[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 468 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 468

  To make grants to carry out activities to prevent teen pregnancy in 
   racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 12, 2007

  Ms. Solis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To make grants to carry out activities to prevent teen pregnancy in 
   racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, 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 ``Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy 
Prevention Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY-BASED AND SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Community-Based Intervention Programs.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall make 
        grants to public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose 
        of carrying out projects to prevent teen pregnancies in racial 
        or ethnic minority or immigrant communities with a substantial 
        incidence or prevalence of cases of teen pregnancy as compared 
        to the average number of such cases in communities in the State 
        involved (referred to in this Act as ``eligible communities'').
            (2) Requirements regarding purpose of grants.--A grant may 
        be made under paragraph (1) only if, with respect to the 
        expenditure of the grant to carry out the purpose described in 
        such paragraph, the applicant involved agrees to use one or 
        more of the following strategies:
                    (A) Promote effective communication among families 
                about preventing teen pregnancy, particularly 
                communication among parents or guardians and their 
                children.
                    (B) Educate community members about the 
                consequences of teen pregnancy.
                    (C) Encourage young people to postpone sexual 
                activity and prepare for a healthy, successful 
                adulthood, including by teaching them skills to avoid 
                unwanted verbal, physical, and sexual advances.
                    (D) Provide educational information, including 
                medically accurate contraceptive information, for young 
                people in such communities who are already sexually 
                active or are at risk of becoming sexually active and 
                inform young people in such communities about the 
                responsibilities and consequences of being a parent, 
                and how early pregnancy and parenthood can interfere 
                with educational and other goals.
            (3) Utilizing effective strategies.--A grant may be made 
        under paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved agrees that, 
        in carrying out the purpose described in such paragraph, the 
        applicant will, whenever possible, use strategies that have 
        been demonstrated to be effective, or that incorporate 
        characteristics of effective programs.
    (b) School-Based Projects.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to public 
        and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of establishing 
        and operating for eligible communities, in association with 
        public secondary schools for such communities, projects for one 
        or more of the following:
                    (A) To carry out activities, including counseling, 
                to prevent teen pregnancy.
                    (B) To provide necessary social and cultural 
                support services regarding teen pregnancy.
                    (C) To provide health and educational services 
                related to the prevention of teen pregnancy.
                    (D) To promote better health and educational 
                outcomes among pregnant teens.
                    (E) To provide training for individuals who plan to 
                work in school-based support programs regarding the 
                prevention of teen pregnancy.
            (2) Priority.--In making grants under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall give priority to providing for projects under 
        such paragraph in eligible communities.
            (3) Required coalition.--A grant may be made under 
        paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved has formed an 
        appropriate coalition of entities for purposes of carrying out 
        a project under such paragraph, including--
                    (A) one or more public secondary schools for the 
                eligible community involved; and
                    (B) entities to provide the services of the 
                project.
            (4) Training.--A grant under paragraph (1) may be expended 
        to train individuals to provide the services described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such paragraph for the project 
        involved.
    (c) Reporting and Evaluation.--
            (1) Report.--A grant may be made under subsection (a) or 
        (b) only if the applicant involved agrees to submit to the 
        Secretary, in accordance with the criteria of the Secretary, a 
        report that provides information on the project under such 
        subsection, including project outcomes and increased education 
        and awareness about the prevention of teen pregnancy. The 
        Secretary shall make such reports available to the public.
            (2) Evaluations.--Not later than 12 months after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, directly or 
        through contract, provide for evaluations of at least 10 
        percent or not less than 6 projects carried out with grants 
        under each of subsections (a) and (b). Each such evaluation 
        shall describe--
                    (A) the activities carried out with the grant; and
                    (B) the extent to which the activities were 
                effective in changing attitudes and behavior to achieve 
                the project strategies consistent with--
                            (i) subsection (a)(2) for grants under 
                        subsection (a); or
                            (ii) subsection (b)(1) for grants under 
                        subsection (b).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Community-based intervention programs.--For the purpose 
        of carrying out subsection (a), there is authorized to be 
        appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 
        through 2012.
            (2) School-based projects.--For the purpose of carrying out 
        subsection (b), there is authorized to be appropriated 
        $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
            (3) Evaluations.--Of the total amount appropriated to carry 
        out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 
        10 percent of such amount to carry out subsection (c)(2).

SEC. 3. MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGNS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to public and 
nonprofit private entities for the purpose of carrying out multimedia 
campaigns to provide public education and increase awareness with 
respect to the issue of teen pregnancy and related social and emotional 
issues.
    (b) Priority.--In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall give priority to campaigns described in such subsection that are 
directed toward eligible communities.
    (c) Requirements.--A grant may be made under subsection (a) only if 
the applicant involved agrees that the multimedia campaign under such 
subsection will--
            (1) provide information on the prevention of teen 
        pregnancy;
            (2) provide information that identifies organizations in 
        the communities involved that--
                    (A) provide health and educational services related 
                to the prevention of teen pregnancy; and
                    (B) provide necessary social and cultural support 
                services; and
            (3) coincide with efforts of the National Clearinghouse for 
        Teen Pregnancy Prevention that are made under section 4(b)(1).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to a nonprofit 
private entity to establish and operate a National Clearinghouse for 
Teen Pregnancy Prevention (referred to in this section as the 
``Clearinghouse'') for the purposes described in subsection (b).
    (b) Purposes of Clearinghouse.--The purposes referred to in 
subsection (a) regarding the Clearinghouse are as follows:
            (1) To provide information and technical assistance to 
        States, Indian tribes, local communities, and other public or 
        private entities to develop content and messages for teens and 
        adults that address and seek to reduce the rate of teen 
        pregnancy.
            (2) To support parents in their essential role in 
        preventing teen pregnancy by equipping parents with information 
        and resources to promote and strengthen communication with 
        their children about sex, values, and positive relationships, 
        including healthy relationships.
    (c) Requirements for Grantee.--A grant may be made under subsection 
(a) only if the applicant involved is an organization that meets the 
following conditions:
            (1) The organization is a nationally recognized, 
        nonpartisan organization that has at least 10 years of 
        experience focusing exclusively on preventing teen pregnancy 
        and working with diverse groups to reduce the rate of teen 
        pregnancy.
            (2) The organization has a demonstrated ability to work 
        with and provide assistance to a broad range of individuals and 
        entities, including teens; parents; the entertainment and news 
        media; State, tribal, and local organizations; networks of teen 
        pregnancy prevention practitioners; businesses; faith and 
        community leaders; and researchers.
            (3) The organization has experience in the use of 
        culturally competent and linguistically appropriate methods to 
        address teen pregnancy in eligible communities.
            (4) The organization conducts or supports research and has 
        experience with scientific analyses and evaluations.
            (5) The organization has comprehensive knowledge and data 
        about strategies for the prevention of teen pregnancy.
            (6) The organization has experience in carrying out 
        functions similar to the functions described in subsection (b).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make grants to public 
or nonprofit private entities to conduct, support, and coordinate 
research on the prevention of teen pregnancy in eligible communities, 
including research on the factors contributing to the disproportionate 
rates of teen pregnancy in such communities and research-based 
strategies for addressing such disparities.
    (b) Research.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
support research that--
            (1) investigates the incidence and prevalence of teen 
        pregnancy in communities described in such subsection;
            (2) examines--
                    (A) the relationships between teen pregnancy and 
                one or more of--
                            (i) the mental and physical health and 
                        well-being of teenagers in the communities;
                            (ii) the scholastic achievement of such 
                        teenagers;
                            (iii) family structure and communication; 
                        and
                            (iv) other factors contributing to 
                        disproportionate rates of teen pregnancy in 
                        such communities;
                    (B) the variance in the rates of teen pregnancy 
                by--
                            (i) location (such as inner cities, inner 
                        suburbs, outer suburbs, and rural areas);
                            (ii) population subgroup (such as Hispanic, 
                        Asian-Pacific Islander, African-American, and 
                        Native American);
                            (iii) level of acculturation; and
                            (iv) socioeconomic status (such as income, 
                        educational attainment of the parents of the 
                        teenager, and school attendance of the 
                        teenager);
                    (C) the importance of the physical and social 
                environment as a factor in placing communities at risk 
                of increased rates of teen pregnancy; and
                    (D) the importance of aspirations and motivations 
                as factors affecting young people's risk of teen 
                pregnancy;
            (3) is used to propose or identify additional strategies 
        that will address the disproportionate rates of teen pregnancy 
        in such communities; and
            (4) wherever possible, includes efforts to link the 
        measures to relevant databases, including health databases.
    (c) Priority.--In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall give priority to research that incorporates--
            (1) interdisciplinary approaches; or
            (2) a strong emphasis on community-based participatory 
        research.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

SEC. 6. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Medically Accurate Information.--A grant may be made under this 
Act only if the applicant involved agrees that all information provided 
pursuant to the grant will be age-appropriate, factually and medically 
accurate and complete, and scientifically based.
    (b) Cultural Context of Services.--A grant may be made under this 
Act only if the applicant involved agrees that information, activities, 
and services under the grant that are directed toward a particular 
population group will be provided in the language and cultural context 
that is most appropriate for individuals in such group.
    (c) Application for Grant.--A grant may be made under this Act only 
if an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the 
application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such 
agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to 
be necessary to carry out the program involved.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``eligible community'' has the meaning 
        indicated for such term in section 2(a)(1).
            (2) The term ``racial or ethnic minority or immigrant 
        communities'' means communities with a substantial number of 
        residents who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups 
        or who are immigrants.
            (3) The term ``Secretary'' has the meaning indicated for 
        such term in section 2(a)(1).
                                 <all>