[Pages S6500-S6503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION

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By Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Ms. Warren):
S. 2730. A bill to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a
pilot grant program to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive
mental health services programs in elementary schools and secondary
schools, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
``Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act of 2021,''
which I introduced today.
Millions of children and adolescents across the Nation struggle every
day with mental health concerns that threaten their emotional well-
being and academic achievement.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for comprehensive
school mental health systems that can provide the support and services
that students desperately need.
This bill is a targeted effort to address the worsening mental health
crisis in this country. If enacted, this legislation would help schools
as they work to promote positive school climates, improve social and
emotional learning, and reduce the prevalence and severity of mental
illness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that between
March and October of 2020, the proportion of children between the ages
of 5 and 11 who visited an emergency department because of a mental
health crisis climbed 24 percent compared to the same time period in
2019, and climbed 31 percent for children between the ages of 12 and
17. More people are reporting frequent thoughts of suicide and self-
harm than have ever been recorded. The full effects of increased
learning loss, social isolation, uncertainty, and trauma may not
manifest for years, and schools must be prepared to deal with this
preventatively.
That is why I am proud to introduce this bill, which would direct the
Secretary of Education to establish a $20 million 4-year pilot grant
program to help schools serving low-income students address mental and
behavioral wellbeing, as well as academic, cognitive, and social and
emotional development, through multi-tier, evidence-based interventions
that foster positive learning environments. More specifically, this
funding may be used for providing professional development
opportunities, encouraging restorative policies, establishing racially,
culturally, and linguistically appropriate trauma-informed practices,
and hiring more school-based mental and behavioral health
professionals.
I want to thank Representative David Trone for introducing this bill
with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this
solution to our youth mental health crisis.

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Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
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By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Ms. Warren, Mr. Markey, Mrs.
Feinstein, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Casey):
S. 2738. A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the United
States Army Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War, collectively, in
recognition of their extrodinary heroism and life-saving actions in
Vietnam; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill
for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill's purpose is to
award a Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Army Dustoff
crews of the Vietnam War, collectively, in recognition of their
extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions in Vietnam.

S. 2738

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam
War Congressional Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--
(1) a United States Army Dustoff crewman (pilot, crew
chief, and medic) is a helicopter crew member who served
honorably during the Vietnam War aboard helicopter air
ambulances, which were both non-division and division assets
under the radio call signs ``Dustoff'' and ``Medevac'';
(2) Dustoff crews performed aeromedical evacuation for
United States, Vietnamese, and allied forces in Southeast
Asia from May 1962 through March 1973;
(3) nearing the end of World War II, the United States Army
began using helicopters for medical evacuation and years
later, during the Korean War, these helicopter air ambulances
were responsible for transporting 17,700 United States
casualties;
(4) during the Vietnam War, with the use of helicopter air
ambulances, United States Army Dustoff crews pioneered the
concept of dedicated and rapid medical evacuation and
transported almost 900,000 United States, South Vietnamese,
and other allied sick and wounded, as well as wounded enemy
forces;
(5) helicopters proved to be a revolutionary tool to assist
those injured on the battlefield;
(6) highly skilled and intrepid, Dustoff crews were able to
operate the helicopters and land them on almost any terrain
in nearly any weather to pick up wounded, after which the
Dustoff crews could provide care to these patients while
transporting them to ready medical facilities;
(7) the vital work of the Dustoff crews required consistent
combat exposure and often proved to be the difference between
life and death for wounded personnel;
(8) the revolutionary concept of a dedicated combat life-
saving system was cultivated and refined by United States
Army Dustoff crews during 11 years of intense conflict in and
above the jungles of Southeast Asia;
(9) innovative and resourceful Dustoff crews in Vietnam
were responsible for taking the new concept of helicopter
medical evacuation, born just a few years earlier, and
revolutionizing it to meet and surpass the previously
unattainable goal of delivering a battlefield casualty to an
operating table within the vaunted ``golden hour'';
(10) some Dustoff units in Vietnam operated so efficiently
that they were able to deliver a patient to a waiting medical
facility on an average of 50 minutes from the receipt of the
mission, which saved the lives of countless personnel in
Vietnam, and this legacy continues for modern-day Dustoff
crews;
(11) the inherent danger of being a member of a Dustoff
crew in Vietnam meant that there was a 1 in 3 chance of being
wounded or killed;
(12) many battles during the Vietnam War raged at night,
and members of the Dustoff crews often found themselves
searching for a landing zone in complete darkness, in bad
weather, over mountainous terrain, and all while being the
target of intense enemy fire as they attempted to rescue the
wounded, which caused Dustoff crews to suffer a rate of
aircraft loss that was more than 3 times that of all other
types of combat helicopter missions in Vietnam;
(13) the 54th Medical Detachment typified the constant
heroism displayed by Dustoff crews in Vietnam, over the span
of a 10-month tour, with only 3 flyable helicopters and 40
soldiers in the unit, evacuating 21,435 patients in 8,644
missions while being airborne for 4,832 hours;
(14) collectively, the members of the 54th Medical
Detachment earned 78 awards for valor, including 1 Medal of
Honor, 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 14 Silver Star Medals,
26 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Bronze Star Medals for
valor, 4 Air Medals for valor, 4 Soldier's Medals, and 26
Purple Heart Medals;
(15) the 54th Medical Detachment displayed heroism on a
daily basis and set the standard for all Dustoff crews in
Vietnam;
(16) 6 members of the 54th Medical Detachment are in the
Dustoff Hall of Fame, 3 are in the Army Aviation Hall of
Fame, and 1 is the only United States Army aviator in the
National Aviation Hall of Fame;
(17) Dustoff crew members are among the most highly
decorated soldiers in American military history;
(18) in early 1964, Major Charles L. Kelly was the
Commanding Officer of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter
Ambulance), Provisional, in Soc Trang, South Vietnam;
(19) Major Kelly helped to forge the Dustoff call sign into
history as one of the most welcomed phrases to be heard over
the radio by wounded soldiers in perilous and dire
situations;
(20) in 1964, Major Kelly was killed in action as he
gallantly maneuvered his aircraft to save a wounded American
soldier and several Vietnamese soldiers and boldly replied,
after being warned to stay away from the landing zone due to
the ferocity of enemy fire, ``When I have your wounded.'';
(21) General William Westmoreland, Commander, Military
Assistance Command, Vietnam (1964-1968), singled out Major
Kelly as an example of ``the greatness of the human spirit''
and highlighted his famous reply as an inspiration to all in
combat;
(22) General Creighton Abrams, Westmoreland's successor
(1968-1972), and former Chief of Staff of the United States
Army, highlighted the heroism of Dustoff crews, ``A special
word about the Dustoffs . . . Courage above and beyond the
call of duty was sort of routine to them. It was a daily
thing, part of the way they lived. That's the great part, and
it meant so much to every last man who served there. Whether
he ever got hurt or not, he knew Dustoff was there.'';
(23) Dustoff crews possessed unique skills and traits that
made them highly successful in aeromedical evacuation in
Vietnam, including indomitable courage, extraordinary
aviation skill and sound judgment under fire, high-level
medical expertise, and an unequaled dedication to the
preservation of human life;
(24) members of the United States Armed Forces on the
ground in Vietnam had their confidence and battlefield
prowess reinforced knowing that there were heroic Dustoff
crews just a few minutes from the fight, which was
instrumental to their well-being, willingness to fight, and
morale;
(25) military families in the United States knew that their
loved ones would receive the quickest and best possible care
in the event of a war-time injury, thanks to the Dustoff
crews;
(26) the willingness of Dustoff crews to also risk their
lives to save helpless civilians left an immeasurably
positive impression on the people of Vietnam and exemplified
the finest American ideals of compassion and humanity; and
(27) Dustoff crews from the Vietnam War hailed from every
State in the United States and represented numerous ethnic,
religious, and cultural backgrounds.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate
shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on
behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate
design in honor of the Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War,
collectively, in recognition of their heroic military
service, which saved countless lives and contributed directly
to the defense of our country.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices,
and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in
honor of the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War, the gold medal
shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will
be available for display as appropriate and available for
research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should also make the gold medal
awarded pursuant to this Act available for display elsewhere,
particularly at appropriate locations associated with the
Vietnam War, and that preference should be given to locations
affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of
the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 at a price
sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor,
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

(a) National Medal.--The medal struck pursuant to this Act
is a national medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31,
United States Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of chapter 51 of title
31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act
shall be considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

(a) Authority to Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to
be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of
the medals struck under this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be
deposited

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into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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By Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Crapo):
S. 2742. A bill to establish the COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance
Fraud Task Force, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.

S. 2742

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Recovering Fraudulent Claims
Act''.

SEC. 2. COVID-19 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD TASK FORCE.

(a) In General.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of enactment of this section, the Attorney General, in
consultation with the Secretary, shall establish the COVID-19
Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (in this section
referred to as the ``Task Force'').
(2) Duties.--
(A) Investigation.--The Task Force shall investigate fraud
with respect to COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits,
including an identification of and investigation into--
(i) subject to paragraph (3), any alleged instance of
fraudulent payment of COVID-19 unemployment insurance
benefits to any individual, entity, or organization (either
foreign or domestic) that was not eligible to receive such
benefits; and
(ii) any alleged instance in which an individual, entity,
or organization (either foreign or domestic) stole or
attempted to steal the identity or personally identifiable
information of any United States citizen in an effort to
obtain COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits, including
any instance of synthetic identity theft.
(B) Submission of findings to attorney general.--The Task
Force shall submit to the Attorney General the Task Force's
findings with respect to the investigation conducted under
subparagraph (A) to assist the Attorney General in the
prosecution of fraud concerning COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits.
(3) Clarification.--The investigation conducted under
paragraph (2)(A) shall not include an identification of or
investigation into any improper payment of COVID-19
unemployment insurance benefits to any individual that was
eligible to receive such benefits.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Attorney General, in consultation with
the Secretary, shall appoint to the Task Force a
representative from each of the following:
(A) The Office of the Inspector General of the Department
of Labor.
(B) The Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(C) The Department of Homeland Security.
(D) The Internal Revenue Service.
(E) The United States Postal Service.
(F) The Office of the Inspector General of the Social
Security Administration.
(G) The Office of the Inspector General of the Department
of Homeland Security.
(H) A nonprofit organization representing State workforce
agencies.
(I) A national law enforcement organization.
(J) Any other organization the Attorney General, in
consultation with the Secretary, determines to be
appropriate.
(2) Prohibition on compensation.--The members of the Task
Force shall not receive any compensation from the Federal
Government by reason of their service on the Task Force.
(c) Report to Congress.--
(1) Preliminary report.--Subject to paragraph (3), not
later than 1 year after the date on which the Task Force is
established under subsection (a)(1), the Task Force shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
that contains a detailed description of the following:
(A) The Task Force's findings with respect to the
investigation conducted under subsection (a)(2)(A), including
the following:
(i) The total number of individuals and an itemized list of
entities and organizations (either foreign or domestic) that
were identified by the Task Force as having allegedly
obtained or attempted to obtain fraudulent payments of COVID-
19 unemployment insurance benefits, including the amount of
such benefits that were identified by the Task Force as
having been obtained.
(ii) The total number of individuals and an itemized list
of entities and organizations (either foreign or domestic)
that were identified by the Task Force as having allegedly
stolen or attempted to steal the identity or personally
identifiable information of any United States citizen in an
effort to obtain COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits,
including any instance of synthetic identity theft.
(iii) The total number of individuals and an itemized list
of entities and organizations (either foreign or domestic)
that were identified by the Attorney General during the
period beginning on the date of enactment of the CARES Act
(Public Law 116-136) and ending on the date of the
establishment of the Task Force under subsection (a)(1) as
having allegedly obtained or attempted to obtain fraudulent
payments of COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits.
(iv) The total number of individuals and an itemized list
of entities and organizations (either foreign or domestic)
that were identified by the Attorney General during the
period beginning on the date of enactment of the CARES Act
(Public Law 116-136) and ending on the date of the
establishment of the Task Force under subsection (a)(1) as
having allegedly stolen or attempted to steal the identity or
personally identifiable information of any United States
citizen in an effort to obtain COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits, including any instance of synthetic
identity theft.
(v) The total number of individuals the Attorney General
has prosecuted for fraud concerning COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits, including a list of the criminal charges
brought and any prison sentences or accompanying fines
imposed.
(B) The steps the Attorney General or the head of any other
relevant Federal or State agency is taking, or is planning to
take, to prosecute or otherwise penalize the individuals,
entities, or organizations described in subparagraph (A).
(C) Any challenge or impediment the Attorney General or the
head of any other relevant Federal or State agency has
encountered in prosecuting or otherwise penalizing such
individuals, entities, or organizations.
(D) The efforts the Attorney General or the head of any
other relevant Federal or State agency is taking, or is
planning to take, to recover any fraudulent payment of COVID-
19 unemployment insurance benefits, and the challenges
associated with such efforts.
(E) The total amount of fraudulent COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits that were issued by States, including a
State-by-State breakdown of such amount.
(F) The total amount of fraudulent COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits that the Attorney General or the head of
any other relevant Federal or State agency has been able to
recover.
(G) The specific challenges the Task Force encountered in
carrying out subsection (a)(2)(A).
(2) Final report.--Subject to paragraph (3), not later than
1 year after the submission of the report under paragraph
(1), the Task Force shall submit to the appropriate
Committees of Congress a final report that includes updated
information regarding subparagraphs (A) through (G) of
paragraph (1).
(3) Disclosure of return information.--No return
information (as defined in section 6103(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986) may be included in a report submitted
under paragraph (1) or (2), except as authorized by such
section 6103.
(d) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the later
of--
(1) the date on which the Task Force submits the final
report under subsection (c)(2); or
(2) a specific date selected by the Attorney General, in
consultation with the Secretary, that falls after the date
set forth in paragraph (1).
(e) Definitions.--
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Finance of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives;
(E) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.
(2) COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits.--The term
``COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits'' means
unemployment insurance benefits provided under any of the
programs under section 2102, 2104, or 2107 of the CARES Act
(15 U.S.C. 9021, 9023, 9025).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(4) Synthetic identity theft.--The term ``synthetic
identity theft'' means the use of a combination of personally
identifiable information to fabricate an individual or entity
in order to commit a dishonest act for personal or financial
gain.

SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.

(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States
(in this section referred to as the ``Comptroller General'')
shall conduct a study on unemployment insurance fraud with
respect to COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits (as
defined in section 2(e)). Such study shall include an
analysis of--
(1) how the amounts appropriated under section 2118 of the
CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9034), as added by section 9032 of the
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2), are
being utilized by States to--
(A) detect and prevent fraud in any such program; and
(B) recover any fraudulent payment of COVID-19 unemployment
insurance benefits;
(2) any reason that such appropriated amounts were not used
by States to detect and prevent such fraud and to recover
such fraudulent payments;
(3) whether such appropriated amounts were successful in
helping States to detect and prevent such fraud and to
recover such fraudulent payments; and
(4) any other area determined appropriate by the
Comptroller General.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the

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Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report
containing the results of the study conducted under
subsection (a), together with recommendations for such
legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller
General determines appropriate.

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