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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1779 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1779

To establish a program for tribal colleges and universities within the 
    Department of Health and Human Services and to amend the Native 
American Programs Act of 1974 to authorize the provision of grants and 
  cooperative agreements to tribal colleges and universities, and for 
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 12, 2007

Mr. Tester (for himself and Mr. Dorgan) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To establish a program for tribal colleges and universities within the 
    Department of Health and Human Services and to amend the Native 
American Programs Act of 1974 to authorize the provision of grants and 
  cooperative agreements to tribal colleges and universities, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Tribal Health 
Promotion and Tribal Colleges and Universities Advancement Act of 
2007''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION: PROMOTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF TRIBAL 
                                 HEALTH

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Findings and purpose.
Sec. 103. Definitions.
Sec. 104. Administration by coordinating officer.
Sec. 105. Community-based health and wellness fairs.
Sec. 106. Health promotion and disease prevention targeted programs; 
                            wellness centers.
Sec. 107. Development and expansion of public health professional 
                            degree programs.
Sec. 108. Tribal College and University Rural Health Equity Endowment 
                            Fund.
Sec. 109. Offices of sponsored programs.
Sec. 110. Health promotion and disease prevention research programs.
  TITLE II--ADVANCING TRIBES THROUGH TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Findings.
Sec. 203. Office on Tribal College and University Programs.
Sec. 204. Native Prosperity and Native American Language Vitalization 
                            and Training Programs at TCUs.
Sec. 205. Tribal colleges and universities native communities research 
                            program.
Sec. 206. Definitions.
Sec. 207. Authorization of appropriations.

TITLE I--THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION: PROMOTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF TRIBAL 
                                 HEALTH

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Through Higher Education: 
Promoting the Advancement of Tribal Health Act'' or ``THE PATH Act''.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) because there is a significant lack of health-related 
        education and training opportunities for Indians, few Indians 
        are represented in the health-related workforce of the United 
        States;
            (2) tribal colleges and universities remain the most 
        poorly-funded institutions of higher education in the United 
        States, yet, as engaged institutions, tribal colleges and 
        universities serve as true catalysts for positive change in 
        Indian communities;
            (3) tribal colleges and universities with nursing programs 
        train hundreds of students to hold critically-needed leadership 
        and management positions in the Indian Health Service, tribal 
        health organizations, and private and community agencies 
        serving rural Indian populations;
            (4) to the extent that tribal colleges and universities are 
        able, the colleges and universities have begun to address the 
        many societal challenges faced by Indian communities;
            (5) tribal colleges and universities offer critically-
        needed education and outreach programs, including--
                    (A) community health fairs;
                    (B) HIV-AIDS education programs;
                    (C) extensive diabetes programs;
                    (D) nutritional and obesity programs, including 
                community garden programs;
                    (E) substance abuse prevention programs;
                    (F) youth-at-risk programs;
                    (G) parenting classes; and
                    (H) child and elder care services; and
            (6) due to a chronic lack of operational and targeted 
        program funding, together with the unwillingness of certain 
        Federal agencies to recognize tribal colleges and universities 
        as valuable partners in addressing rural community issues, 
        including health issues, tribal colleges and universities have 
        limited resources available to adequately address the perennial 
        health challenges of the rural communities served by the tribal 
        colleges and universities.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to assist tribal 
colleges and universities to strengthen Indian communities through the 
provision of health promotion and disease prevention education, 
outreach, and workforce development programs, including through program 
implementation, research, and capacity-building.

SEC. 103. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Deputy assistant secretary.--The term ``Deputy 
        Assistant Secretary'' means the Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
        Minority Health, within the Office of Public Health and 
        Science.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Institutes of Health.
            (3) Indian.--The term ``Indian'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 
        U.S.C. 1603).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (5) Tribal college or university.--The term ``tribal 
        college or university'' means--
                    (A) an institution that is eligible to receive 
                funds under the Tribally Controlled College or 
                University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et 
                seq.);
                    (B) Dine College; and
                    (C) any 1 of the 1994 Institutions (as defined in 
                section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant 
                Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-
                382)).

SEC. 104. ADMINISTRATION BY COORDINATING OFFICER.

    (a) Designation.--The Deputy Assistant Secretary shall serve as the 
coordinating officer with respect to programs of tribal colleges and 
universities relating to health promotion and disease prevention.
    (b) Staff.--The Secretary shall appoint such additional staff as 
the Secretary determines to be necessary--
            (1) to assist the Deputy Assistant Secretary in carrying 
        out the duties under this section; and
            (2) to provide appropriate technical assistance to tribal 
        colleges and universities that receive grants or enter into 
        cooperative agreements under this title.
    (c) Memorandum of Agreement.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, shall develop and implement a formal 
memorandum of agreement with the American Indian Higher Education 
Consortium to establish programs--
            (1) to ensure that Native American communities, through 
        tribal colleges and universities, participate equitably in 
        employment programs, services, and resources of the Department 
        of Health and Human Services; and
            (2) to provide necessary technical assistance to the tribal 
        colleges and universities.

SEC. 105. COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIRS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, shall establish a program under which the 
Secretary shall provide grants to, or offer to enter into cooperative 
agreements with, tribal colleges and universities to carry out annual, 
community-based, and culturally relevant health and wellness fairs at 
the tribal colleges and universities.
    (b) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
        for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2017 an amount equal to 
        the sum of--
                    (A) the product obtained by multiplying--
                            (i) the number of tribal colleges and 
                        universities in operation on October 1 of the 
                        fiscal year; and
                            (ii) $15,000; and
                    (B) such amount as the Secretary determines to be 
                necessary for the costs of administering the program 
                under this section.
            (2) Total amount.--Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary 
        shall use all amounts made available under paragraph (1)(A) to 
        provide grants or enter into cooperative agreements pursuant to 
        this section.
            (3) Nonapplicability of limitation.--The limitation under 
        section 1703(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
        300u-2(c)) shall not apply to this section.

SEC. 106. HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION TARGETED PROGRAMS; 
              WELLNESS CENTERS.

    (a) Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Targeted Programs.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Deputy Assistant Secretary, shall establish a program under 
        which the Secretary shall provide grants to, or offer to enter 
        into cooperative agreements with, tribal colleges and 
        universities to carry out activities to improve and expand the 
        capacity of the tribal colleges and universities--
                    (A) to carry out activities relating to health 
                promotion and disease prevention; and
                    (B) to eliminate health disparities in tribal 
                communities, to the maximum extent practicable.
            (2) Requirements.--In providing grants and entering into 
        cooperative agreements under this subsection, the Secretary, to 
        the maximum extent practicable, shall--
                    (A) approve applications on a competitive basis; 
                and
                    (B) ensure maximum and equitable distribution among 
                eligible tribal colleges and universities.
            (3) Application.--
                    (A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
                or enter into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection, a tribal college or university shall submit 
                to the Secretary an application at such time and in 
                such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require.
                    (B) Inclusion.--An application under subparagraph 
                (A) shall include a description of a 5-year strategy of 
                the applicable tribal college or university for meeting 
                the health promotion and disease prevention needs of 
                Indians or Alaska Natives, as appropriate, in the area 
                served by the tribal college or university.
                    (C) Streamlined procedure.--The Secretary shall 
                ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, a simplified 
                and streamlined procedure for the submission and 
                approval of applications under subparagraph (A), taking 
                into consideration the limited number of institutions 
                that are eligible to receive assistance under this 
                subsection.
            (4) Activities.--A tribal college or university that 
        receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under 
        this subsection may use the grant or cooperative agreement to 
        develop and carry out activities to address targeted areas of 
        health promotion and disease prevention in tribal communities, 
        including activities relating to--
                    (A) diabetes education and prevention;
                    (B) injury prevention;
                    (C) substance abuse, including methamphetamine 
                abuse;
                    (D) HIV-AIDS prevention;
                    (E) emerging health promotion and disease 
                prevention program and response development; and
                    (F) obesity and nutrition.
            (5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2009 through 2017.
    (b) Wellness Centers.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Deputy Assistant Secretary, shall establish a program under 
        which the Secretary shall provide grants to tribal colleges and 
        universities for purposes of--
                    (A) construction, renovation, and modernization of 
                community wellness centers located on the campuses of 
                the tribal colleges and universities; and
                    (B) construction, renovation, and modernization of 
                outpatient student health clinics located on those 
                campuses.
            (2) Maximum amount.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the maximum amount of a grant provided under 
                paragraph (1) shall not exceed an amount equal to 95 
                percent of the cost of the project carried out by the 
                applicable tribal college or university.
                    (B) Exception.--The limitation under subparagraph 
                (A) shall not apply to a tribal college or university 
                located in, as determined by the Secretary--
                            (i) an urban area; or
                            (ii) a poor rural area.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2009 through 2017.

SEC. 107. DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL 
              DEGREE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish a 
program under which the Secretary shall provide grants to tribal 
colleges and universities for purposes of developing curricula, 
courses, and degree and in-service programs for health-related 
professions.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, a tribal college or university shall submit to 
        the Secretary an application at such time and in such manner as 
        the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Inclusion.--An application under paragraph (1) shall 
        include a description of a 5-year strategy of the applicable 
        tribal college or university for increasing the number of 
        Indians in the health workforce of the United States.
            (3) Streamlined procedure.--The Secretary shall ensure, to 
        the maximum extent practicable, a simplified and streamlined 
        procedure for the submission and approval of applications under 
        paragraph (1), taking into consideration the limited number of 
        institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under this 
        section.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2009 through 2017.

SEC. 108. TRIBAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RURAL HEALTH EQUITY ENDOWMENT 
              FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States a fund, to be known as the ``Tribal College and 
University Rural Health Equity Endowment Fund'' (referred to in this 
section as the ``Fund''), consisting of--
            (1) such amounts as are appropriated to the Fund under 
        subsection (b); and
            (2) any interest earned on those amounts.
    (b) Transfers to Fund.--There is appropriated to the Fund, out of 
funds of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $9,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2009 through 2017.
    (c) Investments.--The Secretary shall invest amounts in the Fund in 
interest-bearing obligations of the United States.
    (d) Expenditures From Fund.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), on September 30 
        of fiscal year 2009 and annually thereafter through September 
        30, 2017, on request by the Secretary, the Secretary of the 
        Treasury shall transfer from the Fund to the Secretary an 
        amount equal to the amount of interest income earned on amounts 
        in the Fund during the preceding fiscal year.
            (2) Administrative expenses.--An amount not exceeding 1 
        percent of the annual interest yield distributed to tribal 
        colleges and universities shall be available for each fiscal 
        year to pay the administrative expenses necessary to carry out 
        this section.
    (e) Distribution of Amounts.--Of amounts transferred under 
subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall distribute--
            (1) 60 percent to tribal colleges and universities on a pro 
        rata basis, based on the proportion that--
                    (A) the Indian student count (as defined in section 
                2(a) of the Tribally Controlled College or University 
                Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801(a)) of a tribal 
                college or university for the applicable fiscal year; 
                bears to
                    (B) the Indian student count of all tribal colleges 
                and universities for that fiscal year; and
            (2) 40 percent in payments of equal amounts to each tribal 
        college and university.
    (f) Use of Funds.--A tribal college or university shall use amounts 
received under this section to establish an endowment for a rural 
health-related program at the tribal college or university.

SEC. 109. OFFICES OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Director, 
shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide 
grants to tribal colleges and universities to establish and maintain at 
the tribal colleges and universities offices of sponsored programs 
described in subsection (b).
    (b) Sponsored Programs.--The sponsored programs referred to in 
subsection (a) include programs for--
            (1) pre- and post-grant award research, data collection, 
        and analyses, through a method that ensures--
                    (A) proper documentation of relevant applications; 
                and
                    (B) compliance with applicable regulations and 
                guidelines;
            (2) advancing specific institutional grant application 
        procedures and processes through coordination of external 
        funding sources and faculty, staff, and financial officers;
            (3) assisting in negotiations with Federal funding sources;
            (4) providing liaisons with Federal counterparts of tribal 
        colleges and universities--
                    (A) to train and assist principal investigators, 
                faculty, and college staff with respect to grant 
                management, reporting, and program implementation; and
                    (B) to ensure that applicable deadlines are met and 
                required reports are completed;
            (5) coordinating partnerships between tribal colleges and 
        universities, Federal agencies, and the private sector for 
        collaborative programs and activities; and
            (6) in consultation with Federal agencies, identifying and 
        proposing solutions to--
                    (A) obstacles relating to Federal agency grant 
                application procedures and requirements; and
                    (B) other problems relating to Federal grant 
                program structures and requirements.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, a tribal college or university shall submit to 
        the Secretary an application at such time and in such manner as 
        the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Inclusion.--An application under paragraph (1) shall 
        include a description of a 5-year strategy of the applicable 
        tribal college or university for carrying out a sponsored 
        program at the tribal college or university, including 
        performance indicators by which success of the tribal college 
        or university will be evaluated.
    (d) Distribution of Funds.--For each of fiscal years 2009 through 
2017, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall provide to each 
tribal college and university the application of which is approved 
under subsection (c) a grant in an amount equal to the quotient 
obtained by dividing--
            (1) the total amount made available under subsection (f) 
        for the fiscal year; by
            (2) the number of tribal colleges and universities the 
        applications of which are approved under subsection (c) for the 
        fiscal year.
    (e) Reports.--For each of fiscal years 2010 through 2018, each 
tribal college or university that receives a grant under this section 
shall submit to the Director a report describing the success of the 
office of sponsored programs of the tribal college or university during 
the preceding fiscal year, as determined in accordance with the 
performance indicators contained in the application of the tribal 
college or university under subsection (c)(2).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2009 
through 2017 an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying--
            (1) the number of tribal colleges and universities in 
        operation on October 1 of the applicable fiscal year; and
            (2) $50,000.

SEC. 110. HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the Director, 
shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide 
grants to, or offer to enter into cooperative agreements with, tribal 
colleges and universities to conduct research relating to health 
promotion and disease prevention at the tribal colleges and 
universities.
    (b) Requirements.--
            (1) Competition.--The Secretary shall provide grants and 
        offer to enter into cooperative agreements under subsection (a) 
        on a competitive basis.
            (2) General terms and amounts.--Except as provided in 
        paragraph (3)--
                    (A) the term of a grant or cooperative agreement 
                under subsection (a) shall be not more than 3 years; 
                and
                    (B) the minimum amount of a grant under subsection 
                (a) for a fiscal year shall be $150,000.
            (3) Undergraduate research experience programs.--With 
        respect to a grant or cooperative agreement provided for an 
        undergraduate research experience program under subsection 
        (d)(3)--
                    (A) the term of such a grant or cooperative 
                agreement shall be not more than 1 year; and
                    (B) the minimum amount of such a grant for a fiscal 
                year shall be $10,000.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant, or to 
        enter into a cooperative agreement, under this subsection, a 
        tribal college or university shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time and in such manner as the Secretary 
        may reasonably require.
            (2) Streamlined procedure.--The Secretary shall ensure, to 
        the maximum extent practicable, a simplified and streamlined 
        procedure for the submission and approval of applications under 
        paragraph (1), taking into consideration the limited number of 
        institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under this 
        section.
    (d) Activities.--A tribal college or university that receives a 
grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under this section may use 
the grant or cooperative agreement to carry out activities, including--
            (1) research on culturally relevant and innovative health 
        promotion and disease prevention strategies;
            (2) epidemiological research on the health status of Indian 
        populations and communities; and
            (3) undergraduate research experience programs as the 
        tribal college or university determines to be appropriate.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $12,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2009 through 2017.

  TITLE II--ADVANCING TRIBES THROUGH TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Advancing Tribes Through Tribal 
Colleges and Universities Act'' or the ``AT TCUs Act''.

SEC. 202. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) a primary goal of providing Federal support for higher 
        education is to ensure social and economic self-sufficiency and 
        growth for all residents of the United States;
            (2) social and economic underdevelopment is the primary 
        obstacle to the self-sufficiency of Indian communities and 
        families;
            (3) research has demonstrated that higher education is a 
        primary method of achieving economic and social development for 
        Indian communities;
            (4) tribal colleges and universities are institutions of 
        higher education created by Indians for Indians primarily on 
        rural and isolated Indian reservations, which were virtually 
        excluded from the general system of higher education in the 
        United States;
            (5) underlying goals of tribal colleges and universities 
        are--
                    (A) to improve the lives of Indians through higher 
                education; and
                    (B) to assist Indians in achieving self-
                sufficiency;
            (6) tribal colleges and universities--
                    (A) offer a variety of social services for students 
                and community members; and
                    (B) often serve as community centers, libraries, 
                tribal archives, career and business centers, economic 
                development centers, public meeting places, and 
                childcare and wellness centers;
            (7) tribal colleges and universities and students of those 
        colleges or universities contribute significantly to the 
        economic and social health of Indian communities;
            (8)(A) tribal colleges and universities have been more 
        successful than any other institution of higher education in 
        educating and helping to retain Indians in high-need fields, 
        such as nursing and teaching;
            (B) data from 2005 indicates that--
                    (i) approximately \1/2\ of all graduates of tribal 
                colleges and universities pursue advanced education; 
                and
                    (ii) of those graduates, more than 86 percent 
                pursue bachelor's degrees;
            (9) individuals, including Indians, with bachelor's or 
        advanced degrees earn--
                    (A) almost 4 times as much as individuals who do 
                not graduate from high school; and
                    (B) more than twice as much as individuals with 
                high school diplomas;
            (10) of the 155 indigenous languages spoken in the United 
        States as of the date of enactment of this Act, 135 are spoken 
        only by Indian elders;
            (11)(A) language and culture are at the heart of the 
        mission of each tribal college and university;
            (B) tribal colleges and universities--
                    (i) play a strong leadership role in Native 
                American language immersion; and
                    (ii) are responsible for the majority of the 
                approximately 50 Native American language immersion 
                programs in the United States; and
            (12) despite the proven success of Native American language 
        preservation and vitalization efforts of tribal colleges and 
        universities, only minimal Federal and private sector resources 
        are used for the activities.

SEC. 203. OFFICE ON TRIBAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS.

    Section 803B of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2991b-2) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
    ``(e) Office on Tribal College and University Programs.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Administration on Native Americans an office, to be known as 
        the `Office on Tribal College and University Programs' 
        (referred to in this subsection as the `Office'), for the 
        purposes of--
                    ``(A) administering the programs authorized by this 
                Act; and
                    ``(B) coordinating intra- and inter-departmental 
                activities relating to tribal colleges and 
                universities.
            ``(2) Director.--The Secretary shall appoint a Director of 
        the Office, who shall--
                    ``(A) serve on a full-time basis; and
                    ``(B) carry out the duties described in paragraph 
                (1).
            ``(3) Staff.--The Secretary shall appoint such additional 
        staff as the Secretary determines to be necessary--
                    ``(A) to assist the Director in carrying out the 
                duties described in paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) to provide appropriate technical assistance 
                to tribal colleges and universities that receive grants 
                or enter into cooperative agreements under this Act.
            ``(4) Technical assistance.--To ensure that tribal colleges 
        and universities receive timely, equitable, and culturally-
        relevant technical assistance under section 804, the Secretary, 
        acting through the Commissioner, may enter into any cooperative 
        agreement the Secretary determines to be necessary with the 
        American Indian Higher Education Consortium.''.

SEC. 204. NATIVE PROSPERITY AND NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE VITALIZATION 
              AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AT TCUS.

    (a) In General.--The Native American Programs Act of 1974 is 
amended by inserting after section 803C (42 U.S.C. 2991b-3) the 
following:

``SEC. 803D. NATIVE PROSPERITY AND NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE 
              VITALIZATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AT TCUS.

    ``(a) Native Prosperity Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Commissioner, shall establish a program, to be known as the 
        `Native Prosperity Program', under which the Secretary shall 
        provide grants to, or offer to enter into cooperative 
        agreements with, eligible tribal colleges and universities to 
        promote economic development, entrepreneurship, community 
        development, and sound fiscal leadership in Indian communities.
            ``(2) Requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B)--
                            ``(i) the Secretary shall provide grants 
                        and offer to enter into cooperative agreements 
                        under paragraph (1) on a competitive basis; and
                            ``(ii) the term of a grant or cooperative 
                        agreement under paragraph (1) shall be not more 
                        than 5 years.
                    ``(B) Exception.--If the Secretary determines that 
                a tribal college or university that receives a grant or 
                enters into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection has performed satisfactorily throughout the 
                initial 5-year term of the grant or cooperative 
                agreement under subparagraph (A)(ii)--
                            ``(i) the tribal college or university may 
                        submit to the Secretary an application to 
                        extend the grant or cooperative agreement, as 
                        applicable, for a period of not more than 3 
                        additional years; and
                            ``(ii) the Secretary may waive the 
                        competitiveness requirement of subparagraph 
                        (A)(i) with respect to the application.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection, a tribal college or university shall submit 
                to the Secretary an application at such time and in 
                such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require.
                    ``(B) Program plan.--
                            ``(i) In general.--An application under 
                        subparagraph (A) shall include a plan for the 
                        program proposed to be carried out by the 
                        eligible tribal college or university using the 
                        grant or pursuant to the cooperative agreement, 
                        as applicable.
                            ``(ii) Inclusions.--A program plan under 
                        subparagraph (A) shall include--
                                    ``(I) a description of a 5-year 
                                strategy of the applicable tribal 
                                college or university for meeting the 
                                needs of Indians or Alaska Natives, as 
                                appropriate, in the area served by the 
                                tribal college or university;
                                    ``(II) an identification of the 
                                population to be served by the tribal 
                                college or university;
                                    ``(III) an identification of the 
                                education and employment needs of that 
                                population and a description of the 
                                manner in which the program will--
                                            ``(aa) strengthen the 
                                        economic development potential 
                                        of the population; or
                                            ``(bb) contribute to the 
                                        development of high-quality 
                                        local and community services;
                                    ``(IV) a description of the 
                                services to be provided under the 
                                program, including the manner in which 
                                the services will be integrated with 
                                other appropriate activities; and
                                    ``(V) a description, to be prepared 
                                in consultation with the Secretary, of 
                                the performance measures to be used to 
                                assess the performance of the tribal 
                                college or university in carrying out 
                                the program.
                            ``(iii) Requirement.--A program plan shall 
                        be consistent with the purposes of this 
                        section, as determined by the Secretary.
            ``(4) Activities.--A tribal college or university that 
        receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under 
        this subsection may use the grant or cooperative agreement to 
        carry out activities, including--
                    ``(A) microenterprise development;
                    ``(B) business development and administration 
                courses and degree programs;
                    ``(C) entrepreneurship programs;
                    ``(D) municipality planning and administration 
                courses, degree programs, and in-service training; and
                    ``(E) executive leadership training in economic 
                development, planning, and emerging management issues.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $12,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
    ``(b) Native American Language Vitalization and Training Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Commissioner, shall establish a program, to be known as the 
        `Native American Language Vitalization and Training Program', 
        under which the Secretary shall provide grants to, or offer to 
        enter into cooperative agreements with, eligible tribal 
        colleges and universities to promote the preservation, 
        revitalization, relevancy, and use of Native American 
        languages.
            ``(2) Requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B)--
                            ``(i) the Secretary shall provide grants 
                        and offer to enter into cooperative agreements 
                        under paragraph (1) on a competitive basis; and
                            ``(ii) the term of a grant or cooperative 
                        agreement under paragraph (1) shall be not more 
                        than 5 years.
                    ``(B) Exception.--If the Secretary determines that 
                a tribal college or university that receives a grant or 
                enters into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection has performed satisfactorily throughout the 
                initial 5-year term of the grant or cooperative 
                agreement under subparagraph (A)(ii)--
                            ``(i) the tribal college or university may 
                        submit to the Secretary an application to 
                        extend the grant or cooperative agreement, as 
                        applicable, for a period of not more than 3 
                        additional years; and
                            ``(ii) the Secretary may waive the 
                        competitiveness requirement of subparagraph 
                        (A)(i) with respect to the application.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection, a tribal college or university shall submit 
                to the Secretary an application at such time and in 
                such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require.
                    ``(B) Program plan.--
                            ``(i) In general.--An application under 
                        subparagraph (A) shall include a plan for the 
                        program proposed to be carried out by the 
                        eligible tribal college or university using the 
                        grant or pursuant to the cooperative agreement, 
                        as applicable.
                            ``(ii) Inclusions.--A program plan under 
                        subparagraph (A) shall include--
                                    ``(I) a description of a 5-year 
                                strategy of the applicable tribal 
                                college or university for meeting the 
                                needs of Indians or Alaska Natives, as 
                                appropriate, in the area served by the 
                                tribal college or university;
                                    ``(II) an identification of the 
                                population to be served by the tribal 
                                college or university;
                                    ``(III) an identification of the 
                                status of Native American language 
                                understanding and use within that 
                                population and a description of the 
                                manner in which the program will help 
                                preserve and revitalize the relevant 
                                Native American language;
                                    ``(IV) a description of the 
                                services to be provided under the 
                                program, including the manner in which 
                                the services will be integrated with 
                                other appropriate activities; and
                                    ``(V) a description, to be prepared 
                                in consultation with the Secretary, of 
                                the performance measures to be used to 
                                assess the performance of the tribal 
                                college or university in carrying out 
                                the program.
                            ``(iii) Requirement.--A program plan shall 
                        be consistent with the purposes of this 
                        section, as determined by the Secretary.
            ``(4) Activities.--A tribal college or university that 
        receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under 
        this subsection may use the grant or cooperative agreement to 
        carry out activities, including--
                    ``(A) curricula development and academic 
                instruction, including educational activities, 
                programs, and partnerships relating to students in 
                prekindergarten through grade 12;
                    ``(B) professional development for college and 
                university faculty and in-service training programs for 
                prekindergarten through grade 12 instructors and 
                administrators; and
                    ``(C) innovative Native American language programs 
                for students in prekindergarten through grade 12, 
                including language immersion programs.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $12,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The section heading of section 803C of 
the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991b-3) is amended 
by inserting ``general'' before ``grant program''.

SEC. 205. TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NATIVE COMMUNITIES RESEARCH 
              PROGRAM.

    Section 805 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2991d) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Tribal Colleges and Universities Native Communities Research 
Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Commissioner, shall provide grants to, or offer to enter into 
        cooperative agreements with, eligible tribal colleges and 
        universities to conduct research in accordance with the 
        purposes of this Act.
            ``(2) Requirements.--
                    ``(A) Competition.--The Secretary shall provide 
                grants and offer to enter into cooperative agreements 
                under paragraph (1) on a competitive basis.
                    ``(B) Term.--The term of a grant or cooperative 
                agreement under paragraph (1) shall be not more than 3 
                years.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this 
                subsection, a tribal college or university shall submit 
                to the Secretary an application at such time and in 
                such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require.
                    ``(B) Inclusion.--An application under subparagraph 
                (A) shall include a plan for the program proposed to be 
                carried out by the eligible tribal college or 
                university using the grant or pursuant to the 
                cooperative agreement, as applicable.
            ``(4) Activities.--A tribal college or university that 
        receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under 
        this subsection may use the grant or cooperative agreement to 
        carry out activities, including--
                    ``(A) community-based social science research;
                    ``(B) Native American language preservation and 
                vitalization research; and
                    ``(C) economic development research, including 
                research relating to--
                            ``(i) workforce inventory and industrial 
                        analysis;
                            ``(ii) community development through 
                        coordinated planning; and
                            ``(iii) multistakeholder partnership 
                        models.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.''.

SEC. 206. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 815 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2992c) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) the term `tribal college or university' means--
                    ``(A) an institution that is eligible to receive 
                funds under the Tribally Controlled College or 
                University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(B) Dine College; and
                    ``(C) any 1 of the 1994 Institutions (as defined in 
                section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant 
                Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-
                382)).''.

SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 816 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2992d) is amended--
            (1) in subsections (a), (c), and (e), by striking ``fiscal 
        years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``fiscal years 2008 through 2012'';
            (2) in subsections (a) and (b), by striking ``subsection 
        (e)'' each place it appears and inserting ``subsection (d)'';
            (3) by striking subsection (d); and
            (4) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).
                                 <all>
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