[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 124 (Tuesday, October 5, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10437-S10445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. DODD (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Clinton, 
        Ms. Collins, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Johnson, and Mrs. 
        Murray):
  S. 2887. A bill to improve the Child Care Access Means Parents in 
School Program; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today with Senators 
Snowe, Kennedy, Collins, Murray, Durbin, Lautenberg, Clinton and 
Johnson to introduce legislation which would supply greatly needed 
support to

[[Page S10438]]

college students struggling to balance their roles as parents with 
their roles as students. The Child Care Access Means Parents in School 
Act, CCAMPIS, would increase access to, support for, and retention of 
low-income, nontraditional students who are struggling to complete 
college degrees while caring for their children.
  The typical college student is no longer an 18 year old recent high 
school graduate. According to a 2002 study by the National Center for 
Education Statistics, only 27 percent of undergraduates meet the 
``traditional'' undergraduate criteria of earning a high school 
diploma, enrolling full-time, depending on parents for financial 
support and not working or working part-time. This means that 73 
percent of today's students are considered nontraditional in some way. 
Clearly, nontraditional students--older students with children and 
various job and life experiences--are filling the ranks of college 
classes. Why? Because they recognize the importance of college to 
future success. It is currently estimated that a full-time worker with 
a bachelor's degree earns about 60 percent more than a full-time worker 
with only a high school diploma. This amounts to a lifetime gap in 
earnings of more than $1 million.
  Today's nontraditional students face barriers unheard of by 
traditional college students of earlier years. Many are parents and 
must provide for their children while in school. Access to affordable, 
quality and convenient child care is a necessity for these students. 
But obtaining the child care that they need is often difficult because 
of their limited income and nontraditional schedules, compounded by 
declining assistance for child care through other supports. Campus 
based child care can fill the gap. It is conveniently located, 
available during the right hours, and of high quality and lower cost. 
Unfortunately, it is unavailable at many campuses. Even when programs 
do exist, they are often available to only a fraction of the eligible 
students. That is where the Dodd-Snowe CCAMPIS Act comes in.
  The Dodd-Snowe CCAMPIS Act increases and expands the availability of 
campus based child care in three ways. First, it raises the minimum 
grant amount from $10,000 to $30,000. For most institutions of higher 
education, $10,000 has proven too small relative to the effort to 
complete a Federal application. Grant offices on campuses often pass 
small grants over in favor of those that appear more cost effective.
  Second, the Dodd-Snowe CCAMPIS Act ensures that a wider range of 
students are able to access services. Present language defines low-
income students as students eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. 
This language excludes graduate students, international students, and 
students who may be low-income but make slightly more than is allowed 
to qualify for Pell grants. CCAMPIS will open eligibility for these 
additional populations.
  Third, the CCAMPIS Act raises the program's current authorization 
level from $45 million to $75 million so that we not only expand 
existing programs, we create new ones.
  Research demonstrates that campus based child care is of high quality 
and that it increases the educational success of both parents and 
students. Furthermore, recipients of campus based child care assistance 
who are on public assistance are more likely to never return to welfare 
and to obtain jobs paying good wages.
  Currently, there are approximately 1,850 campus based child care 
programs but over 4,000 colleges and universities eligible to 
participate in the CCAMPIS program. Currently, CCAMPIS funds only 343 
programs in 25 states and the District of Columbia. Meanwhile, the 
number of nontraditional students across America is increasing. As 
these numbers increase, the need for campus based child care will be 
increasingly unmet.
  This is a modest measure that will make a major difference to 
students. It will offer them new hope for starting and staying in 
school. I am hopeful that it can be considered and enacted as part of 
the Higher Education Act. I look forward to working with my colleagues 
to move this important measure forward.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2887

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL PROGRAM.

       (a) Minimum Grant.--Section 419N(b)(2)(B) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e(b)(2)(B)) is amended 
     by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$30,000''.
       (b) Definition of Low-Income Student.--Section 419N(b)(7) 
     of such Act is amended to read as follows:
       ``(7) Definition of low-income student.--For the purpose of 
     this section, the term `low-income student' means a student 
     who--
       ``(A) is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for the 
     fiscal year for which the determination is made;
       ``(B) would otherwise be eligible to receive a Federal Pell 
     Grant for the fiscal year for which the determination is 
     made, except that the student fails to meet the requirements 
     of--
       ``(i) section 401(c)(1) because the student is enrolled in 
     a graduate or first professional course of study; or
       ``(ii) section 484(a)(5) because the student is in the 
     United States for a temporary purpose; or
       ``(C) is from a family with an income that is less than 275 
     percent of the poverty line (as defined by the Office of 
     Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance 
     with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant 
     Act) applicable to a family of the size involved.''.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 419N(g) of 
     such Act is amended by striking ``$45,000,000 for fiscal year 
     1999'' and inserting ``$75,000,000 for fiscal year 2005''.

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I am extremely pleased to join my colleague 
from Connecticut, Senator Dodd, to introduce the Child Care Access 
Means Parents in School Act of 2004. Senator Dodd and I have worked 
together to ensure access to quality child care, and this bill 
represents the next step in our shared commitment to this important 
issue. This legislation provides grants to colleges in order to provide 
child care for low-income students.
  Countless college students have recently returned to college. At this 
time, we should remind ourselves that many Americans face obstacles 
that prevent them from participating in higher education. The absence 
of affordable and accessible child care is, unfortunately, one such 
obstacle.
  For many parents with young children, the availability of on-campus 
child care services is central to their ability to attend college. 
Campus-based child care is conveniently located, available at the hours 
that fit students' schedules and often available at a lower cost than 
community-based child care centers. Student parents rate access to 
campus-based child care as an important factor affecting their college 
enrollment. Unfortunately, such services are often in very short 
supply, particularly for low-income parents who may find the cost of 
existing services prohibitive.
  Higher education is becoming ever more crucial to getting a job in 
today's global job market. The majority of new jobs require education 
beyond high school. Getting the skills necessary to meet the demands of 
today's marketplace simply requires higher and higher levels of 
educational achievement. For many low-income students who are parents, 
the availability of campus-based child care is key to their ability to 
receive a higher education and thus achieve the American dream. Student 
parents are more likely to remain in school, and to graduate sooner and 
at a higher rate if they have campus-based child care. Child care 
services are particularly critical for older students who choose to go 
back to school to get their degree or to improve their skills through 
advanced education. Children placed in campus-based child care also 
reap numerous benefits, given its high quality. In fact, children in 
high-quality child care exhibit higher earnings as adults, higher rates 
of secondary school graduation, lower rates of teen pregnancy, and a 
reduced need for special education or costly social services.
  Research shows that programs such as the High/Scope Perry Preschool 
Program in Ypsilanti, Michigan and the Chicago Child-Parent Centers 
demonstrate overwhelmingly that quality child care is a wise investment 
and is cost efficient. According to analysis of these programs the 
public saves $7 for every $1 invested in child care. These savings 
counted only the benefits to the public at large--in reduced costs of 
crime, welfare and remedial education

[[Page S10439]]

and in taxes paid when the preschoolers became adult workers--without 
even taking into account participants' increased earnings or the 
increased contribution to economic growth those earnings represent.
  The Child Care Access Means Parents in School Act of 2004 will amend 
title IV of the Higher Education Act to help provide campus-based child 
care to low-income parents seeking a college degree. Under the bill, 
the Secretary of Education will award 3-year grants to institutions of 
higher education to support or help establish a campus-based child care 
program serving the needs of low-income student parents. The Secretary 
will award $75 million in grants--equal to 1 percent of total Pell 
grant funding--based on an application submitted by the institution, 
and the grant amount will be linked to the institution's Pell grant 
funding level. This bill ensures that a wide range of low-income 
students are able to access child care services.
  Under the bill low-income students are defined as students eligible 
to receive a Federal Pell Grant, or students who would be eligible to 
receive a Pell grant if they were not in the United States temporarily, 
and students who are from a family with an income that is less than 275 
percent of the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and 
Budget). Students typically qualify for Pell grants if their income is 
under $30,000 per year and in Maine, this means approximately 17,000 
students could have access to high quality child care services while 
they earn their college degree. This bill will make a true difference 
in the lives of many low-income students who need child care to attend 
school.
  This bill raises the minimum CCAMPIS grant to $30,000 and authorizes 
$75 million as research has found that the existing minimum grant of 
$10,000 is often too small relative to the effort for many institutions 
to complete a federal application. We have found that grant offices on 
campuses often pass small grants over in favor of those that are most 
cost effective.
  Because the bill we are introducing today will help bring the 
American dream within the reach of American parents who need child care 
in order to attend college, I urge my colleagues to support this 
important legislation which will truly make a difference in the lives 
of many American parents.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Levin, and Mr. 
        Kennedy):
  S. 2888. A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to 
establish a scholarship program to encourage and support students who 
have contributed substantial public services; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to introduce, along with Senators 
Edwards, Levin and Kennedy, the Youth Service Scholarship Act. This Act 
would authorize the Secretary of Education to award college 
scholarships of up to $5,000 a year to high school students and 
undergraduates who perform community service.
  A recent study titled Community Service and Service Learning in U.S. 
Public Schools reveals that 66 percent of public schools involve 
students in community service. This means that approximately 54,000 
public schools in America currently engage about 13.7 million students 
in community service each year. Other studies have shown that nearly 84 
percent of high school students participate in volunteer activities 
either in or out of school, and two-thirds of college students have 
recently participated in volunteer activities.
  The Youth Service Scholarship Act is dedicated to assist low-income 
students who dedicate a significant portion of their time to volunteer 
service with money for college. This Act would authorize the Secretary 
of Education to award college scholarships of up to $5,000 to high 
school students who perform over 600 hours of community service in two 
years. In order to be considered, high school applicants must maintain 
a 2.0 grade point average, submit character recommendations, and write 
an essay on the nature of their community service. Additional money is 
available if the student continues to participate in a significant 
amount of community service once they are in college.
  Volunteerism not only brings support and services to communities in 
need, it provides significant benefits to the students who participate. 
Research has shown that students who volunteer are 50 percent less 
likely to use drugs and alcohol, or engage in destructive behavior. 
Additionally, students who volunteer are more likely to receive good 
grades, be philanthropic, graduate, and be interested in going to 
college.
  In the 21st Century, higher education is not a luxury, it is a 
necessity. For many of our low-income youth, finding money to pay for 
college is an obstacle to enrollment. This scholarship program provides 
aid to motivated and inspirational youth.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Youth Service 
Scholarship Act. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2888

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Youth Service Scholarship 
     Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

         Congress finds that--
       (1) young people under 18 years of age are now our Nation's 
     most impoverished age group, with 1 of every 5 living in 
     poverty, a higher proportion than in 1968, and the percentage 
     of minority children living in poverty is about twice as 
     high;
       (2) more than 1 of 4 families is headed by a single parent 
     and the percentage of such families has risen steadily over 
     the past few decades, rising 13 percent since 1990;
       (3) there is a need to engage youth as active participants 
     in decisionmaking that affects their lives, including in the 
     design, development, implementation, and evaluation of youth 
     development programs at the Federal, State, and community 
     levels;
       (4) existing outcome driven youth development strategies, 
     pioneered by community-based organizations, hold real promise 
     for promoting positive behaviors and preventing youth 
     problems;
       (5) formal evaluations of youth development programs have 
     documented significant reductions in drug and alcohol use, 
     school misbehavior, aggressive behavior, violence, truancy, 
     high-risk sexual behavior, and smoking;
       (6) compared to youth in the United States generally, youth 
     participating in community-based organizations are more than 
     26 percent more likely to report having received recognition 
     for good grades than youth in the United States generally and 
     nearly 20 percent more likely to rate the likelihood of their 
     going to college as very high; and
       (7) the availability and use of Federal resources can be an 
     effective incentive to leverage broader community support to 
     enable local programs, activities, and services to provide 
     the full array of developmental core resources, remove 
     barriers to access, promote program effectiveness, and 
     facilitate coordination and collaboration within the 
     community.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 407E as section 406E; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:

                 ``Chapter 4--Public Service Incentives

     ``SEC. 407A. PURPOSE.

       ``The purpose of this chapter is to establish a scholarship 
     program to reward low-income students who have, during high 
     school, and who continue, during college, to make significant 
     public service contributions to their communities.

     ``SEC. 407B. SCHOLARSHIPS AUTHORIZED.

       ``(a) Qualifications for Scholarships.--The Secretary is 
     authorized to award a scholarship to enable a student to pay 
     the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education 
     during the student's first 4 academic years of undergraduate 
     education, if the student--
       ``(1) in order to be eligible for the first year of such 
     scholarship, performed not less than 300 hours of qualifying 
     public service during each of 2 academic years of the 
     student's secondary school enrollment;
       ``(2) in order to be eligible for the second or any 
     subsequent year of such scholarship, performed not less than 
     300 hours of qualifying public service during the academic 
     year of postsecondary school attendance preceding the 
     academic year for which the student seeks such scholarship;
       ``(3) was eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under 
     the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1721 et seq.);
       ``(4) is eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants for the 
     year in which the scholarships are awarded, except that a 
     student shall not be required to comply or verify compliance 
     with section 484(a)(5) for purposes of receiving a 
     scholarship under this chapter; and
       ``(5) otherwise demonstrates compliance with regulations 
     prescribed by the Secretary under section 407G.
       ``(b) Definition of Qualifying Public Service.--For 
     purposes of subsection (a), the

[[Page S10440]]

     term `qualifying public service' means service that would be 
     eligible for treatment as community service under the 
     National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 
     et seq.) or under the Federal work-study program under part 
     C.

     ``SEC. 407C. AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP.

       ``(a) Amount of Award.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) and 
     subsection (b), the amount of a scholarship awarded under 
     this chapter for any academic year shall be equal to $5,000.
       ``(2) Adjustment for insufficient appropriations.--If, 
     after the Secretary determines the total number of students 
     selected under section 407D for an academic year, funds 
     available to carry out this chapter for the academic year are 
     insufficient to fully fund all awards under this chapter for 
     the academic year, the amount of the scholarship paid to each 
     student under this chapter shall be reduced proportionately.
       ``(b) Assistance Not To Exceed Cost of Attendance.--A 
     scholarship awarded under this chapter to any student, in 
     combination with the Federal Pell Grant assistance and other 
     student financial assistance available to such student, may 
     not exceed the student's cost of attendance.

     ``SEC. 407D. SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.

       ``The Secretary shall designate a panel to select students 
     for the award of scholarships under this chapter. Such panel 
     shall be composed of 9 individuals who are selected by the 
     Secretary and shall be composed of equal numbers of youths, 
     community representatives, and teachers. The Secretary shall 
     ensure that no individual assigned under this section to 
     review any application has any conflict of interest with 
     regard to the application that might impair the impartiality 
     with which the individual conducts the review under this 
     section.

     ``SEC. 407E. APPLICATIONS.

       ``Any eligible student desiring to obtain a scholarship 
     under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information or assurances as the Secretary may require. Such 
     application shall--
       ``(1) demonstrate that the eligible student is maintaining 
     satisfactory academic progress and is achieving a grade point 
     average of at least 2.0 (on a scale of 4), or its equivalent;
       ``(2) include a recommendation from--
       ``(A) the supervisor of the community service project of 
     the applicant; and
       ``(B) another individual not related to, but familiar with 
     the character of the applicant such as a teacher, coach, or 
     employer; and
       ``(3) include an essay by the applicant on the nature of 
     the community service performed by the applicant.

     ``SEC. 407F. PROGRAM DISSEMINATION AND PROMOTION.

       ``(a) Development and Dissemination.--The Secretary shall 
     develop and disseminate to the public information on the 
     availability of, and application process for, scholarships 
     under this chapter.
       ``(b) Promotion.--In disseminating information about the 
     scholarship program under this chapter, the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) disseminate such information directly or through 
     arrangements with local educational agencies, public and 
     private elementary schools and secondary schools, nonprofit 
     organizations, consumer groups, Federal, State, or local 
     agencies, and the media; and
       ``(2) at a minimum, include a description and the purpose 
     of the scholarship program, an explanation of how to obtain 
     an application, and a description of the application process 
     and procedures.

     ``SEC. 407G. REGULATIONS.

       ``The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
     necessary to carry out this chapter.

     ``SEC. 407H. EVALUATION.

       ``Not earlier than 2 years after the first fiscal year for 
     which funds are made available under this chapter, the 
     Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress an evaluation 
     of the effectiveness of the program under this chapter. Such 
     evaluation shall include--
       ``(1) an evaluation of the demand, by grade level and types 
     of community service sites, for the scholarships provided 
     under this chapter;
       ``(2) general data on the background of program 
     participants and the types of service performed; and
       ``(3) an itemization of the costs of administering the 
     program under this chapter.

     ``SEC. 407I. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     chapter $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and such sums as are 
     necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Bond):
  S. 2892. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize 
and extend certain programs to provide coordinated services and 
research with respect to children and families with HIV/AIDS; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Children and 
Family HIV/AIDS Research and Care Act of 2004. This bipartisan 
legislation will address the special needs of children and youth with 
HIV/AIDS--needs that are too often overlooked, both domestically and 
internationally. This legislation recognizes the simple fact that when 
it comes to HIV prevention, research, care, and treatment, children and 
youth are not just small adults. To give them a chance for a healthy 
future, we must ensure that their unique needs are met.
  I want to begin by thanking my good friend Senator Bond of Missouri 
for joining me in introducing this important legislation. Senator Bond 
has provided crucial support for children and for children's health. 
Over the years, he has been a leader in the fight to protect children 
from birth defects and developmental disabilities. He has also done a 
great deal to ensure that our nation's children's hospitals and 
community health centers have the resources they need to continue to 
provide essential care to children and families. I am very pleased to 
work with him to move this legislation forward.
  Children's growing bodies are especially susceptible to the rapid 
advancement of HIV infection. Because their immune systems are still 
immature, the disease typically progresses more rapidly and differently 
in children than in adults. For example, children with HIV infection 
are more prone to neurological abnormalities and certain opportunistic 
infections than adults. In addition, because children's bodies are 
growing and developing, HIV/AIDS can have profound effects on 
children's physical growth and ability to reach developmental 
milestones such as crawling, walking and learning to talk.
  While research has definitively shown that initiating drug treatment 
in children in a timely manner promotes normal growth and development, 
and prolongs life, treating children with HIV/AIDS presents particular 
challenges. Appropriately formulated and dosed HIV/AIDS drugs are 
urgently needed to ensure that children receive optimal care. 
Currently, liquid formulations that young children can swallow are not 
always readily available. In addition, pediatric dosing and safety 
information for these powerful drugs is often lacking, particularly for 
younger children. This lack of information puts children at risk; too 
much medication can be toxic and too little will not effectively 
suppress the virus. Over time, under-dosing can lead to drug 
resistance, a particularly serious concern for children who will need 
to use these medications for years, if not decades.
  Appropriate HIV/AIDS care and treatment for children and youth also 
requires that special attention be paid to their social development 
needs. Children and youth have unique concerns regarding disclosure and 
stigma that may be exacerbated by frequent absences from school and 
social activities, and the onset of sexual maturity. Working with 
schools and other social and community institutions is imperative to 
promoting a sense of normalcy. Because children are not typically 
medical decision-makers, developing long-term care partnerships with 
parents and other caregivers is also crucial to successful care and 
treatment. At the same time, maximizing each child's own ability to 
take active participation in different aspects of his or her own care 
can increase a child's sense of ownership over treatment, improving 
adherence and overall health.

  By reauthorizing and expanding Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act 
this legislation will help to ensure that the unique care and treatment 
needs of children are addressed. This program is a lifeline for more 
than 53,000 women, children, and youth affected by HIV/AIDS served 
annually by Title IV-funded projects. Through 91 grants in 35 states, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Title IV 
projects provide medical care, case management, support services, 
mental health, transportation, child care, and other crucial services 
to families affected by HIV/AIDS. Title IV is the smallest of the four 
main titles of the Ryan White CARE Act, yet reaches the highest 
proportion of minorities.
  Key to the success of Title IV projects is the model of ``family-
centered care.'' This model of care treats the whole family as the 
client, whether several family members are infected by HIV, or just a 
parent or child. The family-centered care model is crucial to 
developing strong partnerships between consumers and providers, leading 
to better health outcomes for women,

[[Page S10441]]

children, and youth. By allowing affected family members to receive 
services, as well as the infected individuals, Title IV projects 
promote health at the family level, thereby prolonging life, improving 
quality of life, and saving money by keeping people out of the 
hospital.
  I would like to take a moment to recognize the work done by the 
Children, Youth and Family AIDS Network of Connecticut, which provides 
Title IV services to more than 500 children, youth, women, and families 
affected by HIV/AIDS in my home state. I have heard from many of these 
individuals about just how important these services are to their 
quality of life.
  While recommitting the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) to family-centered care and the unique work of Title IV, this 
legislation will also expand the innovative strategies Title IV 
projects have used to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Since 
1994, when the administration of preventive drug interventions was 
shown to significantly reduce perinatal HIV transmission, the number of 
newborns infected with HIV has decreased dramatically. Yet mother-to-
children transmission does continue to occur, largely due to missed 
opportunities for identifying HIV-positive pregnant women and providing 
the supportive services needed to ensure adherence to recommended 
treatment regimens. We propose to fund demonstration grants to assess 
the effectiveness of two strategies in reducing mother-to-children 
transmission: (1) Increasing routine, voluntary HIV testing of pregnant 
women and (2) increasing access to prenatal care, intensive case 
management, and supportive services for HIV-positive pregnant women.
  In addition, this bill will encourage research into key care and 
treatment questions affecting the pediatric populations. These include: 
the long-term health effects of preventive drug regimens on HIV-exposed 
children; the long-term health, psycho-social, and prevention needs for 
children and adolescents perinatally HIV-infected; the transition to 
adulthood for HIV-infected children; and safer and more effective 
treatment options for infants, children, and adolescents with HIV 
disease.
  Since history suggests that a vaccine may prove to be the most 
effective, affordable, long-term approach to stopping the spread of 
HIV, this legislation will also ensure that children are not an 
afterthought when it comes to the development of an HIV vaccine. 
Currently, some of the populations hardest hit by the pandemic--infants 
and youth--are at risk of being left behind in the search for an 
effective vaccine. Because we cannot assume that a vaccine tested in 
adults will also be safe and effective when used in pediatric 
populations, it will be important to ensure that promising vaccines are 
tested in infants and youth as early as is medically and ethically 
appropriate. Failure to begin planning for the inclusion of these 
groups in clinical trials could mean significant delays in the 
availability of a pediatric HIV vaccine, at the cost of countless 
thousands of lives. This legislation will ensure that we begin now to 
address the logistical, regulatory, medical, and ethical issues 
presented by pediatric testing of HIV vaccines so that children can 
share in the benefits of any advances in vaccines research.
  I want to thank several organizations for lending their expertise to 
the development of this legislation, in particular the Elizabeth Glaser 
Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and 
Families, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of whom support 
this bill. I would also like to note that the AMS Vaccine Advocacy 
Coalition is endorsing this legislation. I would ask unanimous consent 
that three letters of endorsement be printed in the Record.
  HIV/AIDS is the single greatest health care catastrophe facing the 
world today. We need to do much more to seek effective treatments and, 
eventually, a cure for this horrible illness. This legislation is by no 
means sufficient to reach that goal, but it is a step towards ensuring 
that children are not left behind as we make progress, and then when we 
do finally eradicate HIV/AIDS once and for all, children and youth are 
able to benefit immediately. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in 
support of this legislation.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                       AIDS Alliance for Children,


                                           Youth and Families,

                                  Washington, DC, October 5, 2004.
     Senator Christopher J. Dodd,
     Subcommittee on Children and Families,
     Senator Christopher S. Bond,
     Subcommittee on Aging,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Dodd and Bond:
       As the national non-profit organization dedicated to women, 
     children, youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS, we would 
     like to extend our sincere gratitude for you introduction of 
     the Children and Family HIV/AIDS Research and Care Act of 
     2004. We greatly appreciate your leadership on this issue.
       The Children and Family HIV/AIDS Research and Care Act 
     provides many important services to some of the most 
     vulnerable populations of HIV-positive people: women, 
     children, infants, youth and male caregivers. This bill 
     reauthorizes Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act, strengthens 
     the model of family-centered care, reinforces other 
     provisions in the CARE Act serving these groups, expands 
     efforts to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT), 
     and ensures that biomedical research efforts in the fight 
     against HIV--especially the search for a preventive vaccine--
     take into consideration the special needs of pediatric 
     populations.
       Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act is a lifeline to more 
     than 53,000 women, children, youth, infants and male 
     caregivers served each year. Through grants to 91 
     organizations across 35 states, the District of Columbia, 
     Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, grantees and 
     hundreds of subgrantees provide medical care, support 
     services, case management, outreach and other services to 
     thousands of families affected by HIV/AIDS. Title IV saves 
     lives by providing treatment and care, improves quality of 
     life by keeping people healthier, and saves money by reducing 
     hospitalization. Title IV projects have also led the way in 
     reducing MTCT from more than 2,000 babies born HIS-positive 
     each year to fewer than 300. It is essential this program be 
     reauthorized and expanded, and we appreciate your support.
       In addition, biomedical research on a potential HIV vaccine 
     and other research into antiretroviral treatment, 
     psychosocial and prevention needs, and transitioning from 
     pediatric into adult health care settings are all complicated 
     research issues that must pay special attention to the needs 
     of children. Children and youth are not merely ``mini-
     adults'' for whom the same treatment, care and prevention 
     regimens apply. In terms of both physiological and 
     psychosocial development, children and adolescents have 
     different needs than adults, and research efforts must be 
     attuned to these concerns. This bill would address those 
     issues by developing a pediatric HIV vaccination testing plan 
     and expand other research efforts relevant to infants, 
     children, and youth affected by HIV/AIDS.
       We fully endorse this legislation, and again thank you for 
     your efforts to introduce and support it. We look forward to 
     working with our offices to promote this bill and see its 
     provisions enacted into law.
           Sincerely,
     Ivy Turnbull,
       President.
     David C. Harvey,
       Executive Director.
                                  ____

                                        Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric


                                              AIDS Foundation,

                                  Washington, DC, October 5, 2004.
     Hon. Christopher J. Dodd,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Christopher S. Bond,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Dodd and Bond:
       On behalf of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS 
     Foundation, I would like to commend your leadership in 
     introducing the Children and Family HIV/AIDS Research and 
     Care Act of 2004. We applaud your attention to the needs of 
     children with HIV/AIDS and offer our strong endorsement of 
     this bipartisan legislation.
       The Foundation was created more than 15 years ago to help 
     children with HIV/AIDS and is now the worldwide leader in the 
     fight against pediatric AIDS and other serious and life-
     threatening diseases affecting children. While we have made 
     great strides in caring for children with HIV/AIDS since the 
     early days of the pandemic, it is an unfortunate fact that 
     their unique needs are still too often overlooked. As we have 
     learned firsthand, children with HIV/AIDS are not small 
     adults. To give them the best possible chance for a healthy 
     future, it is essential that their specific prevention, care 
     and treatment needs are met.
       The Children and Family HIV/AIDS Research and Care Act of 
     2004 will address those needs by reauthorizing Title IV of 
     the Ryan White CARE Act and expanding its focus on reaching 
     and caring for adolescents with HIV/AIDS. To further reduce 
     mother-to-child transmission of HIV, this legislation will 
     also promote routine, voluntary prenatal HIV testing and 
     intensive care management for HIV-positive pregnant women. In 
     addition, because children are at risk of being left behind 
     in the search for an effective HIV vaccine, the bill will 
     require federal agencies funding and regulating HIV vaccine

[[Page S10442]]

     research to develop plans and guidelines for including 
     pediatric populations in clinical trials as quickly as is 
     medically and ethically appropriate. This legislation will 
     also encourage research on key remaining pediatric research 
     questions, including how to provide safer and more effective 
     treatment options for children with HIV/AIDS.
       Thank you again for your commitment to ensuring that the 
     unique prevention, care and treatment needs of children with 
     HIV/AIDS are met. We appreciate the opportunity to join you 
     in helping children to reap the benefits of the very best 
     that science and medicine have to offer and look forward to 
     working with you toward passage of this critical legislation.
           Sincerely,

                                                   Mark Isaac,

                                     Vice President, Public Policy
     and Communication.
                                  ____



                              AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition,

                                    New York, NY, October 5, 2004.
     Hon. Christopher Bond,
     U.S. Senate,

     Hon. Christopher Dodd,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Bond and Dodd: On behalf of the AIDS Vaccine 
     Advocacy Coalition, I would like to express our strong 
     support for the Children and Family HIV/AIDS Research and 
     Care Act of 2004. We applaud your efforts to provide 
     coordinated services and research with respect to children 
     and families with HIV/AIDS.
       Founded in 1995, AVAC is an internationally recognized non-
     profit organization committed to accelerating the ethical 
     development and global delivery of vaccines against HIV/AIDS. 
     We are committed to a broad, sustainable response to manage 
     the long haul from basic science, to product development, 
     through multiple clinical trials and, eventually and most 
     importantly, to a safe, efficacious, accessible and 
     affordable vaccine in use for the people and communities that 
     need it most.
       Unless issues surrounding the testing of vaccine candidates 
     in relevant pediatric populations are addressed now, they 
     likely won't have timely access to an effective vaccine when 
     one is developed and licensed. That would not only deny young 
     people of an important HIV prevention tool, but it would 
     severely hamper global efforts to stop the AIDS pandemic.
       We, therefore, strongly endorse your effort to enact 
     legislation that prioritizes this critical research issue and 
     calls for a plan of action to move forward. We appreciate the 
     opportunity to join you now to ensure that the research and 
     development process delivers treatment and prevention to the 
     populations that need it most and look forward to working 
     with you toward passage of this legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Mitchell Warren,
                                               Executive Director.

  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, currently, more than 3,700 children and 
youth under the age of 13 are living with HIV or AIDS in the United 
States and of the more than 40,000 Americans newly infected with HIV 
each year, half are young people under the age of 25 years old. When we 
think about this devastating virus we do not often associate it with 
children, especially infants or newborn babies, but the fact is this 
disease does not discriminate on the basis of age. It affects children 
in very specific and very different ways than adults.
  For instance, the medical experience of children with HIV/AIDS can 
differ significantly from that of adults. Because children's immune 
systems are still immature, the disease typically progresses more 
rapidly in children than in adults and can have different 
manifestations. For example, the majorities of children with HIV have 
neurological abnormalities and are more susceptible to certain 
opportunistic infections than adults. In addition, because children's 
bodies are growing and developing, HIV/AIDS can have profound effects 
on children's physical growth and ability to reach developmental 
milestones such as crawling, walking and learning to walk.
  Medication for young children living with HIV/AIDS can also be very 
different than that of an adult living with HIV/AIDS. For example, 
children of certain ages cannot swallow pills and require liquid 
formulations of life-saving HIV/AIDS drugs that are not always readily 
available. In addition, dosing and safety information for these 
powerful drugs are often strikingly different for children and adults, 
and for younger children, this information is typically completely 
missing. This lack of information puts children at risk by requiring 
health care providers to estimate correct dosing. Too much medication 
can be toxic, and too little will not effectively suppress the virus. 
Over time, under-dosing can lead to drug resistance.
  Children are not just small adults and their growing bodies are 
especially susceptible to the rapid advancement of HIV infection. Early 
awareness that a child has HIV infection, combined with good care and 
support, can enhance survival and quality of life, which is why I am 
introducing, with my colleague Senator Dodd, The Children Family HIV/
AIDS Research and Care Act of 2004. This legislation will address those 
needs of children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS by reauthorizing 
Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act and expanding its focus on reaching 
and caring for adolescents with HIV/AIDS. Moreover, this legislation 
will continue to work to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV, by 
promoting routine, voluntary prenatal HIV testing and intensive care 
management for HIV-positive pregnant women. In addition, because 
children are at risk of being left behind in the search for an 
effective HIV vaccine, the bill will require federal agencies funding 
and regulating HIV vaccine research to develop plans and guidelines for 
including pediatric populations in clinical trials as quickly as is 
medically and ethically appropriate. This legislation will also 
encourage research on key remaining pediatric research questions, 
including how to provide safer and more effective treatment options for 
children with HIV/AIDS.
  For a young person living with HIV or AIDS there is no cure and there 
is no remission. It is with them at home, on the playground, in the 
classroom, and at a Friday night sleepover. It will be with them as 
they enter high school, go to college and get their first job. For a 
person born with this virus it is a permanent part of their life. This 
bill will help to ensure that the needs of infants, children, and 
adolescents living with HIV/AIDS are not overlooked.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Ms. MURKOWSKI:
  S. 2893. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow 
individuals a refundable credit against income tax for the purchase of 
private health insurance, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I believe all Americans should have 
access to affordable, high-quality health care. Rising health care 
costs impose a burden on families and small businesses and put coverage 
out of reach for many Americans. According to the most recent Census 
Bureau findings, 45 million Americans lack health insurance; about 
200,000 of the 45 million were Alaskans. The vast majority, nearly 80 
percent, of uninsured Alaskans in 2003-2004 were employed or members of 
working families.
  As part of the effort to address this problem, I have introduced 
legislation that will increase the number of insured Americans. The 
SAVE (Securing Access, Value, and Equality) Health Care Act offers a 
solution to the problems of accessibility, portability, and choice.
  My plan does not just increase funding for current government 
programs; my plan provides a path to greater opportunity, more freedom, 
and more control over your own health care and your own future.
  The SAVE Health Care Act would provide working class Americans with a 
tax credit that they can use to purchase health insurance. The act 
targets three-quarters of the total number of uninsured Americans by 
setting eligibility at 350 percent of poverty, or an Alaskan's annual 
income of $41,000 for an individual or $82,000 for a family of four.
  To help make health coverage more affordable for low and middle-
income individuals and families who do not have employer-provided 
coverage and who are not eligible for the expanded public programs, 
this legislation would provide a refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 
for individuals and up to $3,000 for families, which could be advanced 
on a monthly basis.
  The SAVE Act would also cover an additional 50 percent of any health 
insurance premiums not covered by the basic credit. This provision is 
targeted to help those who need health insurance the most--those who 
are sick, have pre-existing health conditions, or older Americans whose 
insurance prices are higher and who do not have access to employer-
based insurance.
  A tax credit proposal without this type of additional assistance 
would only help insure the young and the healthy because their premiums 
are

[[Page S10443]]

the lowest and most within reach financially. The additional credit is 
a key part of providing coverage to Americans with the greatest need.
  The SAVE Act would allow those who have access to employer-sponsored 
plans to have up to one-half of the credit they are eligible for to 
help them pay for their portion of the health insurance premiums. This 
credit amount is a balance designed to help employees afford their 
portion of employer-sponsored coverage without providing employers an 
incentive to shift more costs to their employees.
  The SAVE Act includes a provision that would make the premiums for 
qualified high-deductible health insurance plans that coordinate with 
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) tax-deductible. Both individuals and 
their employers can contribute tax free dollars to an HSA, and the 
individual can use these dollars for qualifying out-of-pocket medical 
expenses.
  The SAVE Act provides small business owners a refundable tax credit 
for contributions they make to their employees' HSAs in the amount of 
$500 per worker with family coverage and $200 per worker with 
individual coverage. More than half of the uninsured are small business 
employees and their families.
  In addition to reducing the number of our nation's uninsured, this 
legislation will create an incentive for personal savings while shaping 
a health care marketplace driven by consumer choice.
  The SAVE Act would extend and expand the State high risk pool health 
insurance grant program that was established under the Trade Adjustment 
Act of 2002. Alaska is one of 31 States that currently operates a high 
risk pool. I commend the work of the Alaska Comprehensive Health 
Insurance Association (ACHIA), the nonprofit organization that provides 
health insurance to 467 Alaska residents who would otherwise be denied 
coverage because of medical conditions. Under this legislation, Alaska 
will receive a portion of the $75 million allocated in this legislation 
to continue to operate our high risk pool and to continue insuring 
Alaskans that really need this program.
  The SAVE Act would establish a grant program in which States would be 
encouraged to establish Voluntary Choice Cooperatives, or VCCs. VCCs 
essentially increase the clout of small businesses in negotiating with 
insurers. Premiums are generally higher for small businesses because 
they do not have as much purchasing power as large companies. This 
limits the ability of small businesses to bargain for lower rates. They 
also have higher administrative costs because they have fewer employees 
among whom to spread the fixed cost of a health benefits plan. 
Moreover, VCCs decrease the risk of adverse selection and spread the 
cost of health care over a broader group.
  I believe this well-rounded approach will provide significant help 
with the cost and availability of health insurance, and make a real 
difference in reducing the number of uninsured Americans.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. KENNEDY:
  S. 2894. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
the coordination of Federal Government policies and activities to 
prevent obesity in childhood, to provide for State childhood obesity 
prevention and control, and to establish grant programs to prevent 
childhood obesity within homes, schools, and communities; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it's an honor to introduce the 
``Prevention of Childhood Obesity Act''. The goal of this legislation 
is to deal more effectively with the growing health epidemic of obesity 
now faced by millions of children today. Currently, 9,000,000 children 
have this chronic condition, and it's putting them at high risk for 
diabetes, high blood pressure, and other preventable diseases. In 
addition, obese children frequently grow up to become obese adults, and 
they impose at least 11 billion dollars in medical costs on the nation 
each year.
  Childhood obesity is the direct result of too much food and too 
little physical activity. One of the results is the epidemic now 
plaguing the nation. Children watch over 40,000 food advertisements on 
television a year--one food commercial every minute, urging them to eat 
large helpings of candy, snacks, fast foods and cereal high in sugar.
  Young students have access to vending machines that now put high-fat 
or high-sugar snacks and beverages in them. Yet they have no 
opportunity for physical activity or instruction in physical education. 
They live in neighborhoods with instant access to fast foods, but no 
supermarket, no outdoor produce stand, or few fruits and vegetables. 
These same neighborhoods also have no bike paths, sidewalks, tracks for 
walking or running, and no parks or open spaces.
  The result is millions of children without nutritious foods, a safe 
physical environment, that allows them to be active, and healthy 
information. Today, only 2 percent of the nation's children meet 
Department of Agriculture standards for daily intake. Less than a third 
meet the recommended guidelines for exercise, and millions have 
developed obesity.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control, regular physical 
activity and healthy eating and a positive environment for such 
behavior are essential factors in reducing the epidemic of obesity. Our 
legislation focuses, therefore, on coordinating federal, state, 
community and school efforts to see that our children have access to a 
healthy environment.
  This bill appoints a federal commission to see that Federal food 
policies promote good nutrition. Guidelines for food and physical 
activity advertisements will be established by a summit conference of 
representatives from education, industry, and health care.
  At the State level, the bill provides grants and coordinates efforts 
by the states to implement and evaluate ways to prevent obesity. It 
offers grants for early childhood activities and school and after-
school programs, and for developing curricular, training educators, and 
implementing policies to reduce poor foods, increase physical 
education, and help communities build sidewalks, bike trails, and 
create parks that encourage healthy activity and sports.
  We know that regular physical activity and healthy eating can prevent 
childhood obesity. We need a coordinated and focused nationwide effort 
to halt this health epidemic facing millions of children, and prevent 
the chronic diseases and unnecessary suffering that afflict millions of 
children today. It's time for Congress to do its part, and I urge my 
colleagues to support us.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. FITZGERALD:
  S. 2898. A bill to require the review of Government programs at least 
once every 5 years for purposes of evaluating their performance; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Program 
Assessment and Results Act, or ``PAR Act.'' This bill is a companion 
bill to H.R. 3826 that Congressman Todd Platts, Chairman of the House 
Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Efficiency and Financial 
Management, introduced on February 25, 2004.
  The PAR Act builds upon the reforms adopted by Congress in the early 
1990s, such as the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 
(GPRA). This bill would increase the effectiveness, and accountability 
of the Federal Government by requiring the review of Federal programs 
at least once every five years to evaluate their performance. 
Information obtained from these reviews would be incorporated in the 
President's budget requests and would assist Congress in its oversight 
and funding of Federal programs.
  The PAR Act would strengthen the program evaluation requirements 
under the strategic planning requirements of GPRA, the one area that 
the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recognized as a government-
wide deficiency under GPRA. GAO found that most agencies were 
implementing the requirement for program evaluation merely by making 
lists of observations rather than presenting and analyzing performance 
data.
  To build upon the framework of reforms established by GPRA, the PAR 
Act would require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to work 
with Federral agencies to carefully and periodically assess the 
strengths and

[[Page S10444]]

weaknesses of all Federal programs. This legislation would enable 
policy makers to compare data from different agents to determine how 
different programs with similar goals are achieving their results.
  The PAR Act would improve the accountability of Federal programs in a 
number of areas. Congress would be able to use this information to make 
more informed budget decisions and conduct more effective oversight. 
Federal managers would use the information to improve the way they 
manage programs. Moreover, taxpayers will be able to track the progress 
of these programs with more precision.
  The ultimate result of the PAR Act will be a more effective and 
efficient government. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support 
passage of this legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record 
following my remarks.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2898

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Program Assessment and 
     Results Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) inefficiency and ineffectiveness in Federal programs 
     undermines the confidence of the American people in the 
     Government and reduces the Federal Government's ability to 
     adequately address vital public needs;
       (2) insufficient information on program performance 
     seriously disadvantages Federal managers in their efforts to 
     improve program efficiency and effectiveness;
       (3) congressional policy making, spending decisions, and 
     program oversight are handicapped by insufficient attention 
     to program performance and results;
       (4) programs performing similar or duplicative functions 
     that exist within a single agency or across multiple agencies 
     should be identified and their performance and results shared 
     among all such programs to improve their performance and 
     results;
       (5) advocates of good government continue to seek ways to 
     improve accountability, focus on results, and integrate the 
     performance of programs with decisions about budgets;
       (6) with the passage of the Government Performance and 
     Results Act of 1993, the Congress directed the executive 
     branch to seek improvements in the effectiveness, efficiency, 
     and accountability of Federal programs by having agencies 
     focus on program results; and
       (7) the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 
     provided a strong framework for the executive branch to 
     monitor the long-term goals and annual performance of its 
     departments and agencies.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to improve the Government Performance and Results Act 
     of 1993 by implementing a program assessment and evaluation 
     process that attempts to determine the strengths and 
     weaknesses of Federal programs with a particular focus on the 
     results produced by individual programs;
       (2) to use the information gathered in the assessment and 
     evaluation process to build on the groundwork laid in the 
     Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 to help the 
     executive branch make informed management decisions and 
     evidence-based funding requests aimed at achieving positive 
     results; and
       (3) to provide congressional policy makers the information 
     needed to conduct more effective oversight, to make better-
     informed authorization decisions, and to make more evidence-
     based spending decisions that achieve positive results for 
     the American people.

     SEC. 4. PROGRAM ASSESSMENT.

       (a) Requirement for Program Assessments.--Chapter 11 of 
     title 31, United States Code, as amended by the Government 
     Performance and Results Act of 1993, is amended by adding at 
     the end the following new section:

     ``Sec. 1120. Program assessment

       ``(a) Assessment.--The Director of the Office of Management 
     and Budget to the maximum extent practicable shall conduct, 
     jointly with agencies of the Federal Government, an 
     assessment of each program at least once every 5 fiscal 
     years.
       ``(b) Assessment Requirements.--In conducting an assessment 
     of a program under subsection (a), the Director of the Office 
     of Management and Budget and the head of the relevant agency 
     shall--
       ``(1) coordinate to determine the programs to be assessed; 
     and
       ``(2) evaluate the purpose, design, strategic plan, 
     management, and results of the program, and such other 
     matters as the Director considers appropriate.
       ``(c) Criteria for Identifying Programs to Assess.--The 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall develop 
     criteria for identifying programs to be assessed each fiscal 
     year. In developing the criteria, the Director shall take 
     into account the advantages of assessing during the same 
     fiscal year any programs that are performing similar 
     functions, have similar purposes, or share common goals, such 
     as those contained in strategic plans under section 306 of 
     title 5. To the maximum extent possible, the Director shall 
     assess a representative sample of Federal spending each 
     fiscal year.
       ``(d) Criteria for More Frequent Assessments.--The Director 
     of the Office of Management and Budget shall make every 
     effort to assess programs more frequently than required under 
     subsection (a) in cases in which programs are determined to 
     be of higher priority, special circumstances exist, 
     improvements have been made, or the head of the relevant 
     agency and the Director determine that more frequent 
     assessment is warranted.
       ``(e) Publication.--At least 90 days before completing the 
     assessments under this section to be conducted during a 
     fiscal year, the Director of the Office of Management and 
     Budget shall--
       ``(1) make available in electronic form through the Office 
     of Management and Budget website or any successor website, 
     and provide to the Committee on Government Reform of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental 
     Affairs of the Senate--
       ``(A) a list of the programs to be assessed during that 
     fiscal year; and
       ``(B) the criteria that will be used to assess the 
     programs; and
       ``(2) provide a mechanism for interested persons to comment 
     on the programs being assessed and the criteria that will be 
     used to assess the programs.
       ``(f) Report.--(1) The results of the assessments conducted 
     during a fiscal year shall be submitted in a report to 
     Congress at the same time that the President submits the next 
     budget under section 1105 of this title after the end of that 
     fiscal year.
       ``(2) The report shall--
       ``(A) include the performance goals for each program 
     assessment;
       ``(B) specify the criteria used for each assessment;
       ``(C) describe the results of each assessment, including 
     any significant limitation in the assessments;
       ``(D) describe significant modifications to the Federal 
     Government performance plan required under section 
     1105(a)(28) of this title made as a result of the 
     assessments; and
       ``(E) be available in electronic form through the Office of 
     Management and Budget website or any successor website.
       ``(g) Classified Information.--(1) With respect to program 
     assessments conducted during a fiscal year that contain 
     classified information, the President shall submit on the 
     same date as the report is submitted under subsection (f)--
       ``(A) a copy of each such assessment (including the 
     classified information), to the appropriate committees of 
     jurisdiction of the House of Representatives and the Senate; 
     and
       ``(B) consistent with statutory law governing the 
     disclosure of classified information, an appendix containing 
     a list of each such assessment and the committees to which a 
     copy of the assessment was submitted under subparagraph (A), 
     to the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate.
       ``(2) Upon request from the Committee on Government Reform 
     of the House of Representatives or the Committee on 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget shall, consistent with 
     statutory law governing the disclosure of classified 
     information, provide to the Committee a copy of--
       ``(A) any assessment described in subparagraph (A) of 
     paragraph (1) (including any assessment not listed in any 
     appendix submitted under subparagraph (B) of such paragraph); 
     and
       ``(B) any appendix described in subparagraph (B) of 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(3) In this subsection, the term `classified information' 
     refers to matters described in section 552(b)(1)(A) of title 
     5.
       ``(h) Inherently Governmental Functions.--The functions and 
     activities authorized or required by this section shall be 
     considered inherently Governmental functions and shall be 
     performed only by Federal employees.
       ``(i) Termination.--This section shall not be in effect 
     after September 30, 2013.''.
       (b) Guidance.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall prescribe guidance to implement 
     the requirements of section 1120 of title 31, United States 
     Code, as added by subsection (a), including guidance on a 
     definition of the term ``program''.
       (c) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.--
       (1) Section 1115(g) of title 31, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``1119'' and inserting ``1120''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 11 of 
     title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

``1120. Program assessment.''.

     SEC. 5. STRATEGIC PLANNING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Change in Deadline for Strategic Plan.--Subsection (a) 
     of section 306 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking ``No later than September 30, 1997,'' and inserting 
     ``Not later than September 30 of each year following a year 
     in which an election for President occurs, beginning with 
     September 30, 2005, ''.

[[Page S10445]]

       (b) Change in Period of Coverage of Strategic Plan.--
     Subsection (b) of section 306 of title 5, United States Code, 
     is amended to read as follows:
       ``(b) Each strategic plan shall cover the 4-year period 
     beginning on October 1 of the year following a year in which 
     an election for President occurs.''.

                          ____________________