[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E76]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ACT OF 
                                  2005

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM OSBORNE

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 25, 2005

  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the 
``Improving the Community Services Block Grant Act of 2005'' to 
reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.
  Unfortunately, last Congress the House and Senate were unable to 
complete work on reauthorizing CSBG. The bill I am introducing today 
once again puts forth our effort and ongoing commitment to ensuring 
that anti-poverty activities for needy families continue.
  The CSBG is an anti-poverty block grant that funds a State-
administered network of over 1,100 public and private community action 
agencies delivering social services to low-income Americans. The CSBG 
Act was established in 1981 in response to President Reagan's proposal 
to consolidate the Community Services Administration and 11 other anti-
poverty programs.
  Block grant funds may be used for a wide-range of anti-poverty 
activities to help families and individuals achieve self-sufficiency. 
Such activities may include providing assistance in finding and 
retaining employment, obtaining adequate housing, and providing 
emergency food services. The CSBG also includes funding for certain 
discretionary activities, including community economic development, 
rural community facilities improvement, the community food and 
nutrition assistance, and the national youth sports program. The CSBG 
program is an essential tool in meeting the unique needs of each area 
and serves as a conduit for community services.
  The bill I am introducing today would build upon improvements made to 
the program during the last reauthorization. It would promote increased 
quality by requiring States to reevaluate whether the lowest performing 
grantees should continue to receive funding. It retains the current 
definition of an eligible entity to include the grandfather provisions, 
but updates the definition to require eligible entities to successfully 
develop and meet locally determined goals and meet the State goals, 
standards and performance requirements in order to continue receiving 
funds.
  This bill promotes increased accountability by ensuring that States 
monitor local grantees to ensure services are provided in the most 
efficient manner and that services reach those with the greatest need. 
The bill also requires the development of local grantee determined 
goals that each local grantee is responsible for meeting.
  The bill further encourages initiatives to improve economic 
conditions and mobilization of new resources in rural areas to help 
eliminate obstacles to the self-sufficiency of families and individuals 
in rural communities, and expands opportunities for providing youth 
mentoring services to encourage education, and youth crime prevention.
  Finally, the bill continues the CSBG grants and discretionary 
programs at current authorization levels and extends them through 
fiscal year 2010.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation that ensures improved services for low-income individuals 
and families.

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