I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1822
To improve academic and social outcomes for teenage youth.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 10, 2001
Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. WAMP,
Mr. SERRANO, Mr. ETHERIDGE, and Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce
A BILL
To improve academic and social outcomes for teenage youth.
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 ‘‘YMCA Teen Action
Agenda Enhancement Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) One in 10 teens, 2.4 million teens across
the Nation, are currently involved in a program of-
fered by a local YMCA.
(2) Recognizing the unique obstacles faced by
teenagers, the YMCA has launched the Teen Action
Agenda, a nationwide campaign to double this num-
ber and serve 1 in 5 teens by 2005.
(3) In more than 1,900 YMCAs across the
United States in cities large and small, in neighbor-
hoods rich and poor, teen groups meet regularly and
engage one another in safe, wholesome, educational,
and creative activities.
(4) It is well-documented that teens who par-
ticipate in structured activities after school are less
likely to drink alcohol, carry or use weapons, smoke
cigarettes, engage in early sexual activity, or skip
school.
(5) YMCAs serve people of all faiths, races,
abilities, ages, and incomes.
(6) Approximately 400 YMCAs partner with ju-
venile courts, 300 partner with public housing devel-
opments, 1550 partner with elementary schools, and
1033 partner with high schools.
(7) The YMCA is volunteer-founded and volun-
teer-led. The YMCA depends on more than 600,000
volunteers to meet the unique needs of their commu-
nities.
(8) The YMCA is especially committed to
reaching teens that are most at-risk for school fail-
ure or delinquency.
(9) The prosperity of our Nation depends upon
maximizing and fulfilling the potential of its young
people.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO THE YMCA OF THE USA.
(a) PURPOSES.—Subject to the availability of appro-
priations, the Attorney General shall award a grant to the
YMCA of the USA for the purpose of carrying out YMCA
programs for at-risk teens in accordance with the provi-
sions of this Act.
(b) SUBGRANTS.—From amounts awarded under
subsection (a), the YMCA of the USA shall make sub-
grants to local YMCAs authorizing expenditures associ-
ated with providing programs, including the hiring of
teachers and other personnel, procurement of goods and
services (including computer equipment), or such other
purposes as are approved by the Attorney General.
SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) PROGRAMS FOR AT-RISK TEENS.—Amounts
granted under this Act shall be used by the YMCA
of the USA to provide funding to carry out YMCA
programs that have a primary purpose of serving
teens who are determined to be at-risk for one or
more of the following:
(A) School failure.
(B) Delinquency.
(2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—Each program
for which assistance is provided under this Act shall
include at least three of the following different ac-
tivities:
(A) Mentoring assistance.
(B) Academic assistance.
(C) Recreational, fitness, and athletic ac-
tivities.
(D) Technology training.
(E) Drug, alcohol, and gang prevention.
(F) Job and life skills.
(G) Character development and values edu-
cation.
(H) Leadership development.
(I) Truancy and dropout prevention.
(J) Civic education.
(K) Volunteerism and service learning.
(L) Parenting skills.
(M) Literary, performing, and visual arts.
(N) Mental health services.
(O) Alternative education.
(P) Any research-based activity shown to
have a positive impact on the academic and so-
cial outcomes of teens.
(b) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out
the programs under subsection (a), a local YMCA shall,
to the maximum extent practicable—
(1) use volunteers from businesses, academic
communities, social organizations, and law enforce-
ment organizations to serve as mentors or to assist
in other ways;
(2) develop creative methods of conducting out-
reach to teens in the community;
(3) request donations of computer equipment
and other materials and equipment; and
(4) work with State and local educational and
recreation agencies so that activities funded with
amounts made available under a grant under this
Act will not duplicate activities funded from other
sources in the community served.
(c) FUNDING FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—Of
the amounts granted to the YMCA of the USA under this
Act in each fiscal year, the YMCA of the USA shall use—
(1) not less than 2 percent for research and
evaluation of the subgrants made under this Act;
(2) not less than 1 percent for technical assist-
ance related to the subgrants awarded under this
Act; and
(3) not more than 6 percent for the manage-
ment and administration of the subgrants made
under this Act.
SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS FOR SUBGRANTS.
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a
subgrant under this Act, an applicant shall submit an ap-
plication to the YMCA of the USA. Each application sub-
mitted shall include—
(1) a request for a subgrant to be used for the
purposes of this Act;
(2) a description of the population to be served
by the subgrant and information demonstrating that
this population is at-risk for school failure or delin-
quency;
(3) a description of the program to be expanded
or established by the subgrant;
(4) information demonstrating the manner in
which the local YMCA will carry out the planning,
establishment, implementation, sustainability and
evaluation of the program funded by the subgrant;
(5) information demonstrating that there are
non-Federal contributions (which may be in the form
of an in-kind contribution of goods or services) avail-
able to cover at least 50 percent of the total cost of
the project; and
(6) any additional statistical or financial infor-
mation that the YMCA of the USA may reasonably
require.
(b) CONSIDERATION OF SUBGRANTS.—In awarding
subgrants under this Act, the YMCA of the USA shall
consider—
(1) the ability of the applicant to provide the
intended services;
(2) the history and establishment of the appli-
cant in providing teen activities; and
(3) efforts to achieve an equitable geographic
distribution of subgrant awards.
SEC. 6. REPORT.
For each fiscal year for which a grant is awarded
under this Act, the YMCA of the USA shall submit to
the Attorney General a report that details the progress
and effectiveness of the YMCA programs in reaching
measurable outcomes.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) YMCA OF THE US.—The term ‘‘YMCA of
the USA’’ means the private, nonprofit, national
membership and service organization of approxi-
mately 2,400 local YMCAs.
(2) LOCAL
YMCA.—The term ‘‘local YMCA’’
means one of the approximately 2,400 locally incor-
porated and governed YMCAs in the United States.
(3) TEEN
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘teen pro-
gram’’ means any program primarily attended by in-
dividuals between the ages of 11 and 19.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.
(b) CONTINUED
AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made
available to carry out this Act shall remain available until
expended.
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