I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2795

To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide vouchers for the 

purchase of educational books for infants and children participating 

in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 

children under that Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 18, 2003

Mrs. MALONEY (for herself and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL

To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide vouchers for the purchase of educational books for infants 

and children participating in the special supplemental 

nutrition program for women, infants, and children 

under that Act.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access to Books for 

5 Children Act’’ or the ‘‘ABC Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 
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1 (1) Reading to a child plays a crucial role in 

2 the development of the child’s brain from the earliest 

3 years. 

4 (2) According to a 1995 study by the National 

5 Commission on Reading, reading aloud to a child is 

6 the single most important tool for developing literacy 

7 skills. 

8 (3) A child who is not introduced to books and 

9 early literacy practices is more than three times as 

10 likely to drop out of school as a child who is intro11 duced to books and early literacy practices. 

12 (4) The American Academy of Pediatrics rec13 ommends daily reading to a child beginning when 

14 the child is just 6 months old and recommends that 

15 pediatricians prescribe reading activities and other 

16 instruction to parents during well-child visits. 

17 SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 

18 1966. 

19 Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 

20 U.S.C. 1786) is amended by adding at the end the fol21 lowing: 

22 ‘‘(s) VOUCHERS FOR PURCHASE OF EDUCATIONAL

23 BOOKS FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN.—

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pro25 gram under this section, the Secretary shall provide 
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1 grants to local agencies for the purpose of providing 

2 vouchers to women participating in the program for 

3 the purchase of educational books for the infants 

4 and children of such women. 

5 ‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—In pro6 viding vouchers pursuant to paragraph (1), a local 

7 agency shall comply with the following requirements: 

8 ‘‘(A) A woman may receive not more than 

9 1 voucher (irrespective of the number of infants 

10 or children of the woman). 

11 ‘‘(B) The amount of a voucher may not ex12 ceed $5. 

13 ‘‘(3) FUNDING.—

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts made 

15 available to the Department of Education for 

16 fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006, $10,000,000 

17 shall be made available to carry out this sub18 section (except as provided in subparagraph 

19 (B)) for each such fiscal year. 

20 ‘‘(B) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—In addi21 tion to amounts made available under subpara22 graph (A), there are authorized to be appro23 priated to the Secretary $1,000,0000 for each 

24 of the fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006 for 
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1 the administrative costs in carrying out this 

2 subsection. 

3 ‘‘(C) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made avail4 able under subparagraphs (A) and (B) are au5 thorized to remain available until expended.’’.

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