TAPS Act
Bill: H.R.9550 | Sponsor: Rep. Gonzales, Tony (R-TX)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Taking Action to Prevent Suicide Act or the TAPS Act
This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Health and Human Services to jointly establish a task force to develop recommendations for a comprehensive policy to prevent suicide by CBP personnel. The Department of Homeland Security must develop a plan based on the task force's assessments and recommendations.

To establish a task force on the prevention of suicide by U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection personnel, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Taking Action to Prevent Suicide 
Act'' or the ``TAPS Act''.

SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE BY U.S. CUSTOMS AND 
              BORDER PROTECTION PERSONNEL.

    (a) In General.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
shall jointly establish a task force to examine matters relating to 
prevention of suicide by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) Personnel.--The task force established in accordance 
        with subsection (a) shall consist of not more than 14 members 
        appointed by the Commissioner of CBP from among individuals 
        described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Individuals described.--The individuals described in 
        this paragraph are the following:
                    (A) At least one CBP agent.
                    (B) The Deputy Commissioner of CBP.
                    (C) The Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.
                    (D) The Executive Assistant Commissioner of Air and 
                Marine Operations of CBP.
                    (E) The Executive Assistant Commissioner of Field 
                Operations of CBP.
                    (F) At least one member of the National Border 
                Patrol Council.
                    (G) At least one member of the National Treasury 
                Employees Union.
                    (H) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 
                Substance Abuse of the Department of Health and Human 
                Services.
                    (I) Persons who have experience in the following:
                            (i) National suicide prevention policy.
                            (ii) CBP personnel policy.
                            (iii) Research in the field of suicide 
                        prevention.
                            (iv) Clinical care in mental health.
                    (J) At least one family member of a CBP Customs 
                Officer who has experience working with families of CBP 
                personnel.
                    (K) At least one family member of a U.S. Border 
                Patrol agent who has experience working with families 
                of CBP personnel.
            (3) Limitation.--To the greatest extent practicable, the 
        Commissioner of CBP and the Secretary of HHS shall make every 
        effort to ensure there is an equal representation of Federal 
        and non-Federal members of the task force.
            (4) Deadline for appointment.--All appointments of 
        individuals to the task force shall be made not later than 180 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (5) Co-chairs of task force.--There shall be two co-chairs 
        of the task force, as follows:
                    (A) One of the co-chairs shall be designated from 
                among CBP personnel members. Such designation shall be 
                made by the Commissioner of CBP at the time of 
                appointment.
                    (B) One of the co-chairs shall be designated from 
                among non-CBP personnel members. Such designation shall 
                be made by such non-CBP personnel members.
    (c) Assessment and Recommendations on Suicide Prevention Policy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date on 
        which all personnel of the task force have been appointed, the 
        task force shall submit to the Commissioner of CBP a report 
        containing recommendations (including recommendations for 
        legislative or administrative action) regarding a comprehensive 
        policy designed to prevent suicide by CBP personnel.
            (2) Utilization of other efforts.--In preparing the report 
        required under paragraph (1), the task force shall take into 
        consideration completed and ongoing efforts by CBP to improve 
        the efficacy of suicide prevention programs.
            (3) Elements.--The recommendations referred to in paragraph 
        (1) shall include measures to address the following:
                    (A) Methods to identify trends and common causal 
                factors in suicides by CBP personnel.
                    (B) Methods to establish or update suicide 
                education and prevention programs conducted by CBP 
                based on identified trends and causal factors.
                    (C) An assessment of current suicide education and 
                prevention programs of CBP.
                    (D) An assessment of current mental health 
                education programs and services available to CBP 
                personnel, and the significance of any stigma with 
                respect to such programs and services.
                    (E) An assessment of suicide incidence by CBP 
                personnel.
                    (F) The appropriate type and method of 
                investigation to determine the causes and factors 
                surrounding each suicide by CBP personnel.
                    (G) The qualifications of individuals appointed to 
                conduct an investigations of suicides by CBP personnel.
                    (H) The information required by an investigation to 
                determine the causes and factors regarding suicides by 
                CBP personnel.
                    (I) The appropriate reporting requirements after 
                the conclusions of investigations conducted on suicides 
                by CBP personnel.
                    (J) The appropriate official or executive agent 
                within the Department of Homeland Security to receive 
                and analyze reports on investigations of suicides by 
                CBP personnel.
                    (K) The appropriate use of the information gathered 
                during investigations of suicides by CBP personnel.
                    (L) Methods for protecting confidentiality of 
                information contained in reports of investigations of 
                suicides by CBP personnel.
    (d) Administrative Matters.--
            (1) Compensation.--Each member of the task force who is a 
        Federal employee shall serve without compensation. Non-Federal 
        members of the task force shall be treated for purposes of 
        section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, as having been 
        appointed under subsection (b) of such section.
            (2) Oversight.--The Commissioner of CBP and the Secretary 
        of HHS shall oversee the activities of the task force.
            (3) Administrative support.--The Commissioner of CBP and 
        the Secretary of HHS shall provide the task force with such 
        personnel, facilities, and other administrative support as may 
        be necessary for the performance of the duties of the task 
        force.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        appointment of all individuals to the task force, the task 
        force shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security a 
        report on its activities under this section. The report shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) A description of the activities of the task 
                force.
                    (B) The assessment and recommendations required 
                under subsection (c).
                    (C) Such other matters relating to the activities 
                of the task force that the task force considers 
                appropriate.
            (2) Transmittal to congress.--Not later than 90 days after 
        receipt of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security shall transmit the report to the Committee on 
        Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
        Senate. The Secretary may include in the transmittal such 
        comments regarding the report as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (f) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after receipt of the 
report under subsection (e)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall develop a plan based on the assessments and recommendations of 
the task force and submit such plan to the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
    (g) Termination.--The task force shall terminate 90 days after the 
date on which the report of the task force is submitted to the 
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
pursuant to subsection (e)(2).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section.
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