A bill to provide child care services to families of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who are serving on active duty, to provide eligibility for certain health benefits for members who are released from active duty in connection with the Persian Gulf conflict, and for other purposes.
Military Family Assistance Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide assistance for eligible military families of members serving on active duty during the Persian Gulf conflict in order to ensure that such families obtain needed child care services. Outlines with respect to such assistance provisions defining: (1) eligible military families; (2) eligible child care providers; (3) the amount of assistance to be provided; and (4) fees to be charged to parents for such child care assistance. Provides eligibility for such child care assistance for 60 days after release from active duty for families of reserve personnel called to active duty in connection with the Persian Gulf conflict.
Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) each family eligible to receive financial assistance for child care services receives appropriate information concerning local child care and referral programs; and (2) the child care services provided in military child development centers and providers of family home day care are coordinated with child care resources and referral programs in the locality in which such services are provided.
Authorizes the Secretary to use up to ten percent of the amount available for such assistance for grants for the repair of minor deficiencies in family day care homes. Outlines conditions under which the Secretary may make grants to a child care provider for such corrections. Gives a priority in the awarding of such repair grants to child care providers who are members of families of members of the armed forces. Prohibits grant funds to be used for the purchase or improvement of land or for the purchase or major renovation of any building or facility. Authorizes appropriations. Requires such funds to be used to supplement, not supplant, other public funds authorized or expended for such purpose.
Prohibits financial assistance awarded under this Act from being used for: (1) sectarian worship or religious instruction; and (2) services provided during the regular school day for which students receive academic credit or which supplant or duplicate the academic program of any public or private school. Applies certain nondiscrimination provisions of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to provisions of this Act.
States that reserve personnel ordered to active duty in connection with the Persian Gulf conflict shall be considered as involuntarily separated from the armed forces upon completion of such duty for purposes of eligibility for certain transitional health care provided through the armed forces if the member: (1) serves on active duty for not less than 90 days; and (2) is an officer who is discharged under conditions other than adverse, or, if enlisted, is denied reenlistment or is discharged under conditions other than adverse. Provides that eligibility for such transitional health care benefits shall continue for up to 60 days after such involuntary separation, unless or until the member becomes covered by an employer-provided health plan.
Delays until one year after the termination of the Persian Gulf conflict the effective date of a required reduction in the provision of certain mental health services to former military personnel under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991. Delays until the same date a requirement in such Act which increases the annual deductible required of medical beneficiaries of military personnel.
States that all direct or discretionary spending contained in this Act is to be considered emergency expenditures related to Operation Desert Shield for purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
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