108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3030
AN ACT
To amend the Community Service Block Grant Act
to provide for quality improvements.
108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3030
AN ACT
To amend the Community Service Block Grant Act to
provide for quality improvements.
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 ‘‘Improving the Commu-
nity Services Block Grant Act of 2004’’.
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ACT AMEND-
MENTS.
(a) PURPOSES AND GOALS.—Section 672 of the Com-
munity Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 note)
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 672 PURPOSES AND GOALS.
‘‘The purpose of this subtitle is to reduce poverty—
‘‘(1) by strengthening and coordinating local ef-
forts to expand opportunities for individuals and
families to become economically self-sufficient and to
improve and revitalize low-income communities in
urban and rural areas, by providing resources to
States for support of local eligible entities, including
community action agencies and other community-
based organizations—
‘‘(A) to plan, coordinate, and mobilize a
broad range of Federal, State, local, and pri-
vate assistance or investment in such a manner
as to use these resources effectively to reduce
poverty and in initiatives that are responsive to
specific local needs and conditions;
‘‘(B) to coordinate a range of services that
meet the needs of low-income families and indi-
viduals, that support strong and healthy fami-
lies, and that assist them in developing the
skills needed to become self sustaining while en-
suring that these services are provided effec-
tively and efficiently; and
‘‘(C) to design and implement comprehen-
sive approaches to assist eligible individuals in
gaining employment and achieving economic
self-sufficiency;
‘‘(2) by improving and revitalizing the low-in-
come communities in urban and rural areas by pro-
viding resources to States for support of local eligi-
ble entities and their partners—
‘‘(A) to broaden the resource base of initia-
tives and projects directed to the elimination of
poverty and the redevelopment of the low-in-
come community, including partnerships with
nongovernmental and governmental institutions
to develop the community assets and services
that reduce poverty, such as—
‘‘(i) other private, religious, chari-
table, and community-based organizations;
‘‘(ii) individual citizens, and business,
labor, and professional groups, that are
able to influence the quantity and quality
of opportunities and services for the poor;
and
‘‘(iii) local government leadership; and
‘‘(B) to coordinate community-wide re-
sources and services that will have a significant,
measurable impact on the causes of poverty in
the community and that will help families and
individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency
and to test innovative, community-based ap-
proaches to attacking the causes and effects of
poverty 
and 
of 
community 
breakdown,
including—
‘‘(i) innovative initiatives to prevent
and reverse loss of investment, jobs, public
services, and infrastructure in low- and
moderate-income communities; and
‘‘(ii) innovative partnerships to lever-
age the assets and services that reduce
poverty, as provided in subparagraph (A);
and
‘‘(3) by ensuring maximum participation of
residents of low-income communities and of mem-
bers of the groups served by grants made under this
subtitle in guiding the eligible entities and in their
programs funded under this subtitle, to ameliorate
the particular problems and needs of low-income
residents and to develop the permanent social and
economic assets of the low-income community in
order to reduce the incidence of poverty.’’.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 673(1)(A) of the Com-
munity Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(1)(A))
is amended—
(1) in clause (i) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end;
(2) in clause (ii) by striking the period at the
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(iii) that successfully develops and
meets the locally determined goals de-
scribed in section 678E(b)(1), as deter-
mined by the State, and meets State goals,
standards, and performance requirements
as provided for in section 678B(a).’’.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section
674 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42
U.S.C. 9903) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking ‘‘1999 through 2003’’ and
inserting ‘‘2004 through 2009’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘681’’ and inserting
‘‘675C(b)(3), 681,’’;
(B) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(3) ASSISTANCE
RELATING
TO
UNEMPLOY-
MENT.—With the amount appropriated under sec-
tion 674(c), the Secretary shall make grants to
States to provide financial and employment support
to individuals who cannot find employment, who
have exhausted their State unemployment benefits,
and who, after the week of December 20, 2003, can
no longer receive Federal extended temporary unem-
ployment compensation. The eligibility criteria and
benefit amounts under this paragraph for such indi-
viduals shall be the same as for such individuals
prior to December 20, 2003, under the Federal ex-
tended temporary unemployment compensation pro-
gram.’’; and
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting ‘‘para-
graphs (1) and (2) of’’ after ‘‘under’’.
(e) APPLICATION AND PLAN.—Section 676 of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9908)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)—
(A) by striking ‘‘Beginning with fiscal year
2000, to’’ and inserting ‘‘To’’;
(B) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in subparagraph (B)—
(I) by striking ‘‘youth develop-
ment programs that support’’ and in-
serting ‘‘youth development programs,
which may include mentoring pro-
grams, that support’’; and
(II) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (C) by adding
‘‘and’’ at the end; and
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(D) initiatives to improve economic condi-
tions and mobilize new resources in rural areas
to eliminate obstacles to the self-sufficiency of
families and individuals in rural communities;’’;
(C) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘commu-
nity and neighborhood-based’’ and inserting
‘‘community-based’’;
(D) in paragraph (3)—
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A) by striking ‘‘information pro-
vided by eligible entities in the State, con-
taining’’ and inserting ‘‘an assurance that
the State will provide information, includ-
ing’’; and
(ii) in subparagraph (D) by striking
‘‘community and neighborhood-based’’ and
inserting ‘‘community-based’’;
(E) in paragraph (9) by striking ‘‘and
community organizations’’ and inserting ‘‘and
community-based organizations’’;
(F) in paragraph (10) by striking ‘‘com-
munity organization’’ and inserting ‘‘commu-
nity-based organization’’;
(G) in paragraph (12) by striking ‘‘and’’ at
the end;
(H) by redesignating paragraph (13) as
paragraph (15); and
(I) by inserting after paragraph (12) the
following:
‘‘(13) an assurance that the State will take
swift action to improve performance or, when appro-
priate, to terminate the funding under this subtitle
of low-performing eligible entities that do not meet
the applicable locally determined goals described in
section 678E(b)(1) or do not meet the State goals,
standards, and requirements as provided for in sec-
tion 678B(a);
‘‘(14) an assurance that the State will provide
a justification to the Secretary if it continues to
fund persistently low-performing eligible entities;
and’’;
(2) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ‘‘plan, or’’
and all that follows through the period at the end,
and inserting ‘‘plan, to meet a State requirement, as
described in section 678C(a), or to meet the locally
determined 
goals 
as 
described 
in 
section
678E(b)(1).’’; and
(3) by striking subsection (f).
(f) TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES.—Section 678A(a)(1)(A) of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9913(a)(1)(A)) is
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘dissemination regarding best
practices,’’ after ‘‘technical assistance,’’; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘(including to assist in the de-
velopment of reporting systems and electronic data
systems)’’ after ‘‘collection activities’’.
(g) MONITORING OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Section
678B of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42
U.S.C. 9914) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)
by inserting ‘‘and the locally determined per-
formance 
goals 
described 
in 
section
678E(b)(1)’’ after ‘‘a State’’; and
(B) in paragraph (3)—
(i) by inserting ‘‘appropriate’’ before
‘‘goals’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘established by the
State’’; and
(2) in the last sentence of subsection (c) by
striking ‘‘Chairperson of the Committee on Edu-
cation’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Human Re-
sources of the Senate’’ and inserting ‘‘appropriate
congressional committees’’.
(h) CORRECTIVE ACTION; TERMINATION AND RE-
DUCTION OF FUNDING.—Section 678C(a) of the Commu-
nity Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9915(a)) is
amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by strik-
ing ‘‘established by the State’’.
(i) ACCOUNTABILITY
AND REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 678E of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9917) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking ‘‘By
October 1, 2001, each’’ and inserting ‘‘Each’’;
and
(B) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in the 1st sentence by inserting
‘‘including any activities under section
678C’’ before the period at the end;
(ii) by striking the 2d sentence;
(iii) in the 3d sentence by striking
‘‘also’’; and
(iv) in the 3d sentence by inserting
‘‘information on the timeliness of the dis-
tribution of block grant funds to eligible
entities as provided in section 675C(a),’’
after ‘‘including’’;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2) in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘beginning
after September 30, 1999’’;
(B) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘Com-
mittee on Education’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘Human Resources of the Senate’’ and
inserting ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’;
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(5) COORDINATION OF REPORTING REQUIRE-
MENTS.—To the maximum extent possible, the Sec-
retary shall coordinate reporting requirements for all
programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services managed by eligible entities so as to consoli-
date and reduce the number of reports required
about individuals, families, and uses of grant
funds.’’; and
(D) by redesignating such subsection as
subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(b) LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING RE-
QUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) LOCALLY DETERMINED GOALS.—In order
to be designated as an eligible entity and to receive
a grant under this subtitle, an eligible entity shall
establish locally determined goals for reducing pov-
erty in the community, including goals for—
‘‘(A) leveraging and mobilizing community
resources;
‘‘(B) fostering coordination of Federal,
State, local, private, and other assistance; and
‘‘(C) promoting community involvement.
‘‘(2) DEMONSTRATION
THAT
GOALS
WERE
MET.—In order for an eligible entity to receive a
second or subsequent grant made under this subtitle
after the effective date of this paragraph, such entity
shall demonstrate to the State that it has met the
goals described in paragraph (1).’’.
(j) TREATMENT OF BENEFICIARIES.—Section 679 of
the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9920) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(f) TREATMENT OF BENEFICIARIES.—In providing
assistance under a program described in subsection (a),
a religious organization shall not discriminate against a
beneficiary, or a potential beneficiary, of such assistance
on the basis of religion or of a religious belief.’’.
(k) DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—
Section 680 of the Community Services Block Grant Act
(42 U.S.C. 9921) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in subparagraph (A) by inserting
‘‘(including financial assistance for con-
struction or substantial rehabilitation of
buildings and facilities, and for loans or in-
vestments in private business enterprises
owned by community development corpora-
tions)’’ after ‘‘assistance’’;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs
(B), (C), (D), and (E) as subparagraphs
(D), (E), (F), and (G), respectively; and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph
(A) the following:
‘‘(B) FEDERAL INTEREST.—The Secretary
shall establish procedures that permit funds
provided under a grant made under this para-
graph, or intangible assets acquired with such
funds, to become the sole property of the grant-
ee before the expiration of the 12-year period
beginning after the fiscal year for which such
grant is made if such grantee agrees to use
such funds or such property for purposes and
uses consistent with the purposes and uses for
which such grant is made.
‘‘(C) 
REPLACEMENT
ACTIVITIES.—The
Secretary shall establish procedures to allow a
grant made under this paragraph to be used by
a grantee to carry out activities substantially
similar to the activities for which such grant is
made if, due to no fault of such grantee, such
grantee cannot carry out the activities for which
such grant is made. Such procedures shall re-
quire that the substantially similar activities
serve the same impact area and have the same
goals, objectives, and outcomes as the activities
for which such grant is made.’’;
(B) in paragraph (3)(B) by inserting
‘‘water and wastewater’’ after ‘‘community’’;
and
(C) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘neigh-
borhood-based’’ and inserting ‘‘community-
based’’; and
(2) in subsection (c) by striking ‘‘Chairperson
of the Committee on Education’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘Human Resources of the Senate’’ and in-
serting ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’.
(l) COMMUNITY
FOOD
AND
NUTRITION
PRO-
GRAMS.—Section 681 of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9922) is amended—
(1) in subsection (c) in the matter preceding
paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘Committee on Edu-
cation’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Human Re-
sources of the Senate’’ and inserting ‘‘appropriate
congressional committees’’; and
(2) in subsection (d) by striking ‘‘1999 through
2003’’ and inserting ‘‘2004 through 2009’’.
(m) NATIONAL OR REGIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED
TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR LOW-IN-
COME YOUTH.—Section 682 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9923) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(5)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘(which may be accom-
plished through mentoring)’’ after ‘‘youth’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘to improve academic
achievement’’ after ‘‘study practices’’; and
(2) in subsection (g) by striking ‘‘1999 through
2003’’ and inserting ‘‘2004 through 2009’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall
take effect on the 1st day of the 1st fiscal year beginning
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives February 4,
2004.
Attest:
Clerk.