S.Amdt. 2991

SA 2991. Mr. ROCKEFELLER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4, to reauthorize and improve the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, improve access to quality child care, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 253, between lines 6 and 7, and insert the following:

(d) Research on Indicators of Child Well-Being.--Section 413 (42 U.S.C. 613), as amended by subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(m) Indicators of Child Well-Being.--

“(1) In general.--The Secretary, through grants, contracts, or interagency agreements shall develop comprehensive indicators to assess child well-being in each State.

“(2) Requirements.--

“(A) In general.--The indicators developed under paragraph (1) shall include measures related to the following:

“(i) Education.

“(ii) Social and emotional development.

“(iii) Health and safety.

“(iv) Family well-being, such as family structure, income, employment, child care arrangements, and family relationships.

“(B) Other requirements.--The data collected with respect to the indicators developed under paragraph (1) shall be--

“(i) statistically representative at the State level;

“(ii) consistent across States;

“(iii) collected on an annual basis for at least the 5 years preceding the year of collection;

“(iv) expressed in terms of rates or percentages;

“(v) statistically representative at the national level;

“(vi) measured with reliability;

“(vii) current; and

“(viii) over-sampled, with respect to low-income children and families.

“(C) Consultation.--In developing the indicators required under paragraph (1) and the means to collect the data required with respect to the indicators, the Secretary shall consult and collaborate with the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.

“(3) Advisory panel.--

“(A) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory panel to make recommendations regarding the appropriate measures and statistical tools necessary for making the assessment required under paragraph (1) based on the indicators developed under that paragraph and the data collected with respect to the indicators.

“(B) Membership.--

“(i) In general.--The advisory panel established under subparagraph (A) shall consist of the following:

“(I) One member appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

“(II) One member appointed by the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.

“(III) One member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.

“(IV) One member appointed by the Chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate.

“(V) One member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance of the Senate.

“(VI) One member appointed by the Chairman of the National Governors Association, or the Chairman's designee.

“(VII) One member appointed by the President of the National Conference of State Legislatures or the President's designee.

“(VIII) One member appointed by the Director of the National Academy of Sciences, or the Director's designee.

“(ii) Deadline.--The members of the advisory panel shall be appointed not later than 2 months after the date of enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone Act.

“(C) Meetings.--The advisory panel established under subparagraph (A) shall meet--

“(i) at least 3 times during the first year after the date of enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone Act; and

“(ii) annually thereafter for the 3 succeeding years.

“(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2009, $10,000,000 for the purpose of carrying out this subsection.”.