[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10315-S10316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 1895. A bill to aid and support pediatric involvement in reading 
and education; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I introduce with my colleague, Senator 
Grassley, the Prescribe A Book Act.
  Our legislation amends the No Child Left Behind Act to create a 
federal pediatric early literacy grant initiative based on the long-
standing, successful Reach Out and Read program. The program would 
award grants to highly qualified nonprofit entities to train doctors 
and nurses in advising parents about the importance of reading aloud 
and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from 6 months to 
five years of age, with a priority for children from low-income 
families. It builds on the relationship between parents and medical 
providers and helps families and communities encourage early literacy 
skills so children enter school prepared for success in reading.
  The Reach Out and Read model has consistently demonstrated 
effectiveness in increasing parent involvement and boosting children's 
reading proficiency. Research published in peer-reviewed, scientific 
journals has found that parents who have participated in the program 
are significantly more likely to read to their children and include 
more children's books in their home, and that children served by the 
program show an increase of 4-8 points on vocabulary tests. I have seen 
up-close the positive impact of this program on children and their 
families when visiting a number of the 40 Rhode Island Reach Out and 
Read sites.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Prescribe A Book Act and work 
for its inclusion in the upcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left 
Behind Act.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1895

       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 ``Prescribe A Book Act''.

     SEC. 2. PEDIATRIC INVOLVEMENT IN READING AND EDUCATION.

       Part B of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6361 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

             ``Subpart 5--Pediatric Early Literacy Program

     ``SEC. 1261. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this subpart:
       ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
     nonprofit organization that has, as determined by the 
     Secretary, demonstrated effectiveness in the following areas:
       ``(A) Providing peer-to-peer training to healthcare 
     providers in research-based methods of literacy promotion as 
     part of routine pediatric health supervision visits.
       ``(B) Delivering a training curriculum through a variety of 
     medical education settings, including residency training, 
     continuing medical education, and national pediatric 
     conferences.
       ``(C) Providing technical assistance to local healthcare 
     facilities to effectively implement a high-quality Pediatric 
     Early Literacy Program.
       ``(D) Offering opportunities for local healthcare 
     facilities to obtain books at significant discounts, as 
     described in section 1266.
       ``(E) Integrating the latest developmental and educational 
     research into the training curriculum for healthcare 
     providers described in subparagraph (B).
       ``(2) Pediatric early literacy program.--The term 
     `Pediatric Early Literacy Program' means a program that--
       ``(A) creates and implements a 3-part model through which--
       ``(i) healthcare providers, doctors, and nurses, trained in 
     research-based methods of early language and literacy 
     promotion, encourage parents to read aloud to their young 
     children, and offer developmentally appropriate 
     recommendations and strategies to parents for the purpose of 
     reading aloud to their children;
       ``(ii) healthcare providers, at health supervision visits, 
     provide each child between the ages of 6 months and 5 years a 
     new, developmentally appropriate children's book to take home 
     and keep; and
       ``(iii) volunteers in waiting areas of healthcare 
     facilities read aloud to children, modeling for parents the 
     techniques and pleasures of sharing books together;
       ``(B) demonstrates, through research published in peer-
     reviewed journals, effectiveness in positively altering 
     parent behavior regarding reading aloud to children, and 
     improving expressive and receptive language in young 
     children; and
       ``(C) receives the endorsement of nationally-recognized 
     medical associations and academies.

     ``SEC. 1262. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

       ``The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible 
     entities under this subpart to enable the eligible entities 
     to implement Pediatric Early Literacy Programs.

     ``SEC. 1263. APPLICATION.

       ``An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under 
     this subpart shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
     such time, in such manner, and including such information as 
     the Secretary may reasonably require.

     ``SEC. 1264. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

       ``An eligible entity receiving a grant under this subpart 
     shall provide either directly or through private 
     contributions, in cash or in-kind, non-Federal matching funds 
     equal to not less than 50 percent of the grant received by 
     the eligible entity under this subpart.

[[Page S10316]]

     ``SEC. 1265. USE OF GRANT FUNDS.

       ``(a) In General.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
     under this subpart shall--
       ``(1) enter into contracts with private nonprofit 
     organizations, or with public agencies, selected based on the 
     criteria described in subsection (b), under which each 
     contractor will agree to establish and operate a Pediatric 
     Early Literacy Program;
       ``(2) provide such training and technical assistance to 
     each contractor of the eligible entity as may be necessary to 
     carry out this subpart; and
       ``(3) include such other terms and conditions in an 
     agreement with a contractor as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate to ensure the effectiveness of such programs.
       ``(b) Contractor Criteria.--Contractors shall be selected 
     under subsection (a)(1) on the basis of the extent to which 
     the contractors give priority to serving a substantial number 
     or percentage of at-risk children, including--
       ``(1) low-income children (defined in this section as 
     children from families with incomes below 200 percent of the 
     poverty line), particularly low-income children in high-
     poverty areas;
       ``(2) children without adequate medical insurance;
       ``(3) children enrolled in a State Medicaid program, 
     established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or in the State Children's Health 
     Insurance Program established under title XXI of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.);
       ``(4) children living in rural areas;
       ``(5) migrant children; and
       ``(6) children with limited access to libraries.

     ``SEC. 1266. RESTRICTION ON PAYMENTS.

       ``The Secretary shall make no payment to eligible entities 
     under this subpart unless the Secretary determines that the 
     eligible entity or a contractor of the eligible entity, as 
     the case may be, has made arrangements with book publishers 
     or distributors to obtain books at discounts that are at 
     least as favorable as discounts that are customarily given by 
     such publisher or distributor for book purchases made under 
     similar circumstances in the absence of Federal assistance.

     ``SEC. 1267. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

       ``An eligible entity receiving a grant under this subpart 
     shall report annually to the Secretary on the effectiveness 
     of the program implemented by the eligible entity and the 
     programs instituted by each contractor of the eligible 
     entity, and shall include in the report a description of each 
     program.

     ``SEC. 1268. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     subpart--
       ``(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
       ``(2) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
       ``(3) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
       ``(4) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
       ``(5) $19,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.''.
                                 ______