H. Rept. 118-519 - TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO REAUTHORIZE THE STOP, OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS TRAINING PROGRAM118th Congress (2023-2024)
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118th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 118-519
======================================================================
TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO REAUTHORIZE THE STOP,
OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS TRAINING PROGRAM
_______
May 22, 2024.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 7224]
The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 7224) to amend the Public Health Service Act to
reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and
Wellness Training Program, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the
bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Committee Action................................................. 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 2
Oversight Findings and Recommendations........................... 4
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 4
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 4
Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings...................... 4
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 5
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits....... 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 5
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 7224 reauthorizes the Stop, Observe, and Respond
(SOAR) to Health and Wellness training program for five fiscal
years.
Background and Need for Legislation
Individuals who have experienced human trafficking
oftentimes encounter a health care or social service provider
at some point during or after their exploitation. The Stop,
Observe, Ask, and Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Act was
originally signed into law in 2018 and authorizes resources to
help build capacity in local communities to identify and
respond to the various needs of individuals who have
experienced trafficking.\1\
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\1\Public Law 115-398: Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health
and Wellness Act of 2018. https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/115/
398.pdf.
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Committee Action
On February 14, 2024, the Subcommittee on Health held a
hearing on H.R. 7224. The title of the hearing was
``Legislative Proposals to Support Patients and Caregivers.''
The Subcommittee received testimony from:
Andy Shih, PhD, Chief Science Officer,
Autism Speaks;
Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Co-Founder and CEO,
Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation;
Joanne Pike, DrPH, President and CEO,
Alzheimer's Association;
Gordon Tomaselli, MD, Former President,
American Heart Association; Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz
Dean, Emeritus and Professor of Medicine, Albert
Einstein College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of
Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;
Michelle Whitten, President, CEO, and Co-
Founder, Global Down Syndrome Foundation;
Randy Strozyk, President, American Ambulance
Association; and
Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, Senior Vice
President of Extramural Discovery Science, American
Cancer Society.
On March 12, 2024, the Subcommittee on Health met in open
markup session and forwarded H.R. 7224, without amendment, to
the full Committee by a record vote of 24 yeas and 0 nays.
On March 20, 2024, the full Committee on Energy and
Commerce met in open markup session and ordered H.R. 7224,
without amendment, favorably reported to the House by a record
vote of 45 yeas and 0 nays.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the
record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments
thereto. The following reflects the record votes taken during
the Committee consideration:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII, the Committee held a hearing and made findings that
are reflected in this report.
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII, the Committee
finds that H.R. 7224 would result in no new or increased budget
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or
revenues.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII, at the time this
report was filed, the cost estimate prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general
performance goal or objective of this legislation is to support
victims of human trafficking by ensuring communities have the
resources available to provide appropriate care services.
Duplication of Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII, no provision of
H.R. 7224 is known to be duplicative of another Federal
program, including any program that was included in a report to
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII, the following
related hearing was used to develop or consider H.R. 7224:
February 14, 2024, the Subcommittee on
Health held a hearing on H.R. 7224. The title of the
hearing was ``Legislative Proposals to Support Patients
and Caregivers.'' The Subcommittee received testimony
from:
Andy Shih, PhD, Chief Science
Officer, Autism Speaks;
Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Co-Founder
and CEO, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation;
Joanne Pike, DrPH, President and
CEO, Alzheimer's Association;
Gordon Tomaselli, MD, Former
President, American Heart Association; Marilyn
and Stanley M. Katz Dean, Emeritus and
Professor of Medicine, Albert Einstein College
of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;
Michelle Whitten, President,
CEO, and Co-Founder, Global Down Syndrome
Foundation;
Randy Strozyk, President,
American Ambulance Association; and
Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD,
Senior Vice President of Extramural Discovery
Science, American Cancer Society.
Committee Cost Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee
adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was
filed, the estimate was not available.
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits
Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the
Committee finds that H.R. 7224 contains no earmarks, limited
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Reauthorization of the SOAR to health and wellness training
program
Section 1 reauthorizes the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond
to Health and Wellness Training Program through fiscal year
2029.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE XII--TRAUMA CARE
* * * * * * *
Part E--Miscellaneous Programs
* * * * * * *
SEC. 1254. STOP, OBSERVE, ASK, AND RESPOND TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS
TRAINING PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program to
be known as the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and
Wellness Training Program or the SOAR to Health and Wellness
Training Program (in this section referred to as the
``Program'') to provide training to health care and social
service providers on human trafficking in accordance with this
section.
(b) Activities.--
(1) In general.--The Program shall include the Stop,
Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness
Training Program's activities existing on the day
before the date of enactment of this section and the
authorized initiatives described in paragraph (2).
(2) Authorized initiatives.--The authorized
initiatives of the Program shall include--
(A) engaging stakeholders, including victims
of human trafficking and Federal, State, local,
and tribal partners, to develop a flexible
training module--
(i) for supporting activities under
subsection (c); and
(ii) that adapts to changing needs,
settings, health care providers, and
social service providers;
(B) providing technical assistance to
grantees related to implementing activities
described in subsection (c) and reporting on
any best practices identified by the grantees;
(C) developing a reliable methodology for
collecting data, and reporting such data, on
the number of human trafficking victims
identified and served by grantees in a manner
that, at a minimum, prevents disclosure of
individually identifiable information
consistent with all applicable privacy laws and
regulations; and
(D) integrating, as appropriate, the training
described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of
subsection (c) with training programs, in
effect on the date of enactment of this
section, for health care and social service
providers for victims of intimate partner
violence, sexual assault, stalking, child
abuse, child neglect, child maltreatment, and
child sexual exploitation.
(c) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to appropriate
entities to train health care and social service providers to--
(1) identify potential human trafficking victims;
(2) implement best practices for working with law
enforcement to report and facilitate communication with
human trafficking victims, in accordance with all
applicable Federal, State, local, and tribal laws,
including legal confidentiality requirements for
patients and health care and social service providers;
(3) implement best practices for referring such
victims to appropriate health care, social, or victims
service agencies or organizations; and
(4) provide such victims with coordinated, age-
appropriate, culturally relevant, trauma-informed,
patient-centered, and evidence-based care.
(d) Consideration in Awarding Grants.--The Secretary, in
making awards under this section, shall give consideration to--
(1) geography;
(2) the demographics of the population to be served;
(3) the predominant types of human trafficking cases
involved; and
(4) health care and social service provider profiles.
(e) Data Collection and Reporting.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall collect data and
report on the following:
(A) The total number of entities that
received a grant under this section.
(B) The total number and geographic
distribution of health care and social service
providers trained through the Program.
(2) Initial report.--In addition to the data required
to be collected under paragraph (1), for purposes of
the initial report to be submitted under paragraph (3),
the Secretary shall collect data on the total number of
facilities and health care professional organizations
that were operating under, and the total number of
health care and social service providers trained
through, the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health
and Wellness Training Program existing prior to the
establishment of the Program under this section.
(3) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this section, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit an annual report
to Congress on the data collected under this subsection
in a manner that, at a minimum, prevents the disclosure
of individually identifiable information consistent
with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
(f) Sharing Best Practices.--The Secretary shall make
available, on the Internet website of the Department of Health
and Human Services, a description of the best practices and
procedures used by entities that receive a grant for carrying
out activities under this section.
(g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``human
trafficking'' has the meaning given the term ``severe forms of
trafficking in persons'' as defined in section 103 of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this Act, $4,000,000 for each of
[fiscal years 2020 through 2024] fiscal years 2025 through
2029.
* * * * * * *
[all]
