Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004
PL 108-406 (H.R.5131), enacted 10/30/2004

118 STAT. 2294
PUBLIC LAW 108–406—OCT. 30, 2004
Public Law 108–406
108th Congress
An Act
To provide assistance to Special Olympics to support expansion of Special Olympics
and development of education programs and a Healthy Athletes Program, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Special Olympics Sport and
Empowerment Act of 2004’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) Special Olympics celebrates the possibilities of a world
where everybody matters, everybody counts, every person has
value, and every person has worth.
(2) The Government and the people of the United States
recognize the dignity and value the giftedness of children and
adults with an intellectual disability.
(3) The Government and the people of the United States
are determined to end the isolation and stigmatization of people
with an intellectual disability.
(4) For more than 36 years, Special Olympics has encour-
aged skill, sharing, courage, and joy through year-round sports
training and athletic competition for children and adults with
intellectual disabilities.
(5) Special Olympics provides year-round sports training
and competitive opportunities to 1,500,000 athletes with
intellectual disabilities in 26 sports and plans to expand the
joy of participation through sport to hundreds of thousands
of people with intellectual disabilities within the United States
and worldwide over the next 5 years.
(6) Special Olympics has demonstrated its ability to provide
a major positive effect on the quality of life of people with
intellectual disabilities, improving their health and physical
well-being, building their confidence and self-esteem, and giving
them a voice to become active and productive members of
their communities.
(7) In society as a whole, Special Olympics has become
a vehicle and platform for breaking down artificial barriers,
improving public health, changing negative attitudes in edu-
cation, and helping athletes overcome the prejudice that people
with intellectual disabilities face in too many places.
(8) The Government of the United States enthusiastically
supports Special Olympics, recognizes its importance in
42 USC 15001
note.
Special Olympics
Sport and
Empowerment
Act of 2004.
Oct. 30, 2004
[H.R. 5131]
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118 STAT. 2295
PUBLIC LAW 108–406—OCT. 30, 2004
improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and
recognizes Special Olympics as a valued and important compo-
nent of the global community.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) provide support to Special Olympics to increase athlete
participation in and public awareness about the Special Olym-
pics movement;
(2) dispel negative stereotypes about people with intellec-
tual disabilities;
(3) build athletic and family involvement through sport;
and
(4) promote the extraordinary gifts of people with intellec-
tual disabilities.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
(a) EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of Education may
award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements
with, Special Olympics to carry out the following:
(1) Activities to promote the expansion of Special Olympics,
including activities to increase the participation of individuals
with intellectual disabilities within the United States.
(2) The design and implementation of Special Olympics
education programs, including character education and volun-
teer programs that support the purposes of this Act, that can
be integrated into classroom instruction and are consistent
with academic content standards.
(b) INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary of State may
award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements
with, Special Olympics to carry out the following:
(1) Activities to increase the participation of individuals
with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics outside of
the United States.
(2) Activities to improve the awareness outside of the
United States of the abilities and unique contributions that
individuals with intellectual disabilities can make to society.
(c) HEALTHY ATHLETES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and Human
Services may award grants to, or enter into contracts or
cooperative agreements with, Special Olympics for the
implementation of on-site health assessments, screening for
health problems, health education, data collection, and referrals
to direct health care services.
(2) COORDINATION.—Activities under paragraph (1) shall
be coordinated with private health providers, existing author-
ized programs of State and local jurisdictions, or the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, as applicable.
(d) LIMITATION.—Amounts appropriated to carry out this section
shall not be used for direct treatment of diseases, medical condi-
tions, or mental health conditions. Nothing in the preceding sen-
tence shall be construed to limit the use of non-Federal funds
by Special Olympics.
SEC. 4. APPLICATION AND ANNUAL REPORT.
(a) APPLICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section
3, Special Olympics shall submit an application at such time,
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118 STAT. 2296
PUBLIC LAW 108–406—OCT. 30, 2004
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5131 (S. 2852):
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 150 (2004):
Oct. 6, considered and passed House.
Oct. 10, considered and passed Senate.
in such manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary of Education, Secretary of State, or Secretary of Health
and Human Services, as applicable, may require.
(2) CONTENT.—At a minimum, an application under this
subsection shall contain the following:
(A) ACTIVITIES.—A description of activities to be carried
out with the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
(B) MEASURABLE GOALS.—Information on specific meas-
urable goals and objectives to be achieved through activities
carried out with the grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment.
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition on receipt of any funds
under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 3, Special Olympics
shall agree to submit an annual report at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of
Education, Secretary of State, or Secretary of Health and
Human Services, as applicable, may require.
(2) CONTENT.—At a minimum, each annual report under
this subsection shall describe the degree to which progress
has been made toward meeting the goals and objectives
described in the applications submitted under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated—
(1) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under
section 3(a), $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years;
(2) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under
section 3(b), $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2005, and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years;
and
(3) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under
section 3(c), $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through
2009.
Approved October 30, 2004.
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