[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 694 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 694
To provide assistance to Best Buddies to support the expansion and
development of mentoring programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 25, 2009
Mr. Dodd (for himself and Mr. Hatch) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide assistance to Best Buddies to support the expansion and
development of mentoring programs, 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 ``Best Buddies Empowerment for People
with Intellectual Disabilities Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Best Buddies operates the first national social and
recreational program in the United States for people with
intellectual disabilities.
(2) Best Buddies is dedicated to helping people with
intellectual disabilities become part of mainstream society.
(3) Best Buddies is determined to end social isolation for
people with intellectual disabilities by promoting meaningful
friendships between them and their non-disabled peers in order
to help increase the self-esteem, confidence, and abilities of
people with and without intellectual disabilities.
(4) Since 1989, Best Buddies has enhanced the lives of
people with intellectual disabilities by providing
opportunities for 1-to-1 friendships and integrated employment.
(5) Best Buddies is an international organization spanning
1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses.
(6) Best Buddies implements programs that will positively
impact more than 400,000 individuals in 2009 and expects to
impact 500,000 people by 2010.
(7) The Best Buddies Middle Schools program matches middle
school students with intellectual disabilities with other
middle school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships between
them.
(8) The Best Buddies High Schools program matches high
school students with intellectual disabilities with other high
school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships between them.
(9) The Best Buddies Colleges program matches adults with
intellectual disabilities with college students and creates 1-
to-1 friendships between them.
(10) The Best Buddies e-Buddies program supports e-mail
friendships between people with and without intellectual
disabilities.
(11) The Best Buddies Citizens program pairs adults with
intellectual disabilities in 1-to-1 friendships with other
individuals in the corporate and civic communities.
(12) The Best Buddies Jobs program promotes the integration
of people with intellectual disabilities into the community
through supported employment.
(b) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) provide support to Best Buddies to increase
participation in and public awareness about Best Buddies
programs that serve people with intellectual disabilities;
(2) dispel negative stereotypes about people with
intellectual disabilities; and
(3) promote the extraordinary contributions of people with
intellectual disabilities.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR BEST BUDDIES.
(a) Education Activities.--The Secretary of Education may award
grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Best
Buddies to carry out activities to promote the expansion of Best
Buddies, including activities to increase the participation of people
with intellectual disabilities in social relationships and other
aspects of community life, including education and employment, within
the United States.
(b) Limitations.--
(1) In general.--Amounts appropriated to carry out this Act
may not be used for direct treatment of diseases, medical
conditions, or mental health conditions.
(2) Administrative activities.--Not more than 5 percent of
amounts appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year
may be used for administrative activities.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed
to limit the use of non-Federal funds by Best Buddies.
SEC. 4. APPLICATION AND ANNUAL REPORT.
(a) Application.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under section 3(a), Best Buddies shall
submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary of Education may
require.
(2) Content.--At a minimum, an application under this
subsection shall contain the following:
(A) A description of activities to be carried out
under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
(B) Information on specific measurable goals and
objectives to be achieved through activities carried
out under the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement.
(b) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--As a condition of receipt of any funds
under section 3(a), Best Buddies shall agree to submit an
annual report at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary of Education may require.
(2) Content.--At a minimum, each annual report under this
subsection shall describe the degree to which progress has been
made toward meeting the specific measurable goals and
objectives described in the applications submitted under
subsection (a).
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Education for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under
section 3(a), $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may be
necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
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