Overview
Title
To establish a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan to expand, intensify and coordinate domestic violence prevention programs in the United States of America, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill is about making a big plan to stop hurtful behavior at home by having a special group of people work together to spread the word and teach others, but there are concerns about how the money for this plan will be spent and how the results will be measured.
Summary AI
The bill H.R. 10099 seeks to establish a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan in the United States. This plan aims to expand, intensify, and coordinate efforts to prevent domestic violence by creating a steering committee under the Department of Health and Human Services. The committee will work with various stakeholders to develop and implement strategies across different government levels and communities to effectively prevent domestic violence. Additionally, the bill proposes a national media campaign to educate the public and promote awareness of domestic violence prevention.
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AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, titled the "National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan," aims to create a coordinated, nationwide strategy to combat domestic violence in the United States. This plan seeks to enhance existing domestic violence prevention programs by establishing a comprehensive and collaborative framework involving various federal, state, local, and tribal entities. A key feature of the bill is the creation of a steering committee under the Department of Health and Human Services to guide the implementation and expansion of domestic violence prevention efforts. Additionally, the bill includes a significant media campaign intended to raise public awareness and educate communities about prevention strategies.
Summary of Significant Issues
One of the primary concerns with the bill is the allocation of $25 million annually for a media campaign, without clear accountability measures or criteria to assess the campaign's effectiveness. This lack of financial oversight could potentially result in the inefficient use of funds. Furthermore, while the bill establishes a steering committee with significant authority to coordinate efforts, it does not provide explicit guidelines on budget requirements or the criteria for appointing additional experts, raising concerns about financial transparency.
The complexity and legal terminology used in outlining the roles and responsibilities of the steering committee and the action plan may hinder understanding and effective implementation. Additionally, the bill does not specify a mechanism for evaluating its success, which could impact accountability and the effective achievement of its goals. The absence of a detailed strategy for including state domestic violence coalitions in decision-making could limit stakeholder engagement and local implementation.
Potential Impact on the Public
If effectively implemented, the bill could have a widespread positive impact by reducing domestic violence incidents and raising public awareness. A comprehensive national strategy may lead to improved coordination of resources, more effective prevention programs, and better support for victims across the country. However, the lack of specified oversight and evaluation mechanisms raises concerns about whether the allocated funds will be used efficiently.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
The bill could positively impact victims of domestic violence by strengthening support networks and prevention programs, potentially leading to a reduction in incidents. Communities disproportionately affected by domestic violence, such as those in marginalized demographics, might gain from tailored programs addressing their specific needs.
However, state domestic violence coalitions might face challenges due to potential limitations on their input and engagement in shaping the plan. Federal agencies involved in domestic violence prevention may also struggle with coordination due to the lack of clear guidelines for interagency collaboration, possibly leading to duplicated efforts and administrative inefficiencies.
In summary, while the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan has the potential to make significant strides in combating domestic violence nationally, its effectiveness will largely depend on the clarity and strength of its implementation and oversight measures.
Financial Assessment
The bill H.R. 10099, titled the "National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan," includes several financial elements that merit discussion. These financial components are crucial for the execution of the proposed plan, yet they also present certain challenges and concerns as identified in the issues section.
Financial Appropriations
The bill authorizes a yearly allocation of $25,000,000 from fiscal years 2025 through 2029. This funding is specifically earmarked for the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a media campaign intended to educate and engage the public on domestic violence prevention. This earmarked amount is the only explicit financial allocation detailed in the bill.
Issues Related to Financial References
1. Lack of Detailed Accountability Measures
A significant concern with the financial appropriation for the media campaign is the absence of specific accountability measures or criteria to assess its effectiveness. The bill mandates a substantial annual expenditure without clear guidelines on how this spending will be monitored or evaluated. This raises the risk of potential wasteful spending, a point highlighted in the issues section.
2. Financial Uncertainty
There's also financial uncertainty linked to the lack of explicit guidelines on budget requirements and funding sources for the Steering Committee and the broader implementation of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan. The bill sets up a steering committee with considerable authority, but it does not provide clarity on the financial structure supporting its members or the discretionary appointment of additional experts.
3. Oversight and Agency Coordination
While the bill outlines roles for various federal agencies in implementing the action plan, it does not specify oversight or accountability measures for the funds these agencies are expected to use or distribute. This omission could lead to inefficiencies or overlap, as the coordination efforts among these agencies are not clearly articulated. Without these measures, there's a risk of redundant spending or inefficient allocation of resources.
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Input
The absence of a clearly outlined strategy for how state domestic violence coalitions could provide input into the action plan may limit stakeholder engagement. As these coalitions are integral to the on-ground implementation, their lack of formal involvement might result in misaligned financial priorities or underutilized resources at the state level.
In summary, while the bill does propose a specific financial commitment toward a media campaign, broader financial planning, accountability, and coordination pose challenges. The effectiveness and impact of the proposed spending depend heavily on addressing these issues to ensure that the financial resources are employed efficiently and achieve the intended outcomes.
Issues
The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan mandates an annual appropriation of $25,000,000 for a media campaign without detailed accountability measures or assessment criteria for its effectiveness, raising concerns about potential wasteful spending. (Section 4)
There is a lack of specificity and clarity in the roles, goals, and responsibilities outlined in the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan and Steering Committee, which is further complicated by complex legal terminology. This could lead to confusion and inefficiencies, impacting the effective implementation of the plan. (Sections 3 and 4)
The bill establishes a steering committee with significant authority but lacks explicit guidelines on budget requirements, funding sources, and criteria for the discretionary appointment of additional subject matter experts. This could lead to financial uncertainty and discretionary appointments lacking accountability or transparency. (Section 3)
There is no clear mechanism for measuring or evaluating the effectiveness of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan, leading to potential accountability issues regarding the achievement of the plan's goals. (Section 3)
The bill discusses the roles of multiple Federal agencies without specifying oversight or accountability measures for the funds they are using or distributing, leading to potential wasteful spending and inefficiencies. Additionally, there is no clear articulation of coordination efforts among these agencies to prevent overlap, which could affect the overall effectiveness of the plan. (Section 2)
There is no clearly outlined strategy for how State domestic violence coalitions could provide input into the action plan. This could limit stakeholder engagement and buy-in, as these coalitions are crucial for the on-ground implementation of such initiatives. (Section 5)
Although a comprehensive national action plan is proposed, there are no specific actionable steps or guidelines mentioned for how the plan should be formulated or implemented, leading to ambiguity in its execution. (Section 2)
The deadlines and reporting requirements within the bill are vague, particularly in requiring reports to be submitted to Congress "in the form of written correspondence" which could result in inconsistent reporting and a lack of detailed insights into the plan's progress. (Section 6)
There is an absence of clarity on how privacy and data protection concerns will be addressed when handling sensitive information related to domestic violence while collecting data as part of the prevention strategy. (Section 4)
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the Act states that it may be referred to as the "National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan."
2. Findings Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress identified domestic violence as a significant public health issue affecting millions yearly in the United States and emphasized that while many laws and programs exist, there is no comprehensive national plan. The findings highlight the need for a national strategy focused on prevention and informed by community needs, with examples of current initiatives pointing out gaps, especially in prevention efforts.
Money References
- Congress finds as follows: (1) Domestic violence is a serious public health problem and more than 12 million individuals experience domestic violence in the United States each year. (2) According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, in the United States more than 2 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 4 men will experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and experience an intimate partner violence related impact in their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (3) More than half of female homicides were connected to intimate partner violence and in a domestic violence situation the presence of a gun increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent. (4) While Domestic violence can affect anyone, research indicates that communities of color, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized communities can be disproportionately impacted. (5) Domestic violence leads to the loss of nearly 8 million days of work each year and costs the United States $3.6 trillion. (6) The United Nations has urged countries to adopt national action plans to combat gender-based violence and violence against women, including domestic violence, and approximately 50 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Ireland, have adopted such plans. (7) The United States does not have a national plan of action on domestic violence or gender-based violence, making it a global outlier.
3. National domestic violence prevention action plan steering committee Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines the creation of a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee by the Department of Health and Human Services. This committee will include various leaders from federal agencies and experts to coordinate and enhance domestic violence prevention efforts across the U.S. It will work with government and non-government stakeholders and ensure all plans are evidence-based, without overriding existing responsibilities of any departments or officials.
4. National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Development Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan aims to improve domestic violence prevention across the United States by coordinating efforts among government agencies and stakeholders at all levels, expanding existing programs, and increasing public awareness through a media campaign. The plan includes a comprehensive program to address various forms of domestic violence, support research, and ensure that prevention strategies account for diverse and marginalized communities.
Money References
- Department of Health and Human Services shall create a media campaign or enter into a contract with an outside agency using strategies demonstrated to be the most effective at achieving the goals and requirements of paragraph (a), which shall include, but not limited to: (A) The development of national, local, regional, or population specific messaging, including messaging specific to professional groups, such as public health leaders, health care providers, early childhood and child care providers, domestic violence providers, faith-based leaders, educators, military leaders, and community-based and culturally specific child and family serving organizations. (B) The development of social media campaigns to reach targeted populations. (C) The development of a website to publicize and disseminate information. (D) The development of informational and educational pamphlets and brochures. (E) The development of webinars to educate and provide support. (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out this section, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. ---
5. Strengthen Information to State Domestic Violence Coalitions With Respect to the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee, through the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for creating and sharing information with State domestic violence coalitions about the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan and its Media Campaign.
6. Accountability of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan requires its Steering Committee to report to Congress on their progress by the first Monday in October of the year the law is enacted, and then every two years. These reports must be submitted in writing.