[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 32 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2853-S2854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Talent, Mr. Enzi, 
        Mr. Ensign, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Craig, Mr. Allen, Mr. Burns, Mr. 
        Chambliss, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Smith, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Graham, Mr. 
        Cornyn, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Brownback, 
        Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, and Mr. Nelson of Florida):
  S. 642. A bill to support certain national youth organizations, 
including the Boy Scouts of America, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am pleased to announce that my Senate 
colleagues and I will be introducing the ``Support Our Scouts Act of 
2005'' today.
  This legislation will ensure that the Defense Department can and will 
continue to provide the Scouts the type of support it has provided in 
the past, such as at Jamborees and on bases. This bill also ensures 
Scouts have equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs 
that are open to a variety of other youth or community organizations.
  Why am I introducing this legislation? Since the Supreme Court 
decided Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, Boy Scouts of America's 
relationship with government at all levels has been the target of 
multiple lawsuits.
  The Federal Government is defending a lawsuit brought by the ACLU 
aimed at severing ties between Boy Scouts and the Department of Defense 
and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The effect of 
these attempts at exclusion at the Federal, State, and local levels are 
far-reaching and has had a discernible ``chilling'' effect on 
government support for our Scouts.
  This is the greatest legal challenge facing Boy Scouts today. Boy 
Scouts of America, like other non-profit youth organizations, depend, 
on its ability to use public facilities and participate in these 
programs and forums. The Support Our Scouts Act of 2005 addresses these 
issues by removing any doubt that Federal agencies may welcome Scouts 
to hold meetings and go camping on Federal property.
  The Boy Scouts of America is a congressionally chartered 
organization. Pentagon support for Scouts is authorized in U.S. law. It 
serves a patriotic, charitable, and educational purpose. Since 1910, 
Boy Scout membership has totaled more than 110 million young Americans.
  Today, more than 3.2 million youths and 1.2 million adults are 
members of the Boy Scouts and are dedicated to fulfilling the Boy 
Scouts' mission. That number includes more than 40

[[Page S2854]]

members of the United States Senate and more than 150 members of the 
House of Representatives who have been involved in Scouting. I was a 
Boy Scout, and all three of my sons were as well. This unique American 
institution is committed to preparing our youth for the future by 
instilling in them values such as honesty, integrity, and character.
  Through exposure to the outdoors, hard work, and the virtues of civic 
duty, the Boy Scouts have developed millions of Americans into superb 
citizens and future leaders.
  The Support Our Scouts Act ratifies our longstanding commitment to 
this valued civic organization. It clarifies that no Federal law, 
including any rule, regulation, directive, instruction, or order, shall 
be construed to limit any Federal agency from providing any form of 
support to the Boy Scouts of America or the Girl Scouts of the United 
States of America or any organization chartered by the Boy Scouts of 
America or the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
  Activities supported include holding meetings, jamborees, camporees, 
or other scouting activities on Federal property, or hosting or 
sponsoring any official event of such organization. The Scouts Act is 
also being introduced by a bipartisan group of Members in the House. I 
believe this bill will receive broad, bipartisan support in both 
chambers of Congress and that we will pass it this year. It is common 
sense legislation that all fair and reasonable people can support. I 
encourage Scout supporters--indeed, all Americans--to contact their 
Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the ``Support Our 
Scouts Act of 2005.''
  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. 642

       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 ``Support our Scouts Act of 
     2005''.

     SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) the term ``Federal agency'' means each department, 
     agency, instrumentality, or other entity of the United States 
     Government; and
       (2) the term ``youth organization'' means any organization 
     described under part B of subtitle II of title 36, United 
     States Code, that is intended to serve individuals under the 
     age of 21 years.
       (b) In General.--
       (1) Support for youth organizations.--No Federal law 
     (including any rule, regulation, directive, instruction, or 
     order) shall be construed to limit any Federal agency from 
     providing any form of support for a youth organization 
     (including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially 
     affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America) that would result 
     in that Federal agency providing less support to that youth 
     organization (or any similar organization chartered under the 
     chapter of title 36, United States Code, relating to that 
     youth organization) than was provided during each of the 
     preceding 4 fiscal years.
       (2) Types of support.--Support described under paragraph 
     (1) shall include--
       (A) holding meetings, camping events, or other activities 
     on Federal property; and
       (B) hosting any official event of such organization.

     SEC. 3. EQUAL ACCESS FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.

       Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
     1974 (42 U.S.C. 5309) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence of subsection (b) by inserting 
     ``or (e)'' after ``subsection (a)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Equal Access.--
       ``(1) Definition.--The term `youth organization' means any 
     organization described under part B of subtitle II of title 
     36, United States Code, that is intended to serve individuals 
     under the age of 21 years.
       ``(2) In general.--No State or unit of general local 
     government that has a designated open forum, limited public 
     forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of 
     assistance under this chapter shall deny equal access or a 
     fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any 
     youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or 
     any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of 
     America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise 
     participate in that designated open forum, limited public 
     forum, or nonpublic forum.''.
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