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‘‘(g) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than
the first January 1 following the end of each fiscal year,
each State shall submit to the Secretary a report on the
programs carried out during such fiscal year with the
amounts received under this section. Such report shall be
in such form and contain such information as may be nec-
essary to provide an accurate description of such activities,
to provide a complete record of the purposes for which
the funds were spent, and to indicate the extent to which
the expenditure of such funds succeeded in accomplishing
the purpose described in subsection (a).
‘‘(h) ASSISTANCE NOT CONSIDERED INCOME OR RE-
SOURCES.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this
title, payments made and services provided to participants
in a program under this section, as a direct consequence
of their participation in such program, shall not be consid-
ered as income or resources for purposes of determining
eligibility (or the eligibility of any other persons) for as-
sistance under the State’s plan approved under this part
or part A, or for purposes of determining the level of such
assistance.’’.
(i) COLLECTION OF DATA RELATING TO ADOPTION
AND FOSTER CARE.—Part E of title IV of such Act (42
U.S.C. 670 et seq.) is amended—
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(1) by redesignating section 479 as section 477;
and
(2) by amending section 477, as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 477. COLLECTION OF DATA RELATING TO ADOPTION
AND FOSTER CARE.
‘‘For requirements with respect to the collection of
data relating to adoption and foster care, see section
424.’’.
Subchapter C—Miscellaneous
SEC. 4721. SECRETARIAL SUBMISSION OF LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSAL FOR TECHNICAL AND CONFORM-
ING AMENDMENTS.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this chapter, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in consultation, as appropriate, with the heads
of other Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a legislative proposal providing for
such technical and conforming amendments in the law as
are required by the provisions of this chapter.
SEC. 4722. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING TIMELY
ADOPTION OF CHILDREN.
It is the sense of the Congress that—
1141
(1) too many children who wish to be adopted
are spending inordinate amounts of time in foster
care;
(2) there is an urgent need for States to in-
crease the number of waiting children being adopted
in a timely and lawful manner;
(3) studies have shown that States spend an ex-
cess of $15,000 each year on each special needs
child in foster care, and would save significant
amounts of money if they offered incentives to fami-
lies to adopt special needs children;
(4) States should allocate sufficient funds under
this subtitle for adoption assistance and medical as-
sistance to encourage more families to adopt chil-
dren who otherwise would languish in the foster care
system for a period that many experts consider det-
rimental to their development;
(5) States should offer incentives for families
that adopt special needs children to make adoption
more affordable for middle-class families;
(6) when it is necessary for a State to remove
a child from the home of the child’s biological par-
ents, the State should strive—
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(A) to provide the child with a single foster
care placement and a single coordinated case
team; and
(B) to conclude an adoption of the child,
when adoption is the goal of the child and the
State, within one year of the child’s placement
in foster care; and
(7) States should participate in local, regional,
or national programs to enable maximum visibility of
waiting children to potential parents. Such programs
should include a nationwide, interactive computer
network to disseminate information on children eligi-
ble for adoption to help match them with families
around the country.
SEC. 4723. EFFECTIVE DATE; TRANSITION RULES.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), this chapter and the amendments made
by this chapter shall be effective on and after Octo-
ber 1, 1996.
(2) EXCEPTION.—Section 425 of the Social Se-
curity Act, as added by section 4701 of this Act,
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this
chapter.
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(3) TEMPORARY REDESIGNATION OF SECTION
425.—During the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this chapter and ending on October 1,
1996, section 425 of the Social Security Act, as
added by section 4701 of this Act, is redesignated
as section 425A.
(b) TRANSITION RULES.—
(1) CLAIMS, ACTIONS, AND
PROCEEDINGS.—
The amendments made by this chapter shall not
apply with respect to—
(A) powers, duties, functions, rights,
claims, penalties, or obligations applicable to
aid, assistance, services provided before the ef-
fective date of this chapter under the provisions
amended; and
(B) administrative actions and proceedings
commenced before such date, or authorized be-
fore such date to be commenced, under such
provisions.
(2) CLOSING OUT ACCOUNT FOR THOSE PRO-
GRAMS TERMINATED OR SUBSTANTIALLY MODIFIED
BY THIS CHAPTER.—In closing out accounts, Fed-
eral and State officials may use scientifically accept-
able statistical sampling techniques. Claims made
under programs which are repealed or substantially
1144
amended in this chapter and which involve State ex-
penditures in cases where assistance or services were
provided during a prior fiscal year, shall be treated
as expenditures during fiscal year 1995 for purposes
of reimbursement even if payment was made by a
State on or after October 1, 1995. States shall com-
plete the filing of all claims no later than September
30, 1997. Federal department heads shall—
(A) use the single audit procedure to re-
view and resolve any claims in connection with
the closeout of programs; and
(B) reimburse States for any payments
made for assistance or services provided during
a prior fiscal year from funds for fiscal year
1995, rather than the funds authorized by this
chapter.
CHAPTER 2—CHILD AND FAMILY
SERVICES BLOCK GRANT
SEC. 4751. CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42
U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This Act may be cited as the ‘Child and Family
Services Block Grant Act of 1996’.