Assessment reports

(a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance and the Special Committee on Aging of the Senate on the programs, coordinating bodies, registries, and activities established or authorized under subtitle B of title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397l et seq.) or section 6703(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3a(b)). Each such report shall include— (1) an update on any ongoing independently conducted evaluations of the extent to which such programs, coordinating bodies, registries, and activities have improved access to, and the quality of, resources available to older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers to ultimately prevent, detect, and treat abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and (2) as appropriate, recommendations to Congress on funding levels and policy changes to help these programs, coordinating bodies, registries, and activities better prevent, detect, and treat abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities. (b) Clarification of the independence of federally funded research and evaluation Section 2023 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397k–2) is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) Independence of federally funded research and evaluation The Secretary shall continue to maintain and support with adequate staffing and resources the Office of Performance and Evaluation at the Administration for Community Living, which shall conduct independent research and evaluation activities associated with the programs and policies provided for in this subtitle. The research and evaluation activities shall reflect the rigor, relevance and utility, independence and objectivity, transparency, and ethical principles specified in the evaluation policy established for the Department of Health and Human Services under section 313 of title 5, United States Code.. (c) Appropriation Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to carry out this section.