[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1201 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1201

 To promote healthy lifestyles and prevent unhealthy, risky behaviors 
                          among teenage youth.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 5, 2003

Mr. Graham of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Bunning, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Smith, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. DeWine, 
 Mr. Corzine, Mr. Daschle, and Mrs. Lincoln) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote healthy lifestyles and prevent unhealthy, risky behaviors 
                          among teenage youth.

    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 ``YMCA Healthy Teen Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Adolescence is an ideal time to promote good physical 
        health. Positive and negative behaviors in adolescence tend to 
        carry over into adulthood.
            (2) Unfortunately, many American teenagers exhibit 
        behaviors that compromise their present and future health.
            (3) Many adolescents are not very active and many do not 
        have a healthy diet. Insufficient physical activity and poor 
        nutrition play roles in obesity, coronary heart disease, 
        stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
            (4) Other health risk factors for teens include tobacco 
        use, drug and alcohol use, mental health problems, and 
        dangerous behaviors that lead to injury and violence.
            (5) It is clear that the health of our youth is in danger.
            (6) The YMCA movement--in its history, strengths and 
        commitments--is in a unique position to tackle this public 
        health problem.
            (7) Research has shown that YMCA programs have a powerful 
        influence on adolescent behavior, both protecting young people 
        from many different problem behaviors and promoting positive 
        attitudes and behaviors.
            (8) Recognizing the unique obstacles faced by teenagers, 
        the YMCA has launched the Teen Action Agenda, a nationwide 
        campaign to dramatically expand programs that serve teens.
            (9) In more than 1,900 YMCAs across the United States in 
        cities large and small, in neighborhoods rich and poor, teen 
        groups meet regularly and engage one another in safe, 
        wholesome, educational, recreational and creative activities.
            (10) YMCAs serve people of all faiths, races, abilities, 
        ages, and incomes.
            (11) Approximately 400 YMCAs partner with juvenile courts, 
        300 partner with public housing developments, 1,550 partner 
        with elementary schools, and 1,033 partner with high schools.
            (12) The YMCA is especially committed to reaching teens 
        that are most at-risk for exhibiting health-compromising 
        behaviors.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Local ymca.--The term ``local YMCA'' means one of the 
        approximately 2,400 locally incorporated and governed YMCAs in 
        the United States.
            (2) Teen and teenager.--The terms ``teen'' and ``teenager'' 
        mean any individual between the ages of 11 and 19.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (4) Ymca of the usa.--The term ``YMCA of the USA'' means 
        the private, nonprofit, national membership and service 
        organization of approximately 2,400 local YMCAs.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO THE YMCA OF THE USA TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING AMONG 
              TEENS.

    (a) Purposes.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary shall award a grant to the YMCA of the USA for the 
implementation of programs to promote healthy living among teenage 
youth.
    (b) Subgrants.--From amounts provided under a grant awarded under 
subsection (a), the YMCA of the USA shall award subgrants to a local 
YMCA, or a consortium of local YMCAs, to be used for expenditures 
associated with programs carried out under this Act, including the 
hiring of staff and other personnel, procurement of goods, services and 
equipment, or such other purposes as are approved by the Secretary.

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Programs for at-risk teens.--Amounts provided under a 
        grant 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 teenage youth at-risk for exhibiting health-
        compromising behaviors.
            (2) Program requirements.--
                    (A) Requirement.--Each school- or community-based 
                program for which assistance is provided under this Act 
                shall include--
                            (i) physical activity programs among 
                        teenage youth; and
                            (ii) nutrition education programs among 
                        teenage youth.
                    (B) Other permissible uses.--A school- or 
                community-based program for which assistance is 
                provided under this Act may also include strategies to 
                reduce other health risks among teenage youth, such as 
                alcohol use, tobacco use, drug use, mental health 
                problems, and dangerous behaviors that lead to injury 
                and violence.
    (b) Funding for Miscellaneous Activities.--From amounts provided 
under a grant under this Act for each fiscal year, the YMCA of the USA 
shall use--
            (1) not less than 2 percent of such amounts for research 
        and evaluation of subgrants awarded under this Act;
            (2) not less than 5 percent of such amounts for targeted 
        health and wellness program development initiatives focused on 
        issues such as--
                    (A) youth and teens;
                    (B) minority populations;
                    (C) low-income populations; and
                    (D) school, hospital and community collaborations; 
                and
            (3) not more than 6 percent of such amounts for the 
        management and administration of the subgrants awarded under 
        this Act.

SEC. 6. APPLICATIONS FOR SUBGRANTS.

    (a) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this 
Act, a local YMCA or consortium of YMCAs shall submit an application to 
the YMCA of the USA that 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 exhibiting unhealthy living;
            (3) a description of the program to be expanded or 
        established under the subgrant;
            (4) a description of the manner in which the applicant 
        shall coordinate with appropriate State and local authorities, 
        such as State and local school departments, State departments 
        of health, governors councils for physical activity and good 
        nutrition, and State and local parks and recreation 
        departments;
            (5) a description of the manner in which the applicant will 
        evaluate the effectiveness of the program carried out under the 
        subgrant;
            (6) information demonstrating that there are non-Federal 
        contributions (which may be in the form of an in-kind 
        contribution of goods or services) available to cover at least 
        50 percent of the total cost of the project to be funded under 
        the subgrant; and
            (7) any additional statistical or financial information 
        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 applicant in 
        providing teen activities; and
            (3) efforts to achieve an equitable geographic distribution 
        of subgrant awards.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    For each fiscal year for which a grant is awarded under this Act, 
the YMCA of the USA shall submit to the Secretary a report that details 
the progress of programs funded under this Act.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
    (b) Continued Availability.--Amounts appropriated to carry out this 
Act shall remain available until expended.
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