[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 42 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2903-S2905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. MENENDEZ:
  S. 2508. A bill to authorize grants to carry out projects to provide 
education on preventing teen pregnancies, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, as we approach May, the National Month 
to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, I rise to introduce the Teen Pregnancy 
Prevention, Responsibility and Opportunity Act. This legislation will 
establish a comprehensive program for reducing adolescent pregnancy 
through education and information programs, as well as positive 
activities and role models both in and out of school.
  As parents, there is nothing more important than protecting our 
children and giving them a future filled with hope and opportunity. As 
leaders, we also have a responsibility to our young people--to provide 
resources for communities, parents, and children to help them achieve 
those goals. There are many ways we can provide parents with the tools 
they need to help kids make responsible decisions and avoid destructive 
behavior such as drug and alcohol abuse or sexual activity which can 
lead to unintended pregnancies.
  The U.S. continues to have the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen 
birth rate in the Western industrialized world. In a fiscal context, it 
costs the U.S. at least $7 billion annually, and in a human context, 
this impacts one third of all teenage girls. It is time to do something 
about it.
  Whi1e we have done a good job of progressively decreasing teen 
pregnancy, we can do much better.
  With the sons of teen mothers more likely to end up in prison, and 
the daughters of teen mothers more likely to end up teen mothers 
themselves, we must act now to break this problematic cycle.
  Our schools, community and faith-based organizations need access to 
funds to teach age-appropriate, factually and medically accurate, and 
scientifically-based family life education.
  We need programs that encourage teens to delay sexual activity.
  We need to provide services and interventions for sexually active 
teens.
  We need to educate both young men and women about the 
responsibilities and pressures that come along with parenting.
  We need to help parents communicate with teens about sexuality.
  We need to teach young people responsible decision making.
  And, we need to fund after school programs that will enrich their 
education, replace destructive behavior time with constructive 
activities, and offer character and counseling services.
  We know that after-school programs reduce risky adolescent behavior 
by involving teens in positive activities that also provide positive 
life skills. Teenage girls who play sports, for instance, are more 
likely to wait to become sexually active, and to have fewer partners. 
They are consequently less likely to become pregnant.
  Let us join together to recommit ourselves to continuing to decrease 
the incidence of teen pregnancy, and recommit ourselves to offering 
family life education and positive after school programs that will 
foster responsible young adults.
  The time is now to invest in our teens. As all parents know, we place 
overwhelming pressure on ourselves to make sure we raise our children 
well. Decisions we make--and they make--will affect them for the rest 
of their lives. We cannot afford to let the doors close on them. 
Instead we must continue to open the door of opportunity. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record, as follows:
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record as follows:

[[Page S2904]]

                                S. 2508

       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 ``Teen Pregnancy Prevention, 
     Responsibility, and Opportunity Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds as follows:
       (1) The United States has the highest teen-pregnancy rate 
     and teen birth rate in the western industrialized world, 
     costing the United States not less than $7,000,000,000 
     annually.
       (2) About 1 out of 3 of all young women in the United 
     States becomes pregnant before she reaches the age of 20.
       (3) Teen pregnancy has serious consequences for young 
     women, their children, and communities as a whole. Too-early 
     childbearing increases the likelihood that a young woman will 
     drop out of high school and that she and her child will live 
     in poverty.
       (4) Statistically, the sons of teen mothers are more likely 
     to end up in prison. The daughters of teen mothers are more 
     likely to end up teen mothers too.
       (5) Teens that grow up in disadvantaged economical, social, 
     and familial circumstances are more likely to engage in risky 
     behavior and have a child during adolescence.
       (6) Teens with strong emotional attachments to their 
     parents are more likely to become sexually active at a later 
     age. 7 out of 10 teens say that they are prepared to listen 
     to things parents thought they were not ready to hear.
       (7) 78 percent of white and 70 percent of African American 
     teenagers report that lack of communication between a teenage 
     girl and her parents is frequently a reason a teenage girl 
     has a baby.
       (8) One study found that the likelihood of teens having sex 
     for the first time increased with the number of unsupervised 
     hours teens have during a week.
       (9) After-school programs reduce teen risky behavior by 
     involving teens in activities that provide alternatives to 
     sex. Teenage girls who play sports, for instance, are more 
     likely to delay sex and have fewer partners and less likely 
     to become pregnant.
       (10) After-school programs help prevent teen pregnancy by 
     advancing good decision-making skills and providing teens 
     health education and positive role models in a supervised 
     setting.
       (11) 8 in 10 girls and 6 in 10 boys report that they wish 
     they had waited until they were older to have sex.

     SEC. 3. EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PREVENTING TEEN PREGNANCIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') may make 
     grants to local educational agencies, State and local public 
     health agencies, and nonprofit private entities for the 
     purpose of carrying out projects to provide education on 
     preventing teen pregnancies.
       (b) Preference in Making Grants.--In making grants under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to 
     applicants that will carry out the projects under such 
     subsection in communities for which the rate of teen 
     pregnancy is significantly above the average rate [in the 
     United States?] of such pregnancies.
       (c) Certain Requirements.--A grant may be made under 
     subsection (a) only if the applicant for the grant meets the 
     following conditions with respect to the project involved:
       (1) The applicant agrees that information provided by the 
     project on pregnancy prevention will be age-appropriate, 
     factually and medically accurate and complete, and 
     scientifically-based.
       (2) The applicant agrees that the project will give 
     priority to preventing teen pregnancies by--
       (A) encouraging teens to delay sexual activity;
       (B) providing educational services and interventions for 
     sexually active teens or teens at risk of becoming sexually 
     active;
       (C) educating both young men and women about the 
     responsibilities and pressures that come along with 
     parenting;
       (D) helping parents communicate with teens about sexuality; 
     or
       (E) teaching young people responsible decision-making.
       (d) Matching Funds.--
       (1) In general.--With respect to the costs of the project 
     to be carried out under subsection (a) by an applicant, a 
     grant may be made under such subsection only if the applicant 
     agrees to make available (directly or through donations from 
     public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward 
     such costs in an amount that is not less than 25 percent of 
     such costs ($1 for each $3 of Federal funds provided in the 
     grant).
       (2) Determination of amount contributed.--Non-Federal 
     contributions required in paragraph (1) may be in cash or in 
     kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or 
     services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or 
     services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by 
     the Federal Government, may not be included in determining 
     the amount of such non-Federal contributions.
       (e) Maintenance of Effort.--With respect to the activities 
     for which a grant under subsection (a) is authorized to be 
     expended, such a grant may be made for a fiscal year only if 
     the applicant involved agrees to maintain expenditures of 
     non-Federal amounts for such activities at a level that is 
     not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by 
     the applicant for the fiscal year preceding the first fiscal 
     year for which the applicant receives such a grant.
       (f) Evaluation of Projects.--The Secretary shall establish 
     criteria for the evaluation of projects under subsection (a). 
     A grant may be made under such subsection only if the 
     applicant involved--
       (1) agrees to conduct evaluations of the project in 
     accordance with such criteria;
       (2) agrees to submit to the Secretary such reports 
     describing the results of the evaluations as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate; and
       (3) submits to the Secretary, in the application under 
     subsection (g), a plan for conducting the evaluations.
       (g) Application for Grant.--A grant may be made under 
     subsection (a) only if an application for the grant is 
     submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such 
     form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, 
     assurances, and information, including the agreements under 
     subsections (c) through (f) and the plan under subsection 
     (f)(3), as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry 
     out this section.
       (h) Report to Congress.--Not later than October 1, 2011, 
     the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing 
     the extent to which projects under subsection (a) have been 
     successful in reducing the rate of teen pregnancies in the 
     communities in which the projects have been carried out.
       (i) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Age-appropriate.--The term ``age-appropriate'', with 
     respect to information on pregnancy prevention, means topics, 
     messages, and teaching methods suitable to particular ages or 
     age groups of children and adolescents, based on developing 
     cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the 
     age or age group.
       (2) Factually and medically accurate and complete.--The 
     term ``factually and medically accurate and complete'' means 
     verified or supported by the weight of research conducted in 
     compliance with accepted scientific methods and--
       (A) published in peer-reviewed journals, where applicable; 
     or
       (B) comprising information that leading professional 
     organizations and agencies with relevant expertise in the 
     field recognize as accurate, objective, and complete.
       (3) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
     agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 9101 of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     7801).
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years [2007 
     through 2011].

     SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

       (a) 21st Century Community Learning Centers.--Section 4206 
     of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 7176) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``$2,250,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$2,500,000,000''; and
       (2) in paragraph (6), by striking ``$2,500,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$2,750,000,000''.
       (b) Carol M. White Physical Education Program.--Section 
     5401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 7241) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``There are'' and inserting ``(a) In 
     General.--There are''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Physical Education.--In addition to the amounts 
     authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a), there are 
     authorized to be appropriated $73,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years [2007 and 2008] to carry out subpart 10.''.
       (c) Federal TRIO Programs.--Section 402A(f) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(f)) is amended by 
     striking ``$700,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, and such sums 
     as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
     years'' and inserting ``$883,000,000 for fiscal year [2007] 
     and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
     succeeding fiscal years''.
       (d) GEARUP.--Section 404H of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-28) is amended by striking 
     ``$200,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and 
     inserting ``$325,000,000 for fiscal year [2007] and such sums 
     as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal 
     years''.

     SEC. 5. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVE APPROACHES 
                   TO TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION AND AFTER-SCHOOL 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to public or 
     nonprofit private entities for the purpose of assisting the 
     entities in demonstrating innovative approaches to prevent 
     teen pregnancies.
       (b) Certain Approaches.--Approaches under subsection (a) 
     may include the following:
       (1) Encouraging teen-driven approaches to pregnancy 
     prevention.
       (2) Exposing teens to realistic simulations of the 
     physical, emotional, and financial toll of pregnancy and 
     parenting.
       (3) Facilitating communication between parents and 
     children, especially programs that have been evaluated and 
     proven effective.
       (c) Matching Funds.--

[[Page S2905]]

       (1) In general.--With respect to the costs of the project 
     to be carried out under subsection (a) by an applicant, a 
     grant may be made under such subsection only if the applicant 
     agrees to make available (directly or through donations from 
     public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward 
     such costs in an amount that is not less than 25 percent of 
     such costs ($1 for each $3 of Federal funds provided in the 
     grant).
       (2) Determination of amount contributed.--Non-Federal 
     contributions required in paragraph (1) may be in cash or in 
     kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or 
     services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or 
     services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by 
     the Federal Government, may not be included in determining 
     the amount of such non-Federal contributions.
       (d) Evaluation of Projects.--The Secretary shall establish 
     criteria for the evaluation of projects under subsection (a). 
     A grant may be made under such subsection only if the 
     applicant involved--
       (1) agrees to conduct evaluations of the project in 
     accordance with such criteria;
       (2) agrees to submit to the Secretary such reports 
     describing the results of the evaluations as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate; and
       (3) submits to the Secretary, in the application under 
     subsection (e), a plan for conducting the evaluations.
       (e) Application for Grant.--A grant may be made under 
     subsection (a) only if an application for the grant is 
     submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such 
     form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, 
     assurances, and information, including the agreements under 
     subsections (c) and (d) and the plan under subsection (d)(3), 
     as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this 
     section.
       (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than October 1, 2011, 
     the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing 
     the extent to which projects under subsection (a) have been 
     successful in reducing the rate of teen pregnancies in the 
     communities in which the projects have been carried out. Such 
     reports shall describe the various approaches used under 
     subsection (a) and the effectiveness of each of the 
     approaches.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years [2007 
     through 2011].
                                 ______