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 ‘‘Honorable Stephanie 
Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONORABLE STEPHANIE 
TUBBS 
JONES 
FIRE 
SUPPRESSION 
DEM-
ONSTRATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary of Education (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), in consultation with 
the United States Fire Administration, shall establish a 
demonstration program to award grants on a competitive 
basis to eligible entities for the purpose of installing fire 
sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention 
technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or 
controlled by such entities. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—For purposes of this Act, the 
term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means any of the following: 
(1) An institution of higher education (as that 
term is defined in section 102 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), including an 
institution eligible to receive assistance under part A 
or B of title III or title V of such Act. 
(2) A social fraternity or sorority exempt from 
taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(a)), the active 
membership of which consists primarily of students 
in attendance at an institution of higher education 
(as that term is defined in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)). 
(c) SELECTION PRIORITY.—In making grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
entities that demonstrate the greatest financial need. 
(d) RESERVED AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount made avail-
able to the Secretary for grants under this section 
for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall award— 
(A) not less than 10 percent to eligible en-
tities that are institutions described in sub-
section (b)(1) that are eligible to receive assist-
ance under part A or B of title III or title V 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ; and 
(B) not less than 10 percent to eligible en-
tities that are social fraternities and sororities 
described in subsection (b)(2). 
(2) PLAN REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall de-
velop a plan to inform entities described in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) that such enti-
ties may be eligible to apply for grants under this 
section.
(3) INSUFFICIENT
APPLICANTS.—If the Sec-
retary determines that there are an insufficient 
number of qualified applicants to award the reserved 
amounts required in accordance with paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall make available the remainder of 
such reserved amounts for use by other eligible enti-
ties. 
(e) APPLICATION.—To seek a grant under this sec-
tion, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
by such information as the Secretary may require. 
(f) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—As a condition of re-
ceipt of a grant under subsection (a), the applicant shall 
provide (directly or through donations from public or pri-
vate entities) non-Federal matching funds in an amount 
equal to not less than 50 percent of the cost of the activi-
ties for which assistance is sought. 
(g) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made 
available under this program shall be used to supplement, 
not supplant, other funds that would otherwise be ex-
pended to carry out fire safety activities. 
(h) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
Not more than 2 percent of a grant made under subsection 
(a) may be expended for administrative expenses with re-
spect to the grant.
(i) REPORTS.—Not later than 12 months after the 
date of the first award of a grant under this section and 
annually thereafter until completion of the program, the 
Secretary shall provide to the Congress a report that in-
cludes the following: 
(1) The number and types of eligible entities re-
ceiving assistance under this section. 
(2) The amounts of such assistance, the 
amounts and sources of non-Federal funding lever-
aged for activities under grants under this section, 
and any other relevant financial information. 
(3) The number and types of student housing 
fitted with fire suppression or prevention tech-
nologies with assistance under this section, and the 
number of students protected by such technologies. 
(4) The types of fire suppression or prevention 
technologies installed with assistance under this sec-
tion, and the costs of such technologies. 
(5) Identification of Federal and State policies 
that present impediments to the development and in-
stallation of fire suppression or prevention tech-
nologies. 
(6) Any other information determined by the 
Secretary to be useful to evaluating the overall effec-
tiveness of the program established under this sec-
tion in improving the fire safety of student housing. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2011. 
SEC. 3. ADMISSIBILITY AS EVIDENCE. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law and subject to subsection (b), any application 
for assistance under this Act, any negative determination 
on the part of the Secretary with respect to such applica-
tion, or any statement of reasons for the determination, 
shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of 
any court, agency, board, or other entity. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—This section does not apply to the 
admission of an application, determination, or statement 
described in subsection (a) as evidence in a proceeding to 
enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary 
and an eligible entity under section 2. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 
2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 642 
AN ACT 
To establish the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones 
Fire Suppression Demonstration Incentive Pro-
gram within the Department of Education to 
promote installation of fire sprinkler systems, or 
other fire suppression or prevention technologies, 
in qualified student housing and dormitories, and 
for other purposes.