[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 174 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 174

To provide funding for States to correct Y2K problems in computers that 
      are used to administer State and local government programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 19, 1999

 Mr. Moynihan (for himself, Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Dodd) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide funding for States to correct Y2K problems in computers that 
      are used to administer State and local government programs.

    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 ``Y2K State and Local GAP (Government 
Assistance Programs) Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Welfare programs.--The welfare programs are as follows:
                    (A) TANF.--The State program funded under part A of 
                title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
                seq.).
                    (B) Medicaid.--The program of medical assistance 
                under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1396 et seq.).
                    (C) Food stamps.--The food stamp program, as 
                defined in section 3(h) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
                (7 U.S.C. 2012(h)).
                    (D) WIC.--The program of assistance under the 
                special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                infants and children (WIC) under section 17 of the 
                Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786).
                    (E) Child support enforcement.--The child support 
                and paternity establishment program established under 
                part D of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 651 et seq.).
                    (F) Child welfare.--A child welfare program or a 
                program designed to promote safe and stable families 
                established under subpart 1 or 2 of part B of title IV 
                of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 620 et seq.).
                    (G) Child care.--The Child Care and Development 
                Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) 
                (including funding provided under section 418 of the 
                Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 618)).
            (2) Y2K.--The term ``Y2K compliant'' means, with respect to 
        information technology, that the information technology 
        accurately processes (including calculating, comparing, and 
        sequencing) date and time data from, into, and between the 20th 
        and 21st centuries and the years 1999 and 2000, and leap year 
        calculations, to the extent that other information technology 
        properly exchanges date and time data with it.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES TO MAKE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS 
              Y2K COMPLIANT.

    (a) Authority To Award Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of 
        Commerce shall award grants in accordance with this section to 
        States for purposes of making grants to assist the States and 
        local governments in making programs administered by the States 
        and local governments Y2K compliant. The Secretary of Commerce 
        shall give priority to grant requests that relate to making 
        Federal welfare programs Y2K compliant.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) Number of grants.--No more than 75 grants may 
                be awarded under this section.
                    (B) Per state limitation.--Not more than 2 grants 
                authorized under this section may be awarded per State.
                    (C) Application deadline.--45 days after enactment.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--A State, through the State Governor's 
        Office, may submit an application for a grant authorized under 
        this section at such time within the constraints of paragraph 
        Sec. 3(a)(2)(C) and in such manner as the Secretary of Commerce 
        may determine.
            (2) Information required.--An application for a grant 
        authorized under this section shall contain the following:
                    (A) A description of a proposed plan for the 
                development and implementation of a Y2K compliance 
                program for the State's programs or for a local 
                government program, including a proposed budget for the 
                plan and a request for a specific funding amount.
                    (B) A description or identification of a proposed 
                funding source for completion of the plan (if 
                applicable) and maintenance of the system after the 
                conclusion of the period for which the grant is to be 
                awarded.
    (c) Conditions for Approval of Applications.--
            (1) Matching requirement.--
                    (A) In general.--A State awarded a grant under this 
                section shall expend $1 for every $2 awarded under the 
                grant to carry out the development and implementation 
                of a Y2K compliance program for the State's programs 
                under the proposed plan.
                    (B) Waiver for hardship.--The Secretary of Commerce 
                may waive or modify the matching requirement described 
                in subparagraph (A) in the case of any State that the 
                Secretary of Commerce determines would suffer undue 
                hardship as a result of being subject to the 
                requirement.
                    (C) Non-federal expenditures.--
                            (i) Cash or in kind.--State expenditures 
                        required under subparagraph (A) may be in cash 
                        or in kind, fairly evaluated, including 
                        equipment, or services.
                            (ii) No credit for pre-award 
                        expenditures.--Only State expenditures made 
                        after a grant has been awarded under this 
                        section may be counted for purposes of 
                        determining whether the State has satisfied the 
                        matching expenditure requirement under 
                        subparagraph (A).
            (2) Considerations.--In evaluating an application for a 
        grant under this section the Secretary of Commerce shall 
        consider the extent to which the proposed system is feasible 
        and likely to achieve the purposes described in subsection 
        (a)(1).
    (d) Length of Awards.--No grant may be awarded under this section 
for a period of more than 2 years.
    (e) Availability of Funds.--Funds provided to a State under a grant 
awarded under this section shall remain available until expended 
without fiscal year limitation.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Annual report from grantees.--Each State that is 
        awarded a grant under this section shall submit an annual 
        report to the Secretary of Commerce that contains a description 
        of the ongoing results of the independent evaluation of the 
        plan for, and implementation of, the compliance program funded 
        under the grant.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        termination of all grants awarded under this section, the 
        Secretary of Commerce shall submit to Congress a final report 
        evaluating the programs funded under such grants.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $40,000,000 for fiscal years 
1999 to 2001 funded from the Y2K Emergency Supplemental Funds 
appropriated in the FY99 Omnibus Act, PL 105-277.
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