I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3559 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants 
to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2017 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. AGUILAR, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. 
JUDY CHU of California, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of 
Georgia, and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to award grants to support the access of marginalized 
youth to sexual health services, 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 ‘‘Youth Access to Sexual 
Health Services Act of 2017’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE AC-
CESS OF MARGINALIZED YOUTH TO SEXUAL 
HEALTH SERVICES. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services may award grants on a competitive basis to eligi-
ble entities to support the access of marginalized youth 
to sexual health services. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that is award-
ed a grant under subsection (a) may use the funds to— 
(1) provide medically accurate and complete 
and age-, developmentally, and culturally appro-
priate sexual health information to marginalized 
youth, including information on how to access sexual 
health services; 
(2) promote effective communication regarding 
sexual health among marginalized youth; 
(3) promote and support better health, edu-
cation, and economic opportunities for school-age 
parents; and 
(4) 
train 
individuals 
who 
work 
with 
marginalized youth to promote— 
(A) the prevention of unintended preg-
nancy; 
(B) the prevention of sexually transmitted 
infections, 
including 
the 
human 
immuno-
deficiency virus (HIV); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(C) healthy relationships; and 
(D) the development of safe and supportive 
environments. 
(c) APPLICATION.—To be awarded a grant under 
subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit an applica-
tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities— 
(1) with a history of supporting the access of 
marginalized youth to sexuality education or sexual 
health services; and 
(2) that plan to serve marginalized youth that 
are not served by Federal adolescent programs for 
the prevention of pregnancy, HIV, and other sexu-
ally transmitted infections. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may not award 
a grant under subsection (a) to an eligible entity unless— 
(1) such eligible entity has formed a partner-
ship with a community organization; and 
(2) such eligible entity agrees— 
(A) to employ a scientifically effective 
strategy; 
(B) that all information provided to 
marginalized youth will be— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(i) age- and developmentally appro-
priate; 
(ii) medically accurate and complete; 
(iii) scientifically based; and 
(iv) provided in the language and cul-
tural context that is most appropriate for 
the individuals served by the eligible entity; 
and 
(C) that for each year the eligible entity 
receives grant funds under subsection (a), the 
eligible entity will submit to the Secretary an 
annual report that includes— 
(i) the use of grant funds by the eligi-
ble entity; 
(ii) how the use of grant funds has in-
creased the access of marginalized youth to 
sexual health services; and 
(iii) such other information as the 
Secretary may require. 
(f) PUBLICATION AND EVALUATIONS.— 
(1) EVALUATIONS.—Not less than once every 
two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall evaluate the effectiveness of 
whichever of the following is greater: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(A) Eight grants awarded under subsection 
(a). 
(B) Ten percent of the grants awarded 
under subsection (a). 
(2) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall make 
available to the public— 
(A) the evaluations required under para-
graph (1); and 
(B) the reports required under subsection 
(e)(2)(C). 
(g) LIMITATIONS.—No funds made available to an el-
igible entity under this section may be used by such entity 
to provide access to sexual health services that— 
(1) withhold sexual health-promoting or life-sav-
ing information; 
(2) are medically inaccurate or have been sci-
entifically shown to be ineffective; 
(3) promote gender stereotypes; 
(4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs 
of young people, including— 
(A) youth with varying gender identities, 
gender expressions, and sexual orientations; 
(B) sexually active youth; 
(C) pregnant or parenting youth; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(D) survivors of sexual abuse or assault; 
and 
(E) youth of all physical, developmental, 
and mental abilities; or 
(5) are inconsistent with the ethical imperatives 
of medicine and public health. 
(h) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Any unobligated balance 
of funds made available under section 510(d) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710(d)) (as in effect on the day 
before the date of the enactment of this Act) are hereby 
transferred and made available to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act. The amounts transferred and made available 
to carry out this Act shall remain available until expended. 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘‘community organization’’ includes a State or local 
health or education agency, public school, youth-fo-
cused organization that is faith-based and commu-
nity-based, juvenile justice entity, or other organiza-
tion that provides confidential and appropriate sexu-
ality 
education 
or 
sexual 
health 
services 
to 
marginalized youth. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ includes a State or local health or education 
agency, public school, nonprofit organization, hos-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
pital, or an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as 
such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304)). 
(3) 
MARGINALIZED
YOUTH.—The 
term 
‘‘marginalized youth’’ means a person under the age 
of 26 that is disadvantaged by underlying structural 
barriers and social inequity. 
(4) MEDICALLY ACCURATE AND COMPLETE.— 
The term ‘‘medically accurate and complete’’, when 
used with respect to information, means information 
that— 
(A) is supported by research and recog-
nized as accurate, objective, and complete by 
leading medical, psychological, psychiatric, or 
public health organizations and agencies; and 
(B) does not withhold any information re-
lating to the effectiveness and benefits of cor-
rect and consistent use of condoms or other 
contraceptives and pregnancy prevention meth-
ods. 
(5) SCIENTIFICALLY EFFECTIVE STRATEGY.— 
The term ‘‘scientifically effective strategy’’ means a 
strategy that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(A) is widely recognized by leading medical 
and public health agencies as effective in pro-
moting sexual health awareness and healthy be-
havior; and 
(B) either— 
(i) has been demonstrated to be effec-
tive on the basis of rigorous scientific re-
search; or 
(ii) incorporates characteristics of ef-
fective programs. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(7) SEXUAL
HEALTH
SERVICES.—The term 
‘‘sexual health services’’ includes— 
(A) sexual health information, education, 
and counseling; 
(B) contraception; 
(C) emergency contraception; 
(D) condoms and other barrier methods to 
prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted in-
fections; 
(E) routine gynecological care, including 
human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and can-
cer screenings; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(F) pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-expo-
sure prophylaxis; 
(G) mental health services; 
(H) sexual assault survivor services; and 
(I) other prevention, care, or treatment. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:40 Aug 11, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3559.IH
H3559
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS