I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3940
To provide for a reduction in the rate of teenage pregnancy through the
evaluation of public and private prevention programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 1, 1996
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. CASTLE, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mrs.
CLAYTON, Mr. PORTER, Mrs. THURMAN, and Mrs. MORELLA) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To provide for a reduction in the rate of teenage pregnancy
through the evaluation of public and private prevention
programs, 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 ‘‘Teenage Pregnancy
Reduction Act of 1996’’.
SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS FOR PRE-
VENTION OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall (directly or through grants or con-
tracts awarded to public or nonprofit private entities) ar-
range for the evaluation of a wide variety of promising
programs designed in whole or part to prevent pregnancy
in teenagers, including programs that do not receive
grants from the Federal Government for the operation of
the programs. The purpose of the evaluation shall be the
determination of—
(1) the factors contributing to the effectiveness
of the programs; and
(2) methods for replicating the programs in
other locations.
(b) PARTICIPATION
OF FEDERAL AGENCIES
AND
PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS.—In carrying out the evalua-
tion under subsection (a), the Secretary shall as appro-
priate—
(1) provide for the participation of the Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Director of the Office of Population Affairs, the
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, and
the Director of the National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development; and
(2) provide for the participation of private orga-
nizations, including the National Campaign to Pre-
vent Teen Pregnancy, a nonpartisan organization.
(c) DESIGN OF EVALUATION.—Subject to subsection
(d), the Secretary shall select a design for the evaluation
under subsection (a) from among proposals that—
(1) provide for the evaluation of programs in
various geographic regions;
(2) with respect to the populations served by
the programs, provide for determining factors that
are specific to various socioeconomic groups and var-
ious racial and ethnic minority groups;
(3) provide for recommendations for future pro-
grams designed to reduce the rate of teen preg-
nancy; and
(4) meet such criteria as the Secretary may es-
tablish.
(d) MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS.—The Secretary
shall define the measures of effectiveness used in evaluat-
ing the programs designed to reduce the rate of teenage
pregnancy, and shall include a variety of measures of ef-
fectiveness in the definition.
(e) SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW.—The Secretary may
provide funds for a proposal pursuant to subsection (a)
only if the proposal has been recommended for approval
pursuant to a process of scientific peer review utilizing one
or more panels of experts. Such panels shall include ex-
perts from public entities and from private entities.
(f) SUBMISSION OF REPORT TO CONGRESS AND SEC-
RETARY.—Not later than December 1, 1999, the evalua-
tion under subsection (a) shall be completed and a report
describing the findings made in the evaluation shall be
submitted to the Congress and to the Secretary.
(g) DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION.—After the
submission of the report under subsection (f), the Sec-
retary shall disseminate the findings presented in the re-
port. The categories of individuals to whom the informa-
tion is disseminated shall include administrators of pre-
vention programs, public and private entities that provide
financial support to such programs, professional medical
associations, entities providing public health services, enti-
ties providing social work services, and school administra-
tors.
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized
to be appropriated $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years
1997 through 1999.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON PREVENTION PRO-
GRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the
completion of the evaluation under section 2, the Secretary
shall (directly or though grants or contracts awarded to
public or nonprofit private entities) establish an informa-
tion clearinghouse to be known as the National Clearing-
house on Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programs (in
this section referred to as the ‘‘Clearinghouse’’).
(b) FUNCTIONS.—The Clearinghouse shall carry out
the following activities:
(1) Collect, maintain, and disseminate informa-
tion on prevention programs, including information
on the following:
(A) The state of program development.
(B) All types of prevention programs.
(C) Findings made in the report submitted
under section 2(f).
(2) Develop networks of prevention programs
for the purpose of sharing and disseminating infor-
mation.
(3) Develop and disseminate materials that pro-
vide technical assistance to public and private enti-
ties in establishing or improving prevention pro-
grams.
(4) Participate in activities designed to encour-
age and enhance public media campaigns regarding
pregnancy in teenagers.
(5) Such other activities as will assist in the de-
velopment and carrying out of activities to reduce
pregnancy in teenagers.
(c) DISSEMINATION
TO CERTAIN ENTITIES.—The
categories of entities to which the Clearinghouse dissemi-
nates information shall include administrators of preven-
tion programs, public and private entities that provide fi-
nancial support to such programs, professional medical as-
sociations, entities providing public health services, enti-
ties providing social work services, and school administra-
tors.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2003.
SEC. 4. ONE-TIME INCENTIVE GRANTS FOR EFFECTIVE
PREVENTION PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a prevention pro-
gram that pursuant to the evaluation under section 2 has
been found to be effective, the Secretary may under this
section make not more than one grant to the entity that
operates the program. The purpose of the grant shall be
to assist the entity with the expenses of operating the pro-
gram.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For car-
rying out subsection (a), there is authorized to be appro-
priated $10,000,000, in the aggregate, for the fiscal years
2000 through 2003. Such authorization is in addition to
any other authorization of appropriations that is available
for making grants for the operational expenses of preven-
tion programs.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
(a) PREVENTION PROGRAMS.—
(1) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—The provisions
of this Act apply with respect to a prevention pro-
gram without regard to which of the various pro-
grammatic approaches for the prevention of preg-
nancy in teenagers (as defined in paragraph (2)) is
the focus of the program.
(2) PROGRAMMATIC
APPROACHES.—For pur-
poses of this Act, the term ‘‘programmatic ap-
proaches’’, with respect to prevention programs, in-
cludes advocating abstinence from sexual relations;
providing family planning services (including contra-
ception); fostering academic achievement; mentoring
by adults; providing employment assistance or job
training; providing professional counseling or peer
counseling; providing for recreational or social
events; and any combination thereof.
(b) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘prevention program’’ means a
program for the prevention of pregnancy in teen-
agers.
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
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