Taking Action to Prevent Suicide Act or the TAPS Act
This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Health and Human Services to jointly establish a task force to develop recommendations for a comprehensive policy to prevent suicide by CBP personnel. The Department of Homeland Security must develop a plan based on the task force's assessments and recommendations.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9550 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9550
To establish a task force on the prevention of suicide by U.S. Customs
and Border Protection personnel, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 14, 2022
Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas (for himself, Mrs. Flores, Mr. Cuellar, Mr.
Golden, Mr. Fleischmann, and Ms. Slotkin) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a task force on the prevention of suicide by U.S. Customs
and Border Protection personnel, and for other purposes.
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 ``Taking Action to Prevent Suicide
Act'' or the ``TAPS Act''.
SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE BY U.S. CUSTOMS AND
BORDER PROTECTION PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)
shall jointly establish a task force to examine matters relating to
prevention of suicide by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.
(b) Composition.--
(1) Personnel.--The task force established in accordance
with subsection (a) shall consist of not more than 14 members
appointed by the Commissioner of CBP from among individuals
described in paragraph (2).
(2) Individuals described.--The individuals described in
this paragraph are the following:
(A) At least one CBP agent.
(B) The Deputy Commissioner of CBP.
(C) The Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.
(D) The Executive Assistant Commissioner of Air and
Marine Operations of CBP.
(E) The Executive Assistant Commissioner of Field
Operations of CBP.
(F) At least one member of the National Border
Patrol Council.
(G) At least one member of the National Treasury
Employees Union.
(H) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and
Substance Abuse of the Department of Health and Human
Services.
(I) Persons who have experience in the following:
(i) National suicide prevention policy.
(ii) CBP personnel policy.
(iii) Research in the field of suicide
prevention.
(iv) Clinical care in mental health.
(J) At least one family member of a CBP Customs
Officer who has experience working with families of CBP
personnel.
(K) At least one family member of a U.S. Border
Patrol agent who has experience working with families
of CBP personnel.
(3) Limitation.--To the greatest extent practicable, the
Commissioner of CBP and the Secretary of HHS shall make every
effort to ensure there is an equal representation of Federal
and non-Federal members of the task force.
(4) Deadline for appointment.--All appointments of
individuals to the task force shall be made not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(5) Co-chairs of task force.--There shall be two co-chairs
of the task force, as follows:
(A) One of the co-chairs shall be designated from
among CBP personnel members. Such designation shall be
made by the Commissioner of CBP at the time of
appointment.
(B) One of the co-chairs shall be designated from
among non-CBP personnel members. Such designation shall
be made by such non-CBP personnel members.
(c) Assessment and Recommendations on Suicide Prevention Policy.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date on
which all personnel of the task force have been appointed, the
task force shall submit to the Commissioner of CBP a report
containing recommendations (including recommendations for
legislative or administrative action) regarding a comprehensive
policy designed to prevent suicide by CBP personnel.
(2) Utilization of other efforts.--In preparing the report
required under paragraph (1), the task force shall take into
consideration completed and ongoing efforts by CBP to improve
the efficacy of suicide prevention programs.
(3) Elements.--The recommendations referred to in paragraph
(1) shall include measures to address the following:
(A) Methods to identify trends and common causal
factors in suicides by CBP personnel.
(B) Methods to establish or update suicide
education and prevention programs conducted by CBP
based on identified trends and causal factors.
(C) An assessment of current suicide education and
prevention programs of CBP.
(D) An assessment of current mental health
education programs and services available to CBP
personnel, and the significance of any stigma with
respect to such programs and services.
(E) An assessment of suicide incidence by CBP
personnel.
(F) The appropriate type and method of
investigation to determine the causes and factors
surrounding each suicide by CBP personnel.
(G) The qualifications of individuals appointed to
conduct an investigations of suicides by CBP personnel.
(H) The information required by an investigation to
determine the causes and factors regarding suicides by
CBP personnel.
(I) The appropriate reporting requirements after
the conclusions of investigations conducted on suicides
by CBP personnel.
(J) The appropriate official or executive agent
within the Department of Homeland Security to receive
and analyze reports on investigations of suicides by
CBP personnel.
(K) The appropriate use of the information gathered
during investigations of suicides by CBP personnel.
(L) Methods for protecting confidentiality of
information contained in reports of investigations of
suicides by CBP personnel.
(d) Administrative Matters.--
(1) Compensation.--Each member of the task force who is a
Federal employee shall serve without compensation. Non-Federal
members of the task force shall be treated for purposes of
section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, as having been
appointed under subsection (b) of such section.
(2) Oversight.--The Commissioner of CBP and the Secretary
of HHS shall oversee the activities of the task force.
(3) Administrative support.--The Commissioner of CBP and
the Secretary of HHS shall provide the task force with such
personnel, facilities, and other administrative support as may
be necessary for the performance of the duties of the task
force.
(e) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
appointment of all individuals to the task force, the task
force shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security a
report on its activities under this section. The report shall
include the following:
(A) A description of the activities of the task
force.
(B) The assessment and recommendations required
under subsection (c).
(C) Such other matters relating to the activities
of the task force that the task force considers
appropriate.
(2) Transmittal to congress.--Not later than 90 days after
receipt of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall transmit the report to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate. The Secretary may include in the transmittal such
comments regarding the report as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(f) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after receipt of the
report under subsection (e)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall develop a plan based on the assessments and recommendations of
the task force and submit such plan to the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
(g) Termination.--The task force shall terminate 90 days after the
date on which the report of the task force is submitted to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate
pursuant to subsection (e)(2).
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations.
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