[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12681-S12682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA FACILITIES ESTABLISHMENT ACT

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a 
message from the House of Representatives on

[[Page S12682]]

the bill (S. 476) to provide for the establishment of not less than 
2,500 Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities by the year 2000.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the House of Representatives.
         Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 476) entitled 
     ``An Act to provide for the establishment of not less than 
     2,500 Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities by the year 
     2000.'', do pass with the following amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. 2,500 BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS BEFORE 2000.

       (a) In General.--Section 401(a) of the Economic Espionage 
     Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 13751 note) is amended by striking 
     paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide 
     adequate resources in the form of seed money for the Boys and 
     Girls Clubs of America to establish 1,000 additional local 
     clubs where needed, with particular emphasis placed on 
     establishing clubs in public housing projects and distressed 
     areas, and to ensure that there are a total of not less than 
     2,500 Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities in operation 
     not later than December 31, 1999.''.
       (b) Accelerated Grants.--Section 401 of the Economic 
     Espionage Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 13751 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``or rural'' and all 
     that follows through the end and inserting the following: 
     ``rural area, or Indian reservation with a population of high 
     risk youth as defined in section 517 of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-23) of sufficient size to 
     warrant the establishment of a Boys and Girls Club.''; and
       (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
       ``(c) Establishment.--
       ``(1) In general.--For each of the fiscal years 1997, 1998, 
     1999, 2000, and 2001, the Director of the Bureau of Justice 
     Assistance of the Department of Justice shall make a grant to 
     the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for the purpose of 
     establishing and extending Boys and Girls Clubs facilities 
     where needed, with particular emphasis placed on establishing 
     clubs in and extending services to public housing projects 
     and distressed areas.
       ``(2) Applications.--The Attorney General shall accept an 
     application for a grant under this subsection if submitted by 
     the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and approve or deny the 
     grant not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
     application is submitted, if the application--
       ``(A) includes a long-term strategy to establish 1,000 
     additional Boys and Girls Clubs and detailed summary of those 
     areas in which new facilities will be established, or in 
     which existing facilities will be expanded to serve 
     additional youths, during the next fiscal year;
       ``(B) includes a plan to ensure that there are a total of 
     not less than 2,500 Boys and Girls Clubs of America 
     facilities in operation before January 1, 2000;
       ``(C) certifies that there will be appropriate coordination 
     with those communities where clubs will be located; and
       ``(D) explains the manner in which new facilities will 
     operate without additional, direct Federal financial 
     assistance to the Boys and Girls Clubs once assistance under 
     this subsection is discontinued.''.
       (c) Role Model Grants.--Section 401 of the Economic 
     Espionage Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 13751 note) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Role Model Grants.--Of amounts made available under 
     subsection (e) for any fiscal year--
       ``(1) not more than 5 percent may be used to provide a 
     grant to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for 
     administrative, travel, and other costs associated with a 
     national role-model speaking tour program; and
       ``(2) no amount may be used to compensate speakers other 
     than to reimburse speakers for reasonable travel and 
     accommodation costs associated with the program described in 
     paragraph (1).''.

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am delighted that the Senate today has 
accepted the House amendment to S. 476 to ensure Indian reservations 
and rural areas are eligible for the funding authorized under this bill 
to expand Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. I am also pleased that 
this legislation will be sent to the President this evening for his 
signature.
  When this bill was under discussion in the Senate last spring, I made 
sure that rural areas, including many areas of my home State of 
Vermont, would be eligible for grants to establish some of the targeted 
2,500 new Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Representative Buyer's 
amendment will now ensure that Indian reservations will qualify under 
this bill. The original language in this bill was more restrictive, 
requiring the grants to be used only for the purpose of establishing 
Boys & Girls Clubs in public housing projects and other distressed 
areas. I have worked with the Boys & Girls and know that they 
understand that rural areas as well as urban can qualify as 
``distressed areas''.
  The bill is now more expansive and will give girls and boys in rural 
areas and on reservations greater opportunities to share in Boys & 
Girls Clubs and their programs. The revised statute will authorize 
grants for establishing and extending facilities ``where needed''. 
Particular emphasis continues to be given to housing projects, where 
Boys & Girls Clubs have proven effective in preventing youth crime, and 
to distressed areas, rural or urban. But the ``where needed'' language 
should help make expansion into rural areas a greater priority.
  The changes made to that program by this bill also permit up to 5 
percent of the grant funds to be used to establish a role model 
speakers' program. Anyone who has seen Boys & Girls Clubs of America 
commercial with Denzel Washington and his coach will know the kinds of 
outstanding role models that we are seeking to promote to encourage and 
motivate young people to be involved, productive citizens.
  I have seen the outstanding results at the Boys & Girls Clubs in 
Burlington, VT. The role models they provide include the outstanding 
instructors and volunteers who work in the Club's many programs. I have 
also witnessed the outstanding result of the Kids `N Kops Program at 
the University of Vermont with the cooperation of local law 
enforcement.
  Expansions are proceeding and over 200 new clubs serving 180,000 
youth were opened as a result of last year's appropriation. I know that 
the Burlington Boys & Girls Clubs received $100,000 to help enhance 
that Club's outreach efforts. I am also pleased to report that a new 
club will soon be established in Rutland, VT. I would like to thank 
Robbie Callaway and the many others at the Boys & Girls Clubs of 
America who have worked so hard to establish these important programs 
throughout the United States. I applaud your dedication and commitment 
to ensuring that our Nation's youth have solid alternatives to hanging 
out in the streets.
  I know that the national headquarters is also researching the 
feasibility of a club in Essex Junction. I hope that with the 
continuation of this initiative they will look for opportunities to 
serve young people in Montpelier, Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury and other 
Vermont locations, as well. I would be delighted for a sizable portion 
of the 1,000,000 additional young people who we hope will be served by 
the end of this century to come from the 145,000 young people in 
Vermont and those in other rural areas.
  In supporting this bill, I encourage the Boys & Girls Clubs as one 
example of a successful youth-oriented program that can help make a 
difference in young people's lives and prevent crime and delinquency. I 
also support the work of others who are effective with young people, 
including our outstanding 4-H programs.
  This measure should not become an excuse for anyone not to join with 
us to bolster comprehensive drug education and prevention for all 
elementary and high school students. As I have urged in the Judiciary 
Committee discussions of S. 10, the Violent and Repeat Juvenile 
Offender Act, we should proceed to help create after school ``safe 
havens'' where children are protected from drugs, gangs and crime with 
activities including drug prevention education, academic tutoring, 
mentoring, and abstinence training. This bill is a step but should not 
be the end of our efforts to support programs that help prevent 
juvenile delinquency, crime, and drug abuse.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move that the Senate concur in the 
amendment of the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion.
  The motion was agreed to.

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