[Senate Report 111-186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 375
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-186
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TORTURE VICTIMS RELIEF
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010
_______
May 13, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Kerry, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 2839]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill (S. 2839) to amend the Torture Victims
Relief Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations to provide
assistance for domestic and foreign programs and centers for
the treatment of victims of torture, and for other purposes,
reports favorably thereon, as amended in the nature of a
substitute, and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................1
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................2
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................3
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 2839 is to amend the Torture Victims
Relief Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations to provide
assistance for domestic and foreign programs and centers for
the treatment of victims of torture.
II. COMMITTEE ACTION
S. 2839 was introduced by Senators Klobuchar, Graham, and
Franken on December 4, 2009. On April 13, 2010, the committee
ordered the bill, with an amendment in the nature of a
substitute, reported favorably by voice vote. Changes in the
substitute amendment included striking section four on U.S.
contributions to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims
of Torture.
III. DISCUSSION
An increasing number of refugees and political asylees who
arrive in the United States are victims of torture. These
victims often suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, panic
attacks, depression, and other symptoms in addition to the
physical consequences of torture. With treatment, they stand a
better chance of integrating into U.S. society and contributing
to their families and communities.
S. 2839 reaffirms that it is the policy of the United
States to support programs to help these individuals obtain the
treatment and other assistance they need to recover and
reestablish a sense of stability. It authorizes $25 million for
each of fiscal years 2011 and 2012 for grants to domestic
treatment centers, including grants awarded for specialized
treatment and training programs focused on the needs of torture
victims. Pursuant to the same model, S. 2839 authorizes $12
million for each of fiscal years 2011 and 2012 for grants to
foreign treatment centers and programs.
IV. COST ESTIMATE
In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the
Congressional Budget Office.
United States Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, April 20, 2010.
Hon. John F. Kerry, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2839, the Torture
Victims Relief Authorization Act of 2010.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is John Chin.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf,
Director.
------
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
April 20, 2010.
S. 2839
Torture Victims Relief Authorization Act of 2010
AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON
APRIL 13, 2010
S. 2839 would authorize the appropriation of $37 million in
both 2011 and 2012 for programs to assist victims of torture.
CBO
estimates that implementing the bill would cost $74 million
over the 2011-2013 period, assuming that the authorized amounts
are appropriated and that outlays will follow historical
spending patterns for those programs.
Enacting S. 2839 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
S. 2839 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
State governments could benefit from grant funds authorized by
the bill. Any costs to states would be incurred voluntarily as
conditions of federal assistance.
The estimated budgetary impact of S. 2839 is shown in the
following table. The costs of this legislation fall within
budget functions 150 (international affairs) and 550 (health).
Changes in Spending, Subject to Appropriation, Due to S. 2839
By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2011-2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Treatment Centers
Authorization Level....................................... 25 25 0 0 0 50
Estimated Outlays......................................... 1 25 24 0 0 50
-----------------------------------------------------
Foreign Treatment Centers
Authorization Level....................................... 12 12 0 0 0 24
Estimated Outlays......................................... 1 12 11 0 0 24
=====================================================
Total Changes
Authorization Level................................... 37 37 0 0 0 74
Estimated Outlays..................................... 2 37 35 0 0 74
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Section 2 would authorize the appropriation of $25 million
in both 2011 and 2012 for the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) for domestic treatment of victims of torture. In
2009 (the most recent year for which such data is available),
HHS received an appropriation of $11 million to award grants to
programs in the United States that provide psychological and
physical rehabilitation, social services, and legal services to
victims of torture.
Section 3 would authorize the appropriation of $12 million
in both 2011 and 2012 for the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) for foreign treatment of victims of
torture. In 2009, USAID received an appropriation of $13
million to award grants to programs in developing countries
that provide psychological and physical rehabilitation, social
services, and training and advocacy services to victims of
torture.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is John Chin. This
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill,
as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in
italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in
roman).
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961
* * * * * * *
TORTURE VICTIMS RELIEF ACT OF 1998
* * * * * * *
SEC. 4. FOREIGN TREATMENT CENTERS.
(a) Amendments to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. * * *
(b) Funding.--
[(1) Authorization of appropriations.--Of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 2006 and
2007 pursuant to chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.], there
are authorized to be appropriated to the President to
carry out section 130 of such Act [this section]
$12,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $13,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007.]
(1) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 2011 and
2012 pursuant to chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, there are authorized to be
appropriated to the President to carry out section 130
of such Act $12,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2011 and 2012.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 5. DOMESTIC TREATMENT CENTERS.
(a) Assistance for Treatment of Torture Victims.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(b) Funding.--
[(1) Authorization of appropriations.--Of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated for the Department of
Health and Human Services for fiscal years 2006 and
2007, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out subsection (a) $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2006 and 2007.]
(1) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated for the Department of
Health and Human Services for fiscal years 2011 and
2012, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out subsection (a) $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2011 and 2012.