(1) Best Buddies is the first national social and 
recreational program in the United States for people 
with mental retardation. 
(2) Best Buddies is dedicated to helping people 
with intellectual disabilities become part of main-
stream society. 
(3) Best Buddies is determined to end social 
isolation for people with intellectual disabilities by 
establishing meaningful friendships with their non- 
disabled peers in order to help increase the self-es-
teem, confidence, and abilities of people with and 
without intellectual disabilities. 
(4) Since 1989, Best Buddies has enhanced the 
lives of people with intellectual disabilities by pro-
viding opportunities for one-to-one friendships and 
integrated employment. 
(5) Best Buddies is an international organiza-
tion spanning 1300 middle school, high school, and 
college campuses. 
(6) The Best Buddies organization implements 
programs that will positively impact more than 
350,000 individuals this year and expect to be able 
to reach 500,000 people by 2010. 
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(7) The Best Buddies Jobs program continues 
the integration of people with intellectual disabilities 
into the community through supported employment. 
(8) The Best Buddies Citizens program pairs 
people with mental retardation in one-to-one friend-
ships with other individuals in the corporate and 
civic communities. 
(9) The Best Buddies Colleges program pairs 
people with mental retardation in one-to-one friend-
ships with college students. 
(10) The Best Buddies High Schools program 
pairs students with mental retardation in one-to-one 
friendships with high school students. 
(11) The Best Buddies e-Buddies program cre-
ates respective e-mail friendships between people 
with and without intellectual disabilities. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are to— 
(1) provide support to Best Buddies to increase 
participation in and public awareness about Best 
Buddies programs that serve people with intellectual 
disabilities; 
(2) dispel negative stereotypes about people 
with intellectual disabilities; and 
(3) promote the extraordinary gifts of people 
with intellectual disabilities. 
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SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR BEST BUDDIES. 
(a) EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation may award grants to, or enter into contracts or co-
operative agreements with, Best Buddies to carry out the 
following: 
(1) Activities to promote the expansion of Best 
Buddies, including activities to increase the partici-
pation of individuals with intellectual disabilities 
within the United States. 
(2) The design and implementation of Best 
Buddies education and outreach programs, including 
character education and volunteer programs that 
support the purposes of this Act, that can be inte-
grated into classroom instruction and are consistent 
with academic content standards. 
(b) LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Amounts appropriated to 
carry out this Act may not be used for direct treat-
ment of diseases, medical conditions, or mental 
health conditions. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
ACTIVITIES.—Not more 
than three percent of amounts appropriated to carry 
out this Act may be used for administrative activi-
ties. 
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(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to limit the use of non-Federal funds 
by Best Buddies. 
SEC. 4. APPLICATION AND ANNUAL REPORT. 
(a) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement under section 
3(a), Best Buddies shall submit an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary of Education or Sec-
retary of State, as applicable, may require. 
(2) CONTENT.—At a minimum, an application 
under this subsection shall contain the following: 
(A) A description of activities to be carried 
out with the grant, contract, or cooperative 
agreement. 
(B) Information on specific measurable 
goals and objectives to be achieved through ac-
tivities carried out with the grant, contract, or 
cooperative agreement. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition on receipt of 
any funds under section 3(a), Best Buddies shall 
agree to submit an annual report at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
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the Secretary of Education or Secretary of State, as 
applicable, may require. 
(2) CONTENT.—At a minimum, each annual re-
port under this subsection shall describe the degree 
to which progress has been made toward meeting the 
specific measurable goals and objectives described in 
the applications submitted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated for grants, 
contracts, or cooperative agreements under section 3(a), 
$10,000,000 to the Secretary of Education for fiscal year 
2009, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
four succeeding fiscal years. 
SEC. 6. BUDGET NEUTRAL. 
The following provisions of law are hereby repealed: 
(1) Section 5523 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7265b). 
(2) Section 5533 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7267b). 
Æ 
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