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priated to the Secretary for each fiscal year an amount
equal to 2 percent of the total amount paid to the Federal
Government pursuant to section 457(a) during the imme-
diately preceding fiscal year (as determined on the basis
of the most recent reliable data available to the Secretary
as of the end of the 3rd calendar quarter following the end
of such preceding fiscal year), to cover costs incurred by
the Secretary for operation of the Federal Parent Locator
Service under this section, to the extent such costs are not
recovered through user fees.’’.
SEC. 946. REPORTS AND DATA COLLECTION BY THE SEC-
RETARY.
(a) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—
(1) 
Section 
452(a)(10)(A) 
(42 
U.S.C.
652(a)(10)(A)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘this part;’’ and inserting
‘‘this part, including—’’; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
clauses:
‘‘(i) the total amount of child support
payments collected as a result of services
furnished during the fiscal year to individ-
uals receiving services under this part;
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‘‘(ii) the cost to the States and to the
Federal Government of so furnishing the
services; and
‘‘(iii) the number of cases involving
families—
‘‘(I) who became ineligible for as-
sistance under State programs funded
under part A during a month in the
fiscal year; and
‘‘(II) with respect to whom a child
support payment was received in the
month;’’.
(2) 
Section 
452(a)(10)(C) 
(42 
U.S.C.
652(a)(10)(C)) is amended—
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i)—
(i) by striking ‘‘with the data required
under each clause being separately stated
for cases’’ and inserting ‘‘separately stated
for (1) cases’’;
(ii) by striking ‘‘cases where the child
was formerly receiving’’ and inserting ‘‘or
formerly received’’;
(iii) by inserting ‘‘or 1912’’ after
‘‘471(a)(17)’’; and
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(iv) by inserting ‘‘(2)’’ before ‘‘all
other’’;
(B) in each of clauses (i) and (ii), by strik-
ing ‘‘, and the total amount of such obligations’’;
(C) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘described
in’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘in which
support was collected during the fiscal year;’’;
(D) by striking clause (iv); and
(E) by redesignating clause (v) as clause
(vii), and inserting after clause (iii) the follow-
ing new clauses:
‘‘(iv) the total amount of support col-
lected during such fiscal year and distrib-
uted as current support;
‘‘(v) the total amount of support col-
lected during such fiscal year and distrib-
uted as arrearages;
‘‘(vi) the total amount of support due
and unpaid for all fiscal years; and’’.
(3) 
Section 
452(a)(10)(G) 
(42 
U.S.C.
652(a)(10)(G)) is amended by striking ‘‘on the use of
Federal courts and’’.
(4) Section 452(a)(10) (42 U.S.C. 652(a)(10)) is
amended—
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(A) in subparagraph (H), by striking
‘‘and’’;
(B) in subparagraph (I), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the
following new subparagraph:
‘‘(J) compliance, by State, with the stand-
ards established pursuant to subsections (h) and
(i).’’.
(5) Section 452(a)(10) (42 U.S.C. 652(a)(10)) is
amended by striking all that follows subparagraph
(J), as added by paragraph (4).
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall be effective with respect to fiscal year 1996
and succeeding fiscal years.
Subtitle F—Establishment and
Modification of Support Orders
SEC. 951. NATIONAL CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES COMMIS-
SION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a
commission to be known as the National Child Support
Guidelines Commission (in this section referred to as the
‘‘Commission’’).
(b) GENERAL DUTIES.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall deter-
mine—
(A) whether it is appropriate to develop a
national child support guideline for consider-
ation by the Congress or for adoption by individ-
ual States; or
(B) based on a study of various guideline
models, the benefits and deficiencies of such mod-
els, and any needed improvements.
(2) DEVELOPMENT OF MODELS.—If the Commis-
sion determines under paragraph (1)(A) that a na-
tional child support guideline is needed or under
paragraph (1)(B) that improvements to guideline
models are needed, the Commission shall develop such
national guideline or improvements.
(c) MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMIS-
SION.—In making the recommendations concerning guide-
lines required under subsection (b), the Commission shall
consider—
(1) the adequacy of State child support guide-
lines established pursuant to section 467;
(2) matters generally applicable to all support
orders, including—
(A) the feasibility of adopting uniform
terms in all child support orders;
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(B) how to define income and under what
circumstances income should be imputed; and
(C) tax treatment of child support pay-
ments;
(3) the appropriate treatment of cases in which
either or both parents have financial obligations to
more than 1 family, including the effect (if any) to
be given to—
(A) the income of either parent’s spouse;
and
(B) the financial responsibilities of either
parent for other children or stepchildren;
(4) the appropriate treatment of expenses for
child care (including care of the children of either
parent, and work-related or job-training-related child
care);
(5) the appropriate treatment of expenses for
health care (including uninsured health care) and
other extraordinary expenses for children with special
needs;
(6) the appropriate duration of support by 1 or
both parents, including—
(A) support (including shared support) for
postsecondary or vocational education; and
(B) support for disabled adult children;
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(7) procedures to automatically adjust child sup-
port orders periodically to address changed economic
circumstances, including changes in the Consumer
Price Index or either parent’s income and expenses in
particular cases;
(8) procedures to help noncustodial parents ad-
dress grievances regarding visitation and custody or-
ders to prevent such parents from withholding child
support payments until such grievances are resolved;
and
(9) whether, or to what extent, support levels
should be adjusted in cases in which custody is shared
or in which the noncustodial parent has extended vis-
itation rights.
(d) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) NUMBER; APPOINTMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be
composed of 12 individuals appointed not later
than January 15, 1997, of which—
(i) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Finance of the
Senate, and 1 shall be appointed by the
ranking minority member of the Committee;
(ii) 2 shall be appointed by the Chair-
man of the Committee on Ways and Means
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of the House of Representatives, and 1 shall
be appointed by the ranking minority mem-
ber of the Committee; and
(iii) 6 shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services.
(B) QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS.—Mem-
bers of the Commission shall have expertise and
experience in the evaluation and development of
child support guidelines. At least 1 member shall
represent advocacy groups for custodial parents,
at least 1 member shall represent advocacy
groups for noncustodial parents, and at least 1
member shall be the director of a State program
under part D of title IV of the Social Security
Act.
(2) TERMS OF OFFICE.—Each member shall be
appointed for a term of 2 years. A vacancy in the
Commission shall be filled in the manner in which
the original appointment was made.
(e) COMMISSION POWERS, COMPENSATION, ACCESS TO
INFORMATION, AND SUPERVISION.—The 1st sentence of sub-
paragraph (C), the 1st and 3rd sentences of subparagraph
(D), subparagraph (F) (except with respect to the conduct
of medical studies), clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph
(G), and subparagraph (H) of section 1886(e)(6) of the So-
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cial Security Act shall apply to the Commission in the same
manner in which such provisions apply to the Prospective
Payment Assessment Commission.
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the appoint-
ment of members, the Commission shall submit to the Presi-
dent, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate, a recommended national child support guideline and
a final assessment of issues relating to such a proposed na-
tional child support guideline.
(g) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate
6 months after the submission of the report described in sub-
section (e).
SEC. 952. SIMPLIFIED PROCESS FOR REVIEW AND ADJUST-
MENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.
Section 466(a)(10) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(10)) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘(10) Procedures under which the State shall re-
view and adjust each support order being enforced
under this part upon the request of either parent or
the State if there is an assignment. Such procedures
shall provide the following:
‘‘(A) The State shall review and, as appro-
priate, adjust the support order every 3 years,
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taking into account the best interests of the child
involved.
‘‘(B)(i) The State may elect to review and,
if appropriate, adjust an order pursuant to sub-
paragraph (A) by—
‘‘(I) reviewing and, if appropriate, ad-
justing the order in accordance with the
guidelines established pursuant to section
467(a) if the amount of the child support
award under the order differs from the
amount that would be awarded in accord-
ance with the guidelines; or
‘‘(II) applying a cost-of-living adjust-
ment to the order in accordance with a for-
mula developed by the State and permit ei-
ther party to contest the adjustment, within
30 days after the date of the notice of the
adjustment, by making a request for review
and, if appropriate, adjustment of the order
in accordance with the child support guide-
lines established pursuant to section 467(a).
‘‘(ii) Any adjustment under clause (i) shall
be made without a requirement for proof or
showing of a change in circumstances.
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‘‘(C) The State may use automated methods
(including automated comparisons with wage or
State income tax data) to identify orders eligible
for review, conduct the review, identify orders el-
igible for adjustment, and apply the appropriate
adjustment to the orders eligible for adjustment
under the threshold established by the State.
‘‘(D)(i) The State shall, at the request of ei-
ther parent subject to such an order or of any
State child support enforcement agency, review
and, if appropriate, adjust the order in accord-
ance with the guidelines established pursuant to
section 467(a) based upon a substantial change
in the circumstances of either parent.
‘‘(ii) The State shall provide notice to the
parents subject to such an order informing them
of their right to request the State to review and,
if appropriate, adjust the order pursuant to
clause (i). The notice may be included in the
order.’’.
SEC. 953. FURNISHING CONSUMER REPORTS FOR CERTAIN
PURPOSES RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT.
Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15
U.S.C. 1681b) is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new paragraphs:
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‘‘(4) In response to a request by the head of a
State or local child support enforcement agency (or a
State or local government official authorized by the
head of such an agency), if the person making the re-
quest certifies to the consumer reporting agency
that—
‘‘(A) the consumer report is needed for the
purpose of establishing an individual’s capacity
to make child support payments or determining
the appropriate level of such payments;
‘‘(B) the paternity of the consumer for the
child to which the obligation relates has been es-
tablished or acknowledged by the consumer in ac-
cordance with State laws under which the obliga-
tion arises (if required by those laws);
‘‘(C) the person has provided at least 10
days’ prior notice to the consumer whose report
is requested, by certified or registered mail to the
last known address of the consumer, that the re-
port will be requested; and
‘‘(D) the consumer report will be kept con-
fidential, will be used solely for a purpose de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), and will not be
used in connection with any other civil, admin-
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istrative, or criminal proceeding, or for any
other purpose.
‘‘(5) To an agency administering a State plan
under section 454 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 654) for use to set an initial or modified child
support award.’’.
SEC. 954. NONLIABILITY FOR DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS
PROVIDING FINANCIAL RECORDS TO STATE
CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
IN CHILD SUPPORT CASES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of Federal or State law, a depository institution shall
not be liable under any Federal or State law to any person
for disclosing any financial record of an individual to a
State child support enforcement agency attempting to estab-
lish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation of such
individual.
(b) PROHIBITION
OF DISCLOSURE
OF FINANCIAL
RECORD OBTAINED BY STATE CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCE-
MENT AGENCY.—A State child support enforcement agency
which obtains a financial record of an individual from a
financial institution pursuant to subsection (a) may dis-
close such financial record only for the purpose of, and to
the extent necessary in, establishing, modifying, or enforc-
ing a child support obligation of such individual.
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(c) CIVIL DAMAGES
FOR UNAUTHORIZED DISCLO-
SURE.—
(1) DISCLOSURE
BY
STATE
OFFICER
OR
EM-
PLOYEE.—If any person knowingly, or by reason of
negligence, discloses a financial record of an individ-
ual in violation of subsection (b), such individual
may bring a civil action for damages against such
person in a district court of the United States.
(2) NO LIABILITY FOR GOOD FAITH BUT ERRO-
NEOUS
INTERPRETATION.—No liability shall arise
under this subsection with respect to any disclosure
which results from a good faith, but erroneous, inter-
pretation of subsection (b).
(3) DAMAGES.—In any action brought under
paragraph (1), upon a finding of liability on the part
of the defendant, the defendant shall be liable to the
plaintiff in an amount equal to the sum of—
(A) the greater of—
(i) $1,000 for each act of unauthorized
disclosure of a financial record with respect
to which such defendant is found liable; or
(ii) the sum of—
(I) the actual damages sustained
by the plaintiff as a result of such un-
authorized disclosure; plus
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(II) in the case of a willful disclo-
sure or a disclosure which is the result
of gross negligence, punitive damages;
plus
(B) the costs (including attorney’s fees) of
the action.
(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ‘‘depository institution’’ means—
(A) a depository institution, as defined in
section 3(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act
(12 U.S.C. 1813(c));
(B) an institution-affiliated party, as de-
fined in section 3(u) of such Act (12 U.S.C.
1813(v)); and
(C) any Federal credit union or State credit
union, as defined in section 101 of the Federal
Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752), including
an institution-affiliated party of such a credit
union, as defined in section 206(r) of such Act
(12 U.S.C. 1786(r)).
(2) The term ‘‘financial record’’ has the meaning
given such term in section 1101 of the Right to Fi-
nancial Privacy Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3401).
(3) The term ‘‘State child support enforcement
agency’’ means a State agency which administers a
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State program for establishing and enforcing child
support obligations.
Subtitle G—Enforcement of Support
Orders
SEC. 961. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE COLLECTION OF
ARREARAGES.
(a) AMENDMENT TO INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.—Sec-
tion 6305(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating
to collection of certain liability) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(3);
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘, and’’;
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(5) no additional fee may be assessed for adjust-
ments to an amount previously certified pursuant to
such section 452(b) with respect to the same obligor.’’;
and
(4) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health, Education,
and Welfare’’ each place it appears and inserting
‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this
section shall become effective October 1, 1997.
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SEC. 962. AUTHORITY TO COLLECT SUPPORT FROM FED-
ERAL EMPLOYEES.
(a) CONSOLIDATION AND STREAMLINING OF AUTHORI-
TIES.—Section 459 (42 U.S.C. 659) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘SEC. 459. CONSENT BY THE UNITED STATES TO INCOME
WITHHOLDING, GARNISHMENT, AND SIMILAR
PROCEEDINGS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF CHILD
SUPPORT AND ALIMONY OBLIGATIONS.
‘‘(a) CONSENT TO SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of law (including section
207 of this Act and section 5301 of title 38, United States
Code), effective January 1, 1975, moneys (the entitlement
to which is based upon remuneration for employment) due
from, or payable by, the United States or the District of
Columbia (including any agency, subdivision, or instru-
mentality thereof) to any individual, including members of
the Armed Forces of the United States, shall be subject, in
like manner and to the same extent as if the United States
or the District of Columbia were a private person, to with-
holding in accordance with State law enacted pursuant to
subsections (a)(1) and (b) of section 466 and regulations
of the Secretary under such subsections, and to any other
legal process brought, by a State agency administering a
program under a State plan approved under this part or
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by an individual obligee, to enforce the legal obligation of
the individual to provide child support or alimony.
‘‘(b) CONSENT
TO REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE
TO
PRIVATE PERSON.—With respect to notice to withhold in-
come pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 466,
or any other order or process to enforce support obligations
against an individual (if the order or process contains or
is accompanied by sufficient data to permit prompt identi-
fication of the individual and the moneys involved), each
governmental entity specified in subsection (a) shall be sub-
ject to the same requirements as would apply if the entity
were a private person, except as otherwise provided in this
section.
‘‘(c) DESIGNATION OF AGENT; RESPONSE TO NOTICE
OR PROCESS—
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION OF AGENT.—The head of each
agency subject to this section shall—
‘‘(A) designate an agent or agents to receive
orders and accept service of process in matters
relating to child support or alimony; and
‘‘(B) annually publish in the Federal Reg-
ister the designation of the agent or agents, iden-
tified by title or position, mailing address, and
telephone number.
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‘‘(2) RESPONSE TO NOTICE OR PROCESS.—If an
agent designated pursuant to paragraph (1) of this
subsection receives notice pursuant to State proce-
dures in effect pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b) of
section 466, or is effectively served with any order,
process, or interrogatory, with respect to an individ-
ual’s child support or alimony payment obligations,
the agent shall—
‘‘(A) as soon as possible (but not later than
15 days) thereafter, send written notice of the no-
tice or service (together with a copy of the notice
or service) to the individual at the duty station
or last-known home address of the individual;
‘‘(B) within 30 days (or such longer period
as may be prescribed by applicable State law)
after receipt of a notice pursuant to such State
procedures, comply with all applicable provi-
sions of section 466; and
‘‘(C) within 30 days (or such longer period
as may be prescribed by applicable State law)
after effective service of any other such order,
process, or interrogatory, respond to the order,
process, or interrogatory.
‘‘(d) PRIORITY OF CLAIMS.—If a governmental entity
specified in subsection (a) receives notice or is served with
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process, as provided in this section, concerning amounts
owed by an individual to more than 1 person—
‘‘(1) support collection under section 466(b) must
be given priority over any other process, as provided
in section 466(b)(7);
‘‘(2) allocation of moneys due or payable to an
individual among claimants under section 466(b)
shall be governed by section 466(b) and the regula-
tions prescribed under such section; and
‘‘(3) such moneys as remain after compliance
with paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be available to sat-
isfy any other such processes on a 1st-come, 1st-served
basis, with any such process being satisfied out of
such moneys as remain after the satisfaction of all
such processes which have been previously served.
‘‘(e) NO REQUIREMENT TO VARY PAY CYCLES.—A
governmental entity that is affected by legal process served
for the enforcement of an individual’s child support or ali-
mony payment obligations shall not be required to vary its
normal pay and disbursement cycle in order to comply with
the legal process.
‘‘(f) RELIEF FROM LIABILITY.—
‘‘(1) Neither the United States, nor the govern-
ment of the District of Columbia, nor any disbursing
officer shall be liable with respect to any payment
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made from moneys due or payable from the United
States to any individual pursuant to legal process
regular on its face, if the payment is made in accord-
ance with this section and the regulations issued to
carry out this section.
‘‘(2) No Federal employee whose duties include
taking actions necessary to comply with the require-
ments of subsection (a) with regard to any individual
shall be subject under any law to any disciplinary ac-
tion or civil or criminal liability or penalty for, or
on account of, any disclosure of information made by
the employee in connection with the carrying out of
such actions.
‘‘(g) REGULATIONS.—Authority to promulgate regula-
tions for the implementation of this section shall, insofar
as this section applies to moneys due from (or payable
by)—
‘‘(1) the United States (other than the legislative
or judicial branches of the Federal Government) or
the government of the District of Columbia, be vested
in the President (or the designee of the President);
‘‘(2) the legislative branch of the Federal Govern-
ment, be vested jointly in the President pro tempore
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives (or their designees), and
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‘‘(3) the judicial branch of the Federal Govern-
ment, be vested in the Chief Justice of the United
States (or the designee of the Chief Justice).
‘‘(h) MONEYS SUBJECT TO PROCESS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2),
moneys paid or payable to an individual which are
considered to be based upon remuneration for employ-
ment, for purposes of this section—
‘‘(A) consist of—
‘‘(i) compensation paid or payable for
personal services of the individual, whether
the compensation is denominated as wages,
salary, commission, bonus, pay, allowances,
or otherwise (including severance pay, sick
pay, and incentive pay);
‘‘(ii) periodic benefits (including a
periodic benefit as defined in section
228(h)(3)) or other payments—
‘‘(I) under the insurance system
established by title II;
‘‘(II) under any other system or
fund established by the United States
which provides for the payment of pen-
sions, retirement or retired pay, annu-
ities, dependents’ or survivors’ benefits,
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or similar amounts payable on account
of personal services performed by the
individual or any other individual;
‘‘(III) as compensation for death
under any Federal program;
‘‘(IV) under any Federal program
established to provide ‘black lung’ bene-
fits; or
‘‘(V) by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs as pension, or as compensation
for a service-connected disability or
death (except any compensation paid
by the Secretary to a member of the
Armed Forces who is in receipt of re-
tired or retainer pay if the member has
waived a portion of the retired pay of
the member in order to receive the com-
pensation); and
‘‘(iii) workers’ compensation benefits
paid under Federal or State law; but
‘‘(B) do not include any payment—
‘‘(i) by way of reimbursement or other-
wise, to defray expenses incurred by the in-
dividual in carrying out duties associated
with the employment of the individual; or
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‘‘(ii) as allowances for members of the
uniformed services payable pursuant to
chapter 7 of title 37, United States Code, as
prescribed by the Secretaries concerned (de-
fined by section 101(5) of such title) as nec-
essary for the efficient performance of duty.
‘‘(2) CERTAIN AMOUNTS EXCLUDED.—In deter-
mining the amount of any moneys due from, or pay-
able by, the United States to any individual, there
shall be excluded amounts which—
‘‘(A) are owed by the individual to the
United States;
‘‘(B) are required by law to be, and are, de-
ducted from the remuneration or other payment
involved, including Federal employment taxes,
and fines and forfeitures ordered by court-mar-
tial;
‘‘(C) are properly withheld for Federal,
State, or local income tax purposes, if the with-
holding of the amounts is authorized or required
by law and if amounts withheld are not greater
than would be the case if the individual claimed
all dependents to which he was entitled (the
withholding of additional amounts pursuant to
section 3402(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of
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1986 may be permitted only when the individual
presents evidence of a tax obligation which sup-
ports the additional withholding);
‘‘(D) are deducted as health insurance pre-
miums;
‘‘(E) are deducted as normal retirement
contributions (not including amounts deducted
for supplementary coverage); or
‘‘(F) are deducted as normal life insurance
premiums from salary or other remuneration for
employment (not including amounts deducted for
supplementary coverage).
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section:
‘‘(1) UNITED STATES.—The term ‘United States’
includes any department, agency, or instrumentality
of the legislative, judicial, or executive branch of the
Federal Government, the United States Postal Serv-
ice, the Postal Rate Commission, any Federal cor-
poration created by an Act of Congress that is wholly
owned by the Federal Government, and the govern-
ments of the territories and possessions of the United
States.
‘‘(2) CHILD SUPPORT.—The term ‘child support’,
when used in reference to the legal obligations of an
individual to provide such support, means periodic
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payments of funds for the support and maintenance
of a child or children with respect to which the indi-
vidual has such an obligation, and (subject to and in
accordance with State law) includes payments to pro-
vide for health care, education, recreation, clothing, or
to meet other specific needs of such a child or chil-
dren, and includes attorney’s fees, interest, and court
costs, when and to the extent that the same are ex-
pressly made recoverable as such pursuant to a decree,
order, or judgment issued in accordance with applica-
ble State law by a court of competent jurisdiction.
‘‘(3) ALIMONY.—The term ‘alimony’, when used
in reference to the legal obligations of an individual
to provide the same, means periodic payments of
funds for the support and maintenance of the spouse
(or former spouse) of the individual, and (subject to
and in accordance with State law) includes separate
maintenance, alimony pendente lite, maintenance,
and spousal support, and includes attorney’s fees, in-
terest, and court costs when and to the extent that the
same are expressly made recoverable as such pursuant
to a decree, order, or judgment issued in accordance
with applicable State law by a court of competent ju-
risdiction. Such term does not include any payment
or transfer of property or its value by an individual
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to the spouse or a former spouse of the individual in
compliance with any community property settlement,
equitable distribution of property, or other division of
property between spouses or former spouses.
‘‘(4) PRIVATE PERSON.—The term ‘private per-
son’ means a person who does not have sovereign or
other special immunity or privilege which causes the
person not to be subject to legal process.
‘‘(5) LEGAL PROCESS.—The term ‘legal process’
means any writ, order, summons, or other similar
process in the nature of garnishment—
‘‘(A) which is issued by—
‘‘(i) a court of competent jurisdiction
in any State, territory, or possession of the
United States;
‘‘(ii) a court of competent jurisdiction
in any foreign country with which the
United States has entered into an agree-
ment which requires the United States to
honor the process; or
‘‘(iii) an authorized official pursuant
to an order of such a court of competent ju-
risdiction or pursuant to State or local law;
and
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‘‘(B) which is directed to, and the purpose
of which is to compel, a governmental entity
which holds moneys which are otherwise payable
to an individual to make a payment from the
moneys to another party in order to satisfy a
legal obligation of the individual to provide child
support or make alimony payments.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) TO PART D OF TITLE IV.—Sections 461 and
462 (42 U.S.C. 661 and 662) are repealed.
(2) TO TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE.—Section
5520a of title 5, United States Code, is amended, in
subsections (h)(2) and (i), by striking ‘‘sections 459,
461, and 462 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
659, 661, and 662)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 459 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 659)’’.
(c) MILITARY RETIRED AND RETAINER PAY.—
(1) DEFINITION OF COURT.—Section 1408(a)(1)
of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (B);
(B) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (C) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding after subparagraph (C) the
following new subparagraph:
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‘‘(D) any administrative or judicial tribu-
nal of a State competent to enter orders for sup-
port or maintenance (including a State agency
administering a program under a State plan ap-
proved under part D of title IV of the Social Se-
curity Act), and, for purposes of this subpara-
graph, the term ‘State’ includes the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.’’.
(2) DEFINITION
OF
COURT
ORDER.—Section
1408(a)(2) of such title is amended by inserting ‘‘or
a court order for the payment of child support not in-
cluded in or accompanied by such a decree or settle-
ment,’’ before ‘‘which—’’.
(3) PUBLIC
PAYEE.—Section 1408(d) of such
title is amended—
(A) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘(OR FOR
BENEFIT OF)’’ before ‘‘SPOUSE OR’’; and
(B) in paragraph (1), in the 1st sentence,
by inserting ‘‘(or for the benefit of such spouse
or former spouse to a State disbursement unit es-
tablished pursuant to section 454B of the Social
Security Act or other public payee designated by
a State, in accordance with part D of title IV of
the Social Security Act, as directed by court
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order, or as otherwise directed in accordance
with such part D)’’ before ‘‘in an amount suffi-
cient’’.
(4) RELATIONSHIP TO PART D OF TITLE IV.—
Section 1408 of such title is amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(j) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—In any case
involving an order providing for payment of child support
(as defined in section 459(i)(2) of the Social Security Act)
by a member who has never been married to the other par-
ent of the child, the provisions of this section shall not
apply, and the case shall be subject to the provisions of sec-
tion 459 of such Act.’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this
section shall become effective 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 963. ENFORCEMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS
OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) AVAILABILITY OF LOCATOR INFORMATION.—
(1) MAINTENANCE OF ADDRESS INFORMATION.—
The Secretary of Defense shall establish a centralized
personnel locator service that includes the address of
each member of the Armed Forces under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary. Upon request of the Secretary
of Transportation, addresses for members of the Coast
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Guard shall be included in the centralized personnel
locator service.
(2) TYPE OF ADDRESS.—
(A) RESIDENTIAL
ADDRESS.—Except as
provided in subparagraph (B), the address for a
member of the Armed Forces shown in the loca-
tor service shall be the residential address of that
member.
(B) DUTY
ADDRESS.—The address for a
member of the Armed Forces shown in the loca-
tor service shall be the duty address of that mem-
ber in the case of a member—
(i) who is permanently assigned over-
seas, to a vessel, or to a routinely deployable
unit; or
(ii) with respect to whom the Secretary
concerned makes a determination that the
member’s residential address should not be
disclosed due to national security or safety
concerns.
(3) UPDATING
OF
LOCATOR
INFORMATION.—
Within 30 days after a member listed in the locator
service establishes a new residential address (or a new
duty address, in the case of a member covered by
paragraph (2)(B)), the Secretary concerned shall up-
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date the locator service to indicate the new address of
the member.
(4) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall make information regarding
the address of a member of the Armed Forces listed
in the locator service available, on request, to the Fed-
eral Parent Locator Service established under section
453 of the Social Security Act.
(b) FACILITATING GRANTING OF LEAVE FOR ATTEND-
ANCE AT HEARINGS.—
(1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of each mili-
tary department, and the Secretary of Transportation
with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operat-
ing as a service in the Navy, shall prescribe regula-
tions to facilitate the granting of leave to a member
of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of that
Secretary in a case in which—
(A) the leave is needed for the member to at-
tend a hearing described in paragraph (2);
(B) the member is not serving in or with a
unit deployed in a contingency operation (as de-
fined in section 101 of title 10, United States
Code); and
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(C) the exigencies of military service (as de-
termined by the Secretary concerned) do not oth-
erwise require that such leave not be granted.
(2) COVERED
HEARINGS.—Paragraph (1) ap-
plies to a hearing that is conducted by a court or
pursuant to an administrative process established
under State law, in connection with a civil action—
(A) to determine whether a member of the
Armed Forces is a natural parent of a child; or
(B) to determine an obligation of a member
of the Armed Forces to provide child support.
(3) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sub-
section:
(A) The term ‘‘court’’ has the meaning
given that term in section 1408(a) of title 10,
United States Code.
(B) The term ‘‘child support’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 459(i) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 659(i)).
(c) PAYMENT OF MILITARY RETIRED PAY IN COMPLI-
ANCE WITH CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS.—
(1) 
DATE
OF
CERTIFICATION
OF
COURT
ORDER.—Section 1408 of title 10, United States Code,
as amended by section 962(c)(4), is amended—
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(A) by redesignating subsections (i) and (j)
as subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
lowing new subsection:
‘‘(i) CERTIFICATION DATE.—It is not necessary that
the date of a certification of the authenticity or completeness
of a copy of a court order for child support received by the
Secretary concerned for the purposes of this section be recent
in relation to the date of receipt by the Secretary.’’.
(2) PAYMENTS CONSISTENT WITH ASSIGNMENTS
OF RIGHTS TO STATES.—Section 1408(d)(1) of such
title is amended by inserting after the 1st sentence the
following: ‘‘In the case of a spouse or former spouse
who assigns to a State the rights of the spouse or
former spouse to receive support, the Secretary con-
cerned may make the child support payments referred
to in the preceding sentence to that State in amounts
consistent with that assignment of rights.’’.
(3) ARREARAGES OWED BY MEMBERS OF THE
UNIFORMED SERVICES.—Section 1408(d) of such title
is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(6) In the case of a court order for which effective
service is made on the Secretary concerned on or after the
date of the enactment of this paragraph and which provides
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for payments from the disposable retired pay of a member
to satisfy the amount of child support set forth in the order,
the authority provided in paragraph (1) to make payments
from the disposable retired pay of a member to satisfy the
amount of child support set forth in a court order shall
apply to payment of any amount of child support arrear-
ages set forth in that order as well as to amounts of child
support that currently become due.’’.
(4) PAYROLL
DEDUCTIONS.—The Secretary of
Defense shall begin payroll deductions within 30 days
after receiving notice of withholding, or for the 1st
pay period that begins after such 30-day period.
SEC. 964. VOIDING OF FRAUDULENT TRANSFERS.
Section 466 (42 U.S.C. 666), as amended by section
921, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(g) In order to satisfy section 454(20)(A), each State
must have in effect—
‘‘(1)(A) the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act
of 1981;
‘‘(B) the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act of
1984; or
‘‘(C) another law, specifying indicia of fraud
which create a prima facie case that a debtor trans-
ferred income or property to avoid payment to a child
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support creditor, which the Secretary finds affords
comparable rights to child support creditors; and
‘‘(2) procedures under which, in any case in
which the State knows of a transfer by a child sup-
port debtor with respect to which such a prima facie
case is established, the State must—
‘‘(A) seek to void such transfer; or
‘‘(B) obtain a settlement in the best inter-
ests of the child support creditor.’’.
SEC. 965. WORK REQUIREMENT FOR PERSONS OWING
CHILD SUPPORT.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by sec-
tions 901(a), 915, 917(a), and 923, is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(15) Procedures requiring the State, in any
case in which an individual owes support with re-
spect to a child receiving services under this part, to
seek a court order or administrative order that re-
quires the individual to—
‘‘(A) pay such support in accordance with
a plan approved by the court; or
‘‘(B) if the individual is not working and
is not incapacitated, participate in work activi-
ties (including, at State option, work activities
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as defined in section 482) as the court deems ap-
propriate.’’.
SEC. 966. DEFINITION OF SUPPORT ORDER.
Section 453 (42 U.S.C. 653) as amended by sections
916 and 945(b), is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new subsection:
‘‘(o) As used in this part, the term ‘support order’
means a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary,
final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an
administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, for the
support and maintenance of a child, including a child who
has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing
State, or a child and the parent with whom the child is
living, which provides for monetary support, health care,
arrearages, or reimbursement, and which may include re-
lated costs and fees, interest and penalties, income withhold-
ing, attorneys’ fees, and other relief.’’.
SEC. 967. REPORTING ARREARAGES TO CREDIT BUREAUS.
Section 466(a)(7) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(7)) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘(7)(A) Procedures (subject to safeguards pursu-
ant to subparagraph (B)) requiring the State to re-
port periodically to consumer reporting agencies (as
defined in section 603(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(f)) the name of any absent par-
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ent who is delinquent in the payment of support, and
the amount of overdue support owed by such parent.
‘‘(B) Procedures ensuring that, in carrying out
subparagraph (A), information with respect to an ab-
sent parent is reported—
‘‘(i) only after such parent has been af-
forded all due process required under State law,
including notice and a reasonable opportunity to
contest the accuracy of such information; and
‘‘(ii) only to an entity that has furnished
evidence satisfactory to the State that the entity
is a consumer reporting agency.’’.
SEC. 968. LIENS.
Section 466(a)(4) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(4)) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘(4) Procedures under which—
‘‘(A) liens arise by operation of law against
real and personal property for amounts of over-
due support owed by an absent parent who re-
sides or owns property in the State; and
‘‘(B) the State accords full faith and credit
to liens described in subparagraph (A) arising in
another State, without registration of the under-
lying order.’’.
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SEC. 969. STATE LAW AUTHORIZING SUSPENSION OF LI-
CENSES.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by sec-
tions 915, 917(a), 923, and 965, is amended by adding at
the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(16) Procedures under which the State has (and
uses in appropriate cases) authority to withhold or
suspend, or to restrict the use of, driver’s licenses, pro-
fessional and occupational licenses, and recreational
licenses of individuals owing overdue support or fail-
ing, after receiving appropriate notice, to comply
with subpoenas or warrants relating to paternity or
child support proceedings.’’.
SEC. 970. DENIAL OF PASSPORTS FOR NONPAYMENT OF
CHILD SUPPORT.
(a) HHS CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE.—
(1) SECRETARIAL RESPONSIBILITY.—Section 452
(42 U.S.C. 652), as amended by section 945, is
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(k)(1) If the Secretary receives a certification by a
State agency in accordance with the requirements of section
454(31) that an individual owes arrearages of child support
in an amount exceeding $5,000, the Secretary shall trans-
mit such certification to the Secretary of State for action
(with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of pass-
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ports) pursuant to section 470(b) of the Work Opportunity
Act of 1995.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall not be liable to an individual
for any action with respect to a certification by a State
agency under this section.’’.
(2) STATE CSE AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY.—Sec-
tion 454 (42 U.S.C. 654), as amended by sections
901(b), 904(a), 912(b), 913(a), 933, and 943(a), is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (29);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (30) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding after paragraph (30) the fol-
lowing new paragraph:
‘‘(31) provide that the State agency will have in
effect a procedure (which may be combined with the
procedure for tax refund offset under section 464) for
certifying to the Secretary, for purposes of the proce-
dure under section 452(k) (concerning denial of pass-
ports), determinations that individuals owe arrear-
ages of child support in an amount exceeding $5,000,
under which procedure—
‘‘(A) each individual concerned is afforded
notice of such determination and the con-
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sequences thereof, and an opportunity to contest
the determination; and
‘‘(B) the certification by the State agency is
furnished to the Secretary in such format, and
accompanied by such supporting documentation,
as the Secretary may require.’’.
(b) STATE DEPARTMENT PROCEDURE FOR DENIAL OF
PASSPORTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall,
upon certification by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services transmitted under section 452(k) of
the Social Security Act, refuse to issue a passport to
such individual, and may revoke, restrict, or limit a
passport issued previously to such individual.
(2) LIMIT ON LIABILITY.—The Secretary of State
shall not be liable to an individual for any action
with respect to a certification by a State agency
under this section.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section shall become effective October
1, 1996.
SEC. 971. INTERNATIONAL CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.
The Secretary of State is authorized to negotiate recip-
rocal agreements with foreign nations on behalf of the
States, territories, and possessions of the United States re-
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garding the international enforcement of child support obli-
gations and designating the Department of Health and
Human Services as the central authority for such enforce-
ment.
SEC. 972. DENIAL OF MEANS-TESTED FEDERAL BENEFITS
TO NONCUSTODIAL PARENTS WHO ARE DE-
LINQUENT IN PAYING CHILD SUPPORT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, a non-custodial parent who is more then 2
months delinquent in paying child support shall not be eli-
gible to receive any means-tested Federal benefits.
(b) EXCEPTION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) shall not apply
to an unemployed non-custodial parent who is more
then 2 months delinquent in paying child support if
such parent—
(A) enters into a schedule of repayment for
past due child support with the entity that is-
sued the underlying child support order; and
(B) meets all of the terms of repayment
specified in the schedule of repayment as en-
forced by the appropriate disbursing entity.
(2) 2-YEAR
EXCLUSION.—(A) A non-custodial
parent who becomes delinquent in child support a sec-
ond time or any subsequent time shall not be eligible
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to receive any means-tested Federal benefits for a 2-
year period beginning on the date that such parent
failed to meet such terms.
(B) At the end of that two-year period, para-
graph (A) shall once again apply to that individual.
(c) MEANS-TESTED FEDERAL BENEFITS.— For pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘‘means-tested Federal bene-
fits’’ means benefits under any program of assistance, fund-
ed in whole or in part, by the Federal Government, for
which eligibility for benefits is based on need.
SEC. 973. CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT FOR INDIAN
TRIBES.
(a) CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENTS.—
Section 454 (42 U.S.C. 654), as amended by sections
901(b), 904(a), 912(b), 913(a), 933, 943(a), and 970(a)(2)
is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(30);
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (31) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding after paragraph (31) the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(32) provide that a State that receives funding
pursuant to section 429 and that has within its bor-
ders Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of
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title 18, United States Code) shall, through the State
administering agency, make reasonable efforts to enter
into cooperative agreements with an Indian tribe or
tribal organization (as defined in paragraphs (1) and
(2) of section 428(c)), if the Indian tribe or tribal or-
ganization demonstrates that such tribe or organiza-
tion has an established tribal court system or a Court
of Indian Offenses with the authority to establish pa-
ternity, establish and enforce support orders, and to
enter support orders in accordance with child support
guidelines established by such tribe or organization,
under which the State and tribe or organization shall
provide for the cooperative delivery of child support
enforcement services in Indian country and for the
forwarding of all funding collected pursuant to the
functions performed by the tribe or organization to
the State agency, or conversely, by the State agency
to the tribe or organization, which shall distribute
such funding in accordance with such agreement.’’.
(b) DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING TO INDIAN TRIBES
AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.—Section 455 (42 U.S.C.
655) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(b) The Secretary may, in appropriate cases, make
direct payments under this part to an Indian tribe or tribal
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organization which has an approved child support enforce-
ment plan under this title. In determining whether such
payments are appropriate, the Secretary shall, at a mini-
mum, consider whether services are being provided to eligi-
ble Indian recipients by the State agency through an agree-
ment entered into pursuant to section 454(32). The Sec-
retary shall provide for an appropriate adjustment to the
State allotment under this section to take into account any
payments made under this subsection to Indian tribes or
tribal organizations located within such State.
(c) COOPERATIVE
ENFORCEMENT
AGREEMENTS.—
Paragraph (7) of section 454 (42 U.S.C. 654) is amended
by inserting ‘‘and Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as
defined in section 450(b) of title 25, United States Code)’’
after ‘‘law enforcement officials’’.
SEC. 974. FINANCIAL INSTITUTION DATA MATCHES.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by sec-
tions 915, 917(a), 923, 965, 969, and 976 is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(18) Procedures under which the State agency
shall enter into agreements with financial institutions
doing business within the State to develop and oper-
ate a data match system, using automated data ex-
changes to the maximum extent feasible, in which
such financial institutions are required to provide for
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each calendar quarter the name, record address, social
security number, and other identifying information
for each absent parent identified by the State who
maintains an account at such institution and, in re-
sponse to a notice of lien or levy, to encumber or sur-
render, as the case may be, assets held by such insti-
tution on behalf of any absent parent who is subject
to a child support lien pursuant to paragraph (4).
For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘financial
institution’ means Federal and State commercial sav-
ings banks, including savings and loan associations
and cooperative banks, Federal and State chartered
credit unions, benefit associations, insurance compa-
nies, safe deposit companies, money-market mutual
funds, and any similar entity authorized to do busi-
ness in the State, and the term ‘account’ means a de-
mand deposit account, checking or negotiable with-
drawal order account, savings account, time deposit
account, or money-market mutual fund account.
Subtitle H—Medical Support
SEC. 975. TECHNICAL CORRECTION TO ERISA DEFINITION
OF MEDICAL CHILD SUPPORT ORDER.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 609(a)(2)(B) of the Em-
ployee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C.
1169(a)(2)(B)) is amended—
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(1) by striking ‘‘issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction’’;
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause
(ii) and inserting a comma; and
(3) by adding, after and below clause (ii), the
following:
‘‘if such judgment, decree, or order (I) is issued
by a court of competent jurisdiction or (II) is is-
sued through an administrative process estab-
lished under State law and has the force and ef-
fect of law under applicable State law.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendments made by
this section shall take effect on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
(2) PLAN AMENDMENTS NOT REQUIRED UNTIL
JANUARY 1, 1996.—Any amendment to a plan required
to be made by an amendment made by this section
shall not be required to be made before the 1st plan
year beginning on or after January 1, 1996, if—
(A) during the period after the date before
the date of the enactment of this Act and before
such 1st plan year, the plan is operated in ac-
cordance with the requirements of the amend-
ments made by this section; and
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(B) such plan amendment applies retro-
actively to the period after the date before the
date of the enactment of this Act and before such
1st plan year.
A plan shall not be treated as failing to be operated
in accordance with the provisions of the plan merely
because it operates in accordance with this para-
graph.
SEC. 976. ENFORCEMENT OF ORDERS FOR HEALTH CARE
COVERAGE.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by sec-
tions 915, 917(a), 923, 965, and 969, is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(17) Procedures under which all child support
orders enforced under this part shall include a provi-
sion for the health care coverage of the child, and in
the case in which an absent parent provides such cov-
erage and changes employment, and the new employer
provides health care coverage, the State agency shall
transfer notice of the provision to the employer, which
notice shall operate to enroll the child in the absent
parent’s health plan, unless the absent parent contests
the notice.’’.
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SEC. 977. ENFORCEMENT OF ORDERS AGAINST PATERNAL
GRANDPARENTS IN CASES OF MINOR PAR-
ENTS.
Section 466(a) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)), as amended by sec-
tions 915, 917(a), 923, 965, 969, and 976, is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(17) Procedures under which any child support
order enforced under this part with respect to a child
of minor parents, if the mother of such child is receiv-
ing assistance under the State grant under part A,
shall be enforceable, jointly and severally, against the
paternal grandparents of such child.’’.
Subtitle I—Enhancing Responsibil-
ity 
and 
Opportunity 
for
Nonresidential Parents
SEC. 981. GRANTS TO STATES FOR ACCESS AND VISITATION
PROGRAMS.
Part D of title IV (42 U.S.C. 651–669) is amended
by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 469A. GRANTS TO STATES FOR ACCESS AND VISITA-
TION PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administration for Children
and Families shall make grants under this section to enable
States to establish and administer programs to support and
facilitate absent parents’ access to and visitation of their
children, by means of activities including mediation (both
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voluntary and mandatory), counseling, education, develop-
ment of parenting plans, visitation enforcement (including
monitoring, supervision and neutral drop-off and pickup),
and development of guidelines for visitation and alternative
custody arrangements.
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of the grant
to be made to a State under this section for a fiscal year
shall be an amount equal to the lesser of—
‘‘(1) 90 percent of State expenditures during the
fiscal year for activities described in subsection (a); or
‘‘(2) the allotment of the State under subsection
(c) for the fiscal year.
‘‘(c) ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The allotment of a State for
a fiscal year is the amount that bears the same ratio
to the amount appropriated for grants under this sec-
tion for the fiscal year as the number of children in
the State living with only 1 biological parent bears
to the total number of such children in all States.
‘‘(2) MINIMUM
ALLOTMENT.—The Administra-
tion for Children and Families shall adjust allotments
to States under paragraph (1) as necessary to ensure
that no State is allotted less than—
‘‘(A) $50,000 for fiscal year 1996 or 1997;
or
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‘‘(B) $100,000 for any succeeding fiscal
year.
‘‘(d) NO SUPPLANTATION OF STATE EXPENDITURES
FOR SIMILAR ACTIVITIES.—A State to which a grant is
made under this section may not use the grant to supplant
expenditures by the State for activities specified in sub-
section (a), but shall use the grant to supplement such ex-
penditures at a level at least equal to the level of such ex-
penditures for fiscal year 1995.
‘‘(e) STATE ADMINISTRATION.—Each State to which a
grant is made under this section—
‘‘(1) may administer State programs funded
with the grant, directly or through grants to or con-
tracts with courts, local public agencies, or nonprofit
private entities;
‘‘(2) shall not be required to operate such pro-
grams on a statewide basis; and
‘‘(3) shall monitor, evaluate, and report on such
programs in accordance with regulations prescribed
by the Secretary.’’.
Subtitle J—Effect of Enactment
SEC. 991. EFFECTIVE DATES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise specifically
provided (but subject to subsections (b) and (c))—
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(1) the provisions of this title requiring the en-
actment or amendment of State laws under section
466 of the Social Security Act, or revision of State
plans under section 454 of such Act, shall be effective
with respect to periods beginning on and after Octo-
ber 1, 1996; and
(2) all other provisions of this title shall become
effective upon the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) GRACE PERIOD FOR STATE LAW CHANGES.—The
provisions of this title shall become effective with respect
to a State on the later of—
(1) the date specified in this title, or
(2) the effective date of laws enacted by the legis-
lature of such State implementing such provisions,
but in no event later than the 1st day of the 1st calendar
quarter beginning after the close of the 1st regular session
of the State legislature that begins after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. For purposes of the previous sentence,
in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session,
each year of such session shall be deemed to be a separate
regular session of the State legislature.
(c) GRACE PERIOD
FOR STATE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT.—A State shall not be found out of compliance
with any requirement enacted by this title if the State is
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unable to so comply without amending the State constitu-
tion until the earlier of—
(1) 1 year after the effective date of the necessary
State constitutional amendment; or
(2) 5 years after the date of the enactment of this
title.
TITLE X—REFORM OF PUBLIC
HOUSING
SEC. 1001. CEILING RENTS.
Section 3(a)(2) of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(a)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT OF CEILING RENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A public housing agency
may provide that each family residing in a public
housing project shall pay monthly rent in an amount
established by such agency in accordance with this
paragraph.
‘‘(B) LIMITATIONS
ON
AMOUNT.—The rental
amount established under subparagraph (A)—
‘‘(i) shall reflect the reasonable rental value
of the dwelling unit in which the family resides,
as compared with similar types and sizes of
dwelling units in the market area in which the
public housing project is located;
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‘‘(ii) shall be greater than or equal to the
monthly cost to operate the housing (including
any replacement reserves at the discretion of the
public housing agency); and
‘‘(iii) shall not exceed the amount payable
as rent by such family under paragraph (1).’’.
SEC. 1002. DEFINITION OF ADJUSTED INCOME FOR PUBLIC
HOUSING.
(a) DEFINITION
OF
ADJUSTED
INCOME.—Section
3(b)(5) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437a(b)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(5) The term ‘adjusted income’ means the in-
come that remains after excluding—
‘‘(A) $480 for each member of the family re-
siding in the household (other than the head of
the household or spouse)—
‘‘(i) who is under 18 years of age; or
‘‘(ii) who is—
‘‘(I) 18 years of age or older; and
‘‘(II) a person with disabilities or
a full-time student;
‘‘(B) $400 for an elderly or disabled family;
‘‘(C) the amount by which the aggregate
of—
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‘‘(i) medical expenses for an elderly or
disabled family; and
‘‘(ii) reasonable attendant care and
auxiliary apparatus expenses for each fam-
ily member who is a person with disabil-
ities, to the extent necessary to enable any
member of the family (including a member
who is a person with disabilities) to be em-
ployed;
exceeds 3 percent of the annual income of the
family;
‘‘(D) child care expenses, to the extent nec-
essary to enable another member of the family to
be employed or to further his or her education;
‘‘(E) excessive travel expenses, not to exceed
$25 per family per week, for employment- or
education-related travel, except that this sub-
paragraph shall apply only to a family assisted
by an Indian housing authority; and
‘‘(F) subject to the requirements of sub-
section (e), for public housing, adjustments to
earned income established by the public housing
agency, not to exceed 20 percent of the earned in-
come of the family.’’.
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(b) ADJUSTMENTS TO DEFINITION OF EARNED IN-
COME.—Section 3 of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437a) is amended—
(1) in the first undesignated paragraph imme-
diately following subsection (c)(3) (as added by sec-
tion 515(b) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Afford-
able Housing Act), by striking ‘‘The earnings of’’ and
inserting the following:
‘‘(d) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN EARNINGS.—The earn-
ings of’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(e) ADJUSTMENTS TO EARNED INCOME.—If a public
housing agency establishes any adjustment to income pursu-
ant to subsection (b)(5)(F), the Secretary—
‘‘(1) shall not take into account any reduction of
the per dwelling unit rental income of the public
housing agency resulting from that adjustment in cal-
culating the contributions under section 9 for the pub-
lic housing agency for the operation of the public
housing; and
‘‘(2) shall not reduce the level of operating sub-
sidies payable to the public housing agency due to an
increase in per dwelling unit rental income that re-
sults from a higher level of income earned by any
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residents whose adjusted incomes are calculated tak-
ing into account that adjustment to income, until the
public housing agency has recovered a sum equal to
the cumulative difference between—
‘‘(A) the operating subsidies actually re-
ceived by the agency; and
‘‘(B) the operating subsidies that the public
housing agency would have received if paragraph
(1) was not applied.’’.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit a report to the Congress describing the
fiscal and societal impact of the amendment made by sub-
section (b)(2).
(d) REPEAL OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS.—
(1) MAXIMUM ANNUAL LIMITATION ON RENT IN-
CREASES
RESULTING
FROM
EMPLOYMENT.—Section
957 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12714) is repealed effective
November 28, 1990.
(2) ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.—Section 923 of
the Housing and Community Development Act of
1992 (42 U.S.C. 12714 note) is repealed effective Oc-
tober 28, 1992.
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SEC. 1003. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH OTHER WELFARE
AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
Title I of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
‘‘SEC. 27. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH OTHER WELFARE AND
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If the benefits of a family are re-
duced under a Federal, State, or local law relating to wel-
fare or a public assistance program for the failure of any
member of the family to perform an action required under
the law or program, the family may not, for the duration
of the reduction, receive any increased assistance under this
Act as the result of a decrease in the income of the family
to the extent that the decrease in income is the result of
the benefits reduction.
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) shall not apply in
any case in which the benefits of a family are reduced be-
cause the welfare or public assistance program to which the
Federal, State, or local law relates limits the period during
which benefits may be provided under the program.’’.
SEC. 1004. APPLICABILITY TO INDIAN HOUSING.
(a) IN
GENERAL.—In accordance with section
201(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, the
amendments made by this title shall apply to public hous-
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ing developed or operated pursuant to a contract between
the Secretary and an Indian housing authority.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
(1) the term ‘‘Indian housing authority’’ has the
same meaning as in section 3(b) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937;
(2) the term ‘‘public housing’’ has the same
meaning as in section 3(b) of the United States Hous-
ing Act of 1937; and
(3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development.
SEC. 1005. IMPLEMENTATION.
The Secretary shall issue such regulations as may be
necessary to carry out this title and the amendments made
by this title.
SEC. 1006. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR ELIMINATION
OF TAKE-ONE-TAKE-ALL REQUIREMENT.
In order to demonstrate the effects of eliminating the
requirement under section 8(t) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937, notwithstanding any other provision of law,
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, section 8(t)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 shall not apply
with respect to the multifamily housing project (as such
term is defined in section 8(t)(2) of the United States Hous-
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ing Act of 1937) consisting of the dwelling units located
at 2401–2479 Sommerset Circle, in Madison, Wisconsin.
SEC. 1007. FRAUD UNDER MEANS-TESTED WELFARE AND
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—If an individual’s benefits under a
Federal, State, or local law relating to a means-tested wel-
fare or a public assistance program are reduced because of
an act of fraud by the individual under the law or program,
the individual may not, for the duration of the reduction,
receive an increased benefit under any other means-tested
welfare or public assistance program for which Federal
funds are appropriated as a result of a decrease in the in-
come of the individual (determined under the applicable
program) attributable to such reduction.
(b) WELFARE OR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR
WHICH FEDERAL FUNDS ARE APPROPRIATED.—For pur-
poses of subsection (a), the term ‘‘means-tested welfare or
public assistance program for which Federal funds are ap-
propriated’’ shall include the food stamp program under the
Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), any pro-
gram of public or assisted housing under title I of the Unit-
ed States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.),
and State programs funded under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
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SEC. 1008. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This title and the amendments made by this title shall
take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
TITLE XI—CHILD ABUSE
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
SEC. 1101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Child Abuse Prevention
and Treatment Act Amendments of 1995’’.
Subtitle A—General Program
SEC. 1111. REFERENCE.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in
this subtitle an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section
or other provision of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.).
SEC. 1112. FINDINGS.
Section 2 (42 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), the read as follows:
‘‘(1) each year, close to 1,000,000 American chil-
dren are victims of abuse and neglect;’’;
(2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘assess-
ment,’’ after ‘‘prevention,’’;
(3) in paragraph (4)—
(A) by striking ‘‘tens of’’; and
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(B) by striking ‘‘direct’’ and all that follows
through the semicolon and inserting ‘‘tangible ex-
penditures, as well as significant intangible
costs;’’;
(4) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘remedy the
causes of’’ and inserting ‘‘prevent’’;
(5) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘safety,’’ after
‘‘fosters the health,’’;
(6) in paragraph (10)—
(A) by striking ‘‘ensure that every commu-
nity in the United States has’’ and inserting
‘‘assist States and communities with’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘and family’’ after ‘‘com-
prehensive child’’; and
(7) in paragraph (11)—
(A) by striking ‘‘child protection’’ each
place that such appears and inserting ‘‘child and
family protection’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘suf-
ficient’’.
SEC. 1113. OFFICE OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
Section 101 (42 U.S.C.5101) is amended to read as
follows:
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‘‘SEC. 101. OFFICE OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services may establish an office to be known as
the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Office established
under subsection (a) shall be to execute and coordinate the
functions and activities of this Act. In the event that such
functions and activities are performed by another entity or
entities within the Department of Health and Human Serv-
ices, the Secretary shall ensure that such functions and ac-
tivities are executed with the necessary expertise and in a
fully 
coordinated 
manner 
involving 
regular
intradepartmental and interdepartmental consultation
with all agencies involved in child abuse and neglect activi-
ties.’’.
SEC. 1114. ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NE-
GLECT.
Section 102 (42 U.S.C.5102) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘SEC. 102. ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NE-
GLECT.
‘‘(a) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary may appoint an
advisory board to make recommendations to the Secretary
and to the appropriate committees of Congress concerning
specific issues relating to child abuse and neglect.
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‘‘(b) SOLICITATION OF NOMINATIONS.—The Secretary
shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting
nominations for the appointment of members of the advi-
sory board under subsection (a).
‘‘(c) COMPOSITION.—In establishing the board under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall appoint members from
the general public who are individuals knowledgeable in
child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention, treatment,
or research, and with due consideration to representation
of ethnic or racial minorities and diverse geographic areas,
and who represent—
‘‘(1) law (including the judiciary);
‘‘(2) psychology (including child development);
‘‘(3) social services (including child protective
services);
‘‘(4) medicine (including pediatrics);
‘‘(5) State and local government;
‘‘(6) organizations providing services to disabled
persons;
‘‘(7) organizations providing services to adoles-
cents;
‘‘(8) teachers;
‘‘(9) parent self-help organizations;
‘‘(10) parents’ groups;
‘‘(11) voluntary groups;
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‘‘(12) family rights groups; and
‘‘(13) children’s rights advocates.
‘‘(d) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the membership of
the board shall be filled in the same manner in which the
original appointment was made.
‘‘(e) ELECTION OF OFFICERS.—The board shall elect
a chairperson and vice-chairperson at its first meeting from
among the members of the board.
‘‘(f) DUTIES.—Not later than 1 year after the estab-
lishment of the board under subsection (a), the board shall
submit to the Secretary and the appropriate committees of
Congress a report, or interim report, containing—
‘‘(1) recommendations on coordinating Federal,
State, and local child abuse and neglect activities
with similar activities at the Federal, State, and local
level pertaining to family violence prevention;
‘‘(2) specific modifications needed in Federal
and State laws and programs to reduce the number
of unfounded or unsubstantiated reports of child
abuse or neglect while enhancing the ability to iden-
tify and substantiate legitimate cases of abuse or ne-
glect which place a child in danger; and
‘‘(3) recommendations for modifications needed
to facilitate coordinated national data collection with
respect to child protection and child welfare.’’.
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SEC. 1115. REPEAL OF INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.
Section 103 (42 U.S.C.5103) is repealed.
SEC. 1116. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION
RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE.
Section 104 (42 U.S.C.5104) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), to read as follows:
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall through
the Department, or by one or more contracts of not less than
3 years duration let through a competition, establish a na-
tional clearinghouse for information relating to child
abuse.’’;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by striking ‘‘Director’’ and inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary’’;
(B) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by inserting ‘‘assessment,’’ after
‘‘prevention,’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘, including’’ and all
that follows through ‘‘105(b)’’ and inserting
‘‘and’’;
(C) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
‘‘general population’’ and inserting ‘‘United
States’’;
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(ii) in subparagraph (B), by adding
‘‘and’’ at the end thereof;
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking
‘‘; and’’ at the end thereof and inserting a
period; and
(iv) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(D) by striking paragraph (3); and
(3) in subsection (c)—
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by striking ‘‘Director’’ and inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary’’;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘that is
represented on the task force’’ and inserting ‘‘in-
volved with child abuse and neglect and mecha-
nisms for the sharing of such information among
other Federal agencies and clearinghouses’’;
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘State,
regional’’ and all that follows and inserting the
following: ‘‘Federal, State, regional, and local
child welfare data systems which shall include:
‘‘(A) standardized data on false, unfounded,
unsubstantiated, and substantiated reports; and
‘‘(B) information on the number of deaths
due to child abuse and neglect;’’;
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(D) by redesignating paragraph (4) as
paragraph (6); and
(E) by inserting after paragraph (3), the
following new paragraphs:
‘‘(4) through a national data collection and
analysis program and in consultation with appro-
priate State and local agencies and experts in the
field, collect, compile, and make available State child
abuse and neglect reporting information which, to the
extent practical, shall be universal and case specific,
and integrated with other case-based foster care and
adoption data collected by the Secretary;
‘‘(5) compile, analyze, and publish a summary of
the research conducted under section 105(a); and’’.
SEC. 1117. RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND ASSISTANCE AC-
TIVITIES.
(a) RESEARCH.—Section 105(a) (42 (42 U.S.C.
5105(a)) is amended—
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘OF THE
NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND
NEGLECT’’;
(2) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ‘‘, through the Center, conduct
research on’’ and inserting ‘‘, in consultation
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with other Federal agencies and recognized ex-
perts in the field, carry out a continuing inter-
disciplinary program of research that is designed
to provide information needed to better protect
children from abuse or neglect and to improve
the well-being of abused or neglected children,
with at least a portion of such research being
field initiated. Such research program may focus
on’’;
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (A)
through (C) as subparagraph (B) through (D),
respectively;
(C) by inserting before subparagraph (B)
(as so redesignated) the following new subpara-
graph:
‘‘(A) the nature and scope of child abuse
and neglect;’’;
(D) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesig-
nated), to read as follows:
‘‘(B) causes, prevention, assessment, identi-
fication, treatment, cultural and socio-economic
distinctions, and the consequences of child abuse
and neglect;’’;
(E) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesig-
nated)—
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(i) by striking clause (ii); and
(ii) in clause (iii), to read as follows:
‘‘(ii) the incidence of substantiated and
unsubstantiated reported child abuse cases;
‘‘(iii) the number of substantiated cases
that result in a judicial finding of child
abuse or neglect or related criminal court
convictions;
‘‘(iv) the extent to which the number of
unsubstantiated, unfounded and false re-
ported cases of child abuse or neglect have
contributed to the inability of a State to re-
spond effectively to serious cases of child
abuse or neglect;
‘‘(v) the extent to which the lack of ade-
quate resources and the lack of adequate
training of reporters have contributed to the
inability of a State to respond effectively to
serious cases of child abuse and neglect;
‘‘(vi) the number of unsubstantiated,
false, or unfounded reports that have re-
sulted in a child being placed in substitute
care, and the duration of such placement;
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‘‘(vii) the extent to which unsubstan-
tiated reports return as more serious cases
of child abuse or neglect;
‘‘(viii) the incidence and prevalence of
physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and
physical and emotional neglect in substitute
care; and
‘‘(ix) the incidence and outcomes of
abuse allegations reported within the con-
text of divorce, custody, or other family
court proceedings, and the interaction be-
tween this venue and the child protective
services system.’’; and
(3) in paragraph (2)—
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
(i) by striking ‘‘and demonstrations’’;
and
(ii) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(A) and
activities under section 106’’ and inserting
‘‘paragraph (1)’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and
demonstration’’.
(b) REPEAL.—Subsection (b) of section 105 (42 U.S.C.
5105(b)) is repealed.
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(c) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Section 105(c) (42
U.S.C. 5105(c)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting:
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘, through the Center,’’;
(3) by inserting ‘‘State and local’’ before ‘‘public
and nonprofit’’;
(4) by inserting ‘‘assessment,’’ before ‘‘identifica-
tion’’; and
(5) by adding at the end thereof the following
new paragraphs:
‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—Such technical assistance
may include an evaluation or identification of—
‘‘(A) various methods and procedures for the
investigation, assessment, and prosecution of
child physical and sexual abuse cases;
‘‘(B) ways to mitigate psychological trauma
to the child victim; and
‘‘(C) effective programs carried out by the
States under titles I and II.
‘‘(3) DISSEMINATION.—The Secretary may pro-
vide for and disseminate information relating to var-
ious training resources available at the State and
local level to—
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‘‘(A) individuals who are engaged, or who
intend to engage, in the prevention, identifica-
tion, and treatment of child abuse and neglect;
and
‘‘(B) appropriate State and local officials to
assist in training law enforcement, legal, judi-
cial, medical, mental health, education, and
child welfare personnel in appropriate methods
of interacting during investigative, administra-
tive, and judicial proceedings with children who
have been subjected to abuse.’’.
(d) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—Section 105(d)(2) (42
U.S.C. 5105(d)(2)) is amended by striking the second sen-
tence.
(e) PEER
REVIEW.—Section 105(e) (42 U.S.C.
5105(e)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
(i) by striking ‘‘establish a formal’’
and inserting ‘‘, in consultation with ex-
perts in the field and other federal agencies,
establish a formal, rigorous, and meritori-
ous’’;
(ii) by striking ‘‘and contracts’’; and
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(iii) by adding at the end thereof the
following new sentence: ‘‘The purpose of this
process is to enhance the quality and useful-
ness of research in the field of child abuse
and neglect.’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)—
(i) by striking ‘‘Office of Human De-
velopment’’ and inserting ‘‘Administration
for Children and Families’’; and
(ii) by adding at the end thereof the
following new sentence: ‘‘The Secretary shall
ensure that the peer review panel utilizes
scientifically valid review criteria and scor-
ing guidelines for review committees.’’; and
(2) in paragraph (2)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ‘‘, contract, or other financial
assistance’’; and
(B) by adding at the end thereof the follow-
ing flush sentence:
‘‘The Secretary shall award grants under this section
on the basis of competitive review.’’.
SEC. 1118. GRANTS FOR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS.
Section 106 (42 U.S.C. 5106) is amended—
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(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘OR
SERVICE’’;
(2) in subsection (a), to read as follows:
‘‘(a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.—
The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts
with, public agencies or nonprofit private agencies or orga-
nizations (or combinations of such agencies or organiza-
tions) for time limited, demonstration programs and
projects for the following purposes:
‘‘(1) TRAINING PROGRAMS.—The Secretary may
award grants to public or private non-profit organi-
zations under this section—
‘‘(A) for the training of professional and
paraprofessional personnel in the fields of medi-
cine, law, education, social work, and other rel-
evant fields who are engaged in, or intend to
work in, the field of prevention, identification,
and treatment of child abuse and neglect, includ-
ing the links between domestic violence and child
abuse;
‘‘(B) to provide culturally specific instruc-
tion in methods of protecting children from child
abuse and neglect to children and to persons re-
sponsible for the welfare of children, including
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parents of and persons who work with children
with disabilities;
‘‘(C) to improve the recruitment, selection,
and training of volunteers serving in private
and public nonprofit children, youth and family
service organizations in order to prevent child
abuse and neglect through collaborative analysis
of current recruitment, selection, and training
programs and development of model programs
for dissemination and replication nationally;
and
‘‘(D) for the establishment of resource cen-
ters for the purpose of providing information
and training to professionals working in the
field of child abuse and neglect.
‘‘(2) MUTUAL
SUPPORT
PROGRAMS.—The Sec-
retary may award grants to private non-profit orga-
nizations (such as Parents Anonymous) to establish
or maintain a national network of mutual support
and self-help programs as a means of strengthening
families in partnership with their communities.
‘‘(3) 
OTHER
INNOVATIVE
PROGRAMS
AND
PROJECTS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may
award grants to public agencies that demonstrate
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innovation in responding to reports of child
abuse and neglect including programs of collabo-
rative partnerships between the State child pro-
tective service agency, community social service
agencies and family support programs, schools,
churches and synagogues, and other community
agencies to allow for the establishment of a triage
system that—
‘‘(i) accepts, screens and assesses re-
ports received to determine which such re-
ports require an intensive intervention and
which require voluntary referral to another
agency, program or project;
‘‘(ii) 
provides, 
either 
directly 
or
through referral, a variety of community-
linked services to assist families in prevent-
ing child abuse and neglect; and
‘‘(iii) provides further investigation
and intensive intervention where the child’s
safety is in jeopardy.
‘‘(B) KINSHIP CARE.—The Secretary may
award grants to public entities to assist such en-
tities in developing or implementing procedures
using adult relatives as the preferred placement
for children removed from their home, where such
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‘‘(C) direction and oversight to the network
through identified goals and objectives, clear
lines of communication and accountability, the
provision of leveraged or combined funding from
Federal, State and private sources, centralized
assessment and planning activities, the provision
of training and technical assistance, and report-
ing and evaluation functions; and
‘‘(3) the chief executive officer of the State pro-
vides assurances that the lead entity—
‘‘(A) has a demonstrated commitment to pa-
rental participation in the development, oper-
ation, and oversight of the Statewide network of
community-based, prevention-focused, family re-
source and support programs;
‘‘(B) has a demonstrated ability to work
with State and community-based public and pri-
vate nonprofit organizations to develop a contin-
uum of preventive, family centered, holistic serv-
ices for children and families through the State-
wide network of community-based, prevention-fo-
cused, family resource and support programs;
‘‘(C) has the capacity to provide operational
support (both financial and programmatic) and
training and technical assistance, to the State-
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based, prevention-focused, family resource and sup-
port programs for development, operation, expansion
and enhancement activities;
‘‘(11) a description of how the applicant entity’s
activities and those of the network and its members
will be evaluated;
‘‘(12) a description of that actions that the ap-
plicant entity will take to advocate changes in State
policies, practices, procedures and regulations to im-
prove the delivery of prevention-focused, family re-
source and support program services to all children
and families; and
‘‘(13) an assurance that the applicant entity will
provide the Secretary with reports at such time and
containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire.
‘‘SEC. 206. LOCAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Grants made under this title shall
be used to develop, implement, operate, expand and enhance
community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and
support programs that—
‘‘(1) assess community assets and needs through
a planning process that involves parents and local
public agencies, local nonprofit organizations, and
private sector representatives;