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108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4431
To provide for competitive grants for the establishment and expansion
of programs that use networks of public, private, and faith-based
organizations to recruit and train foster and adoptive parents and
provide support services to foster children and their families.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2004
Mr. Cooper (for himself, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Cardoza, and Mr. Davis of
Tennessee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for competitive grants for the establishment and expansion
of programs that use networks of public, private, and faith-based
organizations to recruit and train foster and adoptive parents and
provide support services to foster children and their families.
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 ``One Church, One Child Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Many States are facing serious shortages of qualified
foster parents and qualified adoptive parents.
(2) A 2002 report by the National Conference of State
Legislatures found that, while the number of children in foster
care increased by 68 percent between 1984 and 1995, the number
of foster parents decreased by 4 percent during the same
period.
(3) The shortage of adoptive parents is equally dire--while
only 50,000 children were adopted out of foster care in 2001,
as many as 126,000 children were awaiting adoption. On average,
each of these waiting children had been in foster care for 44
months.
(4) The rapid increase in the annual number of adoptions
from foster care since the enactment of the Adoption and Safe
Families Act of 1997 has created a growing need for post-
adoption services and for service providers with the knowledge
and skills required to address the unique issues adoptive
families and children may face.
(5) One Church, One Child is a national faith and
community-based foster care and adoption ministry established
in Chicago, Illinois, in 1980 by Father George Clements, whose
mission is to provide comprehensive services that promote the
well-being of at-risk children and the strengthening and
empowerment of adoptive, foster, and kinship families. Since
its formation, the organization and programs based on its model
have successfully placed more than 140,000 children in adoptive
families nationwide.
(6) Despite its success as a model for providing
recruitment, training, and support services for certified
foster and adoptive parents, One Church, One Child programs and
programs based on this concept have received limited federal
funding.
(7) The creation of a federally-funded grant program to
support the establishment and expansion of programs for the
recruitment of foster parents and adoptive parents which are
modeled on the One Church, One Child concept will benefit the
Nation's abused and neglected children by increasing the pool
of qualified adoptive parents and qualified foster parents.
SEC. 3. ONE CHURCH, ONE CHILD GRANTS.
Part E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670-679b)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 479B. ONE CHURCH, ONE CHILD GRANTS.
``(a) Competitive Grants to Eligible Entities to Conduct One
Church, One Child Foster Parent and Adoption Parent Recruitment
Programs.--
``(1) Grant authority.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants,
on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to support
the establishment or expansion of programs that use
networks of public, private and faith-based
organizations to recruit and train qualified foster
parents and qualified adoptive parents and provide
support services to adoptive and foster children and
their families.
``(B) Eligible entity.--In this section, the term
`eligible entity' means a State or local government,
local public agency, community-based or nonprofit
organization, or private entity, including any
charitable or faith-based organization, that submits to
the Secretary, at such time, in such form, and in such
manner as the Secretary may require, an application
that contains such information as the Secretary may
require and the following:
``(i) Project description.--A description
of the programs or activities the entity
intends to carry out with funds provided under
this section, including an estimate of the
number of children to be served under such
programs or activities and a description of the
services to be provided to prospective adoptive
and foster parents, including post-placement
supportive services.
``(ii) Coordination of efforts.--A
description of how the entity will coordinate
and cooperate with State and local entities
responsible for carrying out programs related
to the recruitment of foster parents and
adoptive parents, and with the national
clearinghouse established under section 479C.
``(iii) Records, reports, and audits.--An
agreement to maintain such records, submit such
reports, and cooperate with such reviews and
audits as the Secretary finds necessary for
purposes of oversight.
``(2) Definition of state.--In this section, the term
`State' means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands.
``(3) Limitations on authorization of appropriations.--To
carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary not more than $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2005 through 2009.
``(4) 3-year availability of grant funds.--An eligible
entity to which a grant is made under this section for a fiscal
year shall remit to the Secretary any part of the grant that is
not expended by the end of the second succeeding fiscal year,
together with any earnings on such unexpended amount.
``(5) Redistribution of unused grant funds.--The Secretary
shall redistribute any funds remitted under paragraph (4) among
eligible entities that the Secretary determines have a need for
additional funds to carry out the programs and activities
referred to in paragraph (1)(B)(i).
``(b) Provisions Relating to Religious Organizations.--
``(1) Nondiscrimination.--For the purpose of awarding
grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider
religious organizations on the same basis as other
nongovernmental organizations, so long as the grant is to be
implemented in a manner consistent with the Establishment
Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States. A State or local government receiving funds under this
section shall not discriminate against an organization that
seeks to participate in a program funded under this section on
the basis that the organization has a religious character.
``(2) Noninterference.--Neither the Federal Government nor
a State or local government shall require a religious
organization--
``(A) to alter its form of internal governance; or
``(B) to remove from its premises religious art,
icons, scripture, or other symbols,
in order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section
or to participate in a program funded under this section.
``(3) Limitations on use of funds.--Funds provided directly
to a religious organization to carry out a program funded under
this section shall not be expended for sectarian worship,
instruction, or proselytization.
``(4) Fiscal accountability.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph
(B), a religious organization receiving funds under
this section shall be subject to the same regulations
as other nongovernmental organizations to account in
accord with generally accepted accounting principles
for the use of such funds.
``(B) Separation of funds.--Such an organization
shall keep all funds provided under this section in an
account separate from all other funds of the
organization.''.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ADOPTION PROMOTION AND FOSTER PARENT
PROGRAMS; ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Part E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670-679b)
is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 479C. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ADOPTION PROMOTION AND FOSTER
PARENT RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS; ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.
``(a) National Clearinghouse for Adoption Promotion and Foster
Parent Recruitment Programs.--
``(1) National clearinghouse.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into a
contract with a nationally recognized, nonprofit
adoption promotion and foster parent recruitment
organization described in subparagraph (B) to--
``(i) assist State and local governments,
local public agencies, community-based
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and
private entities, including charitable and
faith-based organizations in coordinating their
activities relating to recruitment of foster
parents and adoptive parents and the provision
of post-placement support to foster families
and adoptive families;
``(ii) design and provide technical
assistance and training for grantees and
identify and disseminate to grantees `best
practices' for recruiting and training
prospective foster and adoptive parents and
providing post-placement support to foster
families and adoptive families;
``(iii) collect information on the
effectiveness of the programs funded under
section 479B, including the number of children
placed under the programs, the number of foster
parents and adoptive parents recruited under
such programs, and such other data as the
Secretary requires for evaluating the
effectiveness of such programs; and
``(iv) assist the Secretary in the
preparation of the reports required by
subsection (b).
``(B) Nationally recognized, nonprofit adoption
promotion and foster parent recruitment organization
described.--The nationally recognized, nonprofit
adoption promotion and foster parent recruitment
organization described in this subparagraph is an
organization, selected by the Secretary on a
competitive basis, that--
``(i) has demonstrated experience in
providing consultation and training to faith-
based and community organizations interested in
adoption promotion and foster parent
recruitment;
``(ii) has an established national
reputation in working with faith-based and
community organizations to recruit and train
prospective foster and adoptive parents; and
``(iii) has extensive experience in
establishing and working with programs based on
the One Church, One Child model.
``(2) Limitations on authorization of appropriations.--To
carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be
appropriated not more than $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2005 through 2009.
``(b) Annual Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date a grant
is first made under section 479B and annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall prepare and submit to the Congress a report that includes the
following with respect to the year involved:
``(1) A specification of the number of entities to which
grants have been made under section 479B.
``(2) A specification of the number of foster parents and
adoptive families recruited by the programs which have been
supported with the grants.
``(3) A specification of the number of children placed with
such foster parents and adoptive families, and the outcomes of
such placements.
``(4) Any other information that the Secretary determines
is relevant to the evaluation of the program under section
479B.''.
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