U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from all members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate as well as the House and Senate leadership and House and Senate committees.
Featured Stories
Westerman, Graves Introduce Legislation Promoting Access To American Energy
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release:
House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-Mo.) introduced the Transparency and Production of (TAP) American Energy Act.
"American families have been on the front lines of dealing with the Biden administration's failed energy policies," Westerman said. "Skyrocketing gas prices, threats of rolling blackouts, inflated grocery costs, more expensive home heating and cooling bills - these
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release:
House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-Mo.) introduced the Transparency and Production of (TAP) American Energy Act.
"American families have been on the front lines of dealing with the Biden administration's failed energy policies," Westerman said. "Skyrocketing gas prices, threats of rolling blackouts, inflated grocery costs, more expensive home heating and cooling bills - theseare just a sampling of the energy crises we've faced under Democrat control. It's time to reverse this downward trajectory and become fully energy independent. This is a pivotal part of the Republican commitment to America: that we will maximize American-made energy and reduce reliance on foreign countries. The TAP American Energy Act is a comprehensive solution doing just that by responsibly opening up access to our rich natural resources, reforming and streamlining permitting processes and incentivizing innovation. I'm honored to lead this effort and lower energy costs across the country."
"We need to make America energy independent again. We have all the tools to do it - the Biden Administration just lacks the willpower to get the job done," Graves said. "The TAP American Energy Act will enact common-sense reforms to streamline critical pipeline and energy infrastructure approvals, jumpstart American energy production, and restore American energy independence - regardless of who is in the White House. This is a blueprint for how we can lower gas prices, strengthen our energy grid, and fight the rising cost of living in this country."
Background
The TAP American Energy Act would provide a much-needed jumpstart to American energy production and infrastructure. By eliminating bureaucratic hurdles, empowering the energy sector to innovate, expanding access to federal lands and waters for responsible energy development, and more, the U.S. can surpass anyone else in the world in reliable energy while incentivizing a true all-of-the-above energy approach.
The TAP American Energy Act would:
* Prevent any president from imposing bans on federal energy leasing and mineral withdrawals without congressional approval.
* Require the Department of the Interior (DOI) to immediately resume quarterly lease sales on federal lands and require a minimum of four leases sales per year in each state with eligible lands.
* Require a minimum of two annual oil and gas lease sales in available federal waters in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area and in the Alaska Region of the Outer Continental Shelf.
* Require the publication of the 2023-2028 plan for offshore oil and gas lease sales by Dec. 30, 2022, and that DOI meet certain deadlines for publishing future five-year plans.
* Require Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements for all forms of energy development to be completed within one and two years, respectively.
* Amend the Geothermal Steam Act to require a yearly lease sale for geothermal energy.
* Streamline the environmental review process to allow pipeline, renewable energy and energy infrastructure projects to move forward efficiently and without compromising environmental protections.
* Eliminate requirements for duplicative review and analyses, reducing delays for important upgrades and improvements of our energy infrastructure.
Read the full bill text here (https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&cid=AR04BW&crop=0000.0000.0000.0000&report_id=&redirect=https%3a%2f%2fchrome-extension%3a%2f%2fefaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj%2fhttps%3a%2f%2frepublicans-naturalresources.house.gov%2fuploadedfiles%2ftap_act_final.pdf&redir_log=620466847327980).
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Original text here: https://westerman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/westerman-graves-introduce-legislation-promoting-access-american-energy
Sen. Casey Introduces Bill to Lower Costs of Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, issued the following news release:
As the opioid crisis continues to ravage the country, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is introducing legislation to lower costs for the many millions of Americans seeking opioid treatment, including life-saving medication and outpatient treatment programs. The Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings (MORE) Savings Act would eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for people
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, issued the following news release:
As the opioid crisis continues to ravage the country, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is introducing legislation to lower costs for the many millions of Americans seeking opioid treatment, including life-saving medication and outpatient treatment programs. The Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings (MORE) Savings Act would eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for peopleenrolled under a new Medicare pilot program, while increasing federal funding for Medicaid treatment programs.
"Recovering from an opioid use disorder can be expensive, isolating and daunting. I want to ensure that when a person seeks out treatment, they are not turned away by prohibitive costs or other barriers," said Senator Casey. "By eliminating those costs, this legislation would begin to provide a measure of relief to the millions of people struggling with opioid use and get more Americans on the road to recovery."
Specifically, the MORE Savings Act would:
* Require insurers offering individual or group health insurance to cover prescription drugs and behavioral health services used to treat opioid use disorders and to reverse overdoses, as well as recovery support services in conjunction with treatment at no cost.
* Establish a 5-year pilot program in 15 states to eliminate costs for people using Medicare for prescription drugs and behavioral health services used to treat opioid use disorders, to reverse overdoses and to provide for community recovery support services.
* Provide a robust Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) increase for Medicaid programs to provide prescription drugs and behavioral health services used to treat opioid use disorders, to reverse overdoses and to provide for community recovery support services.
This legislation is supported by the Drug & Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance.
Read more about the MORE Savings Act here (https://aging.senate.gov/download/one-pager-more-savings-act).
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Original text here: https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/casey-introduces-bill-to-lower-costs-of-treatment-for-opioid-use-disorder
Casey Testifies In Support Of Outbound Investment Screening In Senate Banking Committee
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022:
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee in support of safeguarding U.S. supply chains and national security by screening U.S. companies' outbound investments in adversarial counties. In his testimony, Senator Casey highlighted the massive investments U.S. businesses are making in high-tech companies with ties to the Chinese government and warned of the potential risks if the United States continues to allow bad actors to play a vital role
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022:
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee in support of safeguarding U.S. supply chains and national security by screening U.S. companies' outbound investments in adversarial counties. In his testimony, Senator Casey highlighted the massive investments U.S. businesses are making in high-tech companies with ties to the Chinese government and warned of the potential risks if the United States continues to allow bad actors to play a vital rolein our national and economic security interests.
"Outbound investment of this kind aids the [Chinese Communist Party] in its ongoing efforts to steal our technology for the benefit of its industries. Without a mechanism to understand the ways in which the export of U.S. investment and capabilities are resulting in a wholesale transfer of American R&D and expertise to our adversaries, the U.S. government is an active party to the decline of our own economic might and national security," said Senator Casey.
As the lead sponsor of the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, Senator Casey has been pushing for action so the U.S. can better understand the risks of allowing foreign adversaries to gain access to critical capabilities and technology, as well as to design and manufacture goods that are vital to U.S economic and national security interests. Senator Casey's legislation has bipartisan and bicameral support. Administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and National Security Council Advisor Jake Sullivan have also expressed support for increased scrutiny of outbound investment.
Senator Casey's full statement for the record is below:
TESTIMONY OF SENATOR ROBERT P. CASEY, JR. OF PENNSYLVANIA
BEFORE THE SENATE BANKING COMMITTEE
HEARING ON "EXAMINING OUTBOUND INVESTMENT"
September 29, 2022
Thank you, Chairman Brown, Ranking Member Toomey and Members of the Committee for inviting me to this important hearing today. I am pleased to have this chance to testify in support of an outbound investment screening mechanism. And I am grateful to Senator Cornyn for his partnership in this effort, as well as our colleagues in both the House and the Senate who are sponsors of the legislation, the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act (S. 1854), including Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Bill Pascrell, Brian Fitzpatrick and Victoria Spartz.
For decades, the United States has steadily ceded its manufacturing power to other countries, particularly foreign adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Russian Federation. Outsourcing our manufacturing and supply chains has put our economic and national security at risk. Unfortunately, the pandemic exacerbated this problem, as we experienced acute shortages of things like PPE and computer chips, simply because we were reliant on other countries to manufacture them and a broken supply chain to get them to us.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I first introduced the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act to require targeted government screening of certain transactions by U.S. companies doing business in adversarial countries. This bill would help the U.S. better understand the risks of allowing foreign adversaries to gain access to critical capabilities and technology and to design and manufacture goods critical to our economic and national security interests. Over the past two years, we have garnered growing bipartisan and bicameral support for this concept, and Biden Administration officials and key stakeholders have expressed support for an outbound investment screen, but we need more focus on this across the government and Congress.
Without such a focus - without an outbound investment screening mechanism - we cannot understand, much less safeguard, critical domestic industries and capabilities for American workers, manufacturers and innovators. We must avoid aiding and abetting our economic competitors and potential adversaries.
At the heart of this is manufacturing, which is core to our economic competitiveness. In the United States, manufacturing represents about 11 percent of GDP, but is responsible for 70 percent of R&D, according to analysis from the consulting firm McKinsey./1 Manufacturing drives innovation. When you lose manufacturing, you lose innovation. Countries that don't make things don't endure.
Working men and women in Pennsylvania have seen the damage that decades of offshoring and the hollowing out of American manufacturing strength and knowledge does to communities and industries. Pennsylvania suffered record manufacturing job losses over the last generation. According to the Economic Policy Institute, China, governed by the CCP, cost the U.S. 3.7 million jobs between 2001 and 2018. 2.8 million jobs --three-fourths of the total jobs lost in this time period--were in manufacturing. 137,300 of those jobs were in Pennsylvania./2 Jobs numbers alone provide little insight into the family and community trauma, as well as economic scarring, that have ravaged many small towns. In key sectors such as communications equipment, electronics and computer technology, we have ceded up to 40 percent to 60 percent of the domestic market share to Chinese imports, and globally the People's Republic of China (PRC) has captured extensive market shares in those sectors as well./3 We have learned from the intelligence community and law enforcement of the security risks that the loss of that production and those capabilities has fueled.
To add insult to injury, investments are being made in our rivals, such as the PRC and Russia. The level of U.S. investment in Chinese companies is staggering, which benefits the CCP. U.S. foreign direct investment has flooded into the PRC over the last three decades. Lately, U.S. firms have been targeting investments in high-tech and advanced service sectors. According to SEC data, in 2020, U.S. firms collectively invested in Chinese companies over $200 billion in artificial intelligence, $50 billion in biotech, and approximately $80 billion in telecom, semiconductors and other technologies./4 In fact, many of these investments have been made in companies owned, controlled or influenced by the CCP. As of 2020, U.S. investments in PRC companies totaled by capital investment $152 billion to Chinese state-owned enterprises and $54 billion to Chinese military companies.5
But it's not just the investment dollars, it's the actual operations and capabilities that are being outsourced to the PRC. Research from the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission, a bipartisan entity created by Congress, showed that, based on official U.S. data, the rate of R&D investments by some of our firms in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector in the PRC outpaced the rate of their domestic investments during the period examined almost three-fold./6 We have seen our growing reliance on the PRC for many of our life-saving and life-supporting drugs. We cannot afford to continue that dependence.
At present, the Executive and Legislative branches of our government have little knowledge of where these dollars are going and what sort of projects they may be supporting once dollars are invested. They could very well be used against us or our allies in the future. We risk funding threats to our own national security and that of our allies. According to former U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, venture capital firms are pouring billions into Chinese companies that are "developing dual-use and sensitive technologies that are going to be weaponized against us or already are aiding and abetting the Russians." The National Critical Capabilities Defense Act would help us prevent such threats to our own security.
Outbound investment of this kind aids the CCP in its ongoing efforts to steal our technology for the benefit of its industries. Without a mechanism to understand the ways in which the export of U.S. investment and capabilities are resulting in a wholesale transfer of American R&D and expertise to our adversaries, the U.S. government is an active party to the decline of our own economic might and national security.
The CCP has made clear over the past decade and more its willingness to sever access to critical supply chains and use economic coercion to bully other nations. The CCP has acted on such threats. It has used market access as a weapon against one of our core security partners, Australia. In 2020, when Australia called for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, the PRC responded by slapping duties on Australian exports and revoking Australian producers export licenses. Last year, when Lithuania allowed the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in its capital of Vilnius, the PRC began a punishing campaign of economic coercion including market access and import restrictions. The PRC obstructed the export of rare earth materials to Japan as leverage to compel Japan to release the captain of a Chinese fishing boat who was detained after a boating accident in disputed water. There are countless other examples like these from around the world.
It's not hard to imagine a scenario where the PRC ceases the export of computer chips or critical rare metals to the U.S. or an ally, leaving us unable to respond due to a lack of domestic capacity or alternative means of procuring them. The U.S. must confront a Chinese regime determined to bully or steal its way to economic superiority.
Some critics have said that outbound investment screening should be left to the free market and private companies to sort out. The PRC and Russia will continue to ignore international law, as well as private, free market rules. Nazak Nikakhtar, in testimony before the Intelligence Committee earlier this year said as follows:
"These are not incidental consequences of open and free trade. These are the very perverse and adverse consequences of one country exploiting open borders to cripple other nations' economies. Our economic losses have resulted from the PRC's deliberate attempts to hollow out our industries in order to create dependency on their own distorted market."7
The PRC's broader military and governmental ambitions are intertwined with its trade and economic actions because the Chinese government's agenda blurs the lines between its economic and defense sectors by way of its "civil-military fusion" approach. The Chinese government's investment in, and theft of, technology and innovation supports the expansion of its security posture through development of surveillance technology, nuclear powered submarines and products across the commercial spectrum. This means the PRC does not view competition strictly through the lens of dollars and cents. When Chinese firms and state sponsored enterprises compete against America's, it is done so with broader objectives in mind, including those of their military.
It is up to U.S. policymakers, not international markets, to be vigilant regarding our national security, our manufacturing capacity and our workers.
We have existing authorities that already play an important role in preventing some transfer of technology and expertise but there are significant gaps that exist in our export control programs. The Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) expansion was a compromise reached during the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA) debate. However, the ECRA expansion does not cover much of the goods and production that our bill focuses on. We need better oversight pertaining to supply chains, sourcing and investments that do not rise to the level of export control.
Today, we will hear testimony from Dr. Sarah Danzman, a Professor at Indiana University. In her recent paper on designing an outbound investment mechanism she acknowledges the gaps in export controls and has written as follows:
"Export controls can regulate specific transfers of technology, but are not well suited to capture the full range of operational activities that relate to development of indigenous capacity and that may flow along with an investment. For example, running a successful semiconductor-fabrication plant that can produce quality chips at scale requires extensive management expertise and skilled leadership, in addition to the underlying technology and capital contribution. Export controls cannot constrain all of these factors, yet these are the exact types of contributions that would naturally flow into China's domestic sector by virtue of a US investment."/8
The focus of our NCCDA bill is foreign adversaries like the PRC and the Russian Federation. We need a specific outbound screening mechanism to prevent a foreign adversary from threatening access to critical capacities or supply chains. We do not need to screen every country, only adversaries and "countries of concern".
Our legislation also recognizes the need for a multilateral approach with our partners and allies to ensure that we help them foster their development and implementation of similar, complementary mechanisms. In the long term, we need to expand coordination and diplomatic efforts to effectively confront the threats posed by our common foreign adversaries. The U.S. should align our own outbound investment review mechanism with those of allies and partners, such as South Korea and Taiwan, who have already taken this necessary step to protect their national security.
I want to thank the stakeholders and companies that over the past year have engaged with my office and our fellow cosponsors to offer constructive feedback and input to revise our legislation. We must put our Nation and its long-term national security and economic strength over short-term corporate profits. Our national security, our workers and our economic interests should never be sold out just for short-term gains. Americans across the political spectrum recognize the problem we are confronting and the need for a solution.
I want to commend the Biden Administration for its support for our revised legislation and their efforts to advance an outbound investment screening mechanism. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and National Security Council Advisor Jake Sullivan, have all publicly expressed support for our legislation.
I still believe our revised legislation provides the U.S. with the strongest path forward to compete in a global economy. American workers and our national security cannot afford to wait. Legislative action on this front is long overdue to address the scope and magnitude of the substantial risks we face as a country. This week, I sent a letter with Senator Cornyn, Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and Representatives DeLauro, Fitzpatrick, Pascrell and Spartz to President Biden urging the Administration to move forward with executive action to safeguard our national security and supply chain resiliency by screening outbound investments to foreign adversaries. We stand ready to learn how we can support the Administration's proposals and shore up the resources the administration will need to stand up such a mechanism.
An outbound investment screen is an idea whose time has come. We must move beyond examination to action because our national security, American workers and industry, can no longer wait.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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Footnotes:
1/ Foroorhar, Rana, Why manufacturing matters to economic superpowers, Financial Times (April 11, 2021) https://www.ft.com/content/22dd4058-c283-45c3-8877-8c2507ec7d6b.
2/ Robert Scott and Zane Mokhiber, Growing China Trade Deficit Cost 3.7 Million American Jobs Between 2001 and 2018, Economic Policy Institute (Jan. 30, 2020), available at https://www.epi.org/publication/growing-china-trade-deficits-costs-us-jobs/.
3/ Robert Scott and Zane Mokhiber, Growing China Trade Deficit Cost 3.7 Million American Jobs Between 2001 and 2018, Economic Policy Institute (Jan. 30, 2020), available at https://www.epi.org/publication/growing-china-trade-deficits-costs-us-jobs/.
4/ Nikhaktar, Nazak, Testimony Before Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Open Hearing: Countering the People's Republic of China's Economic and Technological Plan for Dominance, (May 11, 2022). https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-nnikakhtar-051122.pdf.
5/ Ibid
6/ Malden, Kaj and Listerud, Ann, Trends in U.S. Multinational Enterprise Activity in China, 2000-2017, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (July 1, 2020), https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/US_Multinational_Enterprise_Activity_in_China.pdf.
7/ Nikhaktar, Nazak, Testimony Before Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Open Hearing: Countering the People's Republic of China's Economic and Technological Plan for Dominance, (May 11, 2022). https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-nnikakhtar-051122.pdf.
8/ Danzman, Sarah and Kilcrease, Emily, Sand in the silicon: Designing an outbound investment controls mechanism, (September 14, 2022). https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/sand-in-the-silicon-designing-an-outbound-investment-controls-mechanism/.
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WATCH Senator Casey's testimony HERE (https://youtu.be/gGrYca6urL0).
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Original text here: https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-testifies-in-support-of-outbound-investment-screening-in-senate-banking-committee
Carper, Sullivan Lead Colleagues To Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill To Implement Holistic Approach To Children's Health Care
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022:
U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), along with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas) today introduced the Kickstarting Innovative Demonstrations Support (KIDS) Health Act of 2022 to establish a "whole child health care" model for children and youth eligible for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Using a "whole child health care" approach will
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022:
U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), along with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas) today introduced the Kickstarting Innovative Demonstrations Support (KIDS) Health Act of 2022 to establish a "whole child health care" model for children and youth eligible for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Using a "whole child health care" approach willhelp to better integrate services by mental and physical health care providers, and better meet kids where they are. This legislation would authorize federal dollars for state Medicaid programs to improve coordination between mental health and community health care providers to better support children's needs through a holistic approach.
"As Delaware's Governor, one of my first priorities was establishing the Family Services Cabinet Council to provide better mental and physical health care coordination for children and families in the First State. While we made great strides in meeting kids where they are, including by putting a wellness center in every public high school, today barriers such as cost or lack of access are still preventing children across the country from receiving the health care they need," said Senator Carper. "I'm proud to build upon my work as Governor to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill that will make it easier for a child enrolled in Medicaid to get the proper care they need, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic status. I want to thank Senator Sullivan and Representatives Blunt Rochester and Burgess for their support in crafting this important legislation."
"We are in the midst of a heartbreaking spike in mental health challenges among young people. Worse still, our country's bureaucratic, siloed approach to health care and social services is not serving our kids well at a time when they need support the most. Senator Carper and I have crafted legislation that will remove unnecessary barriers and red tape that are limiting young Americans' access to mental health treatment. We want to empower communities to innovate, adapt to the unique needs and circumstances of our youth, and build more efficient and effective 'whole child' models of care that will hopefully save lives," said Senator Sullivan.
"Ensuring that we have the adequate resources and services to care for our young people is one of our most fundamental and important obligations. That's why I'm so proud to introduce the KIDS Health Act of 2022, today, with my colleagues, Senators Carper and Sullivan, and Representative Burgess," said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. "Our bill will ensure that children enrolled in Medicaid will be given appropriate and holistic care no matter who they are or where they live. I'm particularly proud that our effort is bipartisan and bicameral and will continue working with my colleagues to send this crucial health care legislation to President Biden's desk."
"I practiced as an OB/GYN in North Texas for nearly three decades and can attest to the benefits of starting preventative care early in a child's life. I am proud to support the KIDS Health Act to provide integrated, preventative, value-based care for kids who need it most. If we jumpstart a child's health journey early, they will live longer, better, and healthier lives. It's more important than ever to come together and help kids across the country get the care they need," said Congressman Burgess, M.D.
"Nemours Children's Health applauds the bipartisan sponsors of this important legislation, and their leadership to help the nation's children live healthy, fulfilled lives," said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President & CEO, Nemours Children's Health. "Working with our nation's leaders is critical as Nemours strives to go well beyond medicine, getting one step closer to realizing our vision, to create the healthiest generations of children."
Background:
In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a public health advisory calling for a comprehensive and coordinated response to address the factors impacting youth mental health. In order to achieve a comprehensive response, Congress must empower providers to offer services in unique and innovative ways and break down the silos that make mental health integration and delivery so difficult - such as lack of access or socioeconomic status. For too long, providers have faced arbitrary limits on how and where they can meet the needs of the youth they serve. Furthermore, bureaucratic red tape, reporting requirements, and paperwork have made it difficult for providers to meet the new emerging mental health needs of young people in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, the Senate Finance Committee announced focus groups for addressing shortfalls in five areas of mental health care: youth, workforce, care integration, mental health parity, and telehealth. Senator Carper was appointed as co-chair of the working group tasked with focusing on youth mental health, and the working group released a discussion draft of policy proposals in July. The KIDS Health Act of 2022 builds on the policy proposals from the discussion draft developed from the youth mental health working group.
Specifically, the KIDS Health Act of 2022 would:
* Authorize a $125 million demonstration program to help states improve coordination between mental health and community health care providers, which will better support children's needs through a holistic approach;
* Allow states to establish or enhance payment models that reward doctors for providing higher-quality care that helps children stay healthier and invest in workforce recruitment and training;
* Allow participating states to design and implement a delivery model in which health care providers partner with community organizations and government agencies to coordinate services across multiple sectors;
* Require GAO to issue a report, evaluating the individual, financial, and systems-level impacts associated with whole child health models implemented under the demonstration project; and
* Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on combining federal and non-federal funds to address social determinants of health in low-income populations.
Click here (https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/b/c/bcfc7c9e-3510-48cc-932d-7b20887c8c36/2E02EE149B891A58C5D9724E9BA7E0FC.9.29.22-kids-health-act.pdf) to view the full text of legislation.
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Original text here: https://bluntrochester.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2904
Capito, Colleagues Designate September 2022 As National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release:
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently joined a bipartisan resolution to designate September 2022 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This resolution, which passed the Senate on Wednesday evening, recognizes the impact of cancer on the lives of children, urges stakeholders at every level of government to increase public awareness about the risks of cancer, and reminds Americans of the bravery of children who are diagnosed with and recover from cancer.
"Since my Childhood
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release:
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently joined a bipartisan resolution to designate September 2022 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This resolution, which passed the Senate on Wednesday evening, recognizes the impact of cancer on the lives of children, urges stakeholders at every level of government to increase public awareness about the risks of cancer, and reminds Americans of the bravery of children who are diagnosed with and recover from cancer.
"Since my ChildhoodCancer STAR Act became law, children battling cancer continue to see better outcomes thanks to more advanced research. I'm proud to join my colleagues once again in recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Together, we're working towards a world without cancer," Senator Capito said.
The full text of the resolution is available here (https://www.capito.senate.gov/download/09-28-2022-childhood_cancer_resolution_text).
In addition to Senator Capito, the resolution, which was led by Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.), was also co-sponsored by: U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
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Original text here: https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-colleagues-designate-september-2022-as-national-childhood-cancer-awareness-month
Bennet, Bipartisan Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Improve Mental Health At Colleges
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colorado, issued the following news release:
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and a group of bipartisan colleagues in introducing legislation to help improve college students' mental and behavioral health. The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would help higher education institutions develop and implement comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans.
"Colorado's youth continue to face a mental and behavioral health crisis,
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colorado, issued the following news release:
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and a group of bipartisan colleagues in introducing legislation to help improve college students' mental and behavioral health. The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would help higher education institutions develop and implement comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans.
"Colorado's youth continue to face a mental and behavioral health crisis,and it's imperative that we meet them where they are with resources and support. Our bill will help colleges connect students with mental health and suicide prevention services as they work to further their education," said Bennet.
"This bipartisan measure will provide students with the mental health support they need to succeed," said Blumenthal. "Our country is in the midst of a youth mental health crisis with serious cases of anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide growing among college students. Our bill aims to ensure colleges are prepared with the best evidence-based plans to promote positive mental health on campus and to support students when they need help the most."
"Mental health issues have skyrocketed on college campuses, where students struggle with depression and anxiety at an alarming rate. Sadly many students -- particularly those at smaller universities with fewer resources -- lack the help they need. This bill will help address those gaps and enable students to focus on what matters: their friends, their activities, and most importantly, their education," said Scott.
"In the past year, the youth mental health crisis has continued to worsen, with over 40% of college students reporting depression, and one in three reporting anxiety. The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act is important in ensuring that colleges and universities develop and implement evidence-based, comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans to support and protect these young adults' emotional well-being," said John MacPhee, CEO of The Jed Foundation.
The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would require the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate and encourage higher education institutions, like universities and colleges, to create proactive plans for preventing suicide and promote positive mental health among students to address the mental and behavioral health crisis. These plans would align with strategies recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Suicide Prevention Resource Center, specifically its nine-part Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention.
The legislation is cosponsored by Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)
The bill text is available HERE (https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/b/0/b008350b-f3c4-4458-94bf-332b2c5437fe/0D85A9F42B3919F2740EAFD02530E826.9282022enhancing-mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-through-campus-planning-actbilltext.pdf). In the House, the bill was led by U.S. Representatives Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Fred Keller (R-Pa.), and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in June. The legislation has been endorsed by a number of mental health, education, and youth advocacy organizations.
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Original text here: https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/9/bennet-bipartisan-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-improve-mental-health-at-colleges
Arrington Legislation Would Help Congress Rein In Out-Of-Control Deficits And Bloated Spending
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release:
Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) introduced H.R. 9032 - the Controlling America's Perilous Spending (CAPS) Act - which would help rein in deficits and control the growth of spending.
"The congressional budget process is broken, and our national debt will soon reach an astronomical $31 trillion. Unfortunately, Congress has done little to impose any restraint on its appetite to spend taxpayer dollars or rein in deficits," Rep. Arrington said. "The CAPS Act is a meaningful step toward getting our fiscal
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release:
Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) introduced H.R. 9032 - the Controlling America's Perilous Spending (CAPS) Act - which would help rein in deficits and control the growth of spending.
"The congressional budget process is broken, and our national debt will soon reach an astronomical $31 trillion. Unfortunately, Congress has done little to impose any restraint on its appetite to spend taxpayer dollars or rein in deficits," Rep. Arrington said. "The CAPS Act is a meaningful step toward getting our fiscalhouse in order. While larger reforms will be necessary to stave off a debt crisis and preserve critical safety nets, we must reestablish fiscal discipline, and slow the growth of spending. This bill will force Congress to focus on priorities like national defense and infrastructure."
Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said, "With inflation surging and the national debt headed to historic records, it's time for lawmakers to start taking our deficits seriously. Reinstating discretionary spending caps, as Representative Arrington has proposed, would help restore some basic fiscal discipline and begin the process of getting federal borrowing under control. Caps have been enacted on a bipartisan basis in the past and represent a common-sense step toward restoring fiscal sanity. Representative Arrington deserves immense credit for his leadership on this issue, and we encourage policymakers in both parties and chambers to work with him to enact legislation to re-establish discretionary spending caps."
"Congress urgently needs to cap discretionary spending again, like they did from 2012 through 2021. Congressman Arrington's CAPS Act would do just that, slowing the unsustainable growth trajectory of spending all over the federal government. NTU applauds Congressman Arrington for his leadership on fiscal responsibility and is proud to endorse the CAPS Act," said Andrew Lautz, Director of Federal Policy at the National Taxpayers Union.
Background on the CAPS Act:
* With a fiscal trajectory that is unsustainable and a federal debt now close to $31 trillion, Congress should implement guardrails to control the growth of spending.
* The CAPS Act does not make immediate cuts to spending - it slows the annual growth rate of spending over the next decade, limiting yearly spending growth to 2% per year.
* The CAPS Act saves a modest amount relative to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) projected baseline in the early years of the 10-year budget window; however, the savings grow significantly larger in the later years of the budget window, saving $500 billion over the decade.
* Reestablishing spending caps will force Congress to better prioritize their use of taxpayer dollars, ensuring more resources will be devoted to the core mission of the federal government, like our national defense and infrastructure.
* This legislation is a framework based on the CBO's May 2022 projections. The discretionary caps in the bill may need to be amended to incorporate subsequent baseline changes prior to becoming law.
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Original text here: https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=842
