[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5033 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5033

 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out 
  programs to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant 
    communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage 
                              pregnancies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 15, 2010

 Ms. Roybal-Allard (for herself and Mr. Davis of Illinois) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out 
  programs to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant 
    communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage 
                              pregnancies.

    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 Teenage 
Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to develop and carry out research and 
demonstration projects on new and existing program interventions to 
provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the 
information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies, build 
healthy relationships, and improve overall health and well-being.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Teenage pregnancy is one of the most critical issues 
        facing the Nation today. The United States has the highest 
        teenage pregnancy rate of any developed nation, with nearly 
        750,000 teenage girls (ages 15 to 19) becoming pregnant each 
        year, and 80 percent of those pregnancies unplanned.
            (2) Nationally, teenage pregnancy has significant fiscal 
        implications, costing taxpayers at least $9,100,000,000 
        annually.
            (3) Communities of color disproportionately suffer from 
        teenage pregnancy. Fifty-two percent of Latinas and 50 percent 
        of African-American girls will become pregnant at least once 
        before they turn 20. In comparison, only 19 percent of non-
        Hispanic white teenage girls under the age of 20 become 
        pregnant.
            (4) Between 2005 and 2006, the teen pregnancy rate 
        increased for every racial/ethnic subgroup. Hispanic teens 
        continue to have the highest rates of both teen pregnancy and 
        birth.
            (5) Research shows that starting a family too soon may have 
        significant social, educational, and financial impacts on the 
        lives of young people. Less than half of teenage mothers finish 
        high school and less than 2 percent go on to finish college, 
        making it difficult to find and maintain a job.
            (6) New research shows that teenage dating violence and 
        abuse are serious public health problems and are associated 
        with higher levels of teenage pregnancy and unplanned 
        pregnancy. Studies show that 1 in 5 teenage girls in the United 
        States report having experienced physical or sexual intimate 
        partner violence.
            (7) Promoting and building healthy relationships are 
        fundamental to prevent teenage pregnancies and unplanned 
        pregnancies.

SEC. 4. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award competitive grants to 
eligible entities for new and existing program interventions to provide 
youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the 
information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies and develop 
healthy relationships.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applicants proposing to carry out projects in 
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.
    (c) Project Settings.--Funds received under this section may be 
used to provide information and skills as described in subsection (a)--
            (1) through classroom-based settings, such as school health 
        education or family and consumer science education; after-
        school programs; community-based programs; workforce 
        development programs; and health clinics; or
            (2) in collaboration with systems that serve large numbers 
        of at-risk youth such as juvenile justice or foster care 
        systems.
    (d) Project Requirements.--As a condition on receipt of a grant 
under this section, an entity shall agree that information and skills 
provided through the grant will be--
            (1) age-appropriate;
            (2) evidence-based;
            (3) provided in accordance with section 7(b); and
            (4) culturally sensitive and relevant to the target 
        population
    (e) Evaluation.--Of the total amount made available to carry out 
this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall use 
10 percent of such amount to carry out a rigorous, independent 
evaluation to determine the extent and the effectiveness of activities 
funded through this section in changing attitudes and behavior.
    (f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``eligible entity'' 
means a State, local, or tribal agency; a school or postsecondary 
institution; an after-school program; a nonprofit coalition; a 
community or faith-based organization; or any other entity determined 
appropriate by the Secretary.

SEC. 5. MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award competitive grants to 
carry out multimedia campaigns to provide public education and increase 
public awareness regarding teenage pregnancy and related social and 
emotional issues.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applicants proposing to carry out campaigns 
developed for racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.
    (c) Information To Be Provided.--As a condition on receipt of a 
grant under this section, an entity shall agree to use the grant to 
carry out multimedia campaigns described in subsection (a) that--
            (1) at a minimum, shall provide information on--
                    (A) the prevention of teenage pregnancy; and
                    (B) healthy relationship development; and
            (2) may provide information on the prevention of dating 
        violence.

SEC. 6. RESEARCH ON REDUCING TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide for the 
conduct, support, or coordination of research among culturally and 
linguistically specific communities, including projects that--
            (1) examine factors that contribute to disproportionately 
        high rates of teenage and unintended pregnancy or sexual abuse 
        in such communities;
            (2) explore research-based strategies for addressing high 
        rates of teenage pregnancy and unintended pregnancies through 
        programs that emphasize healthy relationships; and
            (3) study the role which violence and abuse play in the 
        decisions made by young people about relationships, sex, 
        pregnancy, and childbearing.
    (b) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make grants to public 
and private entities to conduct, support, or coordinate research that--
            (1) investigates the incidence and prevalence of teenage 
        pregnancy and births in racial and ethnic minority or immigrant 
        communities;
            (2) examines--
                    (A) the relationships between teenage pregnancy or 
                dating abuse and one or more of--
                            (i) the mental and physical health and 
                        well-being of teenagers in such communities;
                            (ii) the scholastic achievement of such 
                        teenagers, including with respect to school 
                        completion;
                            (iii) family communication; and
                            (iv) exposure to violence, sexual abuse, 
                        pregnancy coercion, and birth control sabotage;
                    (B) effective interventions to reduce pregnancy 
                coercion and birth control sabotage;
                    (C) the variance in the rates of teenage pregnancy 
                by--
                            (i) location (such as inner cities, inner 
                        suburbs, outer suburbs, and rural areas);
                            (ii) population subgroup (such as Hispanic, 
                        Asian, African-American, Pacific Islander, 
                        American Indian, and Alaskan Native);
                            (iii) level of acculturation; or
                            (iv) socioeconomic status (such as income, 
                        educational attainment of the parents of the 
                        teenager, and school attendance of the 
                        teenager);
                    (D) the importance of the physical and social 
                environment as a factor in placing communities at risk 
                of increased rates of teenage pregnancy or dating 
                violence abuse; and
                    (E) the importance of aspirations and motivations 
                as factors affecting young people's risk of teenage 
                pregnancy or dating abuse;
            (3) improves data collection on--
                    (A) sexual and reproductive health, including 
                teenage pregnancies and births, among all minority 
                communities and subpopulations, with an emphasis on 
                American Indian and Alaska Native youth;
                    (B) sexual behavior, sexual or reproductive 
                coercion, birth control sabotage, and teenage 
                contraceptive use patterns at the State level; or
                    (C) teenage pregnancies among youth in and aging 
                out of foster care or juvenile justice systems;
            (4) examines underlying factors that lead to teenage 
        pregnancy among youth in foster care or juvenile justice 
        systems;
            (5) identifies strategies to address the disproportionate 
        rates of teenage and unintended pregnancies and dating violence 
        in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities;
            (6) examines the effectiveness of media campaigns 
        addressing healthy relationship development, dating violence 
        prevention, and teenage pregnancy; or
            (7) examines how effective interventions can be replicated 
        or adapted in other settings to serve racial or ethnic minority 
        or immigrant communities.
    (c) Priority.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
give priority to research that incorporates--
            (1) interdisciplinary approaches; or
            (2) a strong emphasis on community-based participatory 
        research.

SEC. 7. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

    (a) Applications.--To seek a grant under this Act, an entity shall 
submit an application to the Secretary in such form, in such manner, 
and containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the 
Secretary may require.
    (b) Additional Requirements.--A grant may be made under this Act 
only if the applicant involved agrees that information, activities, and 
services under the grant--
            (1) will be evidence-based;
            (2) will be factually and medically accurate and complete; 
        and
            (3) if directed to a particular population group, will be 
        provided in an appropriate language and cultural context.
    (c) Training and Technical Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Of the total amount made available to 
        carry out this Act for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall use 
        10 percent to provide, directly or through a competitive grant 
        process, training and technical assistance to the grant 
        recipients under this section, including by disseminating 
        research and information regarding effective and promising 
        practices, providing consultation and resources on a broad 
        array of teenage and unintended pregnancy and violence 
        prevention strategies, and developing resources and materials.
            (2) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Secretary shall collaborate with a variety of entities that 
        have expertise in the prevention of teenage pregnancy, healthy 
        relationship development, and violence prevention.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Medically accurate and complete.--The term ``medically 
        accurate and complete'' means verified or supported by the 
        weight of research conducted in compliance with accepted 
        scientific methods and--
                    (A) published in peer-reviewed journals, where 
                applicable; or
                    (B) comprising information that leading 
                professional organizations and agencies with relevant 
                expertise in the field recognize as accurate, 
                objective, and complete.
            (2) Racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.--
        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) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (4) Youth.--The term ``youth'' means individuals who are 11 
        to 19 years of age.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) to carry out section 4, $45,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2011 through 2015;
            (2) to carry out section 5, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2011 through 2015; and
            (3) to carry out section 6, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2011 through 2015.
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