Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2001

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Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2001
107th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 653

To amend part D of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide grants to States to encourage media campaigns to promote responsible fatherhood skills, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 29, 2001

Mr. BAYH (for himself, Mr. DOMENICI, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. CARPER, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. MILLER, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. BREAUX, and Mr. KOHL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend part D of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide grants to States to encourage media campaigns to promote responsible fatherhood skills, 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 `Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Nearly 25,000,000 children in the United States, or 36 percent of all such children, live apart from their biological father.

(2) Sixty percent of couples who divorce have at least 1 child.

(3) The number of children living with only a mother increased from just over 5,000,000 in 1960, to 17,000,000 in 1999, and between 1981 and 1991 the percentage of children living with only 1 parent increased from 19 percent to 25 percent.

(4) Forty percent of children who live in households without a father have not seen their father in at least 1 year and 50 percent of such children have never visited their father's home.

(5) The most important factor in a child's upbringing is whether the child is brought up in a loving, healthy, supportive environment.

(6) Children who live without contact with their biological father are, in comparison to children who have such contact--

(A) 5 times more likely to live in poverty;

(B) more likely to bring weapons and drugs into the classroom;

(D) twice as likely to drop out of school;

(E) twice as likely to be abused;

(F) more likely to commit suicide;

(G) more than twice as likely to abuse alcohol or drugs; and

(H) more likely to become pregnant as teenagers.

(7) Violent criminals are overwhelmingly males who grew up without fathers.

(8) Between 20 and 30 percent of families in poverty are headed by women who have suffered domestic violence during the past year and between 40 and 60 percent of women with children receiving welfare were abused sometime during their life.

(9) Responsible fatherhood includes active participation in financial support and child care, as well as the formation and maintenance of a positive, healthy, and nonviolent relationship between father and child and a cooperative relationship between parents.

(10) States should be encouraged to implement programs that provide support for responsible fatherhood, promote marriage, and increase the incidence of marriage, and should not be restricted from implementing such programs.

(11) Fatherhood programs should promote and provide support services for--

(A) loving and healthy relationships between parents and children; and

(B) cooperative parenting.

(12) There is a social need to reconnect children and fathers.

(13) The promotion of responsible fatherhood and encouragement of married 2-parent families should not--

(A) denigrate the standing or parenting efforts of single mothers or other caregivers;

(B) lessen the protection of children from abusive parents; or

but should increase the chance that children will have two caring parents to help them grow up healthy and secure.

(14) The promotion of responsible fatherhood must always recognize and promote the values of nonviolence.

(15) For the future of the United States and the future of our children, Congress, States, and local communities should assist parents to become more actively involved in their children's lives.

(16) Child support is an important means by which a parent can take financial responsibility for a child and emotional support is an important means by which a parent can take social responsibility for a child.

SEC. 3. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES TO ENCOURAGE MEDIA CAMPAIGNS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 469C. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDIA CAMPAIGNS PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD.

`(a) DEFINITIONS- In this section:

`(1) BROADCAST ADVERTISEMENT- The term `broadcast advertisement' means a communication intended to be aired by a television or radio broadcast station, including a communication intended to be transmitted through a cable channel.

`(2) CHILD AT RISK- The term `child at risk' means each young child whose family income does not exceed the poverty line.

`(3) POVERTY LINE- The term `poverty line' has the meaning given such term in section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (including any revision required by such section) that is applicable to a family of the size involved.

`(4) PRINTED OR OTHER ADVERTISEMENT- The term `printed or other advertisement' includes any communication intended to be distributed through a newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mailing, or any other type of general public advertising, but does not include any broadcast advertisement.

`(5) STATE- 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.

`(6) YOUNG CHILD- The term `young child' means an individual under age 5.

`(b) STATE CERTIFICATIONS- Not later than October 1 of each of fiscal year for which a State desires to receive an allotment under this section, the chief executive officer of the State shall submit to the Secretary a certification that the State will--

`(1) use such funds to promote the formation and maintenance of married 2-parent families, strengthen fragile families, and promote responsible fatherhood through media campaigns conducted in accordance with the requirements of subsection (d);

`(2) return any unused funds to the Secretary in accordance with the reconciliation process under subsection (e); and

`(3) comply with the reporting requirements under subsection (f).

`(c) PAYMENTS TO STATES- For each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006, the Secretary shall pay to each State that submits a certification under subsection (b), from any funds appropriated under subsection (h), for the fiscal year an amount equal to the amount of the allotment determined for the fiscal year under subsection (g).

`(d) ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDIA CAMPAIGNS- Each State receiving an allotment under this section for a fiscal year shall use the allotment to conduct media campaigns as follows:

`(1) CONDUCT OF MEDIA CAMPAIGNS-

`(A) RADIO AND TELEVISION MEDIA CAMPAIGNS-

`(i) PRODUCTION OF BROADCAST ADVERTISEMENTS- At the option of the State, to produce broadcast advertisements that promote the formation and maintenance of married 2-parent families, strengthen fragile families, and promote responsible fatherhood.

`(ii) AIR-TIME CHALLENGE PROGRAM- At the option of the State, to establish an air-time challenge program under which the State may spend amounts allotted under this section to purchase time from a broadcast station to air a broadcast advertisement produced under subparagraph (A), but only if the State obtains an amount of time of the same class and during a comparable period to air the advertisement using non-Federal contributions.

`(B) OTHER MEDIA CAMPAIGNS- At the option of the state, to conduct a media campaign that consists of the production and distribution of printed or other advertisements that promote the formation and maintenance of married 2-parent families, strengthen fragile families, and promote responsible fatherhood.

`(2) ADMINISTRATION OF MEDIA CAMPAIGNS- A State may administer media campaigns funded under this section directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with public agencies, local governments, or private entities, including charitable and religious organizations.

`(3) CONSULTATION WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE CENTERS- In developing broadcast and printed advertisements to be used in the media campaigns conducted under paragraph (1), the State or other entity administering the campaign shall consult with representatives of State and local domestic violence centers.

`(4) NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS- In this subsection, the term `non-Federal contributions' includes contributions by the State and by public and private entities. Such contributions may be in cash or in kind. Such term does not include any amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government, or any amount expended by a State before October 1, 2002.

`(e) RECONCILIATION PROCESS-

`(1) 3-YEAR AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS ALLOTTED- Each State that receives an allotment under this section shall return to the Secretary any unused portion of the amount allotted to a State under this section for a fiscal year not later than the last day of the second succeeding fiscal year together with any earnings on such unused portion.

`(2) PROCEDURE FOR REDISTRIBUTION OF UNUSED ALLOTMENTS- The Secretary shall establish an appropriate procedure for redistributing to States that have expended the entire amount allotted under this section any amount that is--

`(A) returned to the Secretary by States under paragraph (1); or

`(B) not allotted to a State under this section because the State did not submit a certification under subsection (b) by October 1 of a fiscal year.

`(f) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS-

`(1) MONITORING AND EVALUATION- Each State receiving an allotment under this section for a fiscal year shall monitor and evaluate the media campaigns conducted using funds made available under this section in such manner as the Secretary, in consultation with the States, determines appropriate.

`(2) ANNUAL REPORTS- Not less frequently than annually, each State receiving an allotment under this section for a fiscal year shall submit to

the Secretary reports on the media campaigns conducted under this section at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

`(g) AMOUNT OF ALLOTMENTS-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), of the amount appropriated for the purpose of making allotments under this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State that submits a certification under subsection (b) for the fiscal year an amount equal to the sum of--

`(A) the amount that bears the same ratio to 50 percent of such funds as the number of young children in the State (as determined by the Secretary based on the most recent March supplement to the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of the Census before the beginning of the calendar year in which such fiscal year begins) as bears to the number of such children in all States; and

`(B) the amount that bears the same ratio to 50 percent of such funds as the number of children at risk in the State (as determined by the Secretary based on the most recent March supplement to the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of the Census before the beginning of the calendar year in which such fiscal year begins) bears to the number of such children in all States.

`(2) MINIMUM ALLOTMENTS- No allotment for a fiscal year under this section shall be less than--

`(A) in the case of a State other than the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 1 percent of the amount appropriated for the fiscal year under subsection (h); and

`(B) in the case of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 0.5 percent of such amount.

`(3) PRO RATA REDUCTIONS- The Secretary shall make such pro rata reductions to the allotments determined under paragraph (1) as are necessary to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2).

`(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006 for purposes of making allotments to States under this section.'.

(b) EVALUATION-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct an evaluation of the impact of the media campaigns funded under section 469C of the Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a).

(2) REPORT- Not later than December 31, 2004, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall report to Congress the results of the evaluation under paragraph (1).

(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 for purposes of conducting the evaluation required under this subsection, to remain available until expended.

SEC. 4. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD BLOCK GRANT.

(a) IN GENERAL- Part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), as amended by section 3, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 469D. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD BLOCK GRANT.

`(a) DEFINITIONS- In this section:

`(1) CHILD AT RISK- The term `child at risk' has the meaning given such term in section 469C(a)(2).

`(2) POVERTY LINE- The term `poverty line' has the meaning given such term in section 469C(a)(3).

`(3) STATE- The term `State' has the meaning given such term in section 469C(a)(5).

`(4) YOUNG CHILD- The term `young child' has the meaning given such term in section 469C(a)(6).

`(1) comply with the matching requirements under subsection (c)(2);

`(2) use such funds--

`(A) to promote responsible fatherhood; and

`(B) to promote or sustain marriage in accordance with subparagraph (A) or (B), respectively, of subsection (d)(2);

`(3) return any unused funds to the Secretary in accordance with the reconciliation process under subsection (e); and

`(4) comply with the reporting requirements under subsection (f).

`(c) PAYMENTS TO STATES-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraph (2), for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006, the Secretary shall pay to each State that submits a certification described in subsection (b), from any funds appropriated under subsection (h), for the fiscal year an amount equal to the amount of the allotment determined under subsection (g).

`(2) MATCHING REQUIREMENT- The Secretary may not make a payment to a State under paragraph (1) unless the State agrees that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the State in supporting the programs described in subsection (d), the State will make available non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of Federal funds paid to the State under such clause.

`(3) NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS- In this subsection, the term `non-Federal contributions' includes contributions by the State and by public and

private entities. Such contributions may be in cash or in kind. Such term does not include any amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government or any amount expended by a State before October 1, 2002.

`(d) RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS-

`(1) SUPPORT OF PROGRAMS- A State shall use the allotments received under this section to support programs described in paragraph (2) directly or through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with any public agency, local government, or private entity (including any charitable or religious organization) with experience in administering such a program.

`(2) PROGRAMS DESCRIBED- Responsible fatherhood programs include programs that--

`(A) promote marriage through such activities as counseling, mentoring, disseminating information about the benefits of marriage and 2-parent involvement for children, enhancing relationship skills, teaching on how to control aggressive behavior, and disseminating information on the causes of domestic violence and child abuse;

`(B) sustain marriages through marriage preparation programs, premarital counseling, marital inventories, skills-based marriage education, financial planning seminars, and divorce education and reduction programs, including mediation and counseling;

`(C) promote responsible parenting through such activities as counseling, mentoring, disseminating information about good parenting practices, skills-based parenting education, encouraging child support payments, and other methods; and

`(D) help fathers and their families avoid or leave cash welfare and improve their economic status by providing such activities as work first services, job search, job training, subsidized employment, job retention, job enhancement, and encouraging education, including career-advancing education, dissemination of employment materials, coordination with existing employment services such as Welfare to Work and referrals to local employment training initiatives, and other methods.

`(3) TARGETED LOW-INCOME PARTICIPANTS- Not less than 50 percent of the participants in each program supported under paragraph (1) shall be--

`(A) parents of a child who is, or within the past 24 months has been, a recipient of assistance or services under a State program funded under this part; or

`(B) parents, including an expectant parent or a married parent, whose income (after adjustment for court-ordered child support paid or received) does not exceed 150 percent of the poverty line.

`(4) CONSULTATION WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE CENTERS- Each State or entity administering a program supported under paragraph (1) shall consult with representatives of State and local domestic violence centers.

`(5) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT- Amounts allotted to a State under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, or local funds provided to the State under this part or any other provision of law that are used to support programs and activities similar to the responsible fatherhood program described in paragraph (2).

`(6) RESTRICTIONS ON USE- No amount allotted under this section may be used for court proceedings on matters of child visitation or child custody, or for legislative advocacy.

`(e) RECONCILIATION PROCESS-

`(1) 3-YEAR AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS ALLOTTED- Each State that receives an allotment under this section shall return to the Secretary any unused portion of the amount allotted to a State under this section for a fiscal year not later than the last day of the second succeeding fiscal year, together with any earnings on such unused portion.

`(A) returned to the Secretary by States under paragraph (1); or

`(B) not allotted to a State under this section because the State did not submit a certification under subsection (b) by October 1 of a fiscal year.

`(f) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS-

`(1) MONITORING AND EVALUATION- Each State receiving an allotment under this section shall monitor and evaluate the programs supported using funds made available under this section in such manner as the Secretary, in consultation with the States, determines appropriate.

`(2) ANNUAL REPORTS- Not less frequently than annually, each State receiving an allotment under this section for a fiscal year shall submit to the Secretary reports on the programs supported under this section at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

`(g) AMOUNT OF ALLOTMENTS-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), of the amount appropriated for the purpose of making allotments under this section for a fiscal year the Secretary shall allot to each State that submits a certification under subsection (b) for that fiscal year an amount equal to the sum of--

of the Bureau of the Census before the beginning of the calendar year in which such fiscal year begins) as bears to the number of such children in all States; and

`(2) MINIMUM ALLOTMENTS- No allotment for a fiscal year under this section shall be less than--

`(B) in the case of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 0.5 percent of such amount.

`(3) PRO RATA REDUCTIONS- The Secretary shall make such pro rata reductions to the allotments determined under paragraph (1) as are necessary to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2).

`(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006 for purposes of making allotments to States under this section.'.

(b) EVALUATION AND REPORT-

(1) EVALUATION-

(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this subsection referred to as the `Secretary'), in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall, directly or through a grant, contract, or interagency agreement, conduct an evaluation of the projects funded under section 469D of the Social Security Act (as added by subsection (a)).

(B) OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT- The evaluation conducted under subparagraph (A) shall assess, among other outcomes selected by the Secretary, effects of the projects on marriage, parenting, employment, earnings, payment of child support, and incidence of domestic violence and child abuse.

(C) PROJECT SELECTION- In selecting projects for the evaluation, the Secretary should include projects that are most likely to further the purposes of this section.

(D) RANDOM ASSIGNMENT- In conducting the evaluation, random assignment should be used wherever possible.

(2) REPORT- Not later than December 31, 2004, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1).

(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006 to carry out this subsection.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651), as amended by section 4, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 469E. MEDIA CAMPAIGN NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD.

`(a) MEDIA CAMPAIGN AND NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE-

`(1) IN GENERAL- From any funds appropriated under subsection (c), the Secretary shall contract with a nationally recognized, nonprofit fatherhood promotion organization described in subsection (b) to--

`(A) develop, promote, and distribute to interested States, local governments, public agencies, and private entities a media campaign that encourages the appropriate involvement of both parents in the life of any child of the parents, with a priority for programs that specifically address the issue of responsible fatherhood; and

`(B) develop a national clearinghouse to assist States and communities in efforts to promote and support marriage and responsible fatherhood by collecting, evaluating, and making available (through the Internet and by other means) to other States information regarding the media campaigns established under section 469C.

`(2) COORDINATION WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS- The Secretary shall ensure that the nationally recognized nonprofit fatherhood promotion organization with a contract under paragraph (1) coordinates the media campaign developed under subparagraph (A) of such paragraph and the national clearinghouse developed under subparagraph (B) of such paragraph with a national, State, or local domestic violence program.

`(b) NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, NONPROFIT FATHERHOOD PROMOTION ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED- The nationally recognized, nonprofit fatherhood promotion organization described in this subsection is such an organization that has at least 4 years of experience in--

`(1) designing and disseminating a national public education campaign, including the production and successful placement of television, radio, and print public service announcements that promote the importance of responsible fatherhood; and

`(2) providing consultation and training to community-based organizations interested in implementing fatherhood outreach, support, or skill development programs with an emphasis on promoting married fatherhood as the ideal.

`(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006 to carry out this section.'.

END

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