I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2665
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
and contracts to establish domestic violence community response teams
and a technical assistance center to address the development and support
of such community response teams, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 18, 1995
Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania (for himself, Ms. MOLINARI, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN,
Mr. FORBES, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr. ENGLISH
of Pennsylvania, Mr. HEINEMAN, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. DAVIS, Mr.
MCHALE, Mr. KLINK, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. LONGLEY, Mr. MARTINI, Ms.
KAPTUR, Mr. KING, Mr. UPTON, Mr. FOLEY, and Mrs. ROUKEMA) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Eco-
nomic and Educational Opportunities
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services
to award grants and contracts to establish domestic vio-
lence community response teams and a technical assist-
ance center to address the development and support of
such community response teams, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Domestic Violence
Community Response Team Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) establish and strengthen the partnership be-
tween law enforcement and community groups in
order to assist victims of domestic violence;
(2) provide early intervention and followup serv-
ices in order to prevent future incidents of domestic
violence; and
(3) establish a central technical assistance cen-
ter for the collection and provision of programmatic
information and technical assistance.
SEC. 3. GRANTS AUTHORIZED FOR COMMUNITY RESPONSE
TEAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), is authorized to award grants to encourage eligi-
ble entities to serve as community response teams to assist
in the prevention of domestic violence. Grants awarded
under this section shall be awarded in a manner that en-
sures geographic and demographic diversity.
(b) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall not
award a grant under this section in an amount that ex-
ceeds $500,000.
(c) DURATION.—The Secretary shall award grants
under this section for periods of not to exceed 3 years.
(d) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this section,
the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a nonprofit, com-
munity-based organization whose primary purpose
involves domestic violence prevention, and who has
demonstrated expertise in providing services to vic-
tims of domestic violence and collaborating with
service providers and support agencies in the com-
munity.
(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—In order to
be considered an eligible entity for purposes of this
section, an entity shall—
(A) have an understanding of the racial,
ethnic, and lingual diversity of the community
in which such entity serves as a community re-
sponse team;
(B) be able to respond adequately to such
community; and
(C) to the extent practicable, include per-
sonnel that reflect the racial, ethnic, and lingual
diversity of such community.
(3) PREFERENCE
IN
MAKING
GRANTS.—In
making grants under subsection (a) for a fiscal year,
the Secretary shall give preference to qualified eligi-
ble entities who for such year are not receiving any
other Federal grant for carrying out activities to
prevent domestic violence.
(e) ROLE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAMS.—Com-
munity response teams established pursuant to this sec-
tion shall—
(1) provide community advocates to work (in
conjunction with local police) with victims, imme-
diately after incidents of domestic violence;
(2) educate victims of domestic violence about
the legal process with respect to restraining orders
and civil and criminal charges;
(3) discuss with such victims immediate safety
arrangements and child care needs, and educate vic-
tims about resources provided by local agencies;
(4) provide for followup services and counseling
with local support agencies;
(5) educate victims regarding abuse tactics, in-
cluding increased incidence of violence that occurs
after repeated episodes of violence; and
(6) act in partnership with local law enforce-
ment agencies to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(f) APPLICATIONS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Applications for grants
under this section shall be submitted to the Sec-
retary at such time, in such manner, and accom-
panied by such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require.
(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall—
(A) include a complete description of the
eligible entity’s plan for operating a community-
based partnership between law enforcement of-
ficials and community organizations;
(B) demonstrate effective community lead-
ership, commitment to community action, and
commitment to working with affected popu-
lations;
(C) provide for periodic project evaluation
through written reports and analysis in order to
assist in applying successful programs to other
communities; and
(D) demonstrate an understanding of the
population to be served, including an under-
standing of the racial, ethnic, and socio-
economic characteristics that influence the roles
of women and affect treatment.
(g) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Of the amount
made available under section 5 for a grant under this sec-
tion for a community response team, not more than 5 per-
cent of such amount may be expended to cover the admin-
istrative expenses of the community response team.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to
award a contract to an eligible entity to serve as a tech-
nical assistance center under this Act. The technical as-
sistance center shall—
(1) serve as a national information, training,
and material development source for the develop-
ment and support of community response teams na-
tionwide; and
(2) provide technical support and input to com-
munity programs, including assisting local groups in
the establishment of programs and providing train-
ing to community volunteer staff persons.
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—For purposes of this section,
the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a nonprofit organization
with a primary focus on domestic violence prevention and
demonstrated expertise in providing technical assistance,
information, training, and resource development on some
aspect of domestic violence service provision or prevention.
An eligible entity shall be selected by the Secretary under
this section based on competence, experience, and a proven
ability to conduct national-level organization and program
development. In order to be considered an eligible entity
for purposes of this section, an entity shall provide the
Secretary with evidence of support from community-based
domestic violence organizations for the designation of the
entity as the technical assistance center.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Of the amount
made available under section 5 for a contract under this
section for a technical assistance center, not more than
5 percent of such amount may be expended to cover the
administrative expenses of the technical assistance center.
SEC. 5. FUNDING.
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this Act, there is authorized to
be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
1996 through 1998.
(b) ALLOCATION.—Of the amounts appropriated
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall
make available $300,000 for a contract under section 4.
(c) SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR PROGRAM.—
(1) OFFSETTING REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR
ENERGY
INFORMATION
AGENCY.—With respect to
the authorizations of appropriations that have been
established for the programs and activities of the
Energy 
Information 
Administration, 
the 
total
amount of such authorizations is, for each of the fis-
cal years specified in subsection (a), reduced by
$5,000,000. The preceding sentence applies notwith-
standing any other provision of law.
(2) REPORT REGARDING OTHER SOURCES OF
FUNDS FOR ENERGY INFORMATION AGENCY.—Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to
the Congress a report providing a determination by
the Secretary of whether it would be practicable for
the Energy Information Administration to provide
for some or all of the funding for the Administration
through imposing a charge for some or all of the
services or materials that the Administration pro-
vides to the public.
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