I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2893
To provide for demonstration and evaluation of, and dissemination of informa-
tion concerning, promising approaches to promoting and supporting in-
volved, committed, and responsible fatherhood, and promoting and sup-
porting healthy marriages, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 14, 2001
Mr. HERGER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for demonstration and evaluation of, and dissemi-
nation of information concerning, promising approaches
to promoting and supporting involved, committed, and
responsible fatherhood, and promoting and supporting
healthy marriages, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promotion and Sup-
port of Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Act
of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FATHERHOOD PROGRAM.
Title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601
et seq.) is amended by inserting after part B the following:
‘‘PART C—FATHERHOOD PROGRAM
‘‘SEC. 441. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that there is
substantial evidence strongly indicating the urgent need
to promote and support involved, committed, and respon-
sible fatherhood, and to encourage and support healthy
marriages between parents raising children, including data
demonstrating the following:–
‘‘(1) In approximately 90 percent of cases
where a parent is absent, that parent is the father.
‘‘(2) By some estimates, 60 percent of children
born in the 1990s will spend a significant portion of
their childhood in a home without a father.
‘‘(3) Nearly 75 percent of children in single-
parent homes will experience poverty before they are
11 years old, compared with only 20 percent of chil-
dren in 2-parent families.
‘‘(4) Low income is positively correlated with
children’s difficulties with education, social adjust-
ment, and delinquency, and single-parent households
constitute a disproportionate share of low-income
households.
‘‘(5) Where families (whether intact or with a
parent absent) are living in poverty, a significant
factor is the father’s lack of job skills.
‘‘(6) Children raised in 2-parent married fami-
lies, on average, fare better as a group in key areas,
including better school performance, reduced rates of
substance abuse, crime, and delinquency, fewer
health, emotional, and behavioral problems, lower
rates of teenage sexual activity, less risk of abuse or
neglect, and lower risk of teen suicide.
‘‘(7) Committed and responsible fathering dur-
ing infancy and early childhood contributes to the
development of emotional security, curiosity, and
math and verbal skills.
‘‘(8) An estimated 24,000,000 children (33.5
percent) live apart from their biological father.
‘‘(9) A recent national survey indicates that of
all children under age 18 not living with their bio-
logical father, 29 percent had not seen their father
even once in the last 12 months.
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this part are:
‘‘(1) To provide for projects and activities by
public entities and by nonprofit community entities,
including religious organizations, designed to test
promising approaches to accomplishing the following
objectives:
‘‘(A) Promoting responsible, caring, and
effective parenting through counseling, men-
toring, and parenting education, dissemination
of educational materials and information on
parenting skills, encouragement of positive fa-
ther involvement, including the positive involve-
ment of nonresident fathers, and other meth-
ods.
‘‘(B) Enhancing the abilities and commit-
ment of unemployed or low-income fathers to
provide material support for their families and
to avoid or leave welfare programs by assisting
them to take full advantage of education, job
training, and job search programs, to improve
work habits and work skills, to secure career
advancement by activities such as outreach and
information dissemination, coordination, as ap-
propriate, with employment services and job
training programs, including the One-Stop de-
livery system established under title I of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998, encourage-
ment and support of regular and timely pay-
ment of child support in appropriate cases, and
other methods.
‘‘(C) Improving fathers’ ability to effec-
tively manage family business affairs by means
such as education, counseling, and mentoring in
matters 
including 
household 
management,
budgeting, banking, and handling of financial
transactions, time management, and home
maintenance.
‘‘(D) Encouraging and supporting healthy
marriages and married fatherhood through such
activities as premarital education, including the
use of premarital inventories, marriage prepara-
tion programs, skills-based marriage education
programs, marital therapy, couples counseling,
divorce education and reduction programs, di-
vorce mediation and counseling, relationship
skills enhancement programs, including those
designed to reduce child abuse and domestic vi-
olence, and dissemination of information about
the benefits of marriage for both parents and
children.
‘‘(2) Through the projects and activities de-
scribed in paragraph (1), to improve outcomes for
children with respect to measures such as increased
family income and economic security, improved
school performance, better health, improved emo-
tional and behavioral stability and social adjustment,
and reduced risk of delinquency, crime, substance
abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen sexual activity,
and teen suicide.
‘‘(3) To evaluate the effectiveness of various ap-
proaches and to disseminate findings concerning out-
comes and other information in order to encourage
and facilitate the replication of effective approaches
to accomplishing these objectives.
‘‘SEC. 442. DEFINITIONS.
‘‘In this part, the terms ‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribal or-
ganization’ have the meanings given them in subsections
(e) and (l), respectively, of section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act.
‘‘SEC. 443. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR SERVICE PROJECTS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants
for fiscal years 2002 through 2006 to public and nonprofit
community entities, including religious organizations, and
to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, for demonstra-
tion service projects and activities designed to test the ef-
fectiveness of various approaches to accomplish the objec-
tives specified in section 441(b)(1).
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
FOR FULL SERVICE
GRANTS.—In order to be eligible for a grant under this
section, except as specified in subsection (c), an entity
shall submit an application to the Secretary containing the
following:
‘‘(1) PROJECT
DESCRIPTION.—A statement
including—
‘‘(A) a description of the project and how
it will be carried out, including the geographical
area to be covered and the number and charac-
teristics of clients to be served, and how it will
address each of the 4 objectives specified in sec-
tion 441(b)(1); and
‘‘(B) a description of the methods to be
used by the entity or its contractor to assess
the extent to which the project was successful
in accomplishing its specific objectives and the
general objectives specified in section 441(b)(1).
‘‘(2) EXPERIENCE
AND
QUALIFICATIONS.—A
demonstration of ability to carry out the project, by
means such as demonstration of experience in suc-
cessfully carrying out projects of similar design and
scope, and such other information as the Secretary
may find necessary to demonstrate the entity’s ca-
pacity to carry out the project, including the entity’s
ability to provide the non-Federal share of project
resources.
‘‘(3) ADDRESSING CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.—A description of how the entity will as-
sess for the presence of, and intervene to resolve, do-
mestic violence and child abuse, including how the
entity will coordinate with State and local child pro-
tective service and domestic violence programs.
‘‘(4) ADDRESSING
CONCERNS
RELATING
TO
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY.—A com-
mitment to make available to each individual partici-
pating in the project education about alcohol, to-
bacco, and other drugs, and about the health risks
associated with abusing such substances, and infor-
mation about diseases and conditions transmitted
through substance abuse and sexual contact, includ-
ing HIV/AIDS, and to coordinate with providers of
services addressing such problems, as appropriate.
‘‘(5) COORDINATION
WITH
SPECIFIED
PRO-
GRAMS.—An undertaking to coordinate, as appro-
priate, with State and local entities responsible for
the programs under parts A, B, and D of this title,
including programs under title I of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (including the One-Stop de-
livery system), and such other programs as the Sec-
retary may require.
‘‘(6) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND
AUDITS.—An
agreement to maintain such records, make such re-
ports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as
the Secretary may find necessary for purposes of
oversight of project activities and expenditures.
‘‘(7) SELF-INITIATED EVALUATION.—If the en-
tity elects to contract for independent evaluation of
the project (part or all of the cost of which may be
paid for using grant funds), a commitment to sub-
mit to the Secretary a copy of the evaluation report
within 30 days after completion of the report and
not more than 1 year after completion of the project.
‘‘(8) COOPERATION WITH SECRETARY’S OVER-
SIGHT AND EVALUATION.—An agreement to cooper-
ate with the Secretary’s evaluation of projects as-
sisted under this section, by means including ran-
dom assignment of clients to service recipient and
control groups, if determined by the Secretary to be
appropriate, and affording the Secretary access to
the project and to project-related records and docu-
ments, staff, and clients.
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR LIMITED PURPOSE
GRANTS.—In order to be eligible for a grant under this
section in an amount under $25,000 per fiscal year, an
entity shall submit an application to the Secretary con-
taining the following:
‘‘(1) PROJECT DESCRIPTION.—A description of
the project and how it will be carried out, including
the number and characteristics of clients to be
served, the proposed duration of the project, and
how it will address at least 1 of the 4 objectives
specified in section 441(b)(1).
‘‘(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—Such information as
the Secretary may require as to the capacity of the
entity to carry out the project, including any pre-
vious experience with similar activities.
‘‘(3) COORDINATION
WITH
RELATED
PRO-
GRAMS.—As required by the Secretary in appro-
priate cases, an undertaking to coordinate and co-
operate with State and local entities responsible for
specific programs relating to the objectives of the
project including, as appropriate, jobs programs and
programs serving children and families.
‘‘(4) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND
AUDITS.—An
agreement to maintain such records, make such re-
ports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as
the Secretary may find necessary for purposes of
oversight of project activities and expenditures.
‘‘(5) COOPERATION WITH SECRETARY’S OVER-
SIGHT AND EVALUATION.—An agreement to cooper-
ate with the Secretary’s evaluation of projects as-
sisted under this section, by means including afford-
ing the Secretary access to the project and to
project-related records and documents, staff, and cli-
ents.
‘‘(d) CONSIDERATIONS IN AWARDING GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) DIVERSITY
OF
PROJECTS.—In awarding
grants under this section, the Secretary shall seek to
achieve a balance among entities of differing sizes,
entities in differing geographic areas, entities in
urban and in rural areas, and entities employing dif-
fering methods of achieving the purposes of this sec-
tion.
‘‘(2) PREFERENCE
FOR
PROJECTS
SERVING
LOW-INCOME FATHERS.—In awarding grants under
this section, the Secretary may give preference to
applications for projects in which a majority of the
clients to be served are low-income fathers.
‘‘(e) FEDERAL SHARE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants for a project under
this section for a fiscal year shall be available for a
share of the cost of such project in such fiscal year
equal to—
‘‘(A) up to 80 percent (or up to 90 per-
cent, if the entity demonstrates to the Sec-
retary’s satisfaction circumstances limiting the
entity’s ability to secure non-Federal resources)
in the case of a project under subsection (b);
and
‘‘(B) up to 100 percent, in the case of a
project under subsection (c).
‘‘(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal
share may be in cash or in kind. In determining the
amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may
attribute fair market value to goods, services, and
facilities contributed from non-Federal sources.
‘‘SEC. 
444. 
MULTICITY, 
MULTISTATE 
DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants
under this section for fiscal years 2002 through 2006 to
eligible entities (as specified in subsection (b)) for 2
multicity, multistate projects demonstrating approaches to
achieving the objectives specified in section 441(b)(1). One
of the projects shall test the use of married couples to
deliver program services.
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity eligible for a
grant under this section must be a national nonprofit fa-
therhood promotion organization that meets the following
requirements:
‘‘(1) EXPERIENCE
WITH
FATHERHOOD
PRO-
GRAMS.—The organization must have substantial ex-
perience in designing and successfully conducting
programs that meet the purposes described in sec-
tion 441.
‘‘(2) 
EXPERIENCE
WITH
MULTICITY,
MULTISTATE PROGRAMS AND GOVERNMENT COORDI-
NATION.—The organization must have experience in
simultaneously conducting such programs in more
than 1 major metropolitan area in more than 1
State and in coordinating such programs, where ap-
propriate, with State and local government agencies
and private, nonprofit agencies (including commu-
nity-based and religious organizations), including
State or local agencies responsible for child support
enforcement and workforce development.
‘‘(c) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—In order to be
eligible for a grant under this section, an entity must sub-
mit to the Secretary an application that includes the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—A demonstration
that the entity meets the requirements of sub-
section (b).
‘‘(B) OTHER.—Such other information as
the Secretary may find necessary to dem-
onstrate the entity’s capacity to carry out the
project, including the entity’s ability to provide
the non-Federal share of project resources.
‘‘(2) PROJECT DESCRIPTION.—A description of
and commitments concerning the project design, in-
cluding the following:
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A detailed description
of the proposed project design and how it will
be carried out, which shall—
‘‘(i) provide for the project to be con-
ducted in at least 3 major metropolitan
areas;
‘‘(ii) state how it will address each of
the 4 objectives specified in section
441(b)(1);
‘‘(iii) demonstrate that there is a suf-
ficient number of potential clients to allow
for the random selection of individuals to
participate in the project and for compari-
sons with appropriate control groups com-
posed of individuals who have not partici-
pated in such projects; and
‘‘(iv) demonstrate that the project is
designed to direct a majority of project re-
sources to activities serving low-income fa-
thers (but the project need not make serv-
ices available on a means-tested basis).
‘‘(B) OVERSIGHT, EVALUATION, AND AD-
JUSTMENT
COMPONENT.—An agreement that
the entity—
‘‘(i) in consultation with the evaluator
selected pursuant to section 445, and as
required by the Secretary, will modify the
project design, initially and (if necessary)
subsequently throughout the duration of
the project, in order to facilitate ongoing
and final oversight and evaluation of
project operation and outcomes (by means
including, to the maximum extent feasible,
random assignment of clients to service re-
cipient and control groups), and to provide
for mid-course adjustments in project de-
sign indicated by interim evaluations;
‘‘(ii) will submit to the Secretary re-
vised descriptions of the project design as
modified in accordance with clause (i); and
‘‘(iii) will cooperate fully with the Sec-
retary’s ongoing oversight and ongoing and
final evaluation of the project, by means
including affording the Secretary access to
the project and to project-related records
and documents, staff, and clients.
‘‘(3) ADDRESSING CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.—A description of how the entity will as-
sess for the presence of, and intervene to resolve, do-
mestic violence and child abuse, including how the
entity will coordinate with State and local child pro-
tective service and domestic violence programs.
‘‘(4) ADDRESSING
CONCERNS
RELATING
TO
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY.—A com-
mitment to make available to each individual partici-
pating in the project education about alcohol, to-
bacco, and other drugs, and about the health risks
associated with abusing such substances, and infor-
mation about diseases and conditions transmitted
through substance abuse and sexual contact, includ-
ing HIV/AIDS, and to coordinate with providers of
services addressing such problems, as appropriate.
‘‘(5) COORDINATION
WITH
SPECIFIED
PRO-
GRAMS.—An undertaking to coordinate, as appro-
priate, with State and local entities responsible for
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Wel-
fare-to-Work, Child Support Enforcement, and Child
Welfare Service programs under title IV of the So-
cial Security Act, programs under title I of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (including the
One-Stop delivery system), and such other programs
as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(6) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND
AUDITS.—An
agreement to maintain such records, make such re-
ports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits (in
addition to those required under the preceding provi-
sions of paragraph (2)) as the Secretary may find
necessary for purposes of oversight of project activi-
ties and expenditures.
‘‘(d) FEDERAL SHARE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants for a project under
this section for a fiscal year shall be available for up
to 80 percent of the cost of such project in such fis-
cal year.
‘‘(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal
share may be in cash or in kind. In determining the
amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may
attribute fair market value to goods, services, and
facilities contributed from non-Federal sources.
‘‘SEC. 445. EVALUATION.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, directly or by
contract or cooperative agreement, shall evaluate the effec-
tiveness of service projects funded under sections 443 and
444 from the standpoint of the purposes specified in sec-
tion 441(b)(1).
‘‘(b) 
EVALUATION
METHODOLOGY.—Evaluations
under this section shall—
‘‘(1) include, to the maximum extent feasible,
random assignment of clients to service delivery and
control groups and other appropriate comparisons of
groups of individuals receiving and not receiving
services;
‘‘(2) describe and measure the effectiveness of
the projects in achieving their specific project goals;
and
‘‘(3) describe and assess, as appropriate, the
impact of such projects on marriage, parenting, do-
mestic violence, child abuse, money management,
employment and earnings, payment of child support,
and child well-being, health, and education.
‘‘(c) EVALUATION REPORTS.—The Secretary shall
publish the following reports on the results of the evalua-
tion:
‘‘(1) An implementation evaluation report cov-
ering the first 24 months of the activities under this
part to be completed by 36 months after initiation
of such activities.
‘‘(2) A final report on the evaluation to be com-
pleted by September 30, 2009.
‘‘SEC. 446. PROJECTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
The Secretary is authorized, by grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement, to carry out projects and activities
of national significance relating to fatherhood promotion,
including—
‘‘(1) COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF IN-
FORMATION.—Assisting States, communities, and
private entities, including religious organizations, in
efforts to promote and support marriage and respon-
sible fatherhood by collecting, evaluating, developing,
and making available (through the Internet and by
other means) to all interested parties information re-
garding approaches to accomplishing the objectives
specified in section 441(b)(1).
‘‘(2) 
MEDIA
CAMPAIGN.—Developing, 
pro-
moting, and distributing to interested States, local
governments, public agencies, and private nonprofit
organizations, including charitable and religious or-
ganizations, a media campaign that promotes and
encourages involved, committed, and responsible fa-
therhood and married fatherhood.
‘‘(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Providing tech-
nical assistance, including consultation and training,
to public and private entities, including community
organizations and faith-based organizations, in the
implementation of local fatherhood promotion pro-
grams.
‘‘(4) RESEARCH.—Conducting research related
to the purposes of this part.
‘‘SEC. 447. NONDISCRIMINATION.
‘‘The projects and activities assisted under this part
shall be available on the same basis to all fathers and ex-
pectant fathers able to benefit from such projects and ac-
tivities, including married and unmarried fathers and cus-
todial and noncustodial fathers, with particular attention
to low-income fathers, and to mothers and expectant
mothers on the same basis as to fathers.
‘‘SEC. 448. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; RES-
ERVATION FOR CERTAIN PURPOSE.
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be
appropriated $64,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2006 to carry out the provisions of this part.
‘‘(b) RESERVATION.—Of the amount appropriated
under this section for each fiscal year, 15 percent, but in
no event less than $5,000,000, shall be available for the
costs of the multicity, multistate demonstration projects
under section 444, evaluations under section 445, and
projects of national significance under section 446.’’.
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