In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
--------
Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Services, Education, and 
Rehabilitation for Veterans Act'' or the ``SERV Act''.

SEC. 2. VETERAN'S TREATMENT COURTS.

    (a) Delegation.--The Director of the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy (referred to in this Act as the ``Director'') shall 
delegate the authority to administer the program and other such 
activities necessary to carry out this Act to the Department of 
Justice.
    (b) Grants.--The Attorney General may make grants to States, State 
courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal 
governments acting directly or through agreements with other public or 
private entities, for the purpose of developing, implementing, or 
enhancing veteran's treatment courts or expanding operational drug 
courts to serve veterans.
    (c) Eligibility.--Grants under this Act shall be made to veteran's 
treatment courts and drug courts serving veterans that effectively 
integrate substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, mandatory 
drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services, in a 
judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over nonviolent, 
substance-abusing offenders that have served in the United States 
military.

SEC. 3. GRANT AUTHORITY.

    The Attorney General may make grants to States, State courts, local 
courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments, 
acting directly or through agreements with other public or private 
entities, for programs that involve--
            (1) continuing judicial supervision over offenders with 
        substance abuse or mental health problems who are not violent 
        offenders and have served in the United States military; and
            (2) the integrated administration of other sanctions and 
        services, which shall include--
                    (A) mandatory periodic testing for the use of 
                controlled substances or other addictive substances 
                during any period of supervised release or probation 
                for each participant;
                    (B) substance abuse and mental health treatment 
                (such as treatment for depression and post-traumatic 
                stress disorder) for each participant;
                    (C) diversion, probation, or other supervised 
                release involving the possibility of prosecution, 
                confinement, or incarceration based on noncompliance 
                with program requirements or failure to show 
                satisfactory progress; and
                    (D) programmatic, offender management, and 
                aftercare services such as relapse prevention, health 
                care, education, vocational training, job placement, 
                housing placement, and child care or other family 
                support services for each participant who requires such 
                services.

SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--To request a grant under this Act, a State, State 
court, local court, unit of local government, or Indian tribal 
government shall submit an application to the Attorney General in such 
form and containing such information as the Attorney General may 
reasonably require.
    (b) Applications.--In addition to any other requirements that may 
be specified by the Attorney General, an application for a grant under 
this Act shall--
            (1) include a long-term strategy and detailed 
        implementation plan;
            (2) explain the applicant's inability to fund the program 
        adequately without Federal assistance;
            (3) certify that the Federal support provided will be used 
        to supplement, and not supplant, State, Indian tribal, and 
        local sources of funding that would otherwise be available;
            (4) identify related governmental or community initiatives 
        which complement or will be coordinated with the proposal;
            (5) certify that there has been appropriate consultation 
        with all affected agencies, specifically the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, and that there will be appropriate coordination with 
        all affected agencies in the implementation of the program;
            (6) certify that participating offenders will be supervised 
        by 1 or more designated judges with responsibility for the 
        veteran's treatment court program;
            (7) specify plans for obtaining necessary support and 
        continuing the proposed program following the conclusion of 
        Federal support; and
            (8) describe the methodology that will be used in 
        evaluating the program.
    (c) Certifications.--Each such application shall contain the 
certification that the program for which the grant is requested shall 
meet each of the requirements of this Act.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL SHARE.

    The Federal share of a grant made under this Act may not exceed 75 
percent of the total costs of the program described in the application 
submitted under section 4 for the fiscal year for which the program 
receives assistance under this Act, unless the Attorney General waives, 
wholly or in part, the requirement of a matching contribution under 
this section. In-kind contributions may constitute a portion of the 
non-Federal share of a grant.

SEC. 6. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS.

    (a) Report to Attorney General and the Director.--For each fiscal 
year, each recipient of a grant under this Act during that fiscal year 
shall submit to the Attorney General, the Director, and the Secretary 
for Veterans Affairs a report regarding the effectiveness of activities 
carried out using that grant. Each report shall include an evaluation 
in such form and containing such information as the Attorney General 
may reasonably require. The Attorney General shall specify the dates on 
which such reports shall be submitted.
    (b) Report to Congress.--The Director, in consultation with the 
Attorney General, shall submit a yearly report on the effectiveness on 
the activities carried out under this Act to the House and Senate 
Committees on the Judiciary and the House and Senate Committees on 
Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' means a person who 
        served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who 
        was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other 
        than dishonorable.
            (2) Veteran's treatment court.--The term ``veteran's 
        treatment court'' means a program specifically for veterans 
        that meets the drug court criteria established by the Violent 
        Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-
        322).
            (3) Violent offender.--The term ``violent offender'' means 
        a person who--
                    (A) is charged with or convicted of an offense, 
                during the course of which offense or conduct--
                            (i) the person carried, possessed, or used 
                        a firearm or dangerous weapon;
                            (ii) there occurred the death of or serious 
                        bodily injury to any person; or
                            (iii) there occurred the use of force 
                        against the person of another, without regard 
                        to whether any of the circumstances described 
                        in clause (i) or (ii) is an element of the 
                        offense or conduct of which or for which the 
                        person is charged or convicted.
                    (B) has 1 or more prior convictions for a felony 
                crime of violence involving the use or attempted use of 
                force against a person with the intent to cause death 
                or serious bodily harm.

SEC. 8. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Consultation.--The Attorney General shall consult with the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, and any other appropriate officials in carrying out this Act.
    (b) Regulatory Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The Attorney General may issue regulations 
        and guidelines necessary to carry out this Act.
            (2) Participation limits.--In additional to the general 
        authority provided under paragraph (1), the Attorney General 
        shall--
                    (A) issue regulations and guidelines to ensure that 
                programs authorized in this Act do not permit 
                participation by violent offenders; and
                    (B) immediately suspend funding for any grant under 
                this part, pending compliance, if the Attorney General 
                finds that violent offenders are participating in any 
                program funded under this part.
    (c) Geographic Distribution.--The Attorney General shall ensure 
that, to the extent practicable, an equitable geographic distribution 
of grant awards is made under this Act.

SEC. 9. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND EVALUATION.

    (a) Technical Assistance and Training.--The Attorney General may 
provide technical assistance and training in furtherance of the 
purposes of this Act.
    (b) Evaluations.--The Attorney General may provide for evaluations 
in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 10. FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL DRUG COURT INSTITUTE.

    (a) Comprehensive, National Training and Technical Assistance for 
Drug Courts.--The National Drug Court Institute in Alexandria, Virginia 
shall--
            (1) conduct national, comprehensive training programs for 
        State and local communities for the purpose of improving the 
        professional skills of drug court practitioners and enhancing 
        the ability of State and local communities to expand drug 
        courts to reach all addicted citizens in need of their 
        resources; and
            (2) provide national, comprehensive Technical Assistance to 
        adult, juvenile and family dependency drug courts including a 
        combination of information gathering, needs assessment, 
        cultural proficiency, analysis, problem solving, action 
        planning, referral and follow-up.
    (b) Ancillary Projects.--The National Drug Court Institute in 
Alexandria, Virginia shall complete ancillary programs designed to 
facilitate the expansion and improvement of drug courts nationwide 
including--
            (1) a Judicial Task Force to develop a transition plan for 
        new drug court judges;
            (2) a resource center to maintain and distribute drug court 
        evaluations reviewed in the National Drug Court Institute 
        Review, and to request new research and evaluations for the 
        drug court field;
            (3) publishing annually the National Drug Court Institute 
        Review to provide research, analysis, and commentary of 
        importance to the drug court field; and
            (4) searching drug court literature and identify, reprint, 
        and disseminate important and relevant scholarship to the drug 
        court field.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Attorney General to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2014 to remain 
available until expended.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Except for section 10, there are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Director to carry out this Act $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2009 to 2014.

Answer: Services, Education, and Rehabilitation for Veterans Act or the SERV Act - Requires the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to delegate to the Department of Justice (DOJ) the authority to administer the veteran's treatment courts program established by this Act.

Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to states and other entities: (1) to develop, implement, or enhance veteran's treatment courts or to expand operational drug courts to serve veterans; and (2) for programs that involve continuing judicial supervision over nonviolent offenders with substance abuse or mental health problems who have served in the U.S. military. Requires such programs to include mandatory periodic testing for the use of drugs, substance abuse and mental health treatment, opportunities for diversion, probation, or supervised release, and programmatic, offender management, and aftercare services.

Directs the National Drug Court Institute to conduct national training programs for state and local communities to improve the professional skills of drug court practitioners and provide comprehensive technical assistance to adult, juvenile, and family dependency drug courts.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fostering Our Future Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO COURTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 13712(b) of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 629b) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible for a grant under this 
section:
            ``(1) Application.--A highest State court shall submit to 
        the Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and 
        including such information and assurances as the Secretary 
        shall require.
            ``(2) Measures of court performance.--There shall be in 
        effect in the State such laws and procedures as are necessary 
        to ensure that the courts of the State measure the following 
        with respect to children under the jurisdiction of the courts:
                    ``(A) The percentage of children who do not have a 
                subsequent petition of maltreatment filed in court 
                after the initial such petition is filed.
                    ``(B) The percentage of children who are the 
                subject of additional allegations of maltreatment 
                within 12 months after the original petition was 
                closed.
                    ``(C) The percentages of children who reach legal 
                permanency within 6 months after removal, within 12 
                months thereafter, within 18 months thereafter, and 
                within 24 months thereafter.
                    ``(D) The percentage of children who do not reach 
                permanency in the foster care system.
                    ``(E) The percentages of children who re-enter 
                foster care pursuant to court order within 12 months 
                after being returned to their families, and within 24 
                months thereafter.
                    ``(F) The percentages of children who return to 
                foster care pursuant to court order within 12 months 
                after being adopted or placed with an individual or 
                couple who are permanent guardians, and within 24 
                months thereafter.
                    ``(G) The percentages of children who are 
                transferred among 1, 2, 3, or more placements while 
                under court jurisdiction, distinguishing, where 
                possible, between placements in and out of a child's 
                own home from multiple placements in a variety of 
                environments.
                    ``(H) The percentage of cases in which both parents 
                receive written service of process within the required 
                time standards or where notice of hearing has been 
                waived by parties.
                    ``(I) The percentage of cases in which there is 
                documentation that timely and proper notice is given to 
                parties in advance of the next hearing.
                    ``(J) The percentage of cases in which children who 
                have attained 10 years of age receive notice of the 
                legal proceedings in their dependency case; the 
                percentage of cases in which children who have attained 
                10 years of age are present in court and afforded an 
                opportunity to be heard in their own cases; and the 
                percentage of cases in which children have legal 
                representation.
                    ``(K) The percentage of cases in which the court 
                reviews case plans within established time guidelines.
                    ``(L) The percentage of children receiving legal 
                counsel, guardians ad litem, or court-appointed special 
                advocates before the preliminary protective hearing or 
                equivalent, with separate measures of the percentages 
                of each type of representation and of whether the 
                representation was received within established time 
                guidelines, within 5 days after the adoption petition 
                is filed, within 6 through 10 days after the filing, 
                and within more than 10 days after the filing.
                    ``(M) The percentage of cases in which counsel for 
                parents are appointed before the preliminary protective 
                hearing or equivalent, with separate measures of the 
                percentages in which such appointments are made within 
                established time guidelines, within 5 days after the 
                adoption petition is filed, within 6 through 10 days 
                after the filing, and within more than 10 days after 
                the filing.
                    ``(N) The percentage of cases in which legal 
                counsel for children is appointed on or before the 
                first court appearance, and the percentage of cases in 
                which legal counsel for children changes, and the 
                number of changes involved.
                    ``(O) The percentage of cases in which legal 
                counsel for parents changes, and the number of changes 
                involved.
                    ``(P) The percentage of cases in which legal 
                counsel for parents, children, and agencies are present 
                at each hearing.
                    ``(Q) The percentages of children for whom all 
                hearings are heard by 1 or more judicial officers, and 
                the number of judicial officers hearing the case.
                    ``(R) The average and median times from filing the 
                original petition to adjudication.
                    ``(S) The average and median times from filing the 
                original petition to disposition.
                    ``(T) The percentages of cases that are adjudicated 
                within 30 days after the filing of the dependency 
                petition, within 60 days thereafter, and within 90 days 
                thereafter.
                    ``(U) The percentages of cases that receive a 
                disposition within 10 days after the dependency 
                adjudication, within 30 days thereafter, and within 90 
                days thereafter.
                    ``(V) The percentage of cases where children are 
                successfully served in the home and not detained; the 
                average and median times to reunification; and the 
                percentage of cases where children are not successfully 
                reunified.
                    ``(W) The average and median times from the filing 
                of the original petition to permanent placement.
                    ``(X) The average and median times from the filing 
                of the original petition to finalized termination of 
                parental rights.
                    ``(Y) The percentages of cases for which the 
                termination petition is filed within 3 months after the 
                dependency disposition, within 6 months thereafter, 
                within 12 months thereafter, and within 18 months 
                thereafter.
                    ``(Z) The percentage of cases that receive a 
                termination order within 30 days after the filing of 
                the termination petition, within 90 days thereafter, 
                within 120 days thereafter, and within 180 days 
                thereafter.
                    ``(AA) The percentages of cases for which an 
                adoption petition is filed within 1 month after the 
                termination order, within 3 months thereafter, and 
                within 6 months thereafter.
                    ``(BB) The percentages of cases for which the 
                adoption is finalized within 1 month after the adoption 
                petition is filed, within 3 months thereafter, within 6 
                months thereafter, and within 12 months thereafter.
                    ``(CC) The percentage of hearings (by hearing type) 
                not completed within timeframes set forth in statute or 
                court rules, including, where possible, the reason for 
                noncompletion.''.
    (b) Student Loan Repayment for Family Law, Dependency, and Domestic 
Relations Attorneys.--
            (1) In general.--The Higher Education Act of 1965 is 
        amended by inserting after section 428K (20 U.S.C. 1078-11) the 
        following new section:

``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR FAMILY LAW, DEPENDENCY, AND DOMESTIC 
              RELATIONS ATTORNEYS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage 
qualified individuals to enter and continue employment as family law, 
dependency, and domestic relations attorneys.
    ``(b) Loan Forgiveness.--
            ``(1) Loan forgiveness authorized.--The Secretary is 
        authorized to forgive, in accordance with this section and the 
        agreement described in subsection (e), the student loan debt of 
        an eligible borrower in the amount specified in subsection (d) 
        and for the period specified in such agreement.
            ``(2) Method of loan forgiveness.--To provide the loan 
        forgiveness authorized in paragraph (1), the Secretary is 
        authorized to carry out a program--
                    ``(A) through the holder of the loan, to assume the 
                obligation to repay a qualified loan amount for a loan 
                made under part B of this title; and
                    ``(B) to cancel a qualified loan amount for a loan 
                made under part D of this title.
    ``(c) Eligible Borrower.--The Secretary is authorized to provided 
loan forgiveness under this section to any individual who--
            ``(1) is employed full-time as a family law, dependency, or 
        domestic relations attorney; and
            ``(2) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower 
        seeks forgiveness.
    ``(d) Loan Forgiveness Amount.--The Secretary may, from funds 
appropriated under subsection (l), forgive the loan obligation of an 
eligible borrower in accordance with such terms, limitations, and 
conditions as may be mutually agreed upon by such borrower and the 
Secretary in the agreement described in subsection (e), except that the 
amount paid by the Secretary under this section shall not exceed--
            ``(1) $6,000 in any calendar year for any borrower; or
            ``(2) $50,000 in the aggregate for any borrower.
    ``(e) Loan Forgiveness Agreement.--
            ``(1) Terms of agreement.--The Secretary shall not provide 
        loan forgiveness to an eligible borrower unless the borrower 
        enters into a written agreement with the Secretary which 
        provides that--
                    ``(A) the borrower shall remain employed full-time 
                as a family law, dependency, or domestic relations 
                attorney for a period of service specified in the 
                agreement (but not less than 3 years), unless 
                involuntarily separated from that employment;
                    ``(B) if the borrower is involuntarily separated 
                from the employment described in subparagraph (A) on 
                account of misconduct, or voluntarily separates from 
                that employment, before the end of the period specified 
                in the agreement, the borrower shall repay the 
                Secretary the amount of any benefits received by such 
                borrower under this section;
                    ``(C) if the borrower is required to repay an 
                amount to the Secretary under subparagraph (B) and 
                fails to repay such amount, a sum equal to such amount 
                shall be recoverable by the Government from the 
                borrower (or such borrower's estate, if applicable) by 
                such method as is provided by law for the recovery of 
                amounts owing to the Government;
                    ``(D) the Secretary may waive, in whole or in part, 
                a right of recovery under this subsection if it is 
                shown that recovery would be against equity and good 
                conscience or against the public interest; and
                    ``(E) the Secretary shall provide loan forgiveness 
                under this section for the period of the agreement, 
                subject to the availability of appropriations.
            ``(2) Agreement renewal.--Upon completion by an eligible 
        borrower of the period of service required under the agreement 
        described in paragraph (1), the Secretary may renew such 
        agreement with the eligible borrower for a successive period of 
        service to be specified in the renewed agreement (which may be 
        less than 3 years).
    ``(f) Repayments by Borrowers.--Any amount repaid by, or recovered 
from, a borrower (or a borrower's estate) under subsection (e)(1)(B) 
shall be credited to the appropriation account from which the loan 
forgiveness amount involved was originally paid. Any amount so credited 
shall be merged with other sums in such account and shall be available 
for the same purposes and period, and subject to the same limitations 
(if any), as the sums with which the amount was merged.
    ``(g) Application for Loan Forgiveness.--An eligible borrower 
desiring loan forgiveness under this section shall submit a complete 
and accurate application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(h) Priority.--The Secretary shall provide loan forgiveness under 
this section on a first-come, first-served basis, and subject to the 
availability of appropriations.
    ``(i) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
section.
    ``(j) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize the refunding of any repayment of any loan made by a borrower 
prior to the date on which the Secretary entered into an agreement with 
the borrower under subsection (e).
    ``(k) Definition.--In this section the term `family law, 
dependency, or domestic relations attorney' means an attorney who works 
in the field of family law, dependency, or domestic relations, 
including juvenile justice, truancy, child abuse or neglect, adoption, 
domestic relations, child support, paternity, and other areas which 
fall under the field of family law, dependency, or domestic relations 
law as determined by State law.
    ``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.
            (2) Cancellation of loans.--
                    (A) Amendment.--Section 465(a)(2)(F) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ee(a)(2)(F)) is 
                amended by inserting ``, or as a full-time family law, 
                dependency, or domestic relations attorney (as defined 
                in section 428L)'' after ``agencies''.
                    (B) Effective date.--The amendment made by this 
                paragraph shall apply to--
                            (i) eligible loans made before, on, or 
                        after the date of enactment of this Act; and
                            (ii) service as a family law, dependency, 
                        or domestic relations attorney that is provided 
                        on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
                    (C) Construction.--Nothing in this paragraph shall 
                be construed to authorize the refunding of any 
                repayment of a loan made by a borrower prior to the 
                date on which the borrower became eligible for 
                cancellation under section 465(a) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ee(a)).
    (c) GAO Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall conduct a study that compares States with respect 
        to each of the following:
                    (A) The legal representation provided for children.
                    (B) Children's participation in their own cases.
                    (C) Preparation of dependency court judges.
                    (D) Case tracking and performance measurement.
                    (E) Statewide collaborative foster care councils.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to 
        the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives 
        a written report that contains the results of the study 
        required by paragraph (1).
    (d) Sense of the Congress With Respect to Court Accountability for 
Improved Child Outcomes.--It is the sense of the Congress that State 
judicial leadership should use the measures of court performance 
described in section 13712(b)(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1993 (as amended by subsection (a) of this section) to ensure 
accountability by every court for improved outcomes for children, and 
to inform decisions about allocating resources across the court system.
    (e) Sense of the Congress With Respect to the Organization of State 
Dependency Courts.--It is the sense of the Congress that State courts 
should be organized to enable children and parents to have legal 
representation and participate in a meaningful way in their own court 
proceedings.
    (f) Sense of the Congress With Respect to Building the Pool of 
Attorneys Qualified to Handle Cases in Dependency Courts.--It is the 
sense of the Congress that law schools, bar associations, and law firms 
should help build the pool of qualified attorneys available to children 
and parents in dependency courts.
    (g) Sense of the Congress With Respect to Training, Caseloads, and 
Compensation of Attorneys for Children.--It is the sense of the 
Congress that attorneys for children should have adequate training, 
reasonable caseloads, and receive reasonable and adequate compensation.

Answer: Fostering Our Future Act of 2006 - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to require, for grants to the highest state courts for foster care proceedings, that the state in which the courts are located has laws and procedures in effect that will ensure that the courts measure their performance with respect to children under the court's jurisdiction.

 Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to forgive the student loan debt of a borrower who: (1) enters a written agreement with the Secretary to remain employed full-time as a family law, dependency, or domestic relations attorney for at least three years; and (2) is not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks forgiveness. Limits the amount that the Secretary may pay to no more than $6,000 in any year for any borrower or $50,000 in the aggregate for any borrower. Authorizes the Secretary to renew such agreements.

 Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a comparative study of state dependency courts and foster care systems.

 Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to: (1) court accountability for improved child outcomes; (2) the organization of state dependency courts; (3) building the pool of attorneys qualified to handle cases in dependency courts; and (4) training, caseloads, and compensation of attorneys for children.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom of Choice Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL STATEMENT OF FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade 
        established constitutionally based limits on the power of 
        States to restrict the right of a woman to choose to terminate 
        a pregnancy. Under the strict scrutiny standard enunciated in 
        Roe v. Wade, States were required to demonstrate that laws 
        restricting the right of a woman to choose to terminate a 
        pregnancy were the least restrictive means available to achieve 
        a compelling State interest. Since 1989, the Supreme Court has 
        no longer applied the strict scrutiny standard in reviewing 
        challenges to the constitutionality of State laws restricting 
        such rights.
            (2) As a result of the Supreme Court's recent modification 
        of the strict scrutiny standard enunciated in Roe v. Wade, 
        certain States have restricted the right of women to choose to 
        terminate a pregnancy or to utilize some forms of 
        contraception, and these restrictions operate cumulatively to--
                    (A)(i) increase the number of illegal or medically 
                less safe abortions, often resulting in physical 
                impairment, loss of reproductive capacity or death to 
                the women involved;
                    (ii) burden interstate commerce by forcing women to 
                travel from States in which legal barriers render 
                contraception or abortion unavailable or unsafe to 
                other States or foreign nations;
                    (iii) interfere with freedom of travel between and 
                among the various States;
                    (iv) burden the medical and economic resources of 
                States that continue to provide women with access to 
                safe and legal abortion; and
                    (v) interfere with the ability of medical 
                professionals to provide health services;
                    (B) obstruct access to and use of contraceptive and 
                other medical techniques that are part of interstate 
                and international commerce;
                    (C) discriminate between women who are able to 
                afford interstate and international travel and women 
                who are not, a disproportionate number of whom belong 
                to racial or ethnic minorities; and
                    (D) infringe upon women's ability to exercise full 
                enjoyment of rights secured to them by Federal and 
                State law, both statutory and constitutional.
            (3) Although Congress may not by legislation create 
        constitutional rights, it may, where authorized by its 
        enumerated powers and not prohibited by a constitutional 
        provision, enact legislation to create and secure statutory 
        rights in areas of legitimate national concern.
            (4) Congress has the affirmative power both under section 8 
        of article I of the Constitution of the United States and under 
        section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution to 
        enact legislation to prohibit State interference with 
        interstate commerce, liberty or equal protection of the laws.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to establish, as a 
statutory matter, limitations upon the power of States to restrict the 
freedom of a woman to terminate a pregnancy in order to achieve the 
same limitations as provided, as a constitutional matter, under the 
strict scrutiny standard of review enunciated in Roe v. Wade and 
applied in subsequent cases from 1973 to 1988.

SEC. 3. FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.

    (a) In General.--A State--
            (1) may not restrict the freedom of a woman to choose 
        whether or not to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability;
            (2) may restrict the freedom of a woman to choose whether 
        or not to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability unless 
        such a termination is necessary to preserve the life or health 
        of the woman; and
            (3) may impose requirements on the performance of abortion 
        procedures if such requirements are medically necessary to 
        protect the health of women undergoing such procedures.
    (b) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to--
            (1) prevent a State from protecting unwilling individuals 
        or private health care institutions from having to participate 
        in the performance of abortions to which they are 
        conscientiously opposed;
            (2) prevent a State from declining to pay for the 
        performance of abortions; or
            (3) prevent a State from requiring a minor to involve a 
        parent, guardian, or other responsible adult before terminating 
        a pregnancy.

SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF STATE.

    As used in this Act, the term ``State'' includes the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each other territory or 
possession of the United States.

Answer:
Freedom of Choice Act of 1995 - Provides that a State:  (1) may not restrict the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability; (2) may restrict such right after fetal viability unless necessary to preserve the life or health of the woman; and (3) may impose requirements on the performance of abortion procedures if medically necessary to protect the health of the woman. 
Declares that this Act shall not be construed to prevent a State from:  (1) protecting individuals from having to participate in abortions to which they are conscientiously opposed; (2) declining to pay for such abortions; or (3) requiring minors to involve responsible adults before terminating a pregnancy.