TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS
42 USC 671 note.
SEC. 401. PRESERVATION OF REASONABLE PARENTING.
Nothing in this Act is intended to disrupt the family unnecessarily or to intrude inappropriately into family life, to prohibit the use of reasonable methods of parental discipline, or to prescribe a particular method of parenting.
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42 USC 671 note.
SEC. 402. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Any information required to be reported under this Act shall be supplied to the Secretary of Health and Human Services through data meeting the requirements of the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System established pursuant to section 479 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 679), to the extent such data is available under that system. The Secretary shall make such modifications to regulations issued under section 479 of such Act with respect to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System as may be necessary to allow States to obtain data that meets the requirements of such system in order to satisfy the reporting requirements of this Act.
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SEC. 403. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING STANDBY GUARDIANSHIP.
It is the sense of Congress that the States should have in effect laws and procedures that permit any parent who is chronically ill or near death, without surrendering parental rights, to designate a standby guardian for the parent's minor children, whose authority would take effect upon--
(1) the death of the parent; (2) the mental incapacity of the parent; or (3) the physical debilitation and consent of the parent.
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SEC. 404. TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT OF CONTINGENCY FUND FOR STATE WELFARE PROGRAMS.
(a) Reduction of Appropriation.--Section 403(b)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(2)) is amended by inserting ", reduced by the sum of the dollar amounts specified in paragraph (6)(C)(ii)" before the period. (b) Increase in State Remittances.--Section 403(b)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(6)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
"(C) Adjustment of state remittances.--
"(i) In general.--The amount otherwise required by subparagraph (A) to be remitted by a State for a fiscal year shall be increased by the lesser of--
"(I) the total adjustment for the fiscal year, multiplied by the adjustment percentage for the State for the fiscal year; or "(II) the unadjusted net payment to the State for the fiscal year.
"(ii) Total adjustment.--As used in clause (i), the term 'total adjustment' means--
"(I) in the case of fiscal year 1998, $2,000,000; "(II) in the case of fiscal year 1999, $9,000,000; "(III) in the case of fiscal year 2000, $16,000,000; and "(IV) in the case of fiscal year 2001, $13,000,000.
"(iii) Adjustment percentage.--As used in clause (i), the term 'adjustment percentage' means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year--
"(I) the unadjusted net payment to the State for the fiscal year; divided by "(II) the sum of the unadjusted net payments to all States for the fiscal year.
"(iv) Unadjusted net payment.--As used in this subparagraph, the term, 'unadjusted net payment' means with respect to a State and a fiscal year--
"(I) the total amount paid to the State under paragraph (3) in the fiscal year; minus "(II) the amount that, in the absence of this subparagraph, would be required by subparagraph (A) or by section 409(a)(10) to be remitted by the State in respect of the payment.".
(c) Recommendations for Improving the Operation of the Contingency Fund.--Not later than March 1, 1998, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make recommendations to the Congress for improving the operation of the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs.
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Reports. 42 USC 613 note.
SEC. 405. COORDINATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES.
Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, based on information from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health of Human Services, shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report which describes the extent and scope of the problem of substance abuse in the child welfare population, the types of services provided to such population, and the outcomes resulting from the provision of such services to such population. The report shall include recommendations for any legislation that may be needed to improve coordination in providing such services to such population.
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42 USC 671 note.
SEC. 406. PURCHASE OF AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT AND PRODUCTS.
(a) In General.--It is the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act should be American-made. (b) Notice Requirement.--In providing financial assistance to, or entering into any contract with, any entity using funds made available under this Act, the head of each Federal agency, to the greatest extent practicable, shall provide to such entity a notice describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the Congress.
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