II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 906

To establish a grant program to enable States to establish and maintain

pilot drug testing and drug treatment programs for welfare recipients

engaging in illegal drug use, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

APRIL 28, 1999

Mr. ABRAHAM introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To establish a grant program to enable States to establish

and maintain pilot drug testing and drug treatment programs for welfare recipients engaging in illegal drug

use, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Drug Testing and

5 Treatment for Welfare Recipients Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

7 The purpose of this Act is to create a grant program

8 that assists States in establishing and maintaining pilot
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1 drug testing and drug treatment programs for welfare re2 cipients who have a commitment to overcoming their sub3 stance abuse problems and are in acute need of over4 coming such problems.

5 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

6 In this Act:

7 (1) DRUG.—The term ‘‘drug’’ means a drug

8 within the meaning of subpart II of part B of title

9 XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.

10 300x–21 et seq.).

11 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

12 the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

13 (3) WELFARE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘welfare

14 agency’’ means a State agency carrying out a pro15 gram described in paragraph (4).

16 (4) WELFARE RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘welfare

17 recipient’’ means an individual in a State who is re18 ceiving assistance under the State temporary assist19 ance for needy families program established under

20 part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42

21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

22 SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

23 The Secretary may award grants to States to estab24 lish and maintain pilot drug testing programs and drug
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1 treatment programs for welfare recipients in each State

2 that receives a grant.

3 SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a grant

5 under this Act, a State shall submit an application to the

6 Secretary.

7 (b) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted pursu8 ant to subsection (a) shall—

9 (1) describe a program to provide drug testing

10 for welfare recipients in the State; and

11 (2) describe a drug treatment program for wel12 fare recipients in the State that provides treatment

13 if such a recipient receives a positive result on a test

14 described in paragraph (1).

15 SEC. 6. CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF GRANTS.

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants

17 to eligible States under section 4 on a competitive basis

18 in accordance with the criteria set out in subsection (b).

19 (b) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall award grants to

20 eligible States based on the following criteria:

21 (1) The need and ability of a State to address

22 drug use by welfare recipients.

23 (2) The ability of the State to continue the

24 State programs established under this Act after the
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1 grant program established under this Act is con2 cluded.

3 SEC. 7. AWARDS.

4 (a) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The Secretary shall award

5 a grant under this Act in the amount of $1,500,000 per

6 year.

7 (b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall award a grant

8 under this Act for a period of 3 years.

9 (c) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF GRANTS.—The Sec10 retary shall award grants under this Act to not more than

11 5 States.

12 SEC. 8. USE OF FUNDS.

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—A State that receives a grant

14 under this Act shall use the funds made available through

15 the grant to establish and maintain the programs de16 scribed in the application submitted by the State under

17 section 5.

18 (b) DISTRIBUTION BY STATES.—Each State receiv19 ing a grant under this Act shall distribute grant funds

20 only to entities that are receiving assistance under subpart

21 II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act

22 (42 U.S.C. 300x–21 et seq.).
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1 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

3 as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

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