a developmental-behavioral pediatrician” before the period at the end of the first sentence;

(4) in subsections (c), (d), and (f), by striking “Indian tribe, or tribal organization” each place it appears and inserting “Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization”;

(5) in subsections (c) and (d)—

(A) by striking “a grant” each place it appears and inserting “an award”; and

(B) by striking “such grant” each place it appears and inserting “such award”;

(6) in subsection (e), by striking “grants” and inserting “awards”;

(7) in subsection (f)—

(A) by striking “award a grant” and inserting “make an award”; and

(B) by striking “the grant” and inserting “the award”;

(8) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h);

(9) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:

“(g) Technical Assistance.—The Secretary may—

“(1) provide, or continue to provide, technical assistance to recipients of awards under subsection (a); and

“(2) award a grant or contract to an eligible public or nonprofit private entity (as determined by the Secretary) for the purpose of providing such technical assistance pursuant to this subsection.”; and

(10) in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by striking “$9,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2022” and inserting “$31,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027”.

 

TITLE II—PROTECTING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL

 

SEC. 201. PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.—The Secretary of Education shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies to perform the physical improvements referred to in subsection (b) for elementary schools and secondary schools served by such agencies.

 

(b) Use Of Funds.—Each local educational agency receiving a grant under subsection (a) shall use such funds to ensure each elementary school and secondary school served by such agency—

(1) hires a school resource officer who carries a firearm; and

(2) establishes a single point of entry that includes a locked anteroom—

(A) in which all guests of such school are inspected by such officer prior to entry into another area of such school; and

(B) which has metal detectors and bullet proof windows at such point of entry.

 

(c) Application.—To receive a grant under subsection (a), a local educational agency shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

 

(d) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of subsection (a).

 

(e) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms “elementary school”, “local educational agency”, “secondary school”, and “State educational agency” have the meaning given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(2) SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.—The term “school resource officer” has the meaning given such term in section 1709 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10389).

 

SEC. 202. USES OF COPS GRANTS TO HIRE VETERANS AND RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

(a) Section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)) is amended by inserting “, and the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers” after “offenses”.

 

(b) Section 1701(c) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(c)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking “or” at the end;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

“(4) for hiring and training veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers.”.

 

(c) Section 1701(d) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(d)(3)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (3):

“(4) MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND TRAINING.—The Attorney General may provide technical assistance to States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, and to other public and private entities using funds under this section for purposes described in subsection (b)(12) to provide school resource officers with an annual mental health screening and an annual training on tactics and response.”.

 

(d) Section 1709(4) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10389(4)) is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “, veteran, or retired law enforcement officer” after “career law enforcement officer”;

(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking “and” at the end;

(3) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(4) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:

“(H) to meet at least annually with students in order to increase familiarity between students and the officer and to foster community engagement.”.

 

(e) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate with recipients of grants under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.) to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers (as such term is defined in section 1709 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 1038)) with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships described in section 1701(b)(12) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(12)).

 

SEC. 203. SUPPORTING SAFER SCHOOLS THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

(a) Student Support And Academic Enrichment Grants.—Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7111 et seq.) is amended—

(1) by redesignating sections 4109 through 4112 as sections 4110 through 4113, respectively; and

(2) by inserting after section 4108 the following:

“SEC. 4109. ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT SCHOOL SAFETY AND PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST STUDENTS OR SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

“Each local educational agency, or consortium of such agencies, that receives an allocation under section 4105(a) may use such funds for school safety infrastructure improvements to prevent, mitigate, or respond to incidents of violence.”.

 

(b) Definitions.—Section 4102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (5)(B), by inserting “including the prevention of gun violence,” after “school safety,”;

(2) by redesignating paragraphs (7) and (8) as paragraphs (8) and (9), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:

“(7) SCHOOL SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.—The term ‘school safety infrastructure improvements’ means improvements to the physical facility or technology of a school to prevent intruders from entering a school, ensure students and school personnel may safely enter the school building and exit during an emergency, or protect the life and well-being of students and school personnel, including—

“(A) physical improvements to the school to prevent and deter unauthorized access to the school, including locks, double entry systems, hardened entrances, and interior and exterior video surveillance systems;

“(B) security doors, automatic locks, security glass, alarm systems, metal detectors, and sensor systems;

“(C) emergency communications systems, including wireless and geographically precise mobile alert systems;

“(D) perimeter fencing;

“(E) emergency exit systems;

“(F) duress or panic systems;

“(G) emergency tip lines; and

“(H) any other physical improvements to existing facilities where the primary purpose is to improve or enhance school safety.”.

 

(c) Formula Grants To States.—Section 4103(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7113(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “section 4112” and inserting “section 4113”.

 

(d) State Use Of Funds.—Section 4104(b)(3)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7114(b)(3)(B)) is amended—

(1) in clause (iii), by striking “and” at the end; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(v) improving the safety and security of schools, which may include—

“(I) identifying and disseminating best practices for school safety;

“(II) assisting in the establishment or implementation of emergency planning, which may include emergency response teams to address emergencies at schools;

“(III) establishing or identifying agreements with local law enforcement and health agencies, including nonprofit, public, and private mental health agencies and institutions, to improve coordination of services and identify threats to the safety of students and school personnel; and

“(IV) school safety infrastructure improvements; and”.

 

(e) Local Educational Agency Applications.—Section 4106(e) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7116(e)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in subparagraph (D)—

(i) by striking “4109” and inserting “4110”; and

(ii) by striking “and” at the end;

(B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and

(C) by inserting after subparagraph (D), the following:

“(E) if applicable, how funds will be used for activities related to supporting school safety infrastructure improvements under section 4109; and”; and

(2) in paragraph (2)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “, including charter schools where applicable,” after “schools”;

(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively;

(C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:

“(E) use a portion of funds received under this subpart to support one or more of the activities authorized under section 4109;”; and

(D) in subparagraph (F), as so redesignated—

(i) by striking “section 4109(a)” and inserting “section 4110(a)”; and

(ii) by striking “section 4109(b)” and inserting “section 4110(b)”.

 

(f) Activities To Support Safe And Healthy Students.—Section 4108 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7118) is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “Subject to” and inserting the following:

“(a) In General.—Subject to”;

(2) in subsection (a)(5) (as amended by paragraph (1))—

(A) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “4111” and inserting “4112”; and

(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking “4111” and inserting “4112”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Rule Of Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to—

“(1) prevent Federal, State, or local law enforcement from detaining or arresting an individual who could otherwise be detained or arrested for an alleged violent offense;

“(2) otherwise interfere with Federal, State, or local law enforcement’s discretion to investigate legitimate threats to school safety; or

“(3) discourage school officials from referring an individual to law enforcement.”.

 

(g) Activities To Support The Effective Use Of Technology.—Section 4110 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7119), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in paragraph (5), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(7) providing technology to improve school safety.”; and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) by striking “A local” and inserting the following:

“(1) IN GENERAL.—A local”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

“(2) EXCEPTION.—The limitation described in paragraph (1) shall not apply to technology infrastructure that is also a school safety infrastructure improvement.”.

 

(h) Technical Amendment.—The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is amended by striking the items relating to sections 4109, 4110, 4111, and 4112 and inserting the following:

“Sec. 4109. Activities to support school safety and prevent violence against students or school personnel.
“Sec. 4110. Activities to support the effective use of technology.
“Sec. 4111. Supplement, not supplant.
“Sec. 4112. Rule of construction.
“Sec. 4113. Authorization of appropriations.”.

 

TITLE III—ENSURING EVIDENCE-BASED SCHOOL SAFETY PRACTICES

 

SEC. 301. FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SCHOOL SAFETY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES.
(a) In General.—Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 2220D. FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SCHOOL SAFETY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES.
“(a) Establishment.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices (in this section referred to as the ‘Clearinghouse’) within the Department.

“(2) PURPOSE.—The Clearinghouse shall serve as a Federal resource to identify and publish online through SchoolSafety.gov, or any successor website, evidence-based practices and recommendations to improve school safety for use by State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, State and local law enforcement agencies, health professionals, and the general public.

“(3) PERSONNEL.—

“(A) ASSIGNMENTS.—The Clearinghouse shall be assigned such personnel and resources as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out this section.

“(B) DETAILEES.—The Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services may detail personnel to the Clearinghouse.

“(4) EXEMPTIONS.—

“(A) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the ‘Paperwork Reduction Act’), shall not apply to any rulemaking or information collection required under this section.

“(B) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply for the purposes of carrying out this section.

 

“(b) Clearinghouse Contents.—

“(1) CONSULTATION.—In identifying the evidence-based practices and recommendations for the Clearinghouse, the Secretary shall—

“(A) consult with appropriate Federal, State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations, including civil rights and disability rights organizations; and

“(B) consult with the Secretary of Education to ensure that evidence-based practices published by the Clearinghouse are aligned with evidence-based practices to support a positive and safe learning environment for all students.

“(2) CRITERIA FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse shall—

“(A) include comprehensive evidence-based school safety measures;

“(B) include the evidence or research rationale supporting the determination of the Clearinghouse that the evidence-based practice or recommendation under subparagraph (A) has been shown to have a significant effect on improving the health, safety, and welfare of persons in school settings, including—

“(i) relevant research that is evidence-based, as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), supporting the evidence-based practice or recommendation;

“(ii) findings and data from previous Federal or State commissions recommending improvements to the safety posture of a school; or

“(iii) other supportive evidence or findings relied upon by the Clearinghouse in determining evidence-based practices and recommendations, as determined in consultation with the officers described in subsection (a)(3)(B);

“(C) include information on Federal programs for which implementation of each evidence-based practice or recommendation is an eligible use for the program;

“(D) be consistent with Federal civil rights laws, including title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), and title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.); and

“(E) include options for developmentally appropriate recommendations for use in educational settings with respect to children’s ages and physical, social, sensory, and emotionally developmental statuses.

“(3) PAST COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Clearinghouse shall present, as determined in consultation with the officers described in subsection (a)(3)(B), Federal, State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organization issued best practices and recommendations and identify any best practice or recommendation of the Clearinghouse that was previously issued by any such organization or commission.

 

“(c) Assistance And Training.—The Secretary may produce and publish materials on the Clearinghouse to assist and train educational agencies and law enforcement agencies on the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations.

 

“(d) Continuous Improvement.—The Secretary shall—

“(1) collect for the purpose of continuous improvement of the Clearinghouse—

“(A) Clearinghouse data analytics;

“(B) user feedback on the implementation of resources, evidence-based practices, and recommendations identified by the Clearinghouse; and

“(C) any evaluations conducted on implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

“(2) in coordination with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General—

“(A) regularly assess and identify Clearinghouse evidence-based practices and recommendations for which there are no resources available through Federal Government programs for implementation; and

“(B) establish an external advisory board, which shall be comprised of appropriate State, local, Tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations, including organizations representing parents of elementary and secondary school students, representative from civil rights organizations, representatives of disability rights organizations, representatives of educators, representatives of law enforcement, and nonprofit school safety and security organizations, to—

“(i) provide feedback on the implementation of evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

“(ii) propose additional recommendations for evidence-based practices for inclusion in the Clearinghouse that meet the requirements described in subsection (b)(2)(B).

 

“(e) Parental Assistance.—The Clearinghouse shall produce materials in accessible formats to assist parents and legal guardians of students with identifying relevant Clearinghouse resources related to supporting the implementation of Clearinghouse evidence-based practices and recommendations.”.

 

(b) Technical Amendments.—The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296; 116 Stat. 2135) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“Sec. 2220D. Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices.”.

 

SEC. 302. NOTIFICATION OF CLEARINGHOUSE.
(a) Notification By The Secretary Of Education.—The Secretary of Education shall provide written notification of the publication of the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices (referred to in this section and section 13304 as the “Clearinghouse”), as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State and local educational agency; and

(2) other Department of Education partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Education.

 

(b) Notification By The Secretary Of Homeland Security.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State homeland security advisor;

(2) every State department of homeland security; and

(3) other Department of Homeland Security partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

 

(c) Notification By The Secretary Of Health And Human Services.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State department of public health; and

(2) other Department of Health and Human Services partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

 

(d) Notification By The Attorney General.—The Attorney General shall provide written notification of the publication of the Clearinghouse, as required to be established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 13302 of this Act, to—

(1) every State department of justice; and

(2) other Department of Justice partners in the implementation of the evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse, as determined appropriate by the Attorney General.

SEC. 303. GRANT PROGRAM REVIEW.
(a) Federal Grants And Resources.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Clearinghouse or the external advisory board established under section 2220D of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by this subtitle, shall—

(1) review grant programs and identify any grant program that may be used to implement evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse;

(2) identify any evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse for which there is not a Federal grant program that may be used for the purposes of implementing the evidence-based practice or recommendation as applicable to the agency; and

(3) periodically report any findings under paragraph (2) to the appropriate committees of Congress.

 

(b) State Grants And Resources.—The Clearinghouse shall, to the extent practicable, identify, for each State—

(1) each agency responsible for school safety in the State, or any State that does not have such an agency designated;

(2) any grant program that may be used for the purposes of implementing evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse; and

(3) any resources other than grant programs that may be used to assist in implementation of evidence-based practices and recommendations of the Clearinghouse.

SEC. 304. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) Waiver Of Requirements.—Nothing in this title or the amendments made by this title shall be construed to create, satisfy, or waive any requirement under—

(1) title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.);

(2) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);

(3) title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.);

(4) title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.); or

(5) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).

 

(b) Prohibition On Federally Developed, Mandated, Or Endorsed Curriculum.—Nothing in this title or the amendments made by this title shall be construed to authorize any officer or employee of the Federal Government to engage in an activity otherwise prohibited under section 103(b) of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3403(b)).

 

Plain English Summary

 

TITLE I--EXPANSION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

 

This title reauthorizes, funds, and supports programs, grants, and activities that provide access to mental and behavioral health.

 

(Sec. 101) This section extends through September 30, 2025, the Medicaid demonstration program for certified community behavioral health clinics. It also expands the program by increasing the number of states that may participate and increasing the length of the demonstration programs. It provides funding for planning grants, technical assistance, and the demonstration programs.

 

(Sec. 102) This section requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide technical assistance and issue guidance to states on ways to improve access to telehealth under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

 

(Sec. 103) This section requires and provides funding for the CMS to (1) issue guidance to support the delivery of medical assistance to Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries in school-based settings; and (2) establish a technical assistance center to expand the capacity of state Medicaid agencies, local educational agencies, and school-based entities to provide assistance under Medicaid.

 

This section also authorizes grants for states to implement, enhance, or expand non-health related services through school-based entities under Medicaid and CHIP.

 

(Sec. 104) This section requires and provides funding for the CMS to regularly review and report on states' implementation of federal requirements to provide early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services for children enrolled in Medicaid. The review must address the provision of the services by managed care plans.

 

Additionally, this section requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report on state compliance with the requirements to provide early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services for children enrolled in Medicaid.

 

(Sec. 105) This section reauthorizes through FY2027 pediatric mental health care access grants and allows grants to be used to provide information, support, training, and technical assistance to emergency departments, educational agencies, and schools.

 

TITLE II—PROTECTING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL

 

(Sec. 201) This section requires the Department of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to make physical improvements at elementary and secondary schools.

 

Grant funds must be used to ensure that each elementary and secondary school served by the LEA (1) hires a school resource officer who carries a firearm, and (2) establishes a single point of entry that includes a locked anteroom with metal detectors and bulletproof windows and where the school resource officer inspects all guests prior to entry into another area of the school.

 

(Sec. 202) This section expands COPS grants to provide for hiring veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers.

 

This section also permits the Attorney General to provide technical assistance in providing school resource officers with annual mental health screenings as well as tactical and response training.

 

Additionally, this section provides for coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to connect veterans seeking to serve as school resource officers with local law enforcement agencies participating in school-based partnerships to provide school resource officers.

 

(Sec. 203) This section allows local educational agencies to use certain federal funds for activities related to school safety, including infrastructure improvements to prevent, mitigate, or respond to incidents of school violence.

 

TITLE III—ENSURING EVIDENCE-BASED SCHOOL SAFETY PRACTICES

 

(Sec. 301) This section provides statutory authority for the federal clearinghouse of school safety resources. The clearinghouse identifies and publishes best practices and recommendations for school safety for use by state and local educational and law enforcement agencies, institutions of higher education, health professionals, and the public.

 

(Sec. 302) This section requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Education to notify their state and local counterparts and other partners about the clearinghouse.

 

(Sec. 303) This section requires the clearinghouse or the external advisory board to review and report on federal grant programs that could be used to implement best practices and recommendations. This section also requires the clearinghouse to identify state agencies, state grant programs, and other resources that may be used to implement best practices and recommendations.

 

(Sec. 304) This section makes clear the title does not waive certain requirements under federal law and does not alter existing prohibitions against federally developed, mandated, or endorsed curriculum.