[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3252 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3252
To amend the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 to authorize the
Secretary of Education to establish the National Junior College for
Deaf and Blind at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 8, 2001
Mr. Riley (for himself, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Callahan, Mr. Everett, Mr.
Aderholt, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Hilliard) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 to authorize the
Secretary of Education to establish the National Junior College for
Deaf and Blind at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.
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 ``National Junior College for Deaf and
Blind at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The United States has low rates of college completion
by high school graduates who are deaf or blind.
(2) Deaf or blind students who attend college have a
dropout rate in the first 2 years of college that is
approximately 4 times higher than the dropout rate of hearing
and sighted students.
(3) The United States has a shortage of teachers and
service professionals trained at the associate degree or
certificate level to provide services to individuals who are
deaf or blind.
(4) The United States has very limited distance learning
opportunities for individuals who are deaf or blind.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE FOR DEAF AND BLIND.
(a) Establishment.--Title I of the Education of the Deaf Act of
1986 (20 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``PART C--NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE FOR DEAF AND BLIND
``SEC. 120. PURPOSES.
``The purposes of this part are the following:
``(1) Easing the transition from high school to college for
students who are deaf or blind.
``(2) Increasing the number of deaf or blind individuals
attending and completing college.
``(3) Providing a modern distance learning program and a
residential facility for postsecondary technical training and
education for individuals who are deaf or blind.
``(4) Preparing individuals who are deaf or blind for
successful employment.
``(5) Training individuals to provide instructional,
professional, and other services to individuals who are deaf or
blind.
``SEC. 121. AGREEMENT.
``(a) General Authority.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into,
not later than 1 year after the enactment of the National Junior
College for Deaf and Blind at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
Act, an agreement with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind for the
establishment and operation (including construction and provision of
equipment) of the National Junior College for Deaf and Blind.
``(b) National Mission Activities.--The agreement shall provide the
national mission activities of NJCDB, including the following:
``(1) Maintenance and operation of exemplary postsecondary
education programs, projects, and activities for the primary
purpose of developing, evaluating, and disseminating innovative
curriculums, instructional techniques and strategies, and
materials that can be used in various educational environments
to serve individuals who are deaf or blind.
``(2) Addressing the specific educational, technological,
and special support needs of students who are deaf or blind.
``(c) Provisions of Agreement.--The agreement shall--
``(1) provide that Federal funds appropriated for the
benefit of NJCDB be used in accordance with the applicable
provisions of this Act and such agreement;
``(2) provide that NJCDB will make an annual report to the
Secretary on its operations and the national mission activities
of its postsecondary education programs;
``(3) provide that in the design and construction of any
facilities, maximum attention will be given to innovative
auditory and visual devices and installations appropriate for the
educational functions of such facilities; and
``(4) establish a policy of outreach and recruitment to
employ and advance employment of individuals with disabilities,
particularly individuals who are deaf or blind, at NJCDB.
``(d) Modification.--The Secretary and AIDB may periodically modify
the agreement as determined to be necessary by the Secretary or AIDB.
``(e) Scholarship Program.--
``(1) Development.--The agreement shall provide for the
development of a scholarship program, under which NJCDB awards
scholarships to students enrolled in its programs.
``(2) Use of funds.--Funds awarded as scholarships under
this section shall be used to assist in paying the costs of
attending NJCDB, including tuition, fees, training courses,
study, and room and board.
``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2002
and such sums as may be necessary thereafter to carry out this
subsection.
``(f) Provisions Regarding NTID.--If the Secretary enters into an
agreement with AIDB under this section, the provisions of sections 202,
203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, and 210 shall apply to NJCDB and AIDB in
the same manner as such provisions apply to NTID and the institution of
higher education with which the Secretary has an agreement under
section 112, respectively, except as follows:
``(1) References to individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing shall be construed as references to individuals who are
deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or of low vision.
``(2) NJCDB shall develop the policies described in section
203(c)(2)(A) not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the National Junior College for Deaf and Blind at
the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Act.
``(3) For purposes of section 210, references to deafness
related research, development, and demonstration activities
shall be construed as references to deafness or blindness
related research, development, and demonstration activities.''.
(b) Definitions.--Section 201 of the Education of the Deaf Act of
1986 (20 U.S.C. 4351) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(8) The term `AIDB' means the Alabama Institute for Deaf
and Blind.
``(9) The term `NJCDB' means the National Junior College
for Deaf and Blind.''.
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