S. 1091Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)Enacted

Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 3:27 PM UTC

The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act creates a federal advisory council to help grandparents and other older relatives who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren. The council will gather and share information, resources, and best practices to meet children’s health, education, and nutrition needs while also supporting the caregivers’ own well‑being. It will issue an initial report within 180 days and a follow‑up report two years later, then sunset after three years.

Key Provisions

Establishes an Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, led by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Council membership includes senior officials from HHS, Education, CDC, and representatives of grandparents and older caregivers.
Council duties: identify, coordinate, and disseminate resources and best practices for caregivers and children, with special attention to opioid‑affected families and Native American members.
Requires an initial report (including gaps and needed legislation) within 180 days of enactment, and a follow‑up report two years later, both to be shared with congressional committees, state agencies, and the public.
Mandates a public‑input process to gather feedback from states, organizations, and caregivers on resource needs and recommendations.
No new funding is authorized; the council is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act and will dissolve three years after the law takes effect.

Legislative Activity

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23 earlier actions

Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 115-196.

July 7, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 10, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

May 10, 2017

SenateCommittee

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

February 28, 2018

SenateCommittee

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 12, 2018

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 343.

March 12, 2018

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1977-1978; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S1977-1978)

March 22, 2018

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 23, 2018

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 26, 2018 • 4:01 PM

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Education and Workforce Committee

March 26, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 30, 2018

HouseFloor

Mr. Lewis (MN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

June 13, 2018 • 3:45 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5131-5133)

June 13, 2018 • 3:45 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1091.

June 13, 2018 • 3:45 PM

SenateFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5131-5132)

June 13, 2018 • 3:54 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5131-5132)

June 13, 2018 • 3:54 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

June 13, 2018 • 3:54 PM

HouseFloor

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

June 13, 2018 • 3:54 PM

SenateFloor

Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.

June 14, 2018

SenateNot Used

Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendments to S. 1091 by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S4351)

June 21, 2018

SenateResolving Differences

Senate agreed to the House amendments to S. 1091 by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4351)

June 21, 2018

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

June 22, 2018

President

Presented to President.

June 27, 2018

Became Law

Signed by President.

July 7, 2018

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 115-196.

July 7, 2018

Floor Debate

5 members

What members said about S. 1091 on the floor

3 Republicans2 Democrats

Rep. Jason LewisR-MN-2 · Jun 13, 2018

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1091) to establish a Federal Task Force to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, as amended. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous…

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1091) to establish a Federal Task Force to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1091, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendment to S. 1091, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.

As the opioid public health emergency continues to unfold, it has become clear that the epidemic is not contained to a single generation. Rather, it affects everyone, from infants who have been left behind by an addicted parent or a guardian, to seniors who have stepped into the role of primary caregiver to take care of their grandchildren.

At present, there are more than 2.5 million grandparents in the United States who are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren. Experts believe this number is increasing in large part due to the rise of the opioid epidemic.

A child going to live with his or her grandparent is often the best outcome in a difficult situation, as it allows for important family connections to remain intact and can reduce the trauma a child feels. However, it can present certain challenges to grandparents who lack the necessary information and tools to provide their grandchildren with loving attention and proper care.

The House amendment to S. 1091, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, will help to support these grandparents in their caregiving responsibilities. The bill directs the creation of an advisory council, led by the Department of Health and Human Services, to identify and disseminate useful information to grandparents who are primary caretakers of their grandchildren, placing a special emphasis on those families who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

The advisory council will focus on disseminating information to help grandparents meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the children they are caring for.

The House amendment ensures the council will solicit input from State and local entities and grandparents themselves to inform the best practices, and ensure the most useful information is in circulation. It also terminates the council after 3 years, to ensure the information is disseminated in a timely manner.

Madam Speaker, with so many parents struggling with addiction, grandparents are increasingly coming to the rescue. It is important that we provide these grandparents with the information they need to care for their grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close if the gentlewoman is, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues across the aisle for their efforts in this regard.

I too agree that, absolutely, we need healthcare reform to ensure that people have the kind of coverage that covers things like opioid and substance abuse. Part of that effort means that people can afford a good insurance policy and choose the kind of coverage they want so that they are not priced out of the market and go without any insurance at all, which is really a problem with some of these people suffering through this epidemic.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S. 1091, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Suzanne BonamiciD-OR-1 · Jun 13, 2018

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1091, as amended, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act. This bill will provide…

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1091, as amended, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.

This bill will provide support to the millions of grandparents and other older caregivers across the country who are raising children. As my colleague, Mr. Lewis, mentioned, more than 2.5 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren across the Nation today.

Child welfare experts agree that substance use disorders, especially addiction to opioids, are behind much of the growing number of grandparents raising their grandchildren.

Raising grandchildren can dramatically alter the lives of these grandparents, who can sometimes be overwhelmed by the unique challenges they face as they adapt to their new roles and responsibilities.

The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act would create an advisory council charged with identifying best practices, resources, and other tools to help grandparents and other older caregivers address common challenges when raising children. This might include how to navigate a school system or access healthcare.

This information is vital and will prove to be lifesaving to grandparents striving to care both for themselves and for their families.

Madam Speaker, I thank Senator Susan Collins and Senator Bob Casey for their work on this bill, and I thank Congressman McGovern, Congressman King, and Congressman Lewis for their leadership in the House.

This bipartisan, bicameral effort is a testament to the importance of this growing and important issue. I urge my colleagues to support S. 1091.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the cosponsor of this House legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, again, I support this legislation, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, and other efforts of my colleagues to address the opioid crisis, but these policies will only be a drop in the bucket if the administration continues undermining access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare that includes robust Affordable Care Act protections for preexisting conditions like substance use disorder.

If we are to stem the tide of this epidemic, Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers must fully cover addiction treatment and safer alternatives to opioids for pain.

One thing is clear: Changing policy alone won't stop this crisis. We also need more resources for prevention, treatment, and innovative solutions.

The urgent need for more funding is wide and varied. Prevention programs need to be able to reach more people. Researchers need additional funding to gather data that will drive effective solutions. Overstretched public health departments need to be able to coordinate a comprehensive response. Treatment facilities need more beds and more staff. Healthcare providers need further education and training.

We must increase the resources to match the scale of this problem, this crisis, and focus on making smart investments to adequately address the opioid crisis.

Madam Speaker, once again, I thank Senators Collins and Casey, as well as Congressmen McGovern and King, for their work on this legislation, and I urge its passage.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. James P. McGovernD-MA-2 · Jun 13, 2018

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Bonamici for yielding time. First, let me say how proud I am to have introduced the House companion to an important bipartisan, bicameral bill. Madam Speaker, one…

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Bonamici for yielding time.

First, let me say how proud I am to have introduced the House companion to an important bipartisan, bicameral bill.

Madam Speaker, one of the most heartbreaking aspects of the opiate epidemic is that a tremendous strain is placed not only on those who are struggling with addiction or dealing with substance use disorders, but also on their families, their friends, and their support networks.

Oftentimes when parents are struggling with addiction and unable to raise a child, that responsibility falls to a grandparent. Right now, as has been said, over 2.5 million children are being raised by their grandparents, and we only expect that number to grow.

These grandparent-led households often face unique challenges. They may not have time to plan financially for raising another child. They may not have the resources to ensure their home or their car is ready to raise a child. There may be barriers for them to access the child's medical or school information. It may be difficult for them to navigate the complex school

requirements in many communities to ensure that their grandchild does not fall behind during a move. They may need to spend down their savings or refinance a home in order to provide for their grandchildren, putting their own financial future in jeopardy.

This bill, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, will help us bring to the forefront the resources that grandparents need to raise their grandchildren. It will create an important new Federal advisory council focused on developing and disseminating information designed to help grandparents.

The advisory council would examine information about how to address mental health issues, how to navigate school systems, and how to build social and support networks that create the best possible environment for children.

Madam Speaker, we are so grateful that these grandparents have stepped in to care for grandchildren, and we need to do everything we can to support and sustain them.

Madam Speaker, I thank especially Senator Susan Collins of Maine for her leadership on this issue, along with Senator Casey from Pennsylvania, and I am grateful to my colleague, Congressman Peter King of New York, for his work and help getting this legislation passed.

As we deal with the opiate crisis, we have to deal with many different issues. There is not just one issue. There are multiple issues, and this is one of them.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the bipartisan support for my bill, and I appreciate the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.

Rep. Peter T. KingR-NY-2 · Jun 13, 2018

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act. I am proud to be a lead cosponsor of this legislation. Grandparents play a crucial and increasingly…

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jun 21, 2018

Mr. President, I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate the House message to accompany S. 1091. The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:…

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Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Mar 22, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 343, S. 1091. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported…

Bill Text

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America

2d Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen

S. 1091

AN ACT

To establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

More than 2,500,000 grandparents in the United States are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren, and experts report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid epidemic expands.

(2)

Between 2009 and 2016, the incidence of parental alcohol or other drug use as a contributing factor for children’s out-of-home placement rose from 25.4 to 37.4 percent.

(3)

When children cannot remain safely with their parents, placement with relatives is preferred over placement in foster care with nonrelatives because placement with relatives provides stability for children and helps them maintain family connections.

(4)

The number of foster children placed with a grandparent or other relative increased from 24 percent in 2006 to 32 percent in 2016, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

(5)

Grandparents' lives are enhanced by caring for their grandchildren; the overwhelming majority of grandparents report experiencing significant benefits in serving as their grandchildren’s primary caregivers.

(6)

Providing full-time care to their grandchildren may decrease grandparents’ ability to address their own physical and mental health needs and personal well-being.

(7)

Grandparents would benefit from better coordination and dissemination of information and resources available to support them in their caregiving responsibilities.

Advisory Council To Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

(a)

Establishment

There is established an Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

(b)

Membership

(1)

In general

The Advisory Council shall be composed of the following members, or their designee:

(A)

The Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(B)

The Secretary of Education.

(C)

The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living.

(D)

The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(E)

The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.

(F)

The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families.

(G)

A grandparent raising a grandchild.

(H)

An older relative caregiver of children.

(I)

As appropriate, the head of other Federal departments, or agencies, identified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as having responsibilities, or administering programs, relating to current issues affecting grandparents or other older relatives raising children.

(2)

Lead agency

The Department of Health and Human Services shall be the lead agency for the Advisory Council.

(c)

Duties

(1)

In general

(A)

Information

The Advisory Council shall identify, promote, coordinate, and disseminate to the public information, resources, and the best practices available to help grandparents and other older relatives—

(i)

meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the children in their care; and

(ii)

maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being.

(B)

Opioids

In carrying out the duties described in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider the needs of those affected by the opioid crisis.

(C)

Native Americans

In carrying out the duties described in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider the needs of members of Native American tribes.

(2)

Report

(A)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Advisory Council shall submit a report to—

(i)

the appropriate committees;

(ii)

the State agencies that are responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs; and

(iii)

the public online in an accessible format.

(B)

Report format

The report shall include—

(i)

best practices, resources, and other useful information for grandparents and other older relatives raising children identified under paragraph (1)(A) including, if applicable, any information related to the needs of children who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic;

(ii)

an identification of any gaps in items under clause (i); and

(iii)

where applicable, identification of any additional Federal legislative authority necessary to implement the activities described in clause (i) and (ii).

(3)

Follow-up report

Not later than 2 years after the date on which the report required under paragraph (2)(A) is submitted, the Advisory Council shall submit a follow-up report that includes the information identified in paragraph (2)(B) to—

(A)

the appropriate committees;

(B)

the State agencies that are responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs; and

(C)

the public online in an accessible format.

(4)

Public input

(A)

In general

The Advisory Council shall establish a process for public input to inform the development of, and provide updates to, the best practices, resources, and other information described in paragraph (1) that shall include—

(i)

outreach to States, local entities, and organizations that provide information to, or support for, grandparents or other older relatives raising children; and

(ii)

outreach to grandparents and other older relatives with experience raising children.

(B)

Nature of outreach

Such outreach shall ask individuals to provide input on—

(i)

information, resources, and best practices available, including identification of any gaps and unmet needs; and

(ii)

recommendations that would help grandparents and other older relatives better meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the children in their care, as well as maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being.

(d)

FACA

The Advisory Council shall be exempt from the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).

(e)

Funding

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.

(f)

Sunset

The Advisory Council shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)