[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 26, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: April 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
HUMAN SERVICES AMENDMENTS OF 1994
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4250) to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1995
through 1998 to carry out the Head Start Act and the Community Services
Block Grant Act, and for other purposes; as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4250
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Human
Services Amendments of 1994''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--HEAD START PROGRAMS
Sec. 101. Short title; references in title.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Services.
Sec. 104. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 105. Allocation of funds.
Sec. 106. Report.
Sec. 107. Designation.
Sec. 108. Monitoring and quality assurance.
Sec. 109. Enhanced parent involvement and transition coordination with
schools.
Sec. 110. Facilities and administrative requirements.
Sec. 111. Participation.
Sec. 112. Initiative on families with infants and toddlers.
Sec. 113. Appeals, notice, and hearing.
Sec. 114. Goals and priorities for training and technical assistance.
Sec. 115. Staff qualifications and development.
Sec. 116. Research, demonstrations, evaluation.
Sec. 117. Announcements and evaluations.
Sec. 118. Reports.
Sec. 119. Repeals.
Sec. 120. Consultation with the Corporation for National and Community
Service.
Sec. 121. Study of benefits for Head Start employees.
Sec. 122. Study of full-day and full-year Head Start programs.
Sec. 123. State dependent care development programs.
Sec. 124. Reauthorization of Child Development Associate Scholarship
Assistance Act of 1985.
Sec. 125. Technical and conforming amendments.
Sec. 126. Effective date; application of amendments.
TITLE II--COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENTS
Sec. 201. Short title and references.
Sec. 202. Authorizations of appropriations.
Sec. 203. Discretionary authority of Secretary.
Sec. 204. Community food and nutrition.
Sec. 205. Instructional activities for low-income youth.
Sec. 206. Amendment to Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act.
Sec. 207. Amendments to the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1986.
Sec. 208. Effective date.
TITLE III--LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE AMENDMENTS
Sec. 301. Short title and references.
Sec. 302. Statement of purpose.
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 304. Emergency funds.
Sec. 305. Authorized uses of funds.
Sec. 306. Targeting of assistance to households with high home energy
burdens.
Sec. 307. Clarification of audit requirement.
Sec. 308. Use of Department of Energy weatherization rules to achieve
program consistency.
Sec. 309. Matters to be described in annual application.
Sec. 310. Report of funds available for obligation.
Sec. 311. Miscellaneous and technical amendments.
Sec. 312. Residential energy assistance challenge option (R.E.A.Ch.).
Sec. 313. Sense of the Congress regarding appropriations for LIHEAP.
Sec. 314. Effective date.
TITLE IV--COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY RESOURCE PROGRAMS
Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Community-based family support and family resource programs.
Sec. 403. Federal Council on Children, Youth, and Families.
Sec. 404. Family Resource Act.
TITLE I--HEAD START PROGRAMS
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN TITLE.
(a) Short Title.--This title may be cited as the ``Head
Start Act Amendments of 1994''.
(b) References.--Except as otherwise specifically provided,
whenever in this title an amendment or repeal is expressed in
terms of an amendment to, or a repeal of, a section or other
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9831 et seq.)
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.
Section 637 (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5);
(2) by adding after paragraph (11) the following:
``(12) The term `family literacy services' means services
and activities that include interactive literacy activities
between parents and their children, training for parents on
techniques for being the primary teacher of their children
and full partners in the education of their children, parent
literacy training (including training in English as a second
language), and early childhood education.
``(13) The term `Indian tribe' means any tribe, band,
nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community of
Indians, including any Native village described in section
3(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.
1602(c)) or established pursuant to such Act (43 U.S.C. 1601
et seq.), that is recognized as eligible for the special
programs and services provided by the United States to
Indians because of their status as Indians.'';
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), (9), (10),
(11), (12), and (13) as paragraphs (7), (8), (9), (13), (5),
(6), (4), and (10), respectively; and
(4)(A) by transferring paragraph (4), as so redesignated,
and inserting the paragraph after paragraph (3);
(B) by transferring paragraphs (5) and (6), as so
redesignated, and inserting the paragraphs after paragraph
(4), as so redesignated;
(C) by transferring paragraph (10), as so redesignated, and
inserting the paragraph after paragraph (9), as so
redesignated;
(D) by inserting after paragraph (10), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(11) The term `local educational agency' has the meaning
given such term in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965.
``(12) The term `migrant Head Start program' means a Head
Start program that serves families who are engaged in
agricultural work and who have changed their residence from
one geographical location to another in the preceding 2-year
period.''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
``(14) The term `State educational agency' has the meaning
given such term in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965.''.
SEC. 103. SERVICES.
Section 638(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 9833(a)(1)) is amended by
striking ``health, nutritional, educational, social, and
other services'' and inserting ``health, education, parental
involvement, nutritional, social, and other services''.
SEC. 104. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 639 (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking all that follows
``subchapter'' and inserting ``such sums as may be necessary
for fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.''; and
(2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the
following:
``(b) From the amount appropriated under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall make available--
``(1) $35,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1995 through
1998 to--
``(A) carry out the Head Start Transition Project Act; and
``(B) carry out activities authorized under section 642(d);
and
``(2) not more than $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
1996 through 1998, to carry out longitudinal research under
section 649(e).''.
SEC. 105. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
(a) Allocation and Use of Funds for Quality Improvement.--
Section 640(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as
subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively;
(2) by striking ``(3)(C)'' and all that follows through
``quality improvement activities:'' and inserting the
following:
``(3)(A)(i) In order to provide assistance for activities
specified in subparagraph (C) directed at the goals specified
in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall reserve, from the
amount (if any) by which the funds appropriated under section
639(a) for a fiscal year exceed the adjusted prior year
appropriation, a share equal to the sum of--
``(I) 25 percent of such excess amount; and
``(II) any additional amount the Secretary may find
necessary to address a demonstrated need for such activities.
``(ii) As used in clause (i), the term `adjusted prior year
appropriation' means, with respect to a fiscal year, the
amount appropriated pursuant to section 639(a) for the
preceding fiscal year, adjusted to reflect the percentage
change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) during such
preceding fiscal year.
``(B) Funds reserved under this paragraph (referred to in
this paragraph as `quality improvement funds') shall be used
to accomplish any or all of the following goals:
``(i) Ensuring that Head Start programs meet or exceed
performance standards pursuant to section 641A(a)(1)(A).
``(ii) Ensuring that such programs have adequate qualified
staff, and that such staff are furnished adequate training,
including developing skills in working with children with
non-English language background, when appropriate.
``(iii) Ensuring that salary levels and benefits are
adequate to attract and retain qualified staff for such
programs.
``(iv) Using salary increases to improve staff
qualifications, and to assist with the implementation of
career development programs, for the staff of Head Start
programs.
``(v) Improving community-wide strategic planning and needs
assessments for such programs.
``(vi) Ensuring that the physical environments of Head
Start programs are conducive to providing effective program
services to children and families, including, where
appropriate, services to families with very young children.
``(vii) Making such other improvements in the quality of
such programs as the Secretary may designate.
``(C) Quality improvement funds shall be used to carry out
any or all of the following activities:'';
(3) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated in paragraph (1),
by adding at the end the following:
``(vii) Such other activities as the Secretary may
designate.''; and
(4) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated in paragraph (1)--
(A) in clause (i)--
(i) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking
``for the first, second, and third fiscal years for which
funds are so reserved''; and
(ii) in subclause (II), by inserting ``geographical areas
specified in subsection (a)(2)(B) and Indian and migrant Head
Start programs,'' after States,'';
(B) by striking clauses (ii) and (iii);
(C) in clause (iv)--
(i) by striking ``To be expended'' and all that follows
through ``reserved, funds'' and inserting ``Funds'';
(ii) by striking ``clause (ii)'' the first place it appears
and inserting ``clause (i)'';
(iii) by inserting before the period at the end of the
first sentence, ``, for expenditure for activities specified
in subparagraph (C)''; and
(iv) by striking the second sentence;
(D) in clause (vi), by striking ``paragraphs (2), (4), and
(5)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2) or (4)''; and
(E) by striking clause (v) and redesignating clauses (iv)
and (vi) as clause (ii) and (iii), respectively.
(b) Funds Set-Aside.--Section 640(a) (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``through (5).'' and
inserting ``through (4), and subject to paragraphs (5) and
(6).'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``1990'' and inserting
``1994''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``(including payments
for all costs (other than compensation of Federal employees)
of reviews of Head Start agencies and programs under section
641A(c), and of activities related to the development and
implementation of quality improvement plans under section
641A(d)(2))'' after ``Secretary'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' each
place it appears and inserting ``paragraph (4)'';
(4) by striking paragraph (4), and redesignating paragraphs
(5) and (6) as paragraphs (4) and (7), respectively;
(5) in paragraph (4), as redesignated in paragraph (4), by
striking ``The'' and inserting ``Subject to section 639(b),
the''; and
(6) by adding after paragraph (4), as redesignated in
paragraph (4), the following:
``(5)(A) From amounts reserved and allotted pursuant to
paragraph (4), the Secretary shall reserve such sums as may
be necessary to award the collaboration grants described in
subparagraph (B).
``(B) From the reserved sums, the Secretary may award a
collaboration grant to each State to facilitate collaboration
between State governments and Head Start programs regarding
activities carried out in the State under this subchapter,
and other activities carried out in, and by, the State that
are designed to benefit low-income children and families.
``(C) A State that receives a grant under subparagraph (B)
shall--
``(i) appoint an individual to serve as a State liaison
between--
``(I) agencies and individuals carrying out Head Start
programs in the State;
``(II) the State educational agency and local educational
agencies; and
``(III) other agencies and entities carrying out programs
serving low-income children and families;
``(ii) involve the State Head Start Association in the
selection of the individual, and involve the association in
determinations relating to the ongoing direction of the
collaboration;
``(iii) ensure that the individual holds a position with
sufficient authority and access to ensure that the
collaboration described in subparagraph (B) is effective and
involves a range of State agencies; and
``(iv) ensure that the collaboration described in
subparagraph (B) involves coordination of Head Start services
with health care, welfare, child care, education, libraries,
and national service activities, and activities relating to
children with disabilities.
``(D) As used in this paragraph, the term `low-income',
used with respect to children or families, shall not be
considered to refer only to children or families that meet
the low-income criteria prescribed pursuant to section
645(a)(1)(A).
``(6) From amounts reserved and allotted pursuant to
paragraphs (2) and (4), the Secretary shall use, for grants
for programs described in section 645A(a), a portion of the
combined total of such amounts equal to 3 percent for fiscal
year 1995, 4 percent for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997,
and 5 percent for fiscal year 1998, of the amount
appropriated pursuant to section 639(a).''.
(c) Considerations for Allocation of Funds for Program
Expansion.--Section 640(g) (42 U.S.C. 9835(g)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(g)'' and inserting ``(g)(1)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) For the purpose of expanding Head Start programs, in
allocating funds to an applicant within a State, from amounts
allotted to a State pursuant to subsection (a)(4), the
Secretary shall take into consideration--
``(A) the quality of the applicant's programs (including
Head Start and other child care or child development
programs) in existence on the date of the allocation,
including, in the case of Head Start programs in existence on
the date of the allocation, the extent to which such programs
meet or exceed performance standards and other requirements
under this subchapter;
(B) the applicant's capacity to expand services (including,
in the case of Head Start programs in existence on the date
of the allocation, whether the applicant accomplished any
prior expansions in an effective and timely manner);
``(C) the extent to which the applicant has undertaken
community-wide strategic planning and needs assessments
involving other community organizations serving children and
families (including organizations serving families in whose
homes English is not the language customarily spoken) and
involving consultation with the State agency that administers
early childhood development and education programs;
``(D) the extent to which the applicant has identified a
need to provide full-working-day or full calendar year
services based on a family and community needs assessment
consistent with the preceding paragraph;
``(E) the numbers of eligible children in each community
who are not participating in a Head Start program; and
``(F) the concentration of low-income families in each
community.
``(3) In determining the amount of funds reserved pursuant
to subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) to be used
for expanding Head Start programs under this subchapter, the
Secretary shall take into consideration, to the extent
appropriate, the factors specified in paragraph (2).''.
(d) Technical Amendment.--Section 640(h) (42 U.S.C.
9835(h)) is amended by striking ``Each Head Start program
may'' and inserting ``Financial assistance provided under
this subchapter may be used by each Head Start program to''.
(e) Compensation; Regulations; Priority.--Section 640 (42
U.S.C. 9835) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Any agency that receives financial assistance under
this subchapter to improve the compensation of staff who
provide services under this subchapter shall use the
financial assistance to improve the compensation of such
staff, regardless of whether the agency has the ability to
improve the compensation of staff employed by the agency who
do not provide Head Start services.
``(k) Regulations issued by the Secretary that require a
certain number of hours of service to be provided to children
in Head Start programs shall include such flexibility as will
permit Head Start agencies to satisfy such requirement
through one or more of a variety of techniques, including
adjustments to the length of a daily session or to the number
of days of service.
``(l) With funds made available under section 640(a)(2) to
migrant Head Start programs, the Secretary shall give
priority to migrant Head Start programs that serve eligible
children of migrant families whose work requires them to
relocate most frequently.''.
SEC. 106. REPORT.
Section 640A (42 U.S.C. 9835a) is repealed.
SEC. 107. DESIGNATION.
(a) Indian Reservations.--Section 641(b) (42 U.S.C.
9836(b)) is amended by inserting after ``Indian reservation''
the following: ``(including Indians in any area designated by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs as near-reservation)''.
(b) Designation of Agencies.--Section 641(c) (42 U.S.C.
9836(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraphs (2) through (4);
(2) in the first sentence--
(A) by inserting ``(subject to paragraph (2))'' before ``,
the Secretary shall give priority''; and
(B) by striking ``unless'' and all that follows through the
end of subparagraph (A) and inserting the following: ``unless
the Secretary makes a finding that the agency involved fails
to meet program, financial management, and other requirements
established by the Secretary.'';
(3) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as paragraph (2);
(4) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``except that, if'' and inserting ``If'';
and
(B) by striking ``subparagraph (A)'' and inserting
``paragraph (1)'';
(5) by striking ``Notwithstanding any other provision of
this paragraph'' and inserting the following:
``(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
subsection''; and
(6) by aligning the margins of paragraph (2), as so
redesignated, with the margins of paragraph (3).
(c) Considerations in Designating New Head Start
Agencies.--Section 641(d) (42 U.S.C. 9836(d)) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence, by striking all that precedes
``then the Secretary'' and inserting ``If no entity in a
community is entitled to the priority specified in subsection
(c),'';
(2) by striking the second sentence;
(3) in the third sentence--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``and subject to the preceding sentence'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, including Even Start
programs,'' after ``preschool programs''; and
(C) in paragraph (4), to read as follows: ``(4) the plan of
such applicant--
``(A) to seek the involvement of parents of participating
children in activities designed to help such parents become
full partners in the education of their children;
``(B) to afford such parents the opportunity to participate
in the development, conduct, and overall performance of the
program at the local level;
``C) to offer (directly or through referral to local
entities, such as public and school libraries and entities
carrying out Even Start programs under part B of chapter 1 of
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.)) to such parents--
``(i) family literacy services; and
``(ii) parenting skills training;
``(D) at the option of such applicant, to offer (directly
or through referral to local entities) to such parents--
``(i) parental social self-sufficiency training;
``(ii) substance abuse counseling;
``(iii) training in nonpunitive discipline techniques that
are age appropriate, consistent, and positive for the child;
``(iv) training in basic child development;
``(v) assistance in developing communication skills;
``(vi) opportunities for parents to share experiences with
other parents, or
``(vii) any other activity designed to help such parents
understand the importance of their involvement in the
education of their children and to help such parents become
full partners in the education of their children; and
``(E) to provide, with respect to each participating
family, a family needs assessment that includes consultation
with such parents about the benefits of parent involvement
and about the activities described in subparagraphs (C) and
(D) in which such parents may choose to become involved
(taking into consideration their specific family needs, work
schedules, and other responsibilities);'';
(4) in paragraph (7)--
(A) by striking ``non-English language children'' and
inserting ``non-English language background children and
their families''; and
(B) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon;
(5) by striking paragraph (8); and
(6) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (8).
(d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 641 (42 U.S.C. 9836) is
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (f); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (f).
SEC. 108. MONITORING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE.
The Act is amended by inserting after section 641 (42
U.S.C. 9836) the following:
``SEC. 641A. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START
AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.
``(a) Quality Standards.--
``(1) Establishment of standards.--The Secretary shall
establish by regulation standards applicable to Head Start
agencies, program, and projects under this subchapter,
including--
``(A) performance standards with respect to services
required to be provided, including health, education,
parental involvement, nutritional, social, transition-to-
elementary-school, and other services;
``(B) administrative and financial management standards,
including standards that address recordkeeping and file
maintenance practices;
``(C) standards relating to the condition and location of
facilities for such agencies, programs, and projects;
``(D) standards for the provision of services to families
with very young children; and
``(E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be
appropriate.
``(2) Minimum requirements.--The regulations promulgated
under this subsection shall establish the minimum levels of
overall accomplishment that a Head Start agency shall achieve
in order to meet the standards specified in paragraph (1).
``(3) Considerations in developing standards.--In
developing the regulations required under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall--
``(A) consult with experts in the fields of child
development, early childhood education, child health care,
family services (including linguistically, culturally, and
developmentally appropriate services to non-English language
background children and their families), administration and
financial management, and with persons with experience in the
operation of Head Start programs;
``(B) take into consideration--
``(i) past experience with use of the standards in effect
under this subchapter on the date of enactment of this
section;
``(ii) changes over the period since the date of enactment
of this subchapter in the circumstances and problems
typically facing children and families served by Head Start
agencies;
``(iii) developments concerning best practices with respect
to child development, children with disabilities, family
services, program administration, and financial management;
``(iv) guidelines and standards currently in effect or
under consideration that promote child health services, and
projected needs of expanding Head Start programs;
``(v) changes in the population of children who are
eligible to participate in Head Start programs, including the
language background and family structure of such children;
and
``(vi) the need for, and state-of-the art developments
relating to, local policies and activities designed to ensure
that children participating in Head Start programs make a
successful transition to public schools; and
``(C)(i) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this section, review and revise as necessary the
performance standards in effect under section 651(b) on the
day before the date of enactment of this section; and
``(ii) ensure that any such revisions in the performance
standards will not result in the elimination of or any
reduction in the scope or types of health, education,
parental involvement, nutritional, social, or other services
required to be provided under such standards as in effect on
November 2, 1978.
``(4) Standards relating to obligations to delegate
agencies.--In developing standards under this subsection, the
Secretary shall describe the obligations of a Head Start
agency to an agency (referred to in this subchapter as the
`delegate agency') to which the Head Start agency has
delegated responsibility for providing services under this
subchapter and determine whether the Head Start agency
complies with the standards. The Secretary shall consider
such compliance during the review described in subsection
(c)(1)(A) and in determining whether to renew financial
assistance to the Head Start agency under this subchapter.
``(b) Performance Measures.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation
with representatives of Head Start agencies and with experts
in the fields of child development, family services, and
program management, shall develop methods and procedures for
measuring, annually and over longer periods, the quality and
effectiveness of programs operated by Head Start agencies
(referred to in this subchapter as `performance measures').
``(2) Design of measures.--The performance measures
developed under this subsection shall be designed--
``(A) to assess the various services provided by Head Start
programs and, to the extent the Secretary finds appropriate,
administrative and financial management practices of such
programs;
``(B) to be adaptable for use in self-assessment and peer
review of individual Head Start agencies and programs; and
``(C) for other program purposes as determined by the
Secretary.
``(3) Use of measures.--The Secretary shall use the
performance measures developed pursuant to this subsection--
``(A) to identify strengths and weaknesses in the operation
of Head Start programs nationally and by region; and
``(B) to identify problem areas that may require additional
training and technical assistance resources.
``(c) Monitoring of Local Agencies and Programs.--
``(1) In general.--In order to determine whether Head Start
agencies meet standards established under this subchapter
with respect to program, administrative, financial
management, and other requirements, the Secretary shall
conduct the following reviews of designated Head Start
agencies, and of the Head Start programs operated by such
agencies:
``(A) A full review of each such agency at least once
during each 3-year period.
``(B) A review of each newly designated agency immediately
after the completion of the first year such agency carries
out a Head Start program.
``(C) Followup reviews including prompt return visits to
agencies and programs that fail to meet the standards.
``(D) Other reviews as appropriate.
``(2) Conduct of reviews.--The Secretary shall ensure that
reviews described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of
paragraph (1)--
``(A) are performed, to the maximum extent practicable, by
employees of the Department of Health and Human Services who
are knowledgeable about Head Start programs and the diverse
(including linguistic and cultural) needs of eligible
children and their families; and
``(B) are supervised by such an employee at the site of
such Head Start agency.
``(d) Corrective Action; Termination.--
``(1) Determination.--If the Secretary determines, on the
basis of a review pursuant to subsection (c), that a Head
Start agency designated pursuant to section 641 fails to meet
the standards described in subsection (b), the Secretary
shall--
``(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies that shall be
corrected;
``(B) with respect to each identified deficiency, require
the agency--
``(i) to correct the deficiency immediately; or
``(ii) at the discretion of the Secretary (taking into
consideration the seriousness of the deficiency and the time
reasonably required to correct the deficiency), to comply
with the requirements of paragraph (2) concerning a quality
improvement plan; and
``(C) initiate proceedings to terminate the designation of
the agency unless the agency corrects the deficiency.
``(2) Quality improvement plan.--
``(A) Agency responsibilities.--In order to retain a
designation as a Head Start agency under this subchapter, a
Head Start agency that is the subject of a determination
described in paragraph (1) (other than an agency able to
correct a deficiency immediately) shall--
``(i) develop in a timely manner, obtain the approval of
the Secretary regarding, and implement a quality improvement
plan that specifies--
``(I) the deficiencies to be corrected;
``(II) the actions to be taken to correct such
deficiencies; and
``(III) the timetable for accomplishment of the corective
actions specified; and
``(ii) eliminate each deficiency identified, not later than
the date for elimination of such deficiency specified in such
plan (which shall not be later than 1 year after the date the
agency received notice of the determination and of the
specific deficiency to be corrected).
``(B) Secretarial responsibility.--Not later than 30 days
after receiving from a Head Start agency a proposed quality
improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary
shall either approve such proposed plan or specify the
reasons why the proposed plan cannot be approved.
``(3) Training and technical assistance.--The Secretary
shall provide training and technical assistance to Head Start
agencies with respect to the development or implementation of
such quality improvement plans to the extent the Secretary
finds such provision to be feasible and appropriate given
available funding and other statutory responsibilities.
``(e) Summaries of Monitoring Outcomes.--Not later than 90
days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall
publish a summary report on the findings of reviews conducted
under subsection (c) and on the outcomes of quality
improvement plans implemented under subsection (d), during
such fiscal year.''.
SEC. 109. ENHANCED PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND TRANSITION
COORDINATION WITH SCHOOLS.
Section 642 (42 U.S.C. 9837) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) In order to be so designated, a Head Start agency
shall also--
``(1) establish effective procedures by which parents and
area residents concerned will be enabled to directly
participate in decisions that influence the character of
programs affecting their interests;
``(2) provide for their regular participation in the
implementation of such programs;
``(3) provide technical and other support needed to enable
parents and area residents to secure on their own behalf
available assistance from public and private sources;
``(4) seek the involvement of parents of participating
children in activities designed to help such parents become
full partners in the education of their children, and to
afford such parents the opportunity to participate in the
development, conduct, and overall performance of the program
at the local level;
``(5) offer (directly or through referral to local
entities, such as entities carrying out Even Start programs
under part B of chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.)), to
parents of participating children, family literacy services
and parenting skills training;
``(6) at the option of such agency, offer (directly or
through referral to local entities), to such parents,
parental social self-sufficiency training, substance abuse
counseling, training in nonpunitive discipline techniques
that are age appropriate, consistent, and positive for the
child, training in basic child development, assistance in
developing communication skills, opportunities for parents to
share experiences with other parents, regular in-home
visitation for families at risk of child abuse and neglect,
or any other activity designed to help such parents become
full partners in the education of their children;
``(7) provide, with respect to each participating family, a
family needs assessment that includes consultation with such
parents about the benefits of parent involvement and about
the activities described in paragraphs (4) through (6) in
which such parents may choose to be involved (taking into
consideration their specific family needs, work schedules,
and other responsibilities);
``(8) establish procedures to seek reimbursement, to the
extent feasible, from other agencies for services for which
any such other agency is responsible, which are provided to a
Head Start participate by the Head Start agency;
``(9) consider providing services to assist younger
siblings of children participating in its Head Start program
to obtain health services from other sources; and
``(10) perform community outreach to encourage individuals
previously unaffiliated with Head Start programs to
participate in it Head Start program as volunteers.'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``schools that will subsequently serve
children in Head Start programs,''; and
(B) by inserting ``, including Even Start programs.'' after
``other programs''; and
(3) by adding after subsection (c) the following:
``(d)(1) Each Head Start agency shall carry out the actions
specified in this subsection, to the extent feasible and
appropriate in the circumstances (including the extent to
which such agency is able to secure the cooperation of
parents and schools) to enable children to maintain the
developmental gains achieved in Head Start programs and to
build upon such gains in further schooling.
``(2) the Head Start agency shall take steps to coordinate
with the local educational agency (as defined in the
elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) serving the
community involved and with schools in which children
participating in a Head Start program operated by such agency
will enroll following such program, including--
``(A) developing and implementing a systematic procedure
for transferring, with parental consent, Head Start program
records for each participating child to the school in which
such child will enroll;
``(B) establishing channels of communication between Head
Start staff and their counterparts in the schools (including
teachers, social workers, and health staff) to facilitate
coordination of programs;
``(C) conducting meetings involving parents, kindergarten
or elementary school teachers, and Head Start program
teachers to discuss the developmental and other needs of
individual children;
``(D) organizing and participating in joint transition-
related training of school staff, Head Start staff, and
parents;
``(E) providing transportation and using facilities; and
``(F) on the request of the local educational agency,
providing noneducational services to such children.
``(3) In order to promote the continued involvement of
parents of children who participate in Head Start programs in
the education of their children upon transition to school,
the Head Start agency shall--
``(A) provide training to such parents--
``(i) to inform such parents about their rights and
responsibilities concerning the education of their children;
and
``(ii) to enable such parents to understand and work with
schools in order to communicate with teachers and other
school personnel, to support the school work of their
children, and to participate as appropriate in decisions
relating to the education of their children; and
``(B) take other actions, as appropriate and feasible, to
support the active involvement of such parents with schools,
school personnel, and school-related organizations.
``(4) The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of
Education, shall--
``(A) evaluate the effectiveness of the projects and
activities funded under the Head Start Transition Project Act
(42 U.S.C. 9855 et seq.);
``(B) disseminate to Head Start agencies information
(including information from the evaluation required by
subparagraph (A)) on effective policies and activities
relating to the transition of children from Head Start
programs to public schools; and
``(C) provide technical assistance to such agencies to
promote and assist such agencies to adopt and implement such
effective policies and activities.''.
SEC. 110. FACILITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS.
Section 644 (42 U.S.C. 9839) is amended--
(1) in subsection (d), by striking ``guidelines,
instruction,'';
(2) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``640(a)(3)(A)(v)'' and
inserting ``640(a)(3)(C)(v)''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Upon a determination by the Secretary that suitable
facilities are not otherwise available to Indian tribes to
carry out Head Start programs, and that the lack of suitable
facilities will inhibit the operation of such programs, the
Secretary, in the discretion of the Secretary, may authorize
the use of financial assistance, from the amount reserved
under section 640(a)(2)(A), to make payments for the purchase
of facilities owned by such tribes. The amount of such a
payment for such a facility shall not exceed the fair market
value of the facility.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(g) In all personnel actions of the American Indian
Programs Branch of the Head Start Bureau of the
Administration for Children and Families, the Secretary shall
give the same preference to individuals who are members of an
Indian tribe as the Secretary gives to a preference eligible,
as described in section 2108(3)(C) of title 5 of the United
States Code. the Secretary shall take such additional actions
as may be necessary to promote recruitment of such
individuals for employment in the Administration.''.
SEC. 111. PARTICIPATION.
Section 645 (42 U.S.C. 9840) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(d)(1) An Indian tribe that--
``(A) operates a Head Start program;
``(B) enrolls as participants in the program all children
in the community served by the tribe (including a community
with a near-reservation designation, as defined by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs) from families that meet the low-income
criteria prescribed under subsection (a)(1)(A); and
``(C) has the resources to enroll additional children in
the community who do not meet the low-income criteria;
may enroll such additional children in a Head Start program,
in accordance with this subsection, if the program
predominantly serves children who meet the low-income
criteria.
``(2) The Indian tribe shall enroll the children in the
Head Start program in accordance with such requirements as
the Secretary may specify by regulation promulgated after
consultation with Indian tribes.
``(3) In providing services through a Head Start program to
such children, the Indian tribe may not use funds that the
Secretary has determined, in accordance with section
640(g)(3), are to be used for expanding Head Start programs
under this subchapter.''.
SEC. 112. INITIATIVE ON FAMILIES WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS
(A) Establishment.--The Act is amended by adding after
section 645 (42 U.S.C. 9840) the following:
``SEC. 645A. PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants, in
accordance with this section for--
``(1) programs providing family-centered services for low-
income families with very young children designed to promote
the development of the children, and to enable their parents
to fulfill their roles as parents and to move toward self-
sufficiency; and
``(2) provision of training and technical assistance to
entities carrying out programs, and evaluation of programs,
that were supported under the Comprehensive Child Development
Act (42 U.S.C. 9881 et seq.), as in effect on the day before
the date of enactment of this section.
``(b) Scope and Design of Programs.--In carrying out a
program described in subsection (a), an entity receiving
assistance under this section shall--
``(1) provide, either directly or through referral, early,
continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development
and family support services that will enhance the physical,
social, emotional, and intellectual development of
participating children;
``(2) ensure that the level of services provided to
families responds to their needs and circumstances;
``(3) promote positive parent-child interactions;
``(4) provide services to parents to support their role as
parents and to help the families move toward self-sufficiency
(including educational and employment services as
appropriate);
``(5) coordinate services with services provided by
programs in the State and programs in the community
(including transition-to-school programs and linkages with
programs of other agencies, including local educational
agencies serving families with infants and toddlers) to
ensure a comprehensive array of services (such as health and
mental health services);
``(6) ensure formal linkages with local Head Start programs
in order to provide for continuity of services for children
and families;
``(7) in the case of a Head Start agency that operates a
program and that also provides Head Start services through
the age of mandatory school attendance, ensure that children
and families participating in the program receive such
services through such age; and
``(8) meet such other requirements concerning design and
operation of the program described in subsection (a) as the
Secretary may establish.
``(c) Pesons Eligible To Participate.--Persons who may
participate in programs described in subsection (a)(1)
include--
``(1) pregnant women; and
``(2) families with children under age 3 (or under age 5,
in the case of children served by an entity specified in
subsection (e)(3));
who meet the income criteria specified for families in
section 645(a)(1).
``(d) Eligible Service Providers.--To be eligible to
receive assistance under this section, an entity shall submit
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
Entities that may apply to carry out activities under this
section include--
``(1) entities operating Head Start programs under this
subchapter;
``(2) entities that, on the day before the date of
enactment of this section, were operating--
``(A) Parent-Child Centers receiving financial assistance
under section 640(a)(4), as in effect on such date; or
``(B) programs receiving financial assistance under the
Comprehensive Child Development Act, as in effect on such
date; and
``(3) other public entities, and nonprofit private
entities, capable of providing child and family services that
meet the standards for participation in programs under this
subchapter and meet such other appropriate requirements
relating to the activities under this section as the
Secretary may establish.
``(e) Time-Limited Priority for Certain Entities.--
``(1) In general.--From amounts allotted pursuant to
paragraphs (2) and (4) of section 640(a), the Secretary shall
provide financial assistance in accordance with paragraphs
(2) through (4).
``(2) Parent-child centers.--The Secretary shall make
financial assistance available under this section for each of
fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997 to any entity that--
``(A) complies with subsection (b); and
``(B) received funding as a Parent-Child Center pursuant to
section 640(a)(4), as in effect on the day before the date of
enactment of this section, for fiscal year 1994.
``(3) Comprehensive child development centers.--
``(A) In the case of an entity that received a grant for
fiscal year 1994 to operate a project under the Comprehensive
Child Development Act, the Secretary--
``(i) shall make financial assistance available under this
section, in a comparable amount and scope to the assistance
provided for fiscal year 1994, for the duration of the
project period specified in the grant award to such entity
under such Act; and
``(ii) shall permit such entity, in carrying out activities
assisted under this section, to serve children from birth
through age 5.
``(B) In the case of an entity that received a grant for
fiscal year 1989 to operate a project under the Comprehensive
Child Development Act, the Secretary shall make assistance
available under this section for each of fiscal years 1995,
1996, and 1997 to any entity that complies with subsection
(b).
``(4) Evaluations, training, and technical assistance.--The
Secretary shall make financial assistance available under
this section as necessary to provide for the evaluation of,
and furnishing of training and technical assistance to,
programs specified in paragraph (3)(A).
``(f) Selection of Other Grant Recipients.--From the
balance remaining of the portion specified in section
640(a)(6), after making grants to the eligible entities
specified in subsection (e), the Secretary shall award grants
under this subsection on a competitive basis to applicants
meeting the criteria specified in subsection (d) (giving
priority to entities with a record of providing early,
continuous, and comprehensive childhood development and
family services).
``(g) Distribution.--In awarding grants to eligible
applicants under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(1) ensure an equitable national geographic distribution
of the grants; and
``(2) award grants to applicants proposing to serve
communities in rural areas and to applicants proposing to
serve communities in urban areas.
``(h) Secretarial Responsibilities.--
``(1) Guidelines.--Not later than September 30, 1994, the
Secretary shall develop program guidelines concerning the
content and operation of programs assisted under this
section--
``(A) in consultation with experts in early childhood
development, experts in health, and experts in family
services; and
``(B) taking into consideration the knowledge and
experience gained from other early childhood programs,
including programs under the Comprehensive Child Development
Act, and from migrant Head Start programs that serve a large
number of infants and toddlers.
``(2) Standards.--Not later than December 30, 1994, the
Secretary shall develop and publish performance standards for
programs assisted under this section, and a grant
announcement based on the guidelines developed under
paragraph (1).
``(3) Monitoring, training, technical assistance, and
evaluation.--In order to ensure the successful operation of
programs assisted under this section, the Secretary shall use
funds from the balance described in subsection (f) to monitor
the operation of such programs, evaluate their effectiveness,
and provide training and technical assistance tailored to the
particular needs of such programs.''.
``(b) Consolidation.--(1) in recognition that the
Comprehensive Child Development Centers Act has demonstrated
positive results, and that its purposes and functions have
been consolidated into section 645A of the Head Start Act,
the Comprehensive Child Development Centers Act of 1988 (42
U.S.C. 9801 note) and the Comprehensive Child Development Act
(42 U.S.C. 9881-9887) are repealed by paragraph (2).
(2)(A) Part E of title II of the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert
T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Amendments of
1988 (Public Law 100-297; 102 Stat. 325) is repealed.
(B) Subchapter F of chapter 8 of subtitle A of title VI of
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-
35; 42 U.S.C. 9801 note, et seq.) is repealed.
``(c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 638 of the Head Start
Act (42 U.S.C. 9833) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``(a)''; and
(2) by striking subsection (b).
SEC. 113. APPEALS, NOTICE, AND HEARING.
``(a) Mediation and Hearing for Disputes With Delegate
Agencies.--Section 646(a) (42 U.S.C. 9841(a)) is amended--
(1) at the end of paragraph (2), by striking ``and'';
(2) at the end of paragraph (3), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) the Secretary shall develop and publish procedures
(including mediation procedures) to be used in order to--
``(A) resolve in a timely manner conflicts potentially
leading to adverse action between--
``(i) recipients of financial assistance under this
subchapter; and
``(ii) delegate agencies or Head Start Parent Policy
Councils; and
``(B) avoid the need for an administrative hearing.''.
(b) Termination of Designation Not Stayed Pending Appeal.--
Section 646 (42 U.S.C. 9841) is amended by striking
subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) In prescribing procedures for the mediation described
in subsection (a)(4), the Secretary shall specify--
``(1) the date by which a Head Start agency engaged in a
conflict described in subsection (a)(4) will notify the
appropriate regional office of the Department of the
conflict;
``(2) a reasonable period for the mediation;
``(3) a timeline for an administrative hearing, if
necessary, to resolve the conflict; and
``(4) a timeline by which the person conducting the
administrative hearing shall issue a decision based on the
hearing.
``(c) In any case in which a termination, reduction, or
suspension of financial assistance under this subchapter is
upheld in an administrative hearing under this section, such
termination, reduction, or suspension shall not be stayed
pending any judicial appeal of such administrative decision.
``(d)(1) The Secretary shall by regulation specify a
process by which an Indian tribe may identify and establish
an alternative agency, and request that the alternative
agency be designated under section 641 as the Head Start
agency providing services to the tribe, if--
``(A) the Secretary terminates financial assistance under
section 646 to the only agency that was receiving financial
assistance to provide Head Start services to the Indian
tribe; and
``(B) the tribe would otherwise be precluded from providing
such services to the members of the tribe.
``(2) The regulation required by this subsection shall
prohibit such designation of an alternative agency that
includes an employee who--
``(A) served on the administrative staff or program staff
of the agency descried in paragraph (1)(A); and
``(B) was responsible for a deficiency that--
``(i) relates to the performance standards or financial
management standards described in section 641A9a)(1); and
``(ii) was the basis for the termination of financial
assistance described in paragraph (1)(A);
as determined by the Secretary after providing the notice and
opportunity described in subsection (a)(3).''.
SEC. 114. GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.
Section 648 (42 U.S.C. 9843) is amended--
(1) in the section heading to read as follows: ``technical
assistance and training'';
(2) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``Head Start
programs, including'' and inserting ``Head Start programs, in
accordance with the process, and the provisions for
allocating resources, set forth in subsections (b) and (c).
The Secretary shall provide, either directly or through
grants or other arrangements,'';
(3)(A) by redesignating the final sentence of subsection
(a), as amended by paragraph (2), as subsection (e);
(B) by transferring such subsection to the end of the
section; and
(C) by indenting such subsection and aligning the margins
of such subsection with the margins of subsection (d);
(4) by striking subsections (b) and (c);
(5) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) The process for determining the technical assistance
and training activities to be carried out under this section
shall--
``(1) ensure that the needs of local Head Start agencies
and programs relating to improving program quality and to
program expansion are addressed to the maximum extent
feasible; and
``(2) incorporate mechanisms to ensure responsiveness to
local needs, including an ongoing procedure for obtaining
input from the individuals and agencies carrying out Head
Start programs.
``(c) In allocating resources for technical assistance and
training under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(1) give priority consideration to activities to correct
program and management deficiencies identified through
reviews pursuant to section 641A(c) (including the provision
of assistance to local programs in the development of quality
improvement plans under section 641A(d)(2));
``(2) address the training and career development needs of
classroom staff (including instruction for providing services
to children with disabilities) and nonclassroom staff,
including home visitors and other staff working directly with
families, including training relating to increasing parent
involvement and services designed to increase family literacy
and improve parenting skills;
``(3) assist Head Start agencies and programs in conducting
and participating in communitywide strategic planning and
needs assessment;
``(4) assist Head Start agencies and programs in developing
full-working-day and full-calendar-year programs and making
the transition to such programs, with particular attention to
involving parents and programming for children throughout a
longer day;
``(5) assist Head Start agencies in better serving the
needs of families with very young children;
``(6) assist Head Start agencies and programs in the
development of sound management practices, including
financial management procedures; and
``(7) assist in efforts to secure and maintain adequate
facilities for Head Start programs.''; and
(6) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
``Special consideration shall be given to entities that have
demonstrated effectiveness in educational programming for
preschool children that includes components for parental
involvement, care provider training, and developmentally
appropriate related activities.''.
SEC. 115. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT.
The Head Start Act is amended by inserting after section
648 (42 U.S.C. 9843) the following:
``SEC. 648A. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT.
``(a) Classroom Teachers.--
``(1) Degree requirements.--The Secretary shall ensure that
not later than September 30, 1996, each Head Start classroom
in a center-based program is assigned one teacher who has--
``(A) a child development associate (CDA) credential that
is appropriate to the age of the children being served in
center-based programs; -
``(B) a State-awarded certificate for pre-school teachers
that meets or exceeds the requirements for a child
development associate credential;
``(C) an associate, a baccalaureate, or an advanced degree
in early childhood education; or
``(D) a degree in a field related to early childhood
education with experience in teaching preschool children and
a State-awarded certificate to teach in a preschool program.
``(2) Waiver.--On request, the Secretary shall grant a 180-
day waiver of the requirements of paragraph (1) with respect
to an individual who--
``(A) is first employed after September 30, 1996, by a Head
Start agency as a teacher for a Head Start classroom;
``(B) is enrolled in a program that grants any credential,
certificate, or degree specified in subparagraph (A), (B),
(C), or (D) of paragraph (1); and
``(C) will receive such credential under the terms of such
program not later than 180 days after beginning employment as
a teacher with such agency.
``(3) Limitation.--The Secretary may not grant more than
one such waiver with respect to such individual.
``(b) Mentor Teachers--
``(1) Definition; function.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `mentor teacher' means an individual
responsible for observing and assessing the classroom
activities of a Head Start program and providing on-the-job
guidance and training to the Head Start program staff and
volunteers, in order to improve the qualifications and
training of classroom staff, to maintain high quality
education services, and to promote career development, in
Head Start programs.
``(2) Requirement.--In order to assist Head Start agencies
in establishing positions for mentor teachers, the Secretary
shall--
``(A) provide technical assistance and training to enable
Head Start agencies to establish such positions;
``(B) give priority consideration, in providing assistance
pursuant to subparagraph (A), to Head Start programs that
have substantial numbers of new classroom staff, that are
experiencing difficulty in meeting applicable education
standards, or that lack staff able to communicate in the
languages of participating children and their families;
``(C) encourage Head Start programs to give priority
consideration for such positions to Head Start teachers at
the appropriate level of career advancement in such programs;
and
``(D) promote the development of model curricula, designed
to ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies by
individuals working, or planning to work, in the field of
early childhood development and family services.
``(c) Family Service Workers.--In order to improve the
quality and effectiveness of staff providing in-home and
other services (including needs assessment, development of
service plans, family advocacy, and coordination of service
delivery) to families of children participating in Head Start
programs, the Secretary, in coordination with concerned
public and private agencies and organizations examining the
issues of standards and training for family service workers,
shall--
``(1) review and, as necessary, revise or develop new
qualification standards for Head Start staff providing such
services;
``(2) promote the development of model curricula (on
subjects including parenting training and family literacy)
designed to ensure the attainment of appropriate cometencies
by individuals working or planning to work in the field of
early childhood and family services; and
``(3) promote the establishment of a credential that
indicates attainment of the competencies and that is accepted
nationwide.
``(d) Head Start Fellowships.--
``(1) Authority.--The Secretary may establish a program of
fellowships, to be known as `Head Start Fellowship', in
accordance with this subsection. The Secretary may award the
fellowships to individuals, to be known as `Head Start
Fellows', who are staff in local Head Start programs or other
individuals working in the field of child development and
family services.
``(2) Purpose.--The fellowship program established under
this subsection shall be designed to enhance the ability of
Head Start Fellows to make significant contributions to
programs authorized under this subchapter, by providing
opportunities to expand their knowledge and experience
through exposure to activities, issues, resources, and new
approaches, in the field of child development and family
services.
``(3) Assignments of fellows.--
``(A) Placement sites.--Fellowship positions under the
fellowship program may be located (subject to subparagraphs
(B) and (C))--
``(i) in agencies of the Department of Health and Human
Services administering programs authorized under this
subchapter (in national or regional offices of such
agencies);
``(ii) in local Head Start agencies and programs;
``(iii) in institutions of higher education;
``(iv) in public or private entities and organizations
concerned with services to children and families; and
``(v) in other appropriate settings.
``(B) Limitation for fellows other than head start
employees.--A Head Start Fellow who is not an employee of a
local Head Start agency or program may be placed only in a
fellowship position located in an agency or program specified
in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A).
``(C) No placement in lobbying organizations.--Head Start
Fellowship positions may not be located in any agency whose
primary purpose, or one of whose major purposes, is to
influence Federal, State, or local legislation.
``(4) Selection of fellows.--Head Start Fellowships shall
be awarded on a competitive basis to individuals (other than
Federal employees) selected from among applicants who are
working, on the date of application, in local Head Start
programs or otherwise working in the field of child
development and children and family services.
``(5) Duration.--Head Start Fellowships shall be for terms
of 1 year, and may be renewed for a term of 1 additional
year.
``(6) Authorized expenditures.--From amounts appropriated
under this subchapter and allotted under section
640(a)(2)(D), the Secretary is authorized to make
expenditures of not to exceed $1,000,000 for any fiscal year,
for stipends and other reasonable expenses of the fellowship
program.
``(7) Status of fellows.--Except as otherwise provided in
this paragraph, Head Start Fellows shall not be considered to
be employees or otherwise in the service or employment of the
Federal Government. Head Start Fellows shall be considered to
be employees for purposes of compensation for injuries under
chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code. Head Start Fellows
assigned to positions located in agencies specified in
paragraph (3)(A)(i) shall be considered employees in the
executive branch of the Federal Government for the purposes
of chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, and for
purposes of any administrative standards of conduct
applicable to the employees of the agency to which they are
assigned.
``(8) Regulations.--The Secretary shall promulgate
regulations to carry out this subsection.
``(e) Model Staffing Plans.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary, in
consultation with appropriate public agencies, private
agencies, and organizations and with individuals with
expertise in the field of children and family services
(including services to non-English language background
children and their families), shall develop model staffing
plans to provide guidance to local Head Start agencies and
programs on the numbers, types, responsibilities, and
qualifications of staff required to operate a Head Start
program.''.
SEC. 116. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, EVALUATION.
Section 649 (42 U.S.C. 9844) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 649. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION.
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Requirement; general purposes.--The Secretary shall
carry out a continuing program of research, demonstration,
and evaluation activities, in order to--
``(A) foster continuous improvement in the quality of the
Head Start programs under this subchapter and in their
effectiveness in enabling participating children and their
families to succeed in school and otherwise; and
``(B) use the Head Start programs to develop, test, and
disseminate new ideas and approaches for addressing the needs
of low-income preschool children (including children with
disabilities) and their families and communities, and
otherwise to further the purposes of this subchapter.
``(2) Plan.--The Secretary shall develop, and periodically
update, a plan governing the research, demonstration, and
evaluation activities under this section.
``(b) Conduct of Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation
Activities.--The Secretary, in order to conduct research,
demonstration, and evaluation activities under this section--
``(1) may carry out such activities directly, or through
grants to, or contracts or cooperative agreements with,
public or private entities;
``(2) shall, to the extent appropriate, undertake such
activities in collaboration with other Federal agencies, and
with non-Federal agencies, conducting similar activities;
``(3) shall ensure that evaluation of activities in a
specific program or project is conducted by persons not
directly involved in the operation of such program or
project;
``(4) may require Head Start agencies to provide for
independent evaluations;
``(5) may approve, in appropriate cases, community-based
cooperative research and evaluation efforts to enable Head
Start programs to collaborate with qualified researchers not
directly involved in program administration or operation; and
``(6) may collaborate with organizations with expertise in
inclusive educational strategies for preschoolers with
disabilities.
``(c) Consultation and Collaboration.--In carrying out
activities under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(1) consult with--
``(A) individuals from relevant academic disciplines;
``(B) individuals who are involved in the operation of Head
Start programs and individuals who are involved in the
operation of other child and family service programs; and
``(C) individuals from other Federal agencies, and
individuals from organizations, involved with children and
families, ensuring that the individuals described in this
subparagraph reflect the multicultural nature of the children
and families served by the Head Start programs and the
multidisciplinary nature of the Head Start programs;
``(2) whenever feasible and appropriate, obtain the views
of persons participating in and served by programs and
projects assisted under this subchapter with respect to
activities under this section; and
``(3) establish, to the extent appropriate, working
relationships with the faculties of institutions of higher
education, as defined in section 1201(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)), located in the
area in which any evaluation under this section is being
conducted, unless there is no such institution of higher
education willing and able to participate in such evaluation.
``(d) Specific Objectives.--The research, demonstration,
and evaluation activities under this subchapter shall include
components designed to--
``(1) permit ongoing assessment of the quality and
effectiveness of the programs under this subchapter;
``(2) contribute to developing knowledge concerning factors
associated with the quality and effectiveness of Head Start
programs and in identifying ways in which services provided
under this subchapter may be improved;
``(3) assist in developing knowledge concerning the factors
that promote or inhibit healthy development and effective
functioning of children and their families both during and
following participation in a Head Start program;
``(4) permit comparisons of children and families
participating in Head Start programs with children and
families receiving other child care, early childhood
education, or child development services and with other
appropriate control groups;
``(5) contribute to understanding the characteristics and
needs of population groups eligible for services provided
under this subchapter and the impact of such services on the
individuals served and the communities in which such services
are provided;
``(6) provide for disseminating and promoting the use of
the findings from such research, demonstration, and
evaluation activities; and
``(7) promote exploration of areas in which knowledge is
insufficient, and that will otherwise contribute to
fulfilling the purposes of this subchapter.
``(e) Longitudinal Studies.--In developing priorities for
research, demonstration, and evaluation activities under this
section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to
longitudinal studies that--
``(1) examine the developmental progress of children and
their families both during and following participation in a
Head Start program, including the examination of factors that
contribute to or detract from such progress;
``(2) examine factors related to improving the quality of
the Head Start programs and the preparation the programs
provide for children and their families to function
effectively in schools and other settings in the years
following participation in such a program; and
``(3) as appropriate, permit comparison of children and
families participating in Head Start programs with children
and families receiving other child care, early childhood
education, or child development services, and with other
appropriate control groups.
``(f) Ownership of Results.--The Secretary shall take
necessary steps to ensure that all studies, reports,
proposals, and data produced or developed with Federal funds
under this subchapter shall become the property of the United
States.''.
SEC. 117. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVALUATIONS.
Section 650 (42 U.S.C. 9845) is repealed.
SEC. 118. REPORTS.
(a) In general.--Section 651 (42 U.S.C. 9846) is amended--
(1) by striking the section heading and all that follows
through subsection (f) and inserting:
``SEC. 651. REPORTS.'';
(2) by striking ``(g)'';
(3) in paragraph (10), by striking ``evaluations conducted
under section 641(c)(2)'' and inserting ``monitoring
conducted under section 641A(c)''; and
(4)(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (11);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding after paragraph (12) the following:
``(13) a summary of information concerning the research,
demonstration, and evaluation activities conducted under
section 649, including--
``(A) a status report on ongoing activities; and
``(B) results, conclusions, and recommendations, not
included in any previous report, based on completed
activities; and
``(14) a study of the availability and delivery of Head
Start programs to Indian children living on and near Indian
reservations and to children of migrant and seasonal
farmworkers, including estimates of the percentages of such
children being served by Head Start programs.''.
(b) Redesignation.--Section 651 is redesignated as section
650.
SEC. 119. REPEALS.
Sections 651A and 652 (42 U.S.C. 9846a and 9847) are
repealed.
SEC. 120. CONSULTATION WITH THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE.
The Act is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 657A. CONSULTATION WITH THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL
AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
``The Secretary shall consult with the Chief Executive
Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service
regarding the dissemination of information about the
Corporation's programs, to programs that receive funds under
this subchapter.''.
SEC. 121. STUDY OF BENEFITS FOR HEAD START EMPLOYEES.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall conduct a study regarding the benefits available to
individuals employed by Head Start agencies under the Head
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
(b) Report.--
(1) Preparation.--The Secretary shall prepare a report,
containing the results of the study, that--
(A) describes the benefits, including health care benefits,
family and medical leave, and retirement pension benefits,
available to such individuals; and
(B) includes recommendations for increasing the access of
the individuals to benefits, including access to a retirement
pension program.
(2) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit the report to
the appropriate committees of Congress.
SEC. 122. STUDY OF FULL-DAY AND FULL-YEAR HEAD START
PROGRAMS.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall conduct a study of the extent to which Head Start
programs are addressing the need for child care services
during a full working day or full calendar year among
eligible low-income families with preschool children.
(b) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit a
report to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human
Resources of the Senate not later than January 1996,
containing the results of the study that--
(1) describes the number of full-day, full-year Head Start
programs and the number of children served in such program or
provided full-day or full-year services through arrangements
with other service providers;
(2) compares the number of children in full-day or full-
year Head Start programs with the need for full-day or full-
year care among such families;
(3) identifies the barriers to meeting the need for full-
day, full-year care among such families;
(4) describes promising models currently employed by Head
Start programs for meeting such needs both directly and
through arrangements with other service providers; and
(5) makes recommendations on how the child care needs of
families with children enrolled in Head Start programs may be
addressed.
SEC. 123. STATE DEPENDENT CARE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
Section 670A of the State Dependent Care Development Grants
Act (42 U.S.C. 9871) is amended by striking ``are authorized
to be appropriated'' and all that follows and inserting ``is
authorized to be appropriated $13,000,000 for fiscal year
1995.''.
SEC. 124. REAUTHORIZATION OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1985.
Section 606 of the Child Development Associate Scholarship
Assistance Act of 1985 (42 U.S.C. 10905) is amended by
striking ``$1,500,000'' and all that follows and inserting
``to carry out this title such sums as may be necessary for
fiscal year 1995.''.
SEC. 125. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Head Start Transition Project Act.--Section 133(a) of
the Head Start Transition Project Act is amended by striking
``639(c)'' and inserting ``639(b)''.
(b) Social Security Act.--Section 1924(d)(3)(A)(i) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5(d)(3)(A)(i)) is
amended by striking ``sections 652 and 673(2)'' and inserting
``section 673(2)''.
SEC. 126. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.
(a) Effective Date.--This title, and the amendments made by
this title, shall take effect on the date of enactment of
this title.
(b) Application.--The requirements of this title and the
amendments made by this title shall not apply to Head Start
agencies and other recipients of financial assistance under
the Head Start Act with respect to fiscal years ending before
October 1, 1994.
TITLE II--COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT AMENDMENTS
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE AND REFERENCES.
(a) Short Title.--This title may be cited as the
``Community Services Block Grant Amendments of 1994''.
(b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided,
whenever in this title an amendment or repeal is expressed in
terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.).
SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Authorization of Appropriation.--Subsection (b) of
section 672 (42 U.S.C. 9901(b)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(b) There are authorized to be appropriated $525,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as may be necessary for
each of fiscal years 1996 through 1998, to carry out this
subtitle.''.
(b) State Allocations.--Section 674 (42 U.S.C. 9903) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b) and (c) as
subsections (b), (c) and (d), respectively; and
(2) by inserting before subsection (b) (as so
redesignated), the following:
``(a)(1) Of the amounts appropriated for a fiscal year
pursuant to section 672(b), the Secretary may reserve not
less than one-half of 1 percent and not more than 1 percent
for training, technical assistance, planning, and evaluation
activities related to programs or projects carried out under
this subtitle. Such activities may be carried out by the
Secretary directly or through grants, contracts, or
cooperative agreements.
``(2) The process for determining the technical assistance
and training activities to be carried out under this section
shall--
``(A) ensure the needs of eligible entities relating to the
improving program quality are addressed to the maximum extend
feasible; and
``(B) incorporate mechanisms to ensure responsiveness to
local needs, including an ongoing procedure for obtaining
input from the community action State and national network as
well as community development corporation national and State
organizations.
``(3) In allocating resources for technical assistance and
training under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(A) assist eligible entities in the development of sound
management practices, including financial management
practices; and
``(B) consistent with the availability of funds, respond to
the training requests and concerns of community development
corporations, community action agencies and programs.''.
(c) Applications and Requirements.--
(1) Form and assurances.--Section 675(a) (42 U.S.C.
9904(a)) is amended by inserting ``or significant amendments
thereof'' before ``shall contain assurances''.
(2) Use of funds.--Section 675(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 9904(c)(1))
is amended by striking ``use the funds available under this
subtitle'' and inserting ``ensure that, at its discretion and
consistent with agreements with the State, each recipient of
funds available under this subtitle will use such funds''.
(3) Assured activities.--Section 675(c)(1)(B) (42 U.S.C.
9904(c)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting ``homeless individuals
and families, migrants, and'' before ``the elderly poor''.
(4) State responsibilities.--Section 675(c)(2)(B) (42
U.S.C. 9904(c)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
``(B) if less than 100 percent of the allotment is expended
under subparagraph (A), provide assurances that with respect
to the remainder of the allotment a reasonable amount shall
be used for--
``(i) providing training and technical assistance to those
entities in need of such assistance and such activities will
not be considered administrative expenses;
``(ii) coordinating State-operated programs and services
targeted to low-income children and families with services
provided by eligible entities funded under this subtitle,
including outposting where appropriate State or local public
employees into entities funded under this subtitle to ensure
increased access to services provided by such State or local
agencies;
``(iii) supporting statewide coordination and communication
among eligible entities;
``(iv) administrative expenses at the State level,
including monitoring activities, but not more than the
greater of $55,000 or 5 percent of allotment under section
674; and
``(v) considering the distribution of funds under this
subtitle within the State to determine if such funds have
been targeted to the areas of greatest need.''.
(5) Tripartite board.--Section 675(c)(3) (42 U.S.C.
9904(c)(3)) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), respectively;
(B) by striking the comma after ``provide assurances that''
and inserting ``(A)''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following: ``and
``(B) in the case of public organization receiving funds
under this subtitle, such organization either establish--
``(i) a board of which at least one-third of the members
are persons chosen in accordance with democratic selection
procedures adequate to assure that they are representative of
the poor in the area served; or
``(ii) another mechanism specified by the State to assure
low-income citizen participation in the planning,
administration, and evaluation of projects for which such
organization has been funded;''.
(d) Community Action Agency Plan.--Section 675(c) (42
U.S.C. 9904(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (11)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iii) of
subparagraph (A) as items (i) through (iii), respectively;
(B) by realigning the margin of the sentence beginning with
``For purposes of'' so as to align with paragraph (A) of
paragraph (1);
(C) by striking ``For purposes of'' and inserting ``(A) For
purposes of'';
(D) by striking ``(A) a statewide'' and inserting ``(i) a
statewide'';
(E) by striking ``(B) the failure'' and inserting ``(ii)
the failure'';
(F) by inserting immediately before paragraph (12) the
following:
``(B) for purposes of making a determination with respect
to a termination, the term `cause' includes the material
failure of an eligible entity to comply with the terms of its
agreement and community action plan to provide services under
this subtitle;''.
(2) in paragraph (12) by striking the period and inserting
a semicolon; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:
``(13) secure from each eligible entity as a condition to
its receipt of funding under this subtitle a community action
plan (which shall be available to the Secretary for
inspection) that includes--
``(A) a community needs assessment (including food needs);
``(B) a description of the service delivery system targeted
to low-income individuals and families in the service area;
``(C) a description of how linkages will be developed to
fill identified gaps in services through information,
referral, case management, and followup consultations;
``(D) a description of how funding under this Act will be
coordinated with other public and private resources; and
``(E) a description of outcome measures to be used to
monitor success in promoting self-sufficiency, family
stability, and community revitalization; and
``(14) provide assurances that cost and accounting
standards of the Office of Management and Budget shall apply
to a recipient of funds under this subtitle.''.
(e) Public Inspections of Plans.--Section 675(d)(2) (42
U.S.C. 9904(d)(2)) is amended by inserting ``or revision''
after ``Each plan''.
(f) Audits.--The last sentence of section 675(f) (45 U.S.C.
9904(f)) is amended by inserting before ``to the
legislature'' the following: ``to the eligible entity at no
charge,''.
(g) Evaluation Involving Waivers.--Section 675(h) (42
U.S.C. 9904(h)) is amended by inserting ``(including any
State that received a waiver under Public Law 98-139)'' after
``States'' the last place it appears.
SEC. 203. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.
(a) Training and Activities.--Section 681(a) (42 U.S.C.
9910(a)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``to
provide for--'' and all that follows through ``(2)'' and
inserting ``to provide for''; and
(2) by striking ``special emphasis programs for--'' and all
that follows through paragraph (3), and inserting the
following:
``a Community Initiative Program, awarded on a competitive
basis, to fund private, nonprofit community development
corporations for purposes of planning and carrying out
community and economic development activities in economically
distressed areas and in rural areas, as described in
subsection (c).''.
(b) Community Initiative Program.--Subsection (b) of
section 681 (42 U.S.C. 9910) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Community Initiative Program.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Economic development activities.--Economic
development activities under this section shall be designed
to address the economic needs of low-income individuals and
families by creating employment and business development
opportunities.
``(B) Consultation.--The Secretary shall exercise the
authority provided under subparagraph (A) in consultation
with other relevant Federal officials.
``(C) Governing boards.--Each community development
corporation receiving funds under this section shall be
governed by a board that shall consist of residents of the
community and business and civic leaders and shall have as a
principal purpose planning, developing or managing community
development projects.
``(D) Geographic distribution.--In providing assistance or
entering into other arrangements under this section, the
Secretary shall take into consideration the geographic
distribution of funds among States and the relative
proportion of funding among rural and urban areas.
``(2) Rural community development activities.--Rural
community development activities under this section shall
include--
``(A) grants to private, nonprofit corporations that
provide assistance to rural low-income families in home
repair and in planning and developing low-income rural rental
housing units;
``(B) grants to multistate, regional private, nonprofit
organizations that provide training and technical assistance
to small, rural communities in meeting their community
facility needs; and
``(C) grants to nonprofit private organizations that
provide assistance for migrants and seasonal farmworkers.''.
SEC. 204. COMMUNITY FOOD AND NUTRITION.
Subsection (d) of section 681A (42 U.S.C. 9910a(d)) is
amended to read as follows:
``(d) There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as may be necessary for
each of fiscal years 1996 through 1998, to carry out this
section.''.
SEC. 205. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR LOW-INCOME YOUTH.
The Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 682 and 683 as sections 683
and 684, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 681 the following:
``SEC. 682. NATIONAL OR REGIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR LOW-INCOME YOUTH.
``(a) General Authority.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services is authorized to make a grant to an eligible service
provider to administer national or regional programs to
provide instructional activities for low-income youth. In
making such a grant, the Secretary shall give a priority to
eligible service providers that have a demonstrated ability
to operate such a program.
``(b) Program Requirements.--
``(1) Any instructional activity carried out by an eligible
service provider receiving a grant under this subsection
shall be carried out on the campus of an institution of
higher education (as defined in section 1201(a) of the Higher
Education Act) and shall include--
``(A) access to the facilities and resources of such an
institution;
``(B) an initial medical examination and follow-up referral
or treatment, without charge, for youth during their
participation in such activity;
``(C) at least one nutritious meal daily, without charge,
for participating youth during each day of participation;
``(D) high quality instruction in a variety of sports (that
shall include swimming and that may include dance and any
other high quality recreational activity) provided by coaches
and teachers from institutions of higher education and from
elementary and secondary schools (as defined in sections
1471(8) and 1471(21) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965); and
``(E) enrichment instruction and information on matters
relating to the well-being of youth, to include educational
opportunities and study practices, education for the
prevention of drugs and alcohol abuse, health and nutrition,
career opportunities and family and job responsibilities.
``(c) Eligible Providers.--A national private non-profit
organization, a coalition of such organizations, or a private
nonprofit organization applying jointly with a business
concern shall be eligible for a grant under this subsection
if--
``(1) the applicant has demonstrated experience in
operating a program providing instruction to low-income
youth;
``(2) the applicant shall contribute amounts in cash or
fairly evaluated in kind of no less than 25 percent of the
amount requested;
``(3) the applicant shall use no funds from a grant
authorized under this section for administrative expenses;
and
``(4) the applicant agrees to comply with the regulations
or program guidelines promulgated by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services for use of funds made available by this
grant.
``(d) Applications Process.--Eligible service providers may
submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for
approval, an application in such form at such time as the
Secretary deems appropriate.
``(e) Promulgation of Regulations or Program Guidelines.--
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall promulgate
regulations or program guidelines to ensure funds made
available under a grant made under this section are used in
accordance with the intentions of this Act.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $15,000,000 for each fiscal year 1995,
1996, 1997, and 1998 for grants to carry out this section.''.
SEC. 206. AMENDMENT TO STEWART B. McKINNEY HOMELESS
ASSISTANCE ACT.
The last section of subtitle D of title VII of the Stewart
B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11646) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``SEC. 751.'' and by inserting ``SEC.
754.'', and
(2) by striking ``1991'' and all that follows through
``1993'', and inserting ``1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998''.
SEC. 207. AMENDMENTS TO THE HUMAN SERVICES REAUTHORIZATION
ACT OF 1986.
Section 408 of the Human Services Reauthorization Act of
1986 (42 U.S.C. 9901b) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by adding at the end of the
following:
``(3) Initial and subsequent grant awards may fully fund
projects for periods of up to 3 years.'';
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(B) by striking ``After the first
fiscal year'' and inserting ``After the first funding
period'';
(3) by amending subsection (c)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In addition to the grant programs described in
subsection (a), the Secretary may make grants to community
action agencies for the purpose of enabling such agencies to
demonstrate new approaches to dealing with the problems
associated with urban gangs or similar antisocial activities
of urban youth. Demonstrations shall include such activities
as peer counseling, mentoring, development of job skills,
assistance with social skills, antigang education, family
literacy, parenting skills, and other services designed to
assist at-risk youth to continue their education, to secure
meaningful employment, or to pursue other productive
alternatives to joining gangs or engaging in any other form
of anti-social activity.''; and
(B) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
``(4) Such grants made under this subsection on a
competitive basis shall be based on an annual competition
determined by the Secretary. Grants made under this
subsection shall not exceed $500,000.''; and
(4) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--(1) There are
authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year
1995, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years
1996, 1997, 1997, and 1998, to carry out this section.
``(2) Of the amounts appropriated for this section not less
than 30 percent shall be used to carry out the programs
authorized under subsection (c).
``(3) In addition to sums which are required to carry out
the evaluation, reporting, and dissemination of results under
subsections (a), (c), (d), and (f), the Secretary is
authorized to reserve up to 2 percent of the amounts
appropriated pursuant to subparagraphs (1) and (2) for
administration of the program as well as for planning and
technical assistance.''.
SEC. 208. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This title, and the amendments made by this title, shall
take effect on October 1, 1994.
TITLE III--LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE AMENDMENTS
SECTION 301. SHORT TITLE AND REFERENCES.
(a) Short Title.--This title may be cited as the ``Low-
Income Home Energy Assistance Amendments of 1994''.
(b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided,
whenever in this title an amendment or repeal is expressed in
terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.).
SEC. 302. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
Section 2602(a) (42 U.S.C. 8621(a)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(a) In order to assist low-income households,
particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high
proportion of their income for home energy, both in meeting
their immediate home energy needs, and in attaining the
capacity to meet such needs independently in the future, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services may make grants to
States for programs and activities consistent with this
title.''.
SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Amounts Authorized.--Section 2602 (42 U.S.C. 8621) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ``this title'' and all
that follows through the end of the first sentence and
inserting ``this title, $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 1995,
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years
1996 through 1999.''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``(1)'';
(ii) by striking ``July 1'' and inserting ``October 1'';
and
(iii) by striking ``for which'' and inserting ``following
the year in which''; and
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);
(b) Incentive Program for Leveraging Non-Federal Sources.--
Subsection (d) of section 2602 (42 U.S.C. 8621(d)) is amended
to read as follows:
``(d) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
section 2607A, $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1995
and 1996, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 1997 through 1999.''.
SEC. 304. EMERGENCY FUNDS.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2602 (42
U.S.C. 8621), as amended by section 303, is amended by adding
at the end thereof the following:
``(e) There is authorized to be appropriated in each fiscal
year for payments under this title, in addition to amounts
appropriated for distribution to all the States in accordance
with section 2604 (other than subsection (g)), $600,000,000
to meet the additional home energy assistance needs of one or
more States arising from a natural disaster or other
emergency. Funds appropriated pursuant to this subsection are
hereby designated to be emergency requirements pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such funds shall be
made available only after the submission to Congress of a
formal budget request by the President (for all or a part of
the appropriation pursuant to this subsection) that includes
a designation of the amount requested as an emergency
requirement as defined in such Act.''.
(b) Home Energy.--Section 2603 (42 U.S.C. 8622(3)) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5),
(6), and (7) as paragraphs (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and
(9), respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(1) The term `energy burden' means the expenditures of
the household for home energy divided by the income of the
household.''; and
(3) by inserting before paragraph (4), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(3) The term `highest home energy needs' means the home
energy requirements of a household determined by taking into
account both the energy burden of such household and the
unique situation of such household that results from having
members of vulnerable populations, including very young
children, individuals with disabilities, and frail older
individuals.''.
(c) Allotment of Emergency Funds.--Section 2604 (42 U.S.C.
8623) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(g) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (f), the
Secretary may allot amounts appropriated pursuant to section
2602(e) to one or more than one State. In determining to
which State or States additional funds may be allotted, the
Secretary shall take into account the extent to which a State
was affected by the emergency or disaster, the availability
to an affected State of other resources under this or any
other program, and such other factors as the Secretary
determines relevant. The Secretary shall notify Congress of
the proposed allotment pursuant to this subsection before
releasing the allotted funds.''.
SEC. 305. AUTHORIZED USES OF FUNDS.
(a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of section 2605(b) (42
U.S.C. 8624(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) use the funds available under this title to--
``(A) conduct outreach activities and provide assistance to
low income households in meeting their home energy costs,
particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high
proportion of household income for home energy, consistent
with paragraph (5);
``(B) intervene in energy crisis situations;
``(C) provide low-cost residential weatherization and other
cost-effective energy-related home repair; and
(D) plan, develop, and administer the State's program under
this title including leveraging programs,
and the State agrees not to use such funds for any purposes
other than those specified in this title;''.
(b) Encouraged Reduced Home Energy Needs.--Section 2605(b)
(42 U.S.C. 8624(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (14) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (15), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following:
``(16) use such funds, at its option, to provide services
that encourage and enable households to reduce their home
energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance,
including needs assessments, counseling, and assistance with
energy vendors.''.
SEC. 306. TARGETING OF ASSISTANCE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH HIGH
HOME ENERGY BURDENS.
(a) House Income.--Section 2605(b)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C.
8624(b)(2)(B)) is amended by striking the matter following
clause (ii) and inserting the following:
``except that a State may not exclude a household from
eligibility in a fiscal year solely on the basis of household
income if such income is less than 110 percent of the poverty
level for such State, but the State may give priority to
those households with the highest home energy costs or needs
in relation to household income;''.
(b) Outreach Activities.--Section 2605(b)(3) (42 U.S.C.
8624(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``are made aware'' and
inserting ``and households with high home energy burdens, are
made aware''.
(c) Assistance Levels.--Section 2605(b)(5) (42 U.S.C.
8624(b)(5)) is amended by inserting ``or needs'' after
``highest energy costs''.
(d) State Plan.--Section 2605(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 8624(c)(1))
is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as
subparagraphs (F) and (H), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
``(E) describes any steps that will be taken (in addition
to those necessary to carry out the assurance contained in
paragraph (5) of subsection (b)) to target assistance to
households with high home energy burdens;''.
SEC. 307. CLARIFICATION OF AUDIT REQUIREMENT.
Section 2605 (42 U.S.C. 8624) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(10), by striking ``and provide that''
and all that follows and inserting ``and provide that the
State will comply with chapter 75 of title 31, United States
Code (commonly known as the `Single Audit Act');''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``at least every two
years'' and all that follows and inserting ``in accordance
with chapter 75 of title 31, United States Code.''.
SEC. 308. USE OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WEATHERIZATION RULES TO
ACHIEVE PROGRAM CONSISTENCY.
Section 2605(c)(1)(D) (42 U.S.C. 8624(c)(1)(D) is amended
by inserting before the semicolon at the end thereof the
following: ``, including any steps the State will take to
address the weatherization and energy-related home repair
needs of households that have high home energy burdens, and
describes any rules promulgated by the Department of Energy
for administration of its Low Income Weatherization
Assistance Program which the State, to the extent permitted
by the Secretary to increase consistency between federally
assisted programs, will follow regarding the use of funds
provided under this title by the State for such
weatherization and energy-related home repairs and
improvements''.
SEC. 309. MATTERS TO BE DESCRIBED IN ANNUAL APPLICATION.
Section 2605(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 8624(c)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (F) (as so redesignated by section
306(d) of this Act)--
(A) by striking ``and (13)'' and inserting ``(13), and
(15)''; and
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end thereof; and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (F) (as so redesignated
by section 306(d) of this Act), the following:
``(G) states, with respect to the 12-month period specified
by the Secretary, the number and income levels of households
which apply and the number which are assisted with funds
provided under this title, and the number of households so
assisted with--
``(i) one or more members who has attained 60 years of age;
``(ii) one or more members who were disabled; and
``(iii) one or more young children; and''.
SEC. 310. REPORT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR OBLIGATION.
Section 2607(a) (42 U.S.C. 8628(a)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' after the subsection designation;
and
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(2) Each State shall notify the Secretary, not later than
2 months prior to the close of a fiscal year, of the amount
(if any) of its allotment for such year that will not be
obligated in such year, and. if such State elects to submit a
request described in subsection (b)(2), such State shall
submit such request at the same time. The Secretary shall
make no payment under paragraph (1) to a State for a fiscal
year unless the State has complied with this paragraph with
respect to the prior fiscal year.''.
SEC. 311. MISCELLANEOUS AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
(A) In General.--
(1) Treatment of households.--Section 2605b)(7)(D) (42
U.S.C. 8624(b)(7)(D)) us amended to read as follows:
``(D) ensure that the provision of vendored payments
remains at the option of the State in consultation with local
grantees and may be contingent on vendors taking appropriate
measures to alleviate the energy burdens of eligible
households, including providing for compacts between
suppliers and individuals eligible for benefits under this
title that seek to reduce home energy costs, minimize the
risks of home energy crisis, and encourage regular payments
by individuals receiving financial assistance for home energy
costs;''.
(2) Incentive program.--Section 2607A(e) (42 U.S.C.
8626a(e)) is amended by striking ``July 31, of each year''
and inserting ``2 months after the close of the fiscal year
during which the State provided leveraged resources to
eligible households, as described in subsection (b)''.
(3) Training and technical assistance.--Section 2609A(a) is
amended by striking ``$500,000'' and inserting ``$250,000''.
(b) Technical Amendments.--
(1) Section 2602 (42 U.S.C. 8621) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), as amended by section 303 of this
Act--
(i) by inserting ``(other than section 2607A)'' after ``to
carry out the provisions of this title''; and
(ii) by striking the second period at the end thereof; and
(B) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ``Act'' and inserting
``title''.
(2) Section 2603(2) (42 U.S.C. 8622(2)), as amended by
section 304 of this Act, is amended--
(A) by striking ``(4) the'' and inserting ``(4) The''; and
(B) by striking the semicolon at the end thereof and
inserting a period.
(3) Section 2604 (42 U.S.C. 8223) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(1) by inserting ``of the United
States'' after ``Virgin Islands''; and
(B) in subsection (c)(B)(3)(ii) by striking ``application''
and inserting ``applications''.
(4) The sentence that immediately precedes paragraph (15)
of section 2605(b) (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)) is transferred so as
to appear as a flush sentence immediately after paragraph
(16).
(5) Section 2605(b)(3) (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)(3)) is amended by
striking ``handicapped'' and inserting ``disabled''.
(6) Section 2607A(c)(2) (42 U.S.C. 8626a(c)(2)) is amended
by striking ``.0008 percent'' and inserting ``0.08 percent''.
(7) Section 2610(a) (42 U.S.C. 8629(a)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking the semicolon after
``used'' and inserting a semicolon after ``title''; and
(B) in paragraph (5)--
(i) by striking ``handicapped'' and inserting ``disabled'';
and
(ii) by inserting before the semicolon at the end thereof
``or include young children''.
(c) Criteria and Report.--Section 2605(b) (42 U.S.C.
8624(b)), as amended by subsection (b) of this section, is
amended by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary
shall develop performance goals and measurements in
consultation with State, tribal, and local grantees, that the
States may use to assess their success in achieving the
purposes of this title and shall, beginning in 1996, makes
such goals and measurements available together with the model
plan required by paragraph (3). Not later than 18 months
after the date of the enactment of this sentence, the
Secretary shall report to the committees of the House of
Representatives and of the Senate that have jurisdiction of
this title, on the manner in which, and the degree to which
State and local energy assistance programs carried out under
this title are meeting the purposes of this title and on any
improvements or changes necessary to accelerate the
achievement of these goals. The Secretary may not require
additional program or client data to be collected by grantees
for such report.''.
SEC. 312. RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE CHALLENGE OPTION
(R.E.A.C.H.).
The Act is amended by inserting after section 2607A the
following:
``SEC. 2607B. RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE CHALLENGE OPTION
(R.E.A.C.H.).
``(a) For fiscal year 1996, and each subsequent fiscal
year, the Secretary shall allocate not less than 5 percent of
the amount appropriated under section 2607A for such fiscal
year to a Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Fund for
the purpose of making challenge grants to States that submit
qualifying plans that are approved by the Secretary for a
Residential Energy Assistance Challenge (in this section
referred to as `R.E.A.Ch.') initiative in such State. States
may use such grants--
``(1) for the costs of planning, implementing, and
evaluating the initiative; and
``(2) for the costs of achieving performance goals
including the long-term reduction of the energy burden
program dependency of households eligible for, or receiving,
energy assistance under this title, and those goals set out
in subsection (b) of the initiative established by the States
and approved by the Secretary.
``(b) The Secretary shall establish criteria for approving
State plans required by subsection (a). Such criteria shall
require such plans to include the following goals:
``(1) To minimize health and safety risks that result from
high energy burdens on low-income Americans.
``(2) To prevent homelessness as a result of inability to
pay energy bills.
``(3) To increase the efficiency of energy usage by low-
income families.
``(4) To target energy assistance to those most in need.
``(5) To encourage eventual energy self-sufficiency for
low-income persons.
``(c)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may
not approve a State plan submitted under such subsection
unless such plan includes provisions acceptable to the
Secretary with respect to each of the required program
elements specified in subsection (d).
``(2) The Secretary may require a State to provide
appropriate documentation that its R.E.A.Ch. activities
conforms to the State plan as approved by the Secretary.
``(3) Subject to approval by the Secretary, a State plan
may include benefits and services in addition to those
required program elements specified in subsection (d) that
are consistent with the purpose of this title and the
R.E.A.Ch. Challenge Option.
``(4) A State may designate all or part of the State, or
all or part of the client population, as the focus of its
R.E.A.Ch. initiative.
``(d) Each State plan submitted under subsection (a) shall
include the following:
``(1)(A) An assurance that such State will provide
R.E.A.Ch. services will be delivered through community-based
nonprofit entities in such State by--
``(i) making grants to or contracts with such entities for
the purpose of providing such services and benefits directly
to individuals eligible for such services and benefits; or
``(ii) if a State makes payments directly to eligible
individuals or energy suppliers, making contracts with such
local entities to administer such programs, including
determining eligibility, providing outreach services, and
providing noncash benefits.
``(B) An assurance that in making grants or contracts to
carry out such R.E.A.Ch. initiative, States shall give
priority in selecting organizations described in section 673
of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902(1)); organizations which the Secretary has determined
have a record of successfully providing energy services under
this title; and organizations that receive weatherization
assistance program funds under this title, except that a
State may not require any such entity to operate a R.E.A.Ch.
initiative program.
``(2) An assurance that all entities that receive grants or
contracts under paragraph (1)(A) will provide a program of
services and benefits that includes, at a minimum--
``(A) payments to or on behalf of individuals eligible for
residential energy assistance services and benefits pursuant
to section 2605(b) for home energy costs;
``(B) home-energy-demand-management services, such as
residential weathrization energy education and other energy-
related home repair which services to be provided jointly
with existing Department of Energy weatherization assistance
programs;
``(C) counseling and needs assessment on energy budget
management, payment plans, and related services; and
``(D) advocacy on behalf of households eligible for
R.E.A.Ch. services and benefits before home energy suppliers
and State or local energy regulatory officials.
``(3) A description of the methodology the State will use
to determine--
``(A) which households will receive 1 or more forms of
benefits under the State R.E.A.Ch. initiative;
``(B) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to
provide more cost-effective long-term outcomes than monetary
benefits alone.
``(4) A method for targeting nonmonetary benefits that is
not inconsistent with the requirements of section 2605.
``(5) A description of the crisis and emergency assistance
activities the State will carry out to demonstrate that such
assistance provided under this section is designed to
discourage crises, to encourage responsible vendor and
consumer behavior, and to provide no financial incentive that
discourages household payment.
``(6) A description of the activities the State will carry
out to provide incentives for recipients of such assistance
to pay home energy costs and for responsible vendor behavior.
If such plan contains provisions for direct payments to
vendors, such plan shall describe efforts such State will
carry out--
``(A) to encourage regular payments by individuals or
households receiving financial assistance for home energy
costs;
``(B) to provide for compacts or covenants between
suppliers of home energy and individuals eligible for
services and benefits under this title that reduce home
energy costs and minimize the risk of home energy crisis;
``(C) to ensure that local entities providing services and
benefits under this title have staff who are charged with
ensuring responsible vendor behavior;
``(D) to ensure that direct payments to vendors is at the
option of the State and local providers and may be contingent
on vendors taking appropriate measures to alleviate the
energy burdens of eligible households.
``(7) Information and assurances demonstrating that
R.E.A.Ch. services and benefits will be targeted to--
``(A) households with high energy burdens; and
``(B) individuals with acute health or safety vulnerability
including small children, frail older individuals, and
individuals with temporary energy-related emergencies.
``(8)(A) A detailed description of the financial standards
that will be applied for determining eligibility for
R.E.A.Ch. services and benefits. Such standards shall require
that the highest level of assistance under this section will
be furnished to households that have highest energy burdens.
``(B) An assurance that such State will require entities
providing R.E.A.Ch. services or benefits to establish
priorities for providing services to individuals residing in
its service area consistent with the purposes of the State
R.E.A.Ch. initiative.
``(9)(A) An assurance that such State has conducted public
hearings, after giving notice in public media and by mail to
all subgrantees, (DOE/WAP) subgrantees, and community action
agencies, with respect to the provisions of such plan and
before submitting such plan to the Secretary for approval.
``(B) A summary of comments received at such public
hearing.
``(C) An assurance that such plan and any revision thereof
submitted to the Secretary will be made available for public
inspection in such a manner as will facilitate timely and
meaningful review of, and comment.
``(10) An assurance that the State will require entities
that receive funds under this section to take appropriate
measures to solicit the views of individuals who are
financially eligible for benefits and services under this
section in establishing its local service priorities.
``(11) A description of specific performance goals for the
State R.E.A.Ch. initiative and a description of the
indicators that will be used to measure whether such
performance goals have been achieved. Such performance goals
shall include 1 or more of the following and such other goals
as the Secretary may require:
``(A) To increase in the affordability of energy over 1 or
more fiscal years.
``(B) To increase the regularity of home energy bill
payments by eligible households.
``(C) To increase energy vendor contributions toward the
costs of home energy on behalf of eligible individuals and
households.
``(D) To decrease the incidence of homelessness and health
and safety risks resulting from high household energy
burdens.
``(e)(1) The Secretary may waive on request administrative
cost ceilings and carryover requirements otherwise applicable
to the first 3 years of the operation of a R.E.A.Ch.
program's operations.
``(2) None of the costs of providing services or benefits
required under this subsection shall be considered to be an
administrative cost or function for purposes of any
limitation on such administrative cost or functions contained
in this title.
``(3) In verifying income eligibility for purposes of
subsection this section, the State may apply procedures and
policies consistent with procedures and policies used by the
State agency administering programs under part A of title IV
of the Social Security Act, under title XX of the Social
Security Act, under the Community Services Block Grant
program, under any other provision of law which carries out
programs which were administered under the Economic
Opportunity Act of 1964 before the date of the enactment of
this section, or under other income assistance or service
programs (as determined by the State).
``(4) Neither a State nor a local provider of services or
benefits shall be required to provide services or benefits to
an individual or household if such provision is inconsistent
with State or local priorities.
``(5) If a State chooses to pay home energy suppliers
directly, the State plan shall include procedures identified
in section 2605 of this title.''.
SEC. 313. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING APPROPRIATIONS FOR
LIHEAP.
(a) Findings.--(1) Seventy-seven percent of the over 25
million households that were eligible for the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (hereinafter referred to as
``LIHEAP'') in fiscal year 1992 did not receive assistance
due to a lack of funds.
(2) Recent economic distress has caused significant
unemployment, which has resulted in a greater need for energy
assistance than ever before.
(3) More than 66 percent of LIHEAP household recipients
have an annual income that is below the poverty level.
(4) Forty-three percent of all LIHEAP eligible households
include children.
(5) LIHEAP eligible households with children spend
approximately 16 percent of their annual incomes on home
energy costs, which is more than 4 times greater than that
paid by the average household in the United States, and far
beyond their means.
(6) Approximately 40 percent of LIHEAP household recipients
are comprised of elderly or disabled persons.
(7) LIHEAP is an essential, long-term Federal program that
is crucial to the well-being of impoverished American
families and their children.
(8) Congress appropriated $1,475,000,000 for LIHEAP for
fiscal year 1995.
(9) The Department of Energy predicts that the costs of
residential fuels will increase at a pace greater than
inflation.
(b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that--
(1) the maintenance of LIHEAP should be a high priority in
order to enable the working poor, the disabled, and the low-
income elderly, who all depend on LIHEAP, to meet their
energy costs and needs;
(2) all appropriations made for LIHEAP for fiscal year 1995
should be expended; and
(3) expenditures for LIHEAP for fiscal year 1996 should
ensure the provision of services at or above the level
provided in fiscal year 1995.
SEC. 314. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments and repeals made by this title shall become
effective on October 1, 1994.
TITLE IV--COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY RESOURCE PROGRAMS
SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Family Resource and
Support Act of 1994''.
SEC. 402. COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY SUPPORT AND FAMILY RESOURCE
PROGRAMS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to support
systems change activities designed to assist each State to
develop and implement, or expand and enhance, a family-
centered and family-directed, comprehensive, statewide system
of family support and family resource services in
collaboration with existing education, vocational
rehabilitation, health, mental health, employment and
training, child welfare, and other social services agencies
within the State.
(b) Authority.--The Commissioner shall make grants to
States for the purpose of--
(1) establishing and expanding statewide a system of
community-based family support and family resource programs,
including funds for the initial costs of providing specific
family resource services, that ensure family involvement in
the design and operation of family support and family
resource programs which are responsive to the unique and
diverse strengths of children and families;
(2) ensuring the active involvement of families of children
with disabilities in the planning, development,
implementation and evaluation of such a statewide system;
(3) promoting child abuse and neglect prevention
activities;
(4) promoting the establishment and operation of State
trust funds or other mechanisms for integrating child and
family services funding streams in order to provide flexible
funding for the development of community-based family support
and family resource programs;
(5) establishing or expanding community-based collaboration
to foster the development of a continuum of preventive
services for children and families, which are family-
centered and culturally competent;
(6) increasing and promoting interagency coordination among
State agencies, and encouraging public and private
partnerships in the establishment and expansion of family
support and family resource programs; and
(7) facilitating the changing of laws, regulations,
policies, practices, procedures, and organizational
structures, which impede the availability or provision of
family support and family resource services.
(c) Eligibility for Grants.--A State is eligible for a
grant under this section for any fiscal year if--
(1) such State has established or maintained in the
previous fiscal year--
(A) a trust fund, including appropriations for such fund;
or
(B) any other mechanism for integrating family resource
services funded by Federal, State, or private sources; and
(2) such trust fund or other funding mechanism includes (in
whole or in part) provisions making funding available
specifically for a broad range of child abuse and neglect
prevention activities and family support and family resource
programs.
(d) Amount of Grant.--
(1) In General.--Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year to
provide grants under this section shall be allotted, among
eligible States in each fiscal year so that--
(A) 50 percent of the total amount appropriated for such
fiscal year is allotted among each State based on the number
of children under the age of 18 residing in each State,
except that each State shall receive not less than
$1,000,000, and each territory shall receive not more than
$100,000; and
(B) the remaining 50 percent of the total amount
appropriated for such fiscal year is allotted in an amount
equal to 25 percent of the total amount allocated by each
such State to the State's trust fund or other mechanism for
integrating family resource services in the fiscal year prior
to the fiscal year for which the allotment is being
determined.
(2) Minimum grant amount.--If the amount appropriated for
any fiscal year is less than $50,400,000, grants shall be
awarded on a competitive basis with no grantee receiving less
than $1,000,000.
(3) Award period.--Grants made on a competitive basis shall
be awarded for a period of 3 years and shall be calculated in
the manner described in paragraph (1).
(4) Grants to territories.--From amounts appropriated to
carry out this section for any fiscal year, the Commissioner
shall pay to each territory that has an application approved
under this section not more than $100,000.
(e) Existing Grants.--A State that has a grant in effect on
the date of enactment of this section under the Family
Resource and Support Program shall continue to receive funds
under such Program, subject to the original terms under which
such funds were granted, through the end of the applicable
grant cycle.
(f) Application.--No grant may be made to any eligible
State under this section unless an application is prepared
and submitted to the Commissioner at such time, in such
manner, and containing or accompanied by such information as
the Commissioner determines to be essential to carry out the
purposes and provisions of this section, including--
(1) a description of the agency designated by the Chief
Executive Officer of the State to administer the funds
provided under this section and assume responsibility for
implementation and oversight of the family support and family
resource programs and other child abuse and neglect
prevention activities, and an assurance that the agency so
designated--
(A) is the trust fund advisory board or an existing quasi-
public organization with interdisciplinary governance that
pools State, Federal, and private funds for family support
and family resource programs or integrating child and family
service resources; or
(B) with respect to a State without a trust fund mechanism
or quasi-public organization that meets the requirements of
subparagraph (A), is an existing State agency, or other
public, quasi-public, or nonprofit private agency responsible
for the development and implementation of a statewide network
of community-based family support and family resource
programs;
(2) assurances that the agency designated under paragraph
(1) can demonstrate the capacity to fulfill the purposes
described in subsection (a), and shall have--
(A) a demonstrated ability to work with other State and
community-based agencies, to provide training and technical
assistance;
(B) a commitment to parental participation in the design
and implementation of family support and family resource
programs;
(C) the capacity to promote a statewide system of family
support and family resource programs throughout the State;
and
(D) the capacity to exercise leadership in implementing
effective strategies for capacity building, family and
professional training, and access to and funding for family
support and family resource services across agencies;
(3) an assurance that the lead entity will coordinate the
activities funded through a grant made under this section
with the activities carried out by councils within the State,
including the following councils:
(A) the State Interagency Coordinating Council, established
under part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act;
(B) the advisory panel established under section 613(a)(12)
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1413(a)(12));
(C) the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council, established
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
(D) the State Development Disabilities Planning Council,
established under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance
and Bill of Rights Act; and
(E) other local or regional family support councils within
the State, to the extent that such councils exist;
(4) an assurance that the lead agency will actively
coordinate with the councils referred to in Paragraph (3) in
carrying out the development and implementation, or expansion
and enhancement of, a family-centered and family-directed,
comprehensive, statewide system of family support and family
resource services.
(5) an assurance that the State has an interagency process
coordinated by the agency designated in paragraph (1) for
effective program development that--
(A) does not duplicate existing processes for developing
collaborative efforts to better serve children and families;
(B) provides a written plan for the establishment of a
network of family support and family resource programs
publicly available; and
(C) involves appropriate personnel in the process,
including--
(i) parents and prospective participants in family support
and family resource programs, including respite care
programs;
(ii) staff of existing programs providing family support
and family resource services, including staff of Head Start
programs and community action agencies that provide such
services;
(iii) representatives of State and local government such as
social service, health, mental health, education, vocational
rehabilitation, employment, economic development agencies,
and organizations providing community services activities;
(iv) representatives of the business community;
(v) representatives of general purpose local governments;
(vi) representatives of groups with expertise in child
abuse prevention, including respite and crisis care;
(vii) representatives of local communities in which family
support and family resource programs are likely to be
located;
(viii) representatives of groups with expertise in
providing services to children with disabilities; and
(ix) other individuals with expertise in the services that
the family resource and support programs of the State intend
to offer;
(6) a description of the current family support and family
resource programs operating in the State, the current unmet
need for the services provided under such programs, including
the need for building increased capacity to provide specific
family resource and family support services, including
respite care, and the intended scope of the State family
support and family resource program, the population to be
served, the manner in which the program will be operated, and
the manner in which such program will relate to other
community services and public agencies;
(7) evidence that Federal assistance received under this
section--
(A) has been supplemented with non-Federal public and
private assistance, including a description of the projected
level of financial commitment by the State to develop a
family support and family resource program; and
(B) will be used to supplement and not supplant other State
and local public funds expended for family support and family
resource programs;
(8) a description of the core service, as required by this
section, and other support services to be provided by the
program and the manner in which such services will be
provided, including the extent to which either family
resources, centers, home visiting, or community
collaboratives will be used;
(9) an assurance that the lead agency will ensure that the
amount of Federal funds spent on respite care services within
the State during the previous fiscal year shall be
maintained;
(10) a description of any public information activities the
agency designated in paragraph (1) will undertake for the
purpose of promoting family stability and preventing child
abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse;
(11) an assurance that the State will provide funds for the
initial startup costs associated with the development of 1
respite program annually in the State, as well as other
specific family resource services, and a description of the
services to be funded;
(12) an assurance that the State program will maintain
cultural diversity and be culturally competent;
(13) a description of the outreach and other activities the
program will undertake to maximize the participation of
racial and ethnic minorities, persons with limited-English
proficiency, individuals with disabilities, and members of
other underserved or underrepresented groups in all phases of
the program;
(14) a description of the guidelines for requiring parental
involvement in State and local program development, policy
design, and governance and the process for assessing and
demonstrating that parental involvement in program
development, operation, and governance occurs;
(15) a description of the State and community-based
interagency planning processes to be utilized to develop and
implement family support and family resource programs;
(16) a description of the criteria that the State will
utilize for awarding grants for local programs so that they
meet the requirements of subsection (g);
(17) a plan for providing training, technical assistance,
and other assistance to local communities in program
development;
(18) a description of the methods to be utilized to
evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the family
support and family resource programs within the State;
(19) a description of proposed actions by the State will
reduce practical and regulatory barriers to the provision of
comprehensive services to families, including family support
and family resource programs; and
(20) an assurance that the State will provide the
Commissioner with reports, at such time and containing such
information as the Commissioner may require.
(g) Local Program Requirements.--
(1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this
section shall use amounts received under such grant to
establish local family support and family resource programs
that--
(A) undertake a community-based needs assessment and
program planning process which involves parents, and local
public and nonprofit agencies (including those responsible
for providing health, education, vocation rehabilitation,
employment training, Head Start and other early childhood,
child welfare, and social services);
(B) develop a strategy to provide comprehensive services to
families to meet identified needs through collaboration,
including public-private partnerships;
(C) identify appropriate community-based organizations to
administer such programs locally;
(D) provide core services, and other services directly or
through contracts or agreements with other local agencies;
and
(E) involve parents in the development, operation, and
governance of the program.
(2) Priority.--In awarding local grants under this section,
a State shall give priority to programs serving low-income
communities and programs serving young parents or parents
with young children and shall ensure that such grants are
equitably distributed among urban and rural areas.
(h) Definitions.--As used in this section:
(1) Children with disabilities.--The term ``children with
disabilities'' has the meaning given such term in section
602(a)(1) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
(2) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the
Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and
Families.
(3) Community referral services.--The term ``community
referral services'' means services to assist families in
obtaining community resources, including respite care
services, health and mental health services, employability
development and job training and other social services.
(4) Culturally competent.--The term ``culturally
competent'' means services, supports, or another assistance
that is conducted or provided in a manner that--
(A) is responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles,
attitudes, language, and behaviors of these individuals
receiving services; and
(B) has the greatest likelihood of ensuring maximum
participation of such individuals.
(5) Family-centered and family-directed.--The term
``family-centered and family-directed'' means, with respect
to a service or program, that the service or program--
(A) facilitates the full participation, choice, and control
by families in--
(i) decisions relating to the supports that will meet the
priorities of the family; and
(ii) the planning, development, implementation, and
evaluation of the statewide system of family support and
family resource services for families;
(B) responds to the needs of the entire family in a timely
and appropriate manner; and
(C) is easily accessible to and usable by families.
(6) Family support.--The term ``Family support''--
(A) means supports, resources, services, and other
assistance provided to families of children with disabilities
that are designed to--
(i) support families in the efforts of such families to
raise their children with disabilities in the family home;
(ii) strengthen the role of the family as primary
caregiver;
(iii) prevent inappropriate out-of-the-home placement and
maintain family unity; and
(iv) reunite families with children with disabilities who
have been placed out of the home, whenever appropriate; and
(B) may include--
(i) service coordination that includes individualized
planning and brokering for services with families in control
of decision making;
(ii) goods and services, which may include specialized
diagnosis and evaluation, adaptive equipment, respite care
(in and out of the home), personal assistance services,
homemaker or chore services, behavioral supports, assistive
technology services and devices, permanent or future
planning, home and vehicle modifications and repairs,
equipment and consumable supplies, transportation, recreation
and leisure activities, specialized nutrition, clothing,
counseling services and mental health services for family
members, family education or training services, communication
services, crisis intervention, day care, child care and
camps, supports and services for integrated and inclusive
community activities, parent or family member support groups,
peer support, sitter service or companion service, and
education aids and toys; and
(iii) financial-assistance, which may include discretionary
cash subsidies, allowances, voucher or reimbursement systems,
low-interest loans, or lines of credit.
(7) Family support and family resource program.--The term
``family support and family resource program'' means a
program that offers community-based services that provide
sustained assistance to families at various stages in their
development. Such services shall promote parental
competencies and behaviors that will lead to the healthy and
positive personal development of parents and children
through--
(A) the provision of assistance to build family skills and
assist parents in improving their capacities to be supportive
and nurturing parents;
(B) the provision of assistance to families to enable such
families to use other formal and informal resources and
opportunities for assistance that are available within the
communities of such families; and
(C) the creation of supportive networks to enhance the
child-rearing capacity of parents and assist in compensating
for the increased social isolation and vulnerability of
families.
(8) Family resource services.--The term ``family resource
services'' means--
(A) core services that must be provided directly, or by
referral or contract, by the family support and family
resource program under this section, including--
(i) education and support services provided to assist
parents in acquiring parenting skills, learning about child
development, and responding appropriately to the behavior of
their children;
(ii) early developmental screening of children to assess
the needs of such children and to identify the types of
support to be provided;
(iii) respite care services which are available 24 hours
per day and every calendar day of the year;
(iv) outreach services;
(v) community referral services; and
(vi) follow-up services; and
(B) other services, which may be provided either directly
or through referral, including--
(i) early care and education (such as child care and Head
Start);
(ii) respite care;
(iii) job readiness and counseling services (including
skill training);
(iv) education and literacy services, including English as
a second language and family literacy services;
(v) nutritional education;
(vi) life management skills training;
(vii) peer counseling and crisis intervention, and family
violence counseling services;
(viii) referral for health (including prenatal care) and
mental health services; and
(ix) substance abuse treatment.
(9) Family-centered and family-directed.--The term
``family-centered and family-directed'' means, with respect
to a service or program, that the service or program--
(A) facilitates the full participation, choice, and control
by families in--
(i) decisions relating to the supports that will meet the
priorities of the family; and
(ii) the planning, development, implementation, and
evaluation of the statewide system of family support for
families;
(B) responds to the needs of the entire family in a timely
and appropriate manner; and
(C) is easily accessible to and usable by families.
(10) Interdisciplinary governance.--The term
``interdisciplinary governance'' includes governance by
representatives from communities and representatives from
existing health, mental health, education, vocational
rehabilitation, employment and training, child welfare, and
other agencies within the State.
(11) Respite care services.--The term ``respite care
services'' means short-term care services provided in the
temporary absence of the regular caregiver (parent, other
relative, foster parent, adoptive parent, guardian) to
children who meet one or more of the following categories:
(A) The children are in danger of abuse or neglect.
(B) The children have experienced abuse or neglect.
(C) The children have disabilities, or chronic or terminal
illnesses.
Services provided within or outside the child's home shall be
short-term care, ranging from a few hours to a few weeks of
time, per year, and be intended to enable the family to stay
together and to keep the child living in the child's home and
community.
(i) Strategic Plan.--
(1) In general--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which assistance is received by a State under this section,
the lead agency of the State, shall prepare and submit to the
Commissioner, a strategic plan designed to achieve the
purposes and policy of this section.
(2) Contents.--The strategic plan shall include--
(1) a statement of the mission, philosophy, values, and
principles of the statewide system of family support and
family resources in the State;
(2) a statement of family-centered outcomes to be achieved
by the statewide system of family support and family
resources;
(3) specific goals and objectives for developing and
implementing, or expanding and improving, the system for
providing family support and family resource services, and
for achieving the family-centered outcomes;
(4) systemic approaches for accomplishing the objectives
and achieving the family-centered outcomes, including
interagency coordination and cooperation that builds upon
state-of-the-art practices and research findings;
(5) a description of the specific programs, projects, and
activities funded under this section and the manner in which
the programs, projects, and activities accomplish the
objectives and achieve the family-centered outcomes;
(6) a description of an ongoing quality improvement or
quality enhancement system, which utilizes information from
ongoing measurements of the extent to which family-centered
outcomes are achieved, to improve the system.
(7) a description of the eligibility criteria to be used to
carry out programs, projects, and activities under this
section that includes all eligible families;
(8) an analysis of the extent to which family support and
family resource services for an individual family is defined
as a benefit and not as income; and
(9) a description of the plan to conduct an annual
evaluation of the statewide system of family support and
family resources.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section, $30,000,000 for
fiscal year 1995 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal
years 1996 and 1997.
(k) Repeal of Existing Program.--Section 933 of the Claude
Pepper Young Americans Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12339) is
repealed.
SEC. 403. FEDERAL COUNCIL ON CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES.
Section 918 of the Claude Pepper Young Americans Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12314) is amended--
(1) in subsection (k)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking out ``and'' at the end
thereof;
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking out the period and
inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(5) identify program regulations, practices, and
eligibility requirements that impeded coordination and
collaboration and make recommendations for their
modifications or elimination; and
``(6) develop recommendations for creating jointly funded
programs, unified assessments, eligibility, and application
procedures and confidentiality protections that facilitate
information sharing.'';
(2) in subsection (o), by striking ``1991 through 1994''
and inserting ``1995 through 1998''; and
(3) in subsection (p), by striking ``1995'' and inserting
``1998''.
SEC. 404. FAMILY RESOURCE ACT.
(a) National Center.--Section 958(b) of the Claude Pepper
Young Americans Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12353(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3)--
(A) by striking ``model''; and
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) develop and maintain a system for disseminating
information about all types of respite care options;
``(6) develop and provide an array of training and
technical assistance activities to establish and maintain
quality respite care options;
``(7) engage in a variety of evaluation and research
activities to identify effective models of respite care
services, examine the effects of respite care services on
family functioning, and to develop simple evaluation models
for use by local respite care service programs.''.
(b) Authorization and Appropriations.--Section 960 of the
Claude Pepper Young Americans Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12355)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking $2,300,000'' and all
that follows through the end thereof and inserting $2,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998.''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``$700,000'' and all
that follows through the end thereof and inserting
``$1,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as may be
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 1998.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Martinez] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] will be recognized for 20
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Martinez].
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. MARTINEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, first let me acknowledge the tremendous
leadership of Chairman Ford of the Education and Labor Committee in
bringing this reauthorization bill to the floor today.
As Members know, the other body has passed a companion version of the
reauthorization bill, and we believe that the differences between the
bill proposed here today and the version passed by the other body,
while important to the House of Representatives, are not so material
that a final conference agreement will be delayed.
In addition to reauthorization of Head Start, H.R. 4250 reauthorizes
two other significant programs and makes changes or extensions to
several smaller programs.
I know that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle support those
programs and that many of them would like to contribute to this debate,
so I will not take a great deal of time describing all of the changes.
As I said, title I of the bill addresses the reauthorization of Head
Start.
As with the companion bill in the other body this bill addresses
nearly all of the recommendations made in the report of the Secretary's
bipartisan advisory committee on Head Start quality and expansion.
I would like to acknowledge the tremendous work that was done by that
bipartisan advisory committee, which was composed of Head Start
professionals, child development and child education specialists,
academics, administration officials from several agencies, and staff of
both Houses of Congress from both political parties.
I believe that this bill will accomplish most, if not all, of the
desired results spelled out in that bipartisan report and I thank
Secretary Donna Shalala for her foresight in empaneling the group and
guiding its work.
This bill reauthorizes Head Start for 4 years, provides for
improvement of the program through revised monitoring and assistance
rules, expands the work that has been done by parent-child centers for
a quarter century into a new infants and toddler's initiative--one that
builds on the work of those centers and protects their continued
existence.
H.R. 4250 strengthens the Secretary's ability to deal with poorly
performing grantees.
The bill also addresses a number of issues raised by Indian Head
Start grantees, migrant Head Start programs, and rural programs,
although it does not contain one of the centerpieces that I and many of
my colleagues believe is essential to the continued expansion and
improvement of these programs--the ability of Head Start grantees to
construct their own facilities where there are only more expensive or
virtually no other means of securing quality facilities.
Let me assure you here today and my friends throughout the Head Start
community that I am committed to seeing that construction is addressed
at the earliest possible time.
The bill also creates a new Head Start Fellowship program, and mentor
teacher positions within Head Start, so that these dedicated people who
are the backbone of Head Start can continue to be recognized and
achieve greater professional fulfillment.
Finally, the involvement of parents in the education of their
children is a central aspect of Head Start, and we have, with the very
able assistance of Mr. Goodling, ranking member of the committee, and
Ms. Molinari, ranking member of the subcommittee, added new language
that will enable Head Start grantees to expand and improve programs,
including family literacy programs: that will better enable parents to
understand and fulfill that vital role in the development of their
children and getting them ready to learn.
Title II of H.R. 4250 provides for the reauthorization of the
Community Services Block Grant.
In developing this title, and consistent with the action of the other
body, we have tended to deviate from the proposal put forward by the
administration in its reauthorization bill.
We understand and accept the view that hard choices must be made in
times of fiscal difficulty, and we appreciate the efforts of the
administration, under the Reinventing Government Program, to streamline
Federal activities and eliminate programs that can successfully be
integrated into other Federal efforts.
However, we also recognize that some of the programs currently
authorized under the Community Services Block Grant Act with separate
authorizations and separate appropriations do serve unique needs and
operate outside of the mainstream community services effort.
Thus, we have retained the separate authorizations for the McKinney
Emergency Homeless Assistance Program, which is the only Federal
program that addresses prevention of homelessness, rather than dealing
with persons who are already homeless.
We have retained the separate authorization for the Community Food
and Nutrition Program.
As we learned in our reauthorization hearings, this program is
critical to the States' ability to continue to develop nutrition
programs for poor students in the Nations public schools, and that need
cannot be met fully as part of the general program.
Finally, the National Youth Sports Program is again separately
authorized under this bill so that it can continue to provide unique
opportunities to young people in campus based recreation, sports and
learning programs and offer hope instead of despair, and a place to go
that is safe and nurturing.
Title III of the bill reauthorizes the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program.
I would like to thank Chairman Dingell of the Energy and Commerce
Committee, my fellow Californian, Mr. Moorhead, ranking member of the
committee, and Chairman Sharp and Mr. Bilirakis of the Energy and Power
Subcommittee, for their cooperation in moving this reauthorization,
over which we share jurisdiction.
I believe that the LIHEAP reauthorization represents the continued
support that this body has for this critical program, and that the
changes we have proposed will strengthen the administration of this
vital program at all levels.
Finally, title IV of H.R. 4250, reauthorizes and reconstitutes the
Family Support and Family Resources Program originally enacted as part
of the Claude Pepper Young Americans Act.
I wish to acknowledge the support and assistance of Chairman Major
Owens of the Select Education and Civil Rights Subcommittee for his
review and recasting of this title during markup at the full committee.
It has been invaluable to crafting a strong proposal and one that I, of
course, wholeheartily support.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. GOODLING asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4250, the
reauthorization of the Gus Hawkins Human Services Act. This important
legislation contains separate reauthorizations for Head Start, CSBG,
LIHEAP, and other programs.
H.R. 4250 and all its components is a product of lengthy negotiations
which have resulted in a bipartisan bill. It is not a perfect bill,
but, of course, no legislation ever is. However, it contains important
provisions of which I am particularly proud, provisions that I believe
move these programs in the right direction.
First, contained in title I, which reauthorizes Head Start, there are
several mechanisms which will improve the quality of services provided
to needy children under the Head Start program. I have been a voice in
the wilderness for years saying that we should get beyond the business
of just talking about access and more money so we can cover more people
but talk about what we are covering them with. We should be covering
them with excellence, and that is what this legislation is about today.
Many of these ideas came from the bill that the gentlewoman from New
York [Ms. Molinari] and Senator Kassebaum and I introduced in the Head
Start Quality Improvement Act.
During the history of Head Start Congress has spent over $27 billion
of the taxpayers' money to fund the program, and yet we do not have the
necessary research at the present time to show what lasting benefits
there are. Therefore, that was one of the reasons why we wanted to
concentrate on quality rather than just numbers of children. If we
cannot be confident that the quality of services we are paying for
produces real results for these children, then, of course, we should
not be spending more money.
Head Start programs in many areas make a positive impact on
children's lives. The programs must provide the highest quality
services possible in order to do this. I firmly believe that our first
priority with Head Start must be to wrap these kids in excellence, and
I think those improvements are built into H.R. 4250.
Also contained in the Head Start section of the bill are provisions
to increase parental involvement in Head Start. What we are trying to
do is make sure that all parents participate and that all parents
receive parenting skills when needed and all parents improve their
literacy skills. If that parent is going to be the first and most
important teacher that the child has and if the child is going to
succeed, that parent must be the most important teacher the child will
ever have, and in order to provide that we must make sure they have the
parenting skills to do it and they have the literacy skills in order to
do it. I believe this legislation will go a long way to do that.
Many people have been talking about family literacy for a long, long
time, but we have been very slow to really get around to the business
of insisting on family literacy programs. I believe we are moving in
that direction in this bill.
The bill also has some other provisions that I am very much
interested in, but I will move next to LIHEAP. I think the
reauthorization of LIHEAP shows that we have strong support in the
Congress for the LIHEAP program. The last bitter winter for many of us
indicates just how important that program is. Therefore, it is not one
of those programs we can look at and say that we will cut 50 percent of
the funding that has been recommended, because it is one that is very,
very important when it comes to helping families.
I believe the purposes of the Community Services Block Grant program
could be effectively met under a consolidated funding stream, but even
under the current structure many of the CSBG programs have a very
positive impact on our local communities. For example, in York County,
Edith Huntsberger has done an excellent job in leading the Community
Progress Council. The organization, using CSBG funds, coordinates the
services of several existing programs and takes the initiative to
identify service gaps and create the necessary programs to address
these unmet needs. The Community Progress Council is a wonderful
example in many areas of the kind of innovative and effective
organization that CSBG funds support.
Of course, there are other components of H.R. 4250 that I would
prefer be eliminated, and I would hope that before it is all finished
we will be able to do that. But overall we have worked very well
together to develop a good peace of legislation, and I urge my
colleague to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Michigan [Mr.
Ford], the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari], and the gentleman
from California [Mr. Martinez] for working together with me to develop
this important legislation, and I also want to thank the gentleman from
New York [Mr. Owens] and the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr.
Ballenger] for their contributions to title IV of the bill. And, of
course, I thank the staffs who have worked very well in a bipartisan
fashion, with the whole idea of helping people.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
{time} 1310
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time to me,
and I congratulate him for his work, and thank my good friend, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling], the ranking member, as
well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4250, which
reauthorizes--and in some key ways reinvents--the Head Start Program.
I want to touch briefly on several of those key improvements, but I
also want to say a few words about the challenges that remain if Head
Start is to live up to its potential.
I would just like to mention, too, that those of us on the Labor-
Health Appropriations Subcommittee have been working to encourage many
of these needed changes and clarifications in the Head Start statute,
and we're gratified to see them in H.R. 4250.
For example, allocating expansion funds for quality improvement is a
priority we have been advocating for a number of years now. H.R. 4250
clarifies that at least 25 percent of any expansion funds must be used
for quality improvement. It also requires the upgrading of
qualifications for Head Start staff.
This bill breaks new ground by authorizing a new component of Head
Start focused on children from infancy to 3 years old, which are vital
developmental years.
I am also pleased to see that H.R. 4250 encourages full day, full
year Head Start programs; this option is crucial for many working
parents, and a boon to the children as well.
And this legislation moves us toward greater collaboration between
Head Start and other State and Federal services for disadvantaged
children and their families. I think we need to go much further in this
area, however, and I look forward to working with the administration
and others on greater service coordination and consolidation.
Finally, a word about what it will take to make the good intentions
embodied in this bill a reality. Oversight and evaluation are
absolutely necessary if any of the rest of the new Head Start structure
is to work. The Secretary of HHS still has an enormous task before her.
She still has to establish the quality standards and set up effective
monitoring of grantees adherence to these standards. Those things are
required in this bill, but their success rests on HHS' energetic and
inventive implementation of what we pass today. Our children deserve
nothing less, and I am eager to work with Secretary Shalala to see that
Head Start achieves its estimable potential.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Nebraska [Mr. Barrett], a member of the committee.
Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant support of
H.R. 4250 because while the bill contains many improvements to the Head
Start, Community Services Block Grant, and the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Programs, it also contains an expansion of the Head Start
Program that--if gone unchecked--could imperil the past and future
success of Head Start on the sword of overzealous expansion.
H.R. 4250 would expand Head Start to children from 0 to 3 years of
age, commonly referred to as the 0 to 3 initiative, by setting aside,
in the first year of the expansion, 3 percent of Head Start funds,
eventually rising to 5 percent of Head Start funds.
If we just look at current appropriations, $165 million a year could
be siphoned from current programs to fund this untested and unstudied 0
to 3 initiative.
During Education and Labor Committee consideration, I offered a
common sense amendment to create an Advisory Committee to study this
initiative for 1 year, so we could have full knowledge of the scope,
structure, funding, standards, implementation, and other issues that
will affect this initiative. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated.
Mr. Speaker, no one in the administration or in Congress has any idea
the effect this initiative could have on current Head Start Programs.
In fact, the report issued by Secretary Shalala's Advisory Committee
on Head Start stated: ``Some Advisory Committee members believe that
further study is needed to explore ways of serving additional families
with children under age 3, prior to launching an initiative.''
As well, the National Head Start Association and the National Black
Child Development Institute also expressed concerns with the 0 to 3
initiative in H.R. 4250 because of the possible detrimental impact on
current Head Start Programs.
I've met with Head Start teachers, administrators, parents, and
children and I've been greatly impressed with the commitment and
involvement of the community in these programs, and with the progress
they've made in getting children ready to learn.
However, I fear that including the 0 to 3 initiative in such a helter
skelter approach may cause irreparable harm to these efforts.
But, caution and deliberation have been thrown to the wind on the 0
to 3 initiative, because many believe we must expand for expansion's
sake.
So to address my concerns, I'll be writing to the GAO [General
Accounting Office] to request a study of the impact of the 0 to 3
initiative on current Head Start Programs. I urge my colleagues to join
with me in requesting this study.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, 0 to 3 is not a new program. It has been out for a long
time and has been studied extensively.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington
[Mrs. Unsoeld].
(Mrs. UNSOELD asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Mrs. UNSOELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 4250, the Head
Start, LIHEAP, and Community Services Block Grant reauthorization.
In a recent series of forums I held in my home district in Washington
State, we focused on the importance of early intervention programs to
the prevention of violence. We must go back to the roots of human
behavior and support our families.
After all, by giving parents opportunities to increase their
knowledge and understanding of basic child development and applying
that knowledge to how they discipline their children, to improve their
literacy skills, and to share experiences with other parents, we are
acknowledging that parents are the first and best teachers of children.
Therefore, I am particularly delighted, Mr. Speaker, that the
administration has placed a particular priority to the birth to 3
years, as has the committee, and I would like to thank my colleagues
and Chairman Martinez for including my provisions from H.R. 4270 in the
final version of the legislation. There is nothing more important to
our national security than how we educate our children. This is a good
start.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to another member of the
committee, the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Ballenger].
Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4250 and
address my remarks to title IV of the bill, the Family Resource and
Support Act, which was developed jointly by Select Education and Civil
Rights Subcommittee Chairman Major Owens and me.
The Family Resource and Support Act breaks the tradition in Congress
of creating separate programs for the disabled and the non-disabled.
Instead, this program creates a single approach to statewide systems
change and coordination of existing resources that can help all
families--including families of children that are disabled.
Since all families need many of the same basic supports--community
services information, help with day care, family and parental support,
and training--it makes sense just to have one system that helps all
kinds of families. And for those families of children with disabilities
or other special circumstances, the communitywide planning process will
help identify and develop approaches to meet their unique needs.
It is also important to note that we have maintained the competitive
nature of this program instead of transforming it to a formula grant,
and that we maintained a more realistic authorization level of $30
million instead of the Senate's excessive figure of $75 million.
I should point out that I would support a greater degree of program
consolidation than we achieved in this bipartisan proposal, and I hope
that we will consider more consolidations during the conference
process.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan approach to helping
all families. I would like to express my appreciation to Subcommittee
Chairman Owens for working with me to develop the Family Resource and
Support Act.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Indiana [Mr. Sharp], chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Power
of the full Committee on Energy and Commerce.
(Mr. SHARP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
{time} 1320
Mr. SHARP. Mr. Speaker, I particularly want to thank the gentleman
from California [Mr. Martinez] and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr.
Goodling] for their effective work on this legislation and particularly
address the LIHEAP or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
which is being reauthorized here, has strong bipartisan support and
with very good reason.
There is a critical need out there in the country for us to continue
this program. And indeed, as we look for welfare reform, there are many
important changes that have occurred in this program, as it is run in
many States, from which we can learn and benefit.
This is ahead of the curve in terms of welfare reform in many of our
States, because it seeks to bring in additional private and sometimes
public resources to meet the need. It seeks to help the individual
recipient better take care of their own energy needs and to pay as much
of their bill as they can.
I think it is headed in exactly the right direction. Mr. Speaker, we
simply cannot at this point further cut back a program that has been
dramatically cut back, as some have advocated that we do. The need
continues to be great. In my written statement to be a part of the
Record I have outlined statistically what has happened to people on the
energy bills, and we continue to only meet about 23 percent of the need
in this country.
So in this time of budgetary restraint, when we all know we have to
be careful, nonetheless, Mr. Speaker, we should not do further damage
to this program.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill.
It is a testament to the effectiveness of this program that we are
able to bring this bill to the floor under suspension of the rules.
These programs really work and as a consequence there is little
controversy in the Congress.
LIHEAP has been an effective program, but I think the committee has
made some changes that will make it even more so.
Of equal concern with the issues before us in the reauthorization is
the level of funding for LIHEAP. The administration budget request for
fiscal year 1995 suggests cutting this program in half. I would hope
that the House will not accept this suggestion.
It is surprising that this program, of all programs, should be
subject to a proposed budget cut. The Congress and the Administration
are beginning to address the difficult subject of welfare reform and
discuss new principles for public assistance programs. It seems to me
that LIHEAP is a model program for the new way of doing things.
The program encourages more responsible behavior on the part of
recipients, encouraging them to pay more, not less, of their energy
bills. It leverages private and other resources. It helps low-income
citizens gain control of their energy bills through weatherization,
energy efficiency and energy education. It seems to be what we should
be doing more of and not less of. LIHEAP is welfare already reformed.
If there were fewer among us who were in need--if the cost of home
energy use were declining--if winters were warmer--if summers were
cooler--if the old, the disabled, the needy children were less
vulnerable--if all of those who need this program had been helped and
now no longer needed it, then perhaps this cut could be justified. None
of these things is the case.
From a high of over $2.1 billion in 1985 LIHEAP funding has dwindled
to less than $1.5 billion last year, and yet:
More Americans live below the poverty line now than at any time since
the early sixties.
LIHEAP recipients are among the poorest Americans. Last year over two
thirds of recipients had incomes below $8,000.
The cost of residential energy use has increased steadily and is
projected by the Department of Energy to continue to increase. In 1973,
the average price for home energy was $7.88/mmbtu. In 1979, it was
$11.46. In 1992, it was $12.33.
Last year this program reached only 23 percent of those who were
eligible.
As a result of previous cuts in the program fewer and fewer
recipients are receiving smaller and smaller benefits. In 1985, 6.8
million households received an average benefit of $242. In 1993, 5.2
million households received an average benefit of $215.
The need for this program is greater now than it has ever been.
To those who would say that we can decrease the need for the program
by concentrating resources on such approaches as weatherization,
efficiency improvements and energy education, I would say, ``I agree.''
But those are long-range strategies and may not be of much comfort in
the face of the pressing need of people who are having to make choices
between food or heat. In fact, I am afraid that the funding cut in the
administration budget would have the opposite effect from that
intended.
If States are forced to make choices between direct assistance needs
and more long-range program elements like weatherization, I am afraid
they will be forced to eliminate the long-range programs.
The cut envisioned in the budget also has the perverse effect of
reducing the amount of money available for weatherization. The
Weatherization Assistance Program is given an increase in the DOE
budget request of about $30 million. About 10 percent of LIHEAP funding
goes to weatherization, the cut from $1.475 billion to $730 million
would result in a cut in weatherization funding that is at least $40
million greater than the increase in the direct budget for the
Weatherization Assistance Program.
Some would say that we can cut this program and make special
allocations in the event of an emergency. This would fundamentally
alter the nature of this program. LIHEAP is not a heating assistance
program but it does more--it is a home energy assistance program.
Loss of electric service to a rural low-income household often means
loss of water, since many rural people pump water from wells with
electricity. This loss of water and the basic sanitation that goes with
it is just as much an emergency as a cold wave. Loss of refrigeration
in hot weather is a health emergency.
A contingency fund for emergencies is a good idea, but it must not
come at the cost of the basic program. Congress should help people in
emergencies, but for the people dependent on this program, the
emergency is current, pressing and daily.
I support the efforts to redirect the program and make it more
effective which are contained in H.R. 4250:
Targeting benefits towards those with higher energy burden;
Conforming weatherization regulations to DOE weatherization rules;
Creation of a permanent contingency fund;
Creating a separate account for leveraging funds;
I urge you to support this program by voting for this bill and by
working to assure that sufficient funds are appropriate for LIHEAP.
I wish to thank the gentleman from California, Mr. Martinez. He,
along with the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Ford,
and the ranking minority members of both the full committee, Mr.
William Goodling and the subcommittee, Ms. Susan Molinari have made the
development of this bill a pleasure. I would extend the same thanks to
the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Dingell, and the
ranking member, Mr. Moorhead, as well as the ranking member of the
Energy and Power Subcommittee, Mr. Bilirakis, where we have joint
jurisdiction over the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which
is authorized as title III of this bill.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin [Mr. Gunderson], another member of the committee.
(Mr. GUNDERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. GUNDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairman of the House
Education and Labor Committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on
Human Resources, in addition to Mr. Goodling and Ms. Molinari in
bringing a bill to the floor that greatly enhances the Head Start
Program and will enable both urban and rural areas to participate in
various community service programs.
This Congress, more so than any other Congress in recent history,
will be remembered for its education agenda. The passage of the Head
Start bill is another symbol of the commitment that the Education
Committees in both Chambers and the full Congress have demonstrated
toward revitalizing our education system. Last year, Mr. Goodling
sponsored and I cosponsored the Head Start Quality Improvement Act.
Many of the concepts included in that legislation, such as the general
performance measures for all Head Start grantees, have been included in
the bill before us today. The 1994 Head Start legislation also includes
an important initiative for infants and toddlers and incorporates the
reauthorization of the Comprehensive Child Development Centers [CCDC]
Act. Western Wisconsin has been one of the pilot projects established
under CCDC. The Wisconsin program, known as Full Circle, is run through
the West Cap Community Action Agency in Glenwood City. The Full Circle
project has provided child and family support services to many families
in the northern part of my district. Earlier this year, a young woman,
a single mother, who participated in Full Circle stopped by my office
and with tears in her eyes said how she was pursuing a postsecondary
education at night while her daughter was being cared for through
services provided by Full Circle.
A key program authorized through the Community Services Block Grant
is National Youth Sports [NYSP]. This initiative has been very
effective in western Wisconsin. Both the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire participate in NYSP.
Last summer, UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire had over 800 NYSP
participants. It is especially interesting to note for 1993, UW-Eau
Claire had originally projected that 320 young people would participate
in the summer program. However, the actual number was 562.
The last few summers, I have attended the National Youth Sports
Programs at UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire. NYSP exposes young people,
who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to the atmosphere
of a college campus by not only organizing comprehensive sports
activities, but also including education programs, preventive health
initiatives including free medical examinations. Although President
Clinton's CSBG proposal did not include NYSP, the House has understood
the importance of this initiative and has included it as part of the
1994 reauthorization.
I urge my colleagues to enthusiastically support the reauthorization
of Head Start and CSBG.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Hawaii [Mrs. Mink], a member of the committee.
(Mrs. MINK of Hawaii asked and was given permission to revise and
extend her remarks.)
Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of
H.R. 4250 which reauthorizes three very important programs to address
the needs of the disadvantaged and low-income in our communities--the
Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program, the Community Services
Block Grant, and Head Start.
There are few of us remaining in the Congress who remember the
origins of these programs. For me, that day almost 30 years ago when we
first passed Head Start as part of Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty is
still one of the most significant of my legislative career. With the
establishment of Head Start we had finally recognized that a long-term,
early intervention program was the best way to give children in poverty
a fighting chance.
Over 13 million children and their families all across the country
have benefited from Head Start. For parents it meant their child would
receive at least one hot meal a day, reassurance that their child was
being taken care for at least a half-day while they were at work, for
children it meant a chance to actually graduate from high school, or go
on to post-secondary education, to stay out of a special education
class, or advance to the next grade level.
The legacy of Head Start lives on today as one of the most successful
early childhood education programs in the country, providing education,
health, and social services for needy children and their families.
Both the Congress and the administration have recognized the success
of Head Start and with strong bipartisan support we have been able to
significantly increase the program over the last decade.
The $4 billion proposed in the President's budget signifies a four-
fold increase in the program since 1985. It is estimated that at this
level 840,000 children will be served, an increase of almost 170,000
participants over 1993 levels.
Even with these increases, however, the current program still only
serves about 30 percent of the eligible 3- and 4-year-old children in
our Nation, and most programs provide services only for a half-day
during the school year.
According to a 1991-92 study only 6.5 percent of Head Start children
were served for 8 hours a day. Of these children, half were served
fewer than 36 weeks per year. And fewer than 1 percent of children in
Head Start programs are served in programs operating both 8 hours or
more per day and more than 48 weeks per year.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4250 includes an amendment I authored to encourage
communities to consider the option of full-day, full-year services and
which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to complete
a study to assess the need of full-day, year-round Head Start services
in low-income communities.
In a survey conducted by the National Head Start Association, parents
most often listed the need for extended hours and day of operation as
an area that needed improvement. And research has shown that unemployed
parents would more readily seek work if they had access to programs
such as full-day, full-year Head Start.
Particularly in light of this administration's commitment to helping
families on welfare move into the work force and toward self-
sufficiency it is particularly important that we move toward the
expansion of Head Start to a full-day, full-year program.
As we move forward into the 21st century Head Start must change as
the needs of children and families in poverty have changed
dramatically. Just yesterday the headlines in the papers stated that 4
million children in our Nation live in poverty--that is one out of
every four children in the United States growing up in areas where
drugs, violence, and unemployment are more prevalent than safe schools,
high school diplomas, and good jobs.
H.R. 4250 seeks to provide the leadership and direction that will
help Head Start rise to meet the challenges facing families in poverty
and appropriately deal with the large expansion of the program proposed
by the Clinton administration.
In addition to increased emphasis on full-day, full-year programs,
H.R. 4250 establishes a new program to serve children up to 3 years
old, creates a new fellowship program to improve employment
opportunities in Head Start, and continues emphasis on quality
improvement.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4250 and the future
of our Nation's children.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas [Mr. Armey], another member of the committee.
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for
yielding time to me.
I object to this bill being brought out here on the Suspension
Calendar. I intend to call for a vote.
The reason I object, Mr. Speaker, is this bill has the language
``such sums as are necessary.''
Mr. Speaker, that is the magic language of entitlement spending. That
is the language that puts the budget of the people of this country and
their government on automatic pilot. There is no way that we should
allow the re-authorization or authorization of any program that
includes that language without a vote by the Members of Congress. I
intend to have that vote.
That is not to mention, Mr. Speaker, that even though the goals of
Head Start are laudable and goals I myself can enthusiastically
endorse, the frank fact of the matter is, there is scant little
evidence that Head Start has worked in the lives of children. And that
little evidence we have we obtained only from people who directly
benefit by running the program.
We find ourselves time and time again, Mr. Speaker, leading with our
heart and leaving our brains out of the matter. The fact of the matter
is, Congress has an open hostility to science and knowledge and has a
compassionate acceptance of folklore, especially the folklore of big
government.
For these reasons, I need to inform the body that I oppose the bill.
I oppose the bill. I oppose bringing it out here in this manner, and I
will have a vote. And, of course, I am fully aware of the fact that the
vast majority of this body will make themselves feel good and bleed
their hearts once again with the American people's money, even though
they have no evidence they do any good.
{time} 1330
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Virginia [Mr. Scott].
Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 4250.
The programs included in this bill provide critical support to a broad
range of Americans. In an era when we are attempting to wage war on
such pressing problems as substance abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, and
violence, these funds are truly the smartest weapons at our disposal.
The expansion of Head Start, for example, will serve greater numbers
of infants and toddlers, and will help young mothers who need quality
day care in order to join the work force.
Similarly, the Community Service Block Grant will expand the
capabilities of the Community Action Agencies. Mr. Speaker, there are
several excellent Community Action Agencies in my district in Virginia,
all of which enjoy broad-based community support because of their
effectiveness. These agencies play a vital role addressing emergencies
and other needs which traditional human service programs do not have
the jurisdiction or the resources to meet.
Community Action Agencies have been proven to be effective
laboratories for the creation of innovative and cost-effective programs
to meet human needs. Over the years, they have sponsored such programs
as the Demonstration Partnership Program, from which the Minority Male
Initiative was developed. This program targets the needs of young men
to help them steer away from drugs, crime, and hopelessness, and
therefore, just like Head Start, addresses the crime problem when it
can best be effectively addressed, and that is, before the crime
occurs.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to applaud the leadership of the chairman,
the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ford] and the ranking member, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling], for their bipartisan
leadership on this bill, and particularly the gentleman from California
[Mr. Martinez] for bringing this important measure to us. This bill has
received broad support in committee, and I hope that the Members of the
House will continue to support this bill through the appropriations
process.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
New York [Mr. Owens].
(Mr. OWENS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Education, the
gentleman from California [Mr. Martinez] for his rapid movement of this
very important bill through the process.
We are reauthorizing a program which is only a tiny part of what it
was when it first began under Lyndon Johnson. Lyndon Johnson and the
Great Society programs were on target. The program probably, within the
Great Society programs, which was most on target was the Community
Action Program. The Community Action Program does not exist at the same
magnitude as before, not because it was not effective, but because it
was killed by racism and killed by mean-spiritedness, people who did
not understand that empowering poor people was the best answer to most
of our pressing social problems in the inner cities in particular, but
also in many rural communities.
The philosophy of the community action programs was to reach out and
pull the so-called clients, or the people who were the recipients of
the funds, into a process by which they would also help to make the
programs go. They also had attachments and liaisons with all of the big
programs that did not have community action components, so the regular
education program was made to function better, the regular housing
programs were made to function better, and it was a great success.
However, it empowered poor people, and therefore, it was smothered,
it was wiped out, it was butchered, and we only have a tiny figment of
what once existed, but it still continues. Those small community action
programs that exist out there now take small amounts of money and they
reproduce, they replicate, they do all kinds of things to garner
tremendous amounts of additional funds. They bring in far more than we
invest in them by linking with private sources, with other public
sources, and they do a job that very few other agencies of government
have been able to replicate.
Lyndon Johnson was on target. The kinds of things we are doing now
with our community banks, our national service program, a number of
things that have been initiated by the present administration are
really a reinvention of components of the old Community Action Program.
I hope that the administration will have a new wisdom and understand
that it is replicating what once existed, and our next reauthorization
of this program would have the kind of support we need to recognize and
expand the Community Action Programs as they should be.
LIHEAP is continued without a cut. It was kind of disappointing and
shocking to hear cuts being proposed in a program that provides heat,
something very concrete, after the kind of winter we have had. In our
big cities we are not the recipients of $8 billion, similar to what was
given to California as a result of the earthquake. We are not the
recipients of $6 billion, similar to what was given to the Midwest
flood areas, or the $6 billion which went to the hurricane area in
Florida. Big cities do not get anything.
To cut LIHEAP at a time when the national disaster of ice and snow
and prolonged cold existed would have been an outrage. We do not cut
LIHEAP in this program, and we look for the support of the Senate and
the administration in this respect.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to reauthorize the Community
Services Block Grant [CSBG]. As many of you know, this is a program
near and dear to my heart. Prior to holding elective office, I was the
commissioner of the New York City Community Development Agency.
In 1992, 36.9 million Americans were living below the poverty level,
the highest number since 1962. It is pitiful that three decades after
President Johnson declared war on poverty, so many Americans continue
to suffer in a country of such great wealth.
The CSBG program is the lifeline for many of these Americans living
in poverty. While myriad public programs often perform outreach
activities in the hope of reaching underserved populations in addition
to their larger client bases, the projects which the CSBG program funds
focus their attention on udnerserved populations and thus represent
what outreach is all about. They define the standard for outreach by
which all other public projects should be measured.
The Community Action Agencies [CAA's] funded by the CSBG program
serve the poorest of America's neighborhoods. They stretch their
fingers into communities, enabling public and private funds to come
together and actually reach the underserved populations for which they
were intended.
Moreover, CAA's are perfect vehicles for the items on President
Clinton's agenda which are aimed at improving communities and fostering
grassroots development. A CAA is one of the best places to work for a
young adult who is part of the new National and Community Service
Corps. A CAA is most capable of operating a Community Development Bank
that is truly dedicated to community development. And a CAA can
implement crime prevention programs and provide drug treatment services
in a way that only an organization with a deep understanding of its
community can.
The Head Start Program serves over 700,000 low-income children
between the ages of 3 and 4. It helps the most disadvantaged children
acquire critical developmental skills which are necessary for their
success in public school. The program also emphasizes enhancing
parental skills, and strengthening the family unit. By building the
self-esteem of the children and the nurturing skills of the parents,
Head Start gives disadvantaged families the opportunity to escape from
the harsh realities of a world of poverty filled with drugs and
violence. Today, we are not just reauthorizing a community-based
program; we are reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that poor
children have the necessary skills to succeed in school and life.
CSBG funds are used to prevent homelessness, provide nutrition and
emergency services, and through the National Youth Sports Program, help
to reduce the numbers of inner-city youth from joining violent gangs in
urban communities. As the only Federal program that is specifically
mandated to provide a range of services and activities that give low-
income people a hand up from poverty instead of a hand out, the CSBG
program empowers low-income people.
LIHEAP is another program which serves the most vulnerable of our
populations--the elderly, working-poor families, and individuals with
disabilities. Almost 6 million households receive assistance under this
program. But the numbers of families assisted under this program are
not important; what's important is that LIHEAP prevents poor families
from freezing to death, being evicted, or in the winter months choosing
between heat and food. That's why I was shocked to learn that the
President intended to cut the program by almost 50 percent. Low-income
families simply cannot afford to bear the burden of these types of
budget cuts.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Rhode Island [Mr. Machtley], sponsor of the House Concurrent Resolution
202, a sense of Congress that we should continue LIHEAP at the same
level and not cut it.
(Mr. MACHTLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MACHTLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a strong supporter of H.R. 4250. I
applaud this committee for the full funding of the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program, better known as LIHEAP. I know that our
former colleague, Silvio Conte, is at the Pearly Gates in his green
blazer, smiling down at us today for this bill, for he was a champion
of the LIHEAP program.
I am particularly pleased that this legislation incorporates the
language from House Concurrent Resolution 202, introduced by myself and
the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Markey].
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for
including this provision, which would, among other things, express the
sense of Congress that the fiscal year 1995 appropriations made for
LIHEAP will be expended, and that expenditures in fiscal year 1996 for
LIHEAP should ensure the same or a better level of services.
For many of our citizens in this country, this past winter has been
the worst in living memory for the disabled, the elderly, the poor, and
all those others who depend on LIHEAP have been a struggle to maintain
dignity, and for many, a battle to stay alive.
LIHEAP serves a critical purpose. It helps prevent the poorest of the
poor in the United States of America from freezing to death. From the
earliest days of our colony, we gathered together, we pooled our
resources, to ensure that all had heat. In fiscal year 1992, the
average payment to the 6.2 million households receiving LIHEAP was only
$190, not a lot for this country. It is worthy of remembering that the
majority of LIHEAP recipients have annual family incomes of under
$7,000, and devote 65 percent of their income to rent and utilities.
It is true we must deal with an enormous budget deficit that requires
spending restraint, but we surely can find a better approach than by
forcing people to choose between feeding their children and keeping
their homes warm. The recent cold weather conditions have had
unintended effects of demonstrating how important LIHEAP is to the
American public.
I recently received a letter from a constituent, Mr. Everett
Carlisle, of Providence, RI. He writes,
The home energy assistance is very important to me and all
other senior citizens who are on low fixed incomes of a few
hundred dollars a month. We are living below the poverty
level. We must have full funding of LIHEAP or we will be
unable to maintain our current lifestyle.
I applaud this committee and urge all to vote for its passage.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
New Mexico [Mr. Richardson], our chief deputy whip.
(Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to congratulate the
chairman for this outstanding bill. Truly, sometimes we come to this
floor and mince words about legislation. This is good legislation, and
everyone agrees it is good. It is bipartisan, and in that connection,
the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] and some of the
Republicans have done equally as well in supporting and making this
program even better.
Besides it being strongly bipartisan, I would like to state that in
this bill there are some very good initiatives that tighten some of the
procedures, the technical procedures, for Head Start. Oversight in all
the technical programs is strengthened. In particular, native American
programs, in my judgment, are dramatically improved.
If we look at the specifics of this bill, we now have the ability for
native Americans to purchase facilities for themselves. It serves not
just native Americans on the reservation, but off the reservation. It
deals with some of the upper income children.
{time} 1340
It deals with native American children that perhaps were able to get
out of the program because of some over-income statistic but in reality
because of the needs on the reservation, this program covers it.
Mr. Speaker, local control is very important. Local boards control a
lot of these programs. This is a Community Service Block Grant Program.
For instance, there can be assistance to a family to get some of the
funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; food stamps
locally determined.
This program, Mr. Speaker, Head Start, it works. The program over the
years has proven continually to underscore the values of family, of
hard work, and education as well as a vision of government which
creates opportunity for its children and communities. Low income
children and families today face enormous challenges. They are
struggling to survive in neighborhoods plagued by violence, drugs,
alcoholism, and lack of opportunity. Since we have reauthorized this
bill, the number of children unfortunately living in poverty has
increased drastically. So should our commitment to help some of these
Head Start programs.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the committee on their efforts to
be particularly sensitive to this very outstanding program that works,
that has broad support, that has now been improved even more. We are
making an investment in young people, in children, and in our
communities by immediately reauthorizing this bill, by immediately
reauthorizing the Head Start, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
and the Community Service Block Grant Program, all three very good
bipartisan programs.
Mr. Speaker, again I commend the chairman and I commend the minority
for their outstanding work.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
New York [Mr. Gilman].
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4250, Head
Start, community services block grants, and Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program reauthorizations. I would like to commend the
gentleman from California [Mr. Martinez] for introducing this important
measure and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling], the
committee's distinguished ranking member and the gentleman from Rhode
Island [Mr. Machtley] for their support.
H.R. 4250 expands parental involvement, extends Head Start services
to families with infants and toddlers, reserves funds for teachers'
salaries and facility upgrades, and requires Department of Health and
Human Services [HHS] to consider a grant recipient's past performance
when allocating funds.
This important measure reauthorizes Head Start, the Community Service
Block Grants Program, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
for 4 years. More specifically, the bill authorizes $525 million for
Head Start, $525 million for the Community Services Block Grants
Program, and $2 million for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program for fiscal year 1995.
More specifically, this measure enhances parental involvement and
directs centers to offer family literacy services, parental skills
training, and substance abuse counseling, emphasizes coordination with
other programs and elementary schools, and consolidates and expands two
small Federal programs for families with infants and toddlers, allowing
these families to participate in Head Start.
Moreover, H.R. 4250, authorizes $30 million to supplement the
Existing Family Resources Centers Program which helps States provide
funding to local centers that offer a flexible and coordinated array of
services and information to support families in need of parent
training, temporary child care, and information about other available
services.
Mr. Speaker, our Nation's children are our most precious resource.
Head Start has enjoyed bipartisan support since its inception.
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to continue to support Head Start
and these other important programs by voting in favor of H.R. 4250.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to rise to take full blame, or full credit,
for the words ``such sums.'' Had I come to the floor of the House with
this legislation with what was proposed, I am sure I would have been
run out, in fact I would not have even come with it myself, because
what was proposed was to move from an appropriation of $3.3 billion to
an authorization of $7.7 billion. I will now allow the Committee on
Appropriations to make that decision, realizing that they will use very
good judgment and will not get us near $7.7 billion this particular
year.
Mr. Speaker, if we are looking for a good CSBG program and we want to
see one that operates very, very well in a community, I invite my
colleagues to come to York, PA.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would merely say to all Head Start
programs throughout this country, the theme is ``excellence, quality or
stop.'' And I want to make sure they understand that. It is no longer a
case of you can keep your grant forever, no matter how well or how
poorly you do. You will keep your grant if you do well, if you improve
the quality of the program, because it is children that we are trying
to help and their parents and in order to do that, we must insist on
excellence.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to make something very
clear. My substitute language supports the administration's proposal in
making local agencies more effective, better representative of the
community to be served and more accountable to the States and the
Federal Government. The substitute language strongly supports the
administration's intentions to increase funding for training and
technical assistance to CSBG recipient agencies and organizations. In
addition, my language ensures public comment on a State's proposed
changes to its CSBG plan as well as requiring States to certify that
funds are being used in accordance with the act at both the State and
local levels. Finally, the substitute language also reflects my
opposition to the administration's proposed $100 million reduction in
authorization by setting an authorization at $525 million, a slight
increase from the current level of $500 million.
Mr. Speaker, my substitute language also supports in concept the
administration's proposal for the consolidation of the current
discretionary programs into a single program. Rather than create a
separate authorization for the CIP, I would retain the current set-
aside language. At the request of Mr. Ford, migrant workers, and the
gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Baesler, rural communities, the substitute
language does ensure that some current CSBG discretionary activities
would be eligible to compete for CIP funds.
My amendment would also place less restrictions on the community
development activities with the community initiative program
recognizing that only local communities can prescribe the type of
community development each community needs.
Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.
Mr. FORD of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, 29 years ago, within the first few
months of my first term as a Member of Congress, President Lyndon
Johnson spoke these words at a Rose Garden ceremony announcing Project
Head Start:
Today we are able to announce that we will have open, and
we believe operating this summer, coast-to-coast, some 2,000
child development centers serving as many as possibly a half
million children.
This means that nearly half the preschool children of
poverty will get a head start on their future. These children
will receive preschool training to prepare them for regular
school in September. They will get medical and dental
attention that they badly need, and parents will receive
counseling on improving the home environment.
This is a most remarkable accomplishment and it has been
done in a very short time. It would not be possible except
for the willing and the enthusiastic cooperation of Americans
throughout the country.
Five and six year old children are inheritors of poverty's
curse and not its creators. Unless we act these children will
pass it on the next generation, like a family birthmark.
Project Head Start was a nationwide effort launched in the summer of
1965 to assist preschool children from poor families to enter
kindergarten or first grade. The project offered health services,
social services, and educational services. Local Head Start programs
were run by colleges, schools, local government, or private nonprofit
organizations.
The original Head Start Summer Program enrolled more than five times
as many children--561,359--than the Office of Economic Opportunity had
originally anticipated, and the program became one of the most popular
antipoverty measures with the Congress.
In the 29 years since its inception, Head Start has provided hope and
support to more than 13 million low-income families. It has become our
country's premier child care model, offering health, nutrition,
education, mental and social services to poor children and their
families in each and every county in the Nation. It has grown from a
$350 million summer initiative to a year-round program funded at $3.3
billion serving approximately 750,000 children and their families. The
wisdom in which Head Start was conceived enables this program to
endure. It continues to enjoy broad bipartisan support and is just as
viable today as it was some 30 years ago.
Yet, the world of Head Start today is drastically different than it
was 30 years ago. Children are faced with challenges and influences
which affect their development at an earlier age. Families suffering
from homelessness, substance abuse, unemployment, and lack of education
and training hold little promise for children born into poverty through
no fault of their own.
Head Start today, as it was 30 years ago, is a beacon of hope for
children in poverty and their families. Community-based, community-
governed, community- and family-responsive Head Start programs afford
comprehensive services to children and their low-income families in the
place of futility.
H.R. 4250, the measure before us today, builds upon the successes of
Head Start, responds to its critics, and extends the Head Start Program
for another 4 years. The bill incorporates improvements to respond to
the changing needs of children and their families as recommended by
Secretary Shalala's Advisory Committee on Head Start Quality and
Expansion. I would like to highlight several of these improvements.
For the first time, Head Start programs will be required to
coordinate with local schools. The provisions complement similar
language incorporated into H.R. 6, a bill to reauthorize the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act programs, approved by the House of
Representatives on March 24. This change is intended to encourage
greater communication between Head Start programs and schools on behalf
of the children and families they serve, and to help minimize
disruptive breaks in the continuity of services which can threaten
political gains made by children and their families.
The bill retains the 1990 statutory requirement that 25 percent of
all Head Start funds be used to improve the quality of existing
programs, such as ensuring sufficient staffing and ensuring adequate
compensation of Head Start staff. I would like to note that this set-
aside is a floor, not a ceiling. If the Secretary determines additional
funds are needed to improve the quality of programs, she may designate
more than 25 percent for this activity. Child care workers remain one
of the lowest paid professions in our Nation's workforce. Most child
care workers, including Head Start workers, must support themselves and
their families on meager wages, with no health or retirement benefits.
Head Start should begin to set the tone for the Nation on the pay and
benefits of child care workers.
The legislation establishes a new initiative to extend Head Start
type services to children from birth to three and their families.
Beginning in fiscal year 1995, 3 percent will be set-aside for this
initiative, with 5 percent set-aside by 1998. This initiative responds
to the alarming needs of poor families with very young children. In
1990, 53 percent of mothers returned to work within 1 year of a child's
birth, compared with under 20 percent when Head Start was first
conceived. Of the 12 million children under age 3 today, more than 5
million are in the care of other adults while their parents work.
Moreover, 25 percent of children aged zero through three live in
poverty. For families living in poverty, the lack of prenatal and child
health care, human services and social support exaggerates the array of
difficulties faced by many millions of families with inadequate child
care. We know from numerous studies that the earlier a child is reached
with comprehensive support the greater prospect that child has of
flourishing in later life.
The measure under consideration does more than reauthorize Head
Start--it also renews our commitment to a number of worthy programs
addressing the needs of individuals living in poverty.
H.R. 4250 reauthorizes the Community Services Block Grant Act through
fiscal year 1998. Since its creation in 1981 as a continuation of work
begun in the Office of Economic Opportunity, CSBG funds have been used
to leverage other resources to operate programs addressing the problems
caused by poverty and providing advocacy services for the poor.
H.R. 4250 also continues through fiscal year 1999, the Low-Income
Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP]--an initiative of particular
importance to low-income individuals who find their lives threatened by
harsh weather. Recent budget cuts have caused a fall-off in the number
of households served to the point where today only one-quarter of the
eligible households are able to participate in the program. The action
we take today in intended to sustain the program and provide a suitable
response to critical life-threatening situations which have far too
often resulted in injury or death.
H.R. 4250 represents a significant effort to maintain bipartisan
support for social service programs which answer critical needs of
American families and communities. We have come a long way from the day
in 1966 when the House of Representatives first voted to specifically
set aside funding for Head Start as part of the Economic Opportunity
Act. On that day, only 15 out of 120 of our Republican colleagues
joined us in support of the effort.
I am pleased to see this bipartisan effort today. However, I suggest
that we will achieve little if we back away from our responsibilities
just to find the easiest and most politically expedient way out. I
would have preferred a much stronger bill and I know many of my
colleagues share that view.
I pledge to do what I can as we enter into conference with our Senate
colleagues to see that this effort provides a lasting legacy for
Congresses and administrations to come. As but one example, I support
efforts to provide Head Start programs with the ability to construct
their own facilities while at the same time guaranteeing a decent wage
to those involved in the construction effort.
I congratulate Chairman Martinez on his good work and look forward to
working with him as well as Mr. Goodling and Ms. Molinari in forging
the strongest possible conference agreement on these important human
services programs and creating a 21st century Head Start.
Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4250, a
bill to reauthorize Head Start, low-income home energy assistance, and
community services block grants.
I would like to commend Chairman Ford and Chairman Martinez as well
as Mr. Goodling and Ms. Molinari for their work on this bill.
In reauthorizing Head Start, the bill proposes a series of measures
that will further strengthen Head Start's quality and effectiveness.
Head Start is a wonderful program, one that has been near my heart
for years.
As a former teacher and past chairman of the subcommittee with
jurisdiction over Head Start, I believe it is especially important to
help children build on the gains they make in Head Start as they
proceed through their academic careers.
Mrs. Unsoeld and I added provisions to the elementary and secondary
education authorization to ensure that Head Start students experience a
smooth transition to elementary school.
H.R. 4250 includes language I proposed to help align the transition
programs in both schools and Head Start agencies so that we can create
a seamless system of support for our youngest students.
Mr. Speaker, the bill also extends activities authorized under the
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP] and the Community
Services Block Grant Program.
LIHEAP provides critical services to poor individuals to help them
pay energy bills.
Assistance provided under this Act often eliminates the need for low-
income individuals to choose between heating and eating.
The community services block grant provides critical services
designed to address needs at the local level.
Once again, the Education and Labor Committee has crafted a strong
Head Start, LIHEAP, and CSBG reauthorization. H.R. 4250 is an excellent
bill to provide services where they are needed most--to the child, in
the home, and in the community.
I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this bill and I urge Members to
support the legislation.
Ms. SNOWE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4250 , a bill
to reauthorize the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP]
and the Head Start Program.
For the poor in the north, heat is no less essential than food,
clothing, and shelter. Without sufficient funds to pay for heating in
the winter, poor families will either freeze or divert scarce funds
from food or other subsistence needs to pay for heat. As a result of
these terrible dilemmas, less fortunate citizens in cold States like
Maine view the approaching winter every year with tremendous anxiety.
LIHEAP was originally established to help alleviate these fears and
provide a partial measure of security for low-income families in the
winter. Unfortunately, due to repeated cuts, the funding level for
LIHEAP since the 1980's has not reflected the real human need for the
program.
In fiscal year 1985, LIHEAP received an appropriation of $2.1
billion, but funding for the program steadily declined to $1.35 billion
in fiscal year 1993 in unadjusted dollars. If funding for LIHEAP had
remained constant since fiscal year 1985 in dollars adjusted for
inflation, today's appropriation would have to be about $2.7 billion--
far higher than the $1.4 billion actually approved for the fiscal year
1994 heating season.
Perhaps most disturbing about these cuts is the fact that LIHEAP
could hardly be called an unnecessary or wasteful program. LIHEAP
covers less than 25 percent of the average low-income recipient's
residential energy bill. And millions of low-income families get no
assistance at all despite meeting the eligibility requirements.
H.R. 4250 seeks to strengthen LIHEAP at a time when it is still
wobbling from 8 years of gratuitous cuts. It authorizes $2 billion for
the program in fiscal year 1995. Permanent authority in the bill for
the President to spend up to $600 million in emergency situations will
help the Federal Government respond to severe winters, like the one
this year, or energy price spikes. and H.R. 4250 wisely expresses the
sense of the Congress that LIHEAP expenditures for fiscal year 1996
should at least equal the fiscal year 1995 appropriation.
H.R. 4250 is also an important bill because of its emphasis on the
welfare of children, not only through LIHEAP, but through the Head
Start Program as well. Head Start has enjoyed bipartisan support since
its inception in 1965. While the challenges facing those living in
poverty have become more complex, the program has grown and developed
to meet these pressing needs.
Head Start has proven to be one of the most successful preschool and
family support programs. More than 13 million children and their
families have benefited from the health, education, and social services
provided through Head Start.
I support the extension and expansion of Head Start in H.R. 4250. The
bill has incorporated the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Head Start Quality and Expansion that reviewed the Head Start Program.
Funds will continue to be set aside for quality improvement activities
and grantees must maintain minimum levels of quality. The Health and
Human Services Department will create a process to identify
underperforming grantees and develop a plan to improve their
performance.
Addressing the findings of the recent Carnegie Corp. report on
meeting the needs of the Nation's youngest children, this bill creates
a new family centered grant program within Head Start to provide low-
income families with very young children, from birth to 3 years, the
services and support they need to promote healthy development of their
children, to help parents fulfill their roles as parents, and to move
toward self-sufficiency. It will consolidate programs for infants and
toddlers and authorize 3 percent of the total funds for fiscal 1995 for
this age group, gradually rising to 5 percent in fiscal 1998.
The bill also requires Head Start to make efforts to coordinate with
local education agencies and elementary schools to enable children to
maintain the developmental gains achieved in Head Start.
Mr. Speaker, LIHEAP, Head Start, and the people served by these
programs need H.R. 4250, and I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting the bill.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the portion of this
legislation that would reauthorize the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program. LIHEAP authorizes funding for State-run programs
that provide vital emergency assistance for low-income persons who need
help paying their heating and cooling bills.
Although the Energy and Commerce Committee did not mark up the LIHEAP
provisions of this bill, the committee retains jurisdiction and will
represent its interests at a conference, should the bill be approved by
this body.
As the ranking minority member of the Energy and Power Subcommittee
of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I would like to express some
concerns regarding the LIHEAP reauthorization language in this bill
that I would like to see addressed in conference.
First, I have questions about the role of the Secretary of Health and
Human Services in the administration of LIHEAP Programs at the State
level. One basic principle behind all block grant programs, such as
LIHEAP, is that the States should have the maximum amount of discretion
to administer these programs in ways that make sense in each locality.
We have seen that many States have used this flexibility to create
innovative programs that use the limited amount of LIHEAP funds in the
most efficient and creative manner.
Although the Education and Labor Committee eliminated a provision
proposed by the administration that would have given the Federal
bureaucracy the authority to micromanage the States administration of
LIHEAP, such a provision is still in the Senate version of the
legislation. In Conference, we will work to ensure that this provision
is not in the final bill.
Second, the version of the bill before us contains a provision that
requires HHS to set goals for the State programs and issue a report on
their performance. HHS already has the authority to set goals for
LIHEAP Programs and evaluate them in relation to those goals if it so
chooses. However, I strongly object to provisions that would mandate
the use of limited LIHEAP funds for the expansion of the Federal
bureaucracy rather than keeping on the heat and air conditioning of
low-income people.
In conclusion, we plan to fully participate in the Conference on
LIHEAP to eliminate all provisions that would only serve to increase
Federal bureaucratic interference and limit the flexibility of State
authorities to direct LIHEAP funds to where they are most needed.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of the Head
Start Quality Improvement Act--H.R. 1528--introduced by Mr. Goodling, I
am very happy to see many of those recommendations encompassed into
this Head Start reauthorization.
I am pleased to see an increase in the recognition of the crucial
role parents play in the educational development of their children.
This bill requires programs to actively seek parental participation,
and while I would like to see even stronger language regarding parental
involvement in Head Start programs, I think the language addressing
family literacy and parental skills training takes the right direction.
It is important to recognize and establish parents as their children's
primary teacher.
As you know, raising the quality of all Head Start Programs
throughout the country has long been a concern, and I am pleased to see
strengthened program accountability for providing high quality services
included in this reauthorization.
The key to a successful Head Start Program is ensuring quality over
quantity. We should serve as many eligible children as possible with
the highest quality services possible, instead of just striving to
serve all eligible children with mediocre or poor services. The quality
program improvement provisions will help ensure that quality services
will be consistently provided by all Head Start Programs.
This Human Services Act reauthorization is the result of bipartisan
negotiations and although I am not supportive of every single element
of this bill, I am pleased with the inclusion of many key aspects that
enhance the programs. I hope that this bipartisan teamwork will
continue and we will see additional improvements in conference.
Ms. MOLINARI. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be here today to consider,
and to have taken part in the development of legislation to authorize
the Human Service Act--H.R. 4250--which includes Head Start, LIHEAP,
the Community Services Block Grant and several other programs.
As many of you know, Head Start is approaching its 30th anniversary.
This program clearly has an impressive history, but it also has a new
set of challenges for the future. One of those challenges is to
address, in response to recent reports, the disparities in the quality
of services provided by Head Start programs and to eliminate the fade-
out effect in children once they leave Head Start.
We have aggressively confronted these problems in this bill by
including measures to assure greater and more consistent quality,
putting poor-performing programs on notice that the status-quo is over
and enhancing services to better help parents become full partners in
the education of their children. I am pleased to say that these are all
ideas that were originally presented in Republican legislation, which I
helped to write with Mr. Goodling and Senator Kassebaum.
I am also encouraged to see a renewal for the LIHEAP Program in this
legislation. The LIHEAP Program is important to the whole country,
especially to the colder States. My State of New York is the largest
recipient of LIHEAP funds and would be one of the hardest hit areas by
the proposed budget cuts. This renewal of LIHEAP funds sends a strong
bipartisan message to the administration about the importance of this
program for the whole country and the Congressional desire to maintain
the program at its current levels--instead of cutting it in half, as
the administration has proposed.
I am also pleased that the CSBG reauthorization includes the renewal
of the McKinney Homeless Community Services Program, which the
administration had proposed to eliminate. Elimination of this program
would have been devastating to New York City, which alone receives $1
million from this important program. The truth is, however, that these
measures benefit all areas of our country.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my pleasure to work with Mr. Goodling, Mr.
Ford, and Mr. Martinez to develop this comprehensive bipartisan
reauthorization package, and I want to thank them for their leadership
on these issues.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Montgomery). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Martinez] that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4250, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule
I, and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this
motion will be postponed.
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