[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 62 (Thursday, April 29, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2804-S2811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Merkley, Mr.
Specter, Mrs. Hagan, and Mr. Harkin):
S. 3279. A bill to reauthorize the national small business tree
planting program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Small Business
Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act of 2010, a companion bill to
the legislation introduced in the House by another member of the Oregon
delegation, Congressman Schrader. I am pleased to launch this
legislation in the Senate and am joined today by Senator Merkley from
my home State, as well as Senators Stabenow, Specter, and Harkin.
Trees provide numerous benefits to our communities--from cleaner air
to energy efficiency to more beautiful city streets. But trees and
green spaces are also good for business and good for green job
creation. Beyond the most obvious benefits of trees, studies have shown
that businesses thrive in green, attractive, pedestrian-oriented retail
environments. And this legislation will help America's small businesses
and communities plant trees and enhance those kinds of environments. As
a Senator from Oregon--a State that grows many of the trees that
beautify cities around our Nation, including some of the very trees
that grace the Capitol grounds--I also know how critical jobs in our
nursery and landscaping sector can be. In my State, the industry
provides 21,000 jobs and helps provide over $2 billion worth of
economic activity.
This bill would reauthorize the National Small Business Tree Planting
Program, which existed for several years in the 1990s. Between 1991 and
1994, more than 18,000 green industry firms were employed to plant more
than 23 million trees across the country through the Small Business
Administration program. This program had numerous successes, including
in my home State where 109 tree planting
[[Page S2805]]
grants were administered between 1991 and 1994. Nearly 11,700 shade,
landscape, and riparian area trees were planted.
The program would be authorized at $50 million a year between fiscal
years 2011 and 2015. The funding provides grants to State forestry
agencies to enable communities to plant trees around retail
storefronts, rental housing units, and other public areas. This program
requires a 25-percent match for any grant received under the program,
including in-kind contributions such as the cost or value of providing
care and maintenance for a period of 3 years after planting. Having a
match requirement ensures that both private and community investments
are made for the installation and care of trees funded by this program
Ultimately, this program will lead to healthier, greener more vibrant
communities and result in green jobs. I look forward to working with
Senate cosponsors, the nursery industry, State foresters, and the
bill's other supporters to advance this legislation to the President's
desk.
______
By Mr. SPECTER:
S. 3281. A bill to expand student loan forgiveness, to provide loan
repayment assistance, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I seek recognition today to introduce an
important piece of legislation entitled the Student Loan Forgiveness
and Repayment Assistance Act of 2010.
This legislation is in response to the increasingly high cost of
postsecondary education, an important issue that I recently discussed
with Pennsylvania students. During this conversation I discussed the
need for what I called an ``education bill of rights'' and today I am
introducing a practical approach to increasing the accessibility and
affordability of higher education.
On March 30, 2010, the President signed into law the Student Aid and
Fiscal Responsibility Act, AFRA, as part of the healthcare and
education reconciliation bill, which I am proud to have supported in
the Senate. This historic legislation made an important investment in
higher education, including: $36 billion to fund and strengthen the
Pell Grant program, $2.55 billion to support Historically Black
Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions, $1.5
billion to strengthen the Income Based Repayment, IBR, plan as well as
several other student financial assistance and deficit reduction
provisions.
These actions were an important first step, but we must do more.
According to Campus Progress--the total federal student debt is more
than $617 million; the average student today graduates college with
student debt 25 percent higher than that of college graduates a decade
ago; the average college senior graduated with $4,100 in credit card
debt and $23,200 in student loans; almost 7 in 10 college graduates are
burdened with educational debt; student debt is outpacing the starting
salaries of jobs in teaching and social work; 38 percent of graduates
delay buying their first house because of debt, 14 percent marriage,
and 21 percent delay having children; and over 60 percent of minorities
face a gap between their expected family contributions, grants and
loans and the cost of their education. These troublesome statistics
underscore the need for further action.
I strongly feel that education is our Nation's greatest capital
investment. The legislation that I am introducing today reinforces this
belief and helps us make several smart investments in our Nation's
future. We must improve accessibility to higher education, and the key
to accessibility is affordability. For these reasons, the Student Loan
Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance Act of 2010 will focus on 5 key
initiatives which help make prudent and targeted investments in higher
education.
First, my bill will strengthen the IBR plan. The IBR plan is an
important tool that helps borrowers afford their monthly student loan
payments by capping a borrower's monthly payment based on his/her
income and family size. Currently the IBR plan caps monthly payments at
15 percent of a borrower's discretionary income. SAFRA lowered the
percentage to 10 percent starting in 2014, which will allow more
borrowers to take advantage of this helpful plan. I propose to further
reduce the percentage to 7 percent, thereby allowing more students to
participate in the IBR plan. In addition to capping monthly payments, a
borrower's remaining debt will be forgiven after 20 years of making
qualified monthly payments. SAFRA reduced this threshold by 5 years
from the original 25 year requirement. My legislation will further
reduce the number of years that a borrower must make his/her payments
before debt is forgiven to 15 years.
Second, the bill I am introducing will enhance the Public Service
Loan Forgiveness Program. This program, which was created in 2007 by
the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, discharges remaining student
loan debt if the borrower is employed in public service for 10 years.
This program not only provides important loan forgiveness, but it
encourages essential public service. My legislation proposes to make
the benefits of this program more generous and encourage greater public
service participation. My bill would reduce the number of years, from
10 to 5 that a borrower must work in the public sector before being
able to take advantage of this program. After the 5th year, a
percentage of the borrower's debt will be incrementally forgiven each
year, up until after the 10th year of public service when all remaining
debt will be forgiven.
Third, my legislation will expand the student loan programs or health
professions, primary care, and nursing by reducing the interest rate to
3.5 percent. My bill will also expand the health professions student
loan program to include physician's assistants. Health care reform's
embrace of some 32 million previously uninsured Americans has created a
need for additional doctors and nurses. Ways must be found to make
medical education more affordable and accompanying debt burdens less
onerous. I believe my bill helps achieve this goal.
Fourth, my bill will enhance opportunities for minorities by creating
a new pilot program administered by the U.S. Department of Education,
which will provide funding opportunities for minority serving
institutions. This program will provide grants on a competitive basis
to eligible institutions based on a college's plan to increase
enrollment and graduation rates without increasing costs to students.
My legislation authorizes $100 million annually for this purpose, for 5
years.
Fifth and lastly, my legislation will establish an Assistant
Secretary position to evaluate and promote accessibility and
affordability in higher education. It is important that we have a
person who can not only evaluate the efficacy of the programs that I
have discussed and to make recommendations to Congress on how to
improve them, but also to help make prospective students aware of how
they can gain access to, and afford a higher education. As I said
earlier, education is our greatest capital investment, and I believe
that the Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance Act of 2010
will help our nation make a smart investment in our future.
______
By Mr. SPECTER:
S. 3282. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend
the work opportunity tax credit for employers of certain veterans; to
the Committee on Finance.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, the health and future of Pennsylvania's
veterans has been a longstanding concern of mine. The first veteran I
knew was my father, Harry Specter, a veteran of WWI.
My father received terrific care from the VA following his service to
our Nation. I want to make sure today's veterans, whatever their age,
receive the benefits and services we owe them.
I have had the privilege of serving for 6 of my nearly 30 years in
the Senate as chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Under my
chairmanship from 1998 to 2002, funding for the VA increased by 28
percent, and from 2004 to 2006, funding increased a further 16 percent.
Such funding increases have allowed the VA to expand to meet increasing
challenges.
I want to note at this time that I recently cosponsored legislation
to restore collective bargaining rights to VA medical personnel, as
their well being is vital to ensuring that veterans get the best
possible care.
[[Page S2806]]
The ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, coupled with the
recession, have put tremendous stress on the VA, and necessitate
further improvements. Today I will outline proposals for making
improvements in five related areas: reducing the claims backlog;
increasing veterans' employment opportunities; combating homelessness
among veterans; widening education opportunities through the Post-9/11
GI Bill; and expanding veterans courts.
In a slap at the men and women who fight our wars, a court created by
Congress expressly to handle appeals of veterans' disability claims
turned down the appeal of a disabled Korean War veteran because he
missed a filing deadline.
The veteran, David L. Henderson, served in the military from 1950 to
1952. He was discharged following a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia
and assigned a 100 percent disability rating. In 2001, he applied for
in-home care and was turned down by a regional Veterans Administration
department.
The congressionally established Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims--the Veterans Court--then refused to hear his appeal on grounds
that he missed the filing deadline by 15 days. A divided federal
appeals court upheld the decision.
After fighting a war and suffering long-term disability as a result,
Henderson in later life has been penalized because he took 135 days,
instead of 120, to file his claims appeal.
The fact that he had good reason for missing the deadline didn't
matter. His psychiatrist called him ``incapable of rational thought or
deliberate decisionmaking.''
On April 12, 2010, I introduced the Fair Access to Veterans Benefits
Act, to provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of
final decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Its main provision
would require the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims,
known as the Veterans Court, to hear appeals by veterans of
administrative decisions denying them benefits when circumstances
beyond their control--sometimes the very service-related disabilities
that entitle them to benefits--render them unable to meet the deadline
for filing an appeal.
On January 28, 2010, I met with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki in my
Washington, DC office. Secretary Shinseki identified reducing the VA
claims backlog--which currently numbers 400,000--as being his top
priority this year. The average processing time for an individual claim
was 161 days in January 2010. This is simply too long.
In January 2010, Secretary Shinseki initiated a pilot project at the
VA Pittsburgh Regional Office to identify opportunities to reduce the
time required for the VA to request and receive evidence required to
support veterans' claims. I believe that efforts such as this, which
leverage the expertise of veterans' service organizations, will help to
decrease significantly the claims backlog by streamlining each claims
submission, and so improving the care and benefits given to our
veterans. I recently requested that the Milcon/VA Appropriations
Subcommittee increase funding by $1 million in fiscal year 2011 for
costs associated with expanding the pilot program.
Beyond this pilot program, I am introducing legislation to give the
Secretary of the Veterans Affairs the authority to award grants to
state and local agencies, and non-profit organizations such as VSOs, to
assist in collecting evidence and submitting claims. I believe this
pre-submission assistance will aid the Veterans Benefits Administration
in reducing the claims backlog.
The National Guard has played a vital role in ensuring our nation's
security since September 11, 2001. The citizen soldiers and airmen
serving in the Guard have been called upon to serve both domestically
and overseas.
Current law protects Guardsmen who are called up to serve overseas
from losing their civilian jobs, but the same degree of protection does
not extend to domestic missions. After repeated deployments, Guardsmen
could soon find themselves having to chose between critical national
security missions--like protecting the southern border or responding to
natural disasters--and keeping their civilian job due to a five-year
cap on cumulative service for employment protection, which can be
waived for overseas service but currently not domestic.
Legislation is needed to ensure that Guardsmen receive the same
employment protection whether they are called to serve domestically or
overseas.
Congress took an important step when it established a tax credit
incentivizing the hiring of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as part of
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This tax credit is set to
expire in August 2011, and I am introducing legislation to extend
through 2010 the veteran-specific provisions of the tax credit to
assist recently discharged veterans secure employment.
On November 3, 2009, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki
unveiled an ambitious five-year plan to end homelessness among the
nation's veterans. According to the VA's latest estimates, there are
currently 107,000 homeless veterans, down from 131,000 in 2008.
The VA's fiscal year 2011 budget request includes $4.2 billion to
prevent and reduce homelessness among Veterans--over $3.4 billion for
core medical services and $799 million for specific homeless programs
and expanded medical programs.
On November 11, 2009, I held a field hearing on the issue of
unemployment and homelessness among veterans. Among those who testified
were four formerly homeless veterans who have benefited from HUD-VASH
vouchers and VA job training programs. The hearing highlighted the
success of the HUD-VASH voucher program and the need to expand it, so I
cosponsored Sen. Reed's Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of
2009, which would increase the number of vouchers by 60,000 over the
next four years. Additionally, two of the witnesses were single
mothers. Their testimony underscored the importance of tailoring
assistance to the needs of individual veterans, and to ensuring that
the specific needs of veterans with special needs, such as homeless
female veterans and homeless veterans with children are addressed. I
cosponsored Senator Murray's Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless
Veterans with Children Act, which would authorize $10 million a year in
grants for five years to assist homeless veterans with special needs or
dependents. I voted for this legislation when it was passed by the
Veterans Affairs Committee on January 28, 2010.
The GI Bill of Rights, which had remained largely unchanged for over
two decades, was in need of revision. I was pleased to cosponsor and
advocate for the Post-9/11 GI bill, which was signed into law in June
2008. This bill, which went into effect in August 2009, will provide
for this generation what the post-WWII GI Bill provided for veterans of
that conflict. As our men and women serving today will continue to lead
and serve our country tomorrow, it is in our best interest to ensure
that they are afforded higher educational opportunities.
Yet there remain aspects of this legislation which need improvement.
While all veterans deserve educational opportunities, they also deserve
the right to choose where to secure their education. For some, a
vocational program, apprenticeship, or on the job training is more
appealing than a traditional university education. We should support
such decisions, and so I recently cosponsored the Veterans Training
Act, introduced by Senator Lincoln, to make this enhancement.
Various studies report that between 20- and 50-percent of the
veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, depression, traumatic brain
injury, TBI, or other mental disorders, and half of those veterans will
not receive the mental health care they need.
The symptoms and subsequent behavior associated with PTSD and TBI, as
well as the abuse of drugs and alcohol by veterans suffering from these
symptoms, bring many of these veterans into contact with the criminal
justice system. Veterans account for 9 of every 100 inmates in U.S.
jails and prisons. In Pennsylvania state prisons, there are
approximately 3,000 male and female military veterans currently
incarcerated, according to Dr. Mark L. Dembert, Chief of Psychiatry,
Bureau of Health Care Services, Pennsylvania
[[Page S2807]]
Department of Corrections. That number does not include those locked up
in county jails.
The chief goal of the Veterans Court program is to direct veterans
who have been charged with a crime into an intensely monitored network
of support coordinated by the VA and the courts. While Veterans Courts
are voluntary, they will offer participating veterans a pathway to
rehabilitation and reduced rates of recidivism. Following my February
2010 hearing on veterans courts in Pittsburgh, I cosponsored
legislation, S. 902, the Services, Education, and Rehabilitation for
Veterans Act, introduced by Senators Kerry and Murkowski, which would
authorize the Attorney General to award grants up to $25 million over 5
years to assist States in the development of Veterans Courts.
Our freedom has been assured by the courageous service of our
veterans. Our gratitude can best be shown by ensuring that their needs
are met, whether medical, educational, professional or legal. I will
continue to fight for treatment of our veterans worthy of the
sacrifices they have made and dedication they have shown.
______
By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein):
S. 3284. A bill to designate a Distinguished Flying Cross National
Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California; to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague, Senator
Feinstein, to introduce legislation to honor recipients of the
Distinguished Flying Cross--the oldest military aviation award created
by Congress.
This bill would designate the Distinguished Flying Cross National
Memorial at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California as the
National Distinguished Flying Cross Memorial. Companion legislation was
introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ken Calvert
and recently passed by a vote of 410-0.
The Distinguished Flying Cross honors members of the armed forces who
perform an act of ``heroism or extraordinary achievement while
participating in an aerial flight.'' Since it was established by
Congress in 1926, tens of thousands of brave Americans have been
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, including Wilber and Orville
Wright, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, former President George H.
W. Bush, Senator John McCain, former Senator John Glenn, Chuck Yeager,
General Jimmy Doolittle, and Admiral Jim Stockdale.
More recently, it has been awarded to a number of American men and
women serving our Nation in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am proud that so
many of the service members who have received the prestigious
Distinguished Flying Cross are from my home State of California.
This legislation has the support of the Distinguished Flying Cross
Society, the Military Officers Association of America, the Air Force
Association, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Association of
Naval Aviation, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, and the
China Burma Indian Veterans Association.
This is a fitting tribute to those who have served our country with
honor and distinction. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring
these brave service men and women by supporting this legislation, and I
look forward to seeing it enacted into law.
______
By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. Tester):
S. 3290. A bill to modify the purposes and operation of certain
facilities of the Bureau of Reclamation to implement the water rights
compact among the State of Montana, the Blackfeet Tribe of the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, and the United States, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Blackfeet
Water Rights Settlement Act, along with my good friend, Senator Tester.
We introduce this bill as a critical step in 2 decades of negotiations
between the Blackfeet Nation, the State of Montana, and the U.S. The
bill ratifies the water rights compact with the Blackfeet Nation. It
confirms that the United States is a nation that honors its commitments
to all its citizens, including those who belong to Tribal Nations.
Over 150 years ago, the United States and the Blackfeet people signed
a treaty that created the Blackfeet Reservation on a tract of land the
size of Delaware abutting what became Glacier National Park and the
Canadian Border. Over 100 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
such treaties imply a commitment to reserve sufficient water to satisfy
both present and future needs of a Tribe. Honoring this particular
commitment has been delayed for decades. With the introduction of this
bill, we are on the brink of fulfilling that commitment.
The Blackfeet people call the mountains of their homeland the
``backbone of the world.'' When you visit their land, you can feel a
shiver in your own backbone at its beauty and spiritual significance.
These mountains are also the wellspring of the reservation's water.
Their cirques and flanks, frozen for much of the year, store the
crucial resource that makes the Great Plains inhabitable. The drainages
and storage systems that define how the snow melts and the water flows
are the principal subject of this legislation. This water is necessary
for irrigation, livestock, fisheries, wildlife, homes, and other uses.
By ratifying this compact, Congress will both establish the federal
reserved water rights of the Tribe and authorize funds to construct the
infrastructure necessary to make the water available for use. This
infrastructure includes rehabilitation of the Blackfeet Irrigation
Project and construction of other water projects. It also mitigates the
impacts of the Tribe's water rights on current non-tribal water users.
The Blackfeet Water Compact has already been ratified by the State of
Montana. The Montana Legislature has appropriated $15 million toward
the overall Blackfeet settlement and has committed to provide an
additional $20 million in this bill.
The bill that Senator Tester and I have introduced addresses a vital
concern of the Blackfeet people and the State of Montana. It is time
for the U.S. to honor its commitment to the Blackfeet Nation.
Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Blackfeet
Water Settlement Act of 2010 with my friend and colleague, Senator
Baucus. The bill will ratify the water rights compact negotiated for
two decades by the Blackfeet Tribe, State of Montana and U.S. It will
improve water infrastructure in the local area and, more importantly,
create a self-sustaining homeland for the Blackfeet Nation. The bill
enjoys broad support on the local, regional and national level. I look
forward to working with my colleagues to enact it this year.
The time to implement this legislation is now. The United States and
Blackfeet Tribe created the Blackfeet Reservation by treaty over 150
years ago. Over 100 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that in
creating Indian reservations, the government must provide enough water
to sustain a permanent homeland for the American Indians living on
them. This legislation will fulfill that law.
By ratifying the compact, this bill provides water for domestic and
municipal use, irrigation and livestock, and for developing Reservation
resources. It will also provide water to sustain reservation wildlife
and fisheries located in the majestic Rocky Mountains, next door to
Glacier National Park. Enacting this bill not only establishes the
Tribe's federally reserved water rights, paper water, but also
authorizes resources to construct the infrastructure that will deliver
water to Reservation users, wet water.
The process of building critical infrastructure authorized by this
bill will also create valuable reservation jobs, where the unemployment
rate regularly reaches 70-80 percent. It authorizes funds to
rehabilitate the Blackfeet Irrigation Project, construct water storage
facilities, repair community water systems and promote economic
development.
The bill enjoys strong support in Montana. The State of Montana
ratified the Blackfeet Water Compact in 2009. The Montana Legislature
has already appropriated $15 million toward the overall Blackfeet
settlement. Most recently, the state supports provisions in this bill
that commit it to provide an additional $10 million.
This bill is long past due. As Justice Hugo Black said in the 1960
Tuscarora
[[Page S2808]]
case: ``Great nations, like great men, should keep their word.'' It is
time for this great Nation to keep its word to the Blackfeet people.
Senator Baucus and I introduce this bill to do just that. With adequate
water, infrastructure and jobs, the Blackfeet Nation will take another
step to a secure future for many years to come.
______
By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Lieberman):
S. 3291. A bill to establish Coltsville National Historical Park in
the State of Connecticut, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Coltsville
National Historic Park Act, which provides for the designation of the
Coltsville Historic District in Hartford, Connecticut, as a national
park. I would like to thank my colleague, Senator Lieberman, for
supporting this legislation, as well as my good friend, Congressman
Larson, who recently introduced an identical version of this bill in
the House.
I recognize that when most of us think of national parks, we picture
the vast, sprawling landscapes of Yellowstone and Yosemite. Clearly,
Connecticut's smaller size precludes it from having a national park on
the scale of these sites. In fact, Connecticut itself is only about
twice the size of Yellowstone National Park and currently has only one
national park, the Weir Farm National Historic Site, which spans 60
acres in the towns of Ridgefield and Wilton. But, while Connecticut may
not possess the physical grandeur of our nation's largest parks, it is
home to a rich national heritage that must be made accessible to every
American.
Located in Hartford's Sheldon-Charter Oak neighborhood, Coltsville
grew around Samuel Colt's firearms factory, a landmark red brick
building with a blue onion dome, during the Industrial Revolution of
the 19th century. Colt made Hartford the center of precision
manufacturing. While Americans may associate the name Sam Colt with
firearms, the Colt legacy goes far beyond. Colt was a key figure of the
Industrial Revolution, contributing to the development of waterproof
ammunition, underwater mines, and the telegraph. He was also the first
American manufacturer to open a plant overseas. Colt set the standard
for a nation that fast became known for its technological innovations
and industrial productivity. It is also a little-known fact that after
Colt's death in 1862, his widow, Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt,
successfully managed Colt Industries for 42 years and presided over the
company during its most prosperous years in a period when men dominated
the industrial world.
Today, the Colt armory remains a beacon in the Hartford skyline, and
Coltsville still boasts grand Victorian homes, including Armsmear, the
home of Sam and Elizabeth Colt. Other nearby attractions include old
mill housing, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the Colt Memorial. A
national park at Coltsville would be the main venue on a tour of
Hartford that could include sites such as the houses of Mark Twain and
Harriet Beecher Stowe and the riverfront. It would also be a prime
destination for anyone taking an extended tour of historic and scenic
New England.
A national park at Coltsville would include more than 200 acres and
be comprised of both public and private space. The centerpiece would be
a museum within the armory celebrating Sam Colt and the growth of
American industry. The museum could hold the vast collection of Colt
firearms that currently rests in the Museum of Connecticut History as
well as other machinery and memorabilia from the Industrial Revolution.
Private property which is currently located within the proposed
boundaries of the park, such as artists' studios and condominiums,
could remain private. In fact, a museum and visitors' center in the
Colt armory itself would take up only part of the building, the rest of
which could be left open for private development. The armory already
houses a business that manufactures replica Colt firearms, which would
only enhance the proposed museum.
In my capacity as Connecticut's senior Senator, I have fought hard
alongside my colleagues in the State's Congressional delegation to help
realize the goal of including this testament to America's industrial
and manufacturing prowess within the National Park System. In 2003, we
were successful in passing legislation that required the National Park
Service to conduct a study assessing the feasibility of designating
Coltsville as a national park. On July 22, 2008, Coltsville reached
another critical milestone in this effort when it was designated as a
National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior.
Unfortunately, Coltsville has not been immune from the devastating
effects of the global financial crisis that began later that year.
While the Park Service's report, which was finally released last
November, found that Coltsville is nationally significant and suitable
for inclusion in the Park System, its determination of feasibility
largely hinged on the ability of a private developer to manage the site
in conjunction with the Park Service. Given the challenges currently
facing our Nation's economy, Coltsville has run into some difficulties
with this requirement. As a result, the Park Service was unable to
conclude that Coltsville met the feasibility standards for inclusion in
the Park System.
That is why the legislation I introduced today with Senator Lieberman
is so timely and important. The Coltsville National Historic Park Act
authorizes the establishment of a national park in Coltsville when the
feasibility issues outlined in the Park Service's November 2009 study,
namely those surrounding private management of the site, are resolved.
Our bill also sets standards for administration of the park, and
creates a local advisory commission to develop and implement an
overarching management plan for the park. This legislative approach is
supported by a variety of State and local stakeholders, and in my view,
provides us with a great opportunity to jump-start efforts to bring
Coltsville into compliance with Park Service feasibility standards.
I firmly believe that one of our most important obligations as
Senators is to ensure that our Nation's vast array of natural treasures
and historical landmarks are managed responsibly and preserved for the
benefit of future generations. I urge my colleagues to join me in
extending these protections to the Coltsville Historic District.
______
By Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Casey):
S. 3292. A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
to establish a weekend and holiday feeding program to provide
nutritious food to at-risk school children on weekends and during
extended school holidays during the school year; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to introduce
legislation titled The Weekends Without Hunger Act. This legislation
will ensure that children who rely on free and reduced-price school
meals have access to nutritious meals on the weekends and during other
periods in which they are away from school.
Nearly 20 million school-age children, including more than one
million in Pennsylvania, eat a free or reduced-price meal at school.
Existing programs designed to ensure access to affordable meals for
these disadvantaged children at home are inadequate. A Department of
Agriculture survey released in November 2009 reported that 49 million
Americans were unable to consistently get enough to eat during 2008; 17
million of them were children. A recently conducted survey by Drexel
University shows that the number of children under the age of 6
experiencing very low food security has tripled since 2006.
The legislation I am introducing today addresses the food insecurity
experienced by our Nation's school children by providing them a weekend
feeding option. My legislation establishes a 5-year pilot program
during which time eligible institutions, such as schools and food
banks, may provide a free backpack of child-friendly, non-perishable
food for the weekend. It is my intention to seek inclusion of The
Weekends Without Hunger Act in the upcoming reauthorization of the
Child Nutrition Act.
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By Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Reid, Ms.
[[Page S2809]]
Snowe, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Collins, Mr. Casey, Mr. Risch, Mr.
Franken, and Mr. Johanns):
S. 3293. A bill to reauthorize the Special Olympics Sport and
Empowerment Act of 2004, to provide assistance to Best Buddies to
support the expansion and development of mentoring programs, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I have come to the floor, today, to
introduce the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act. I am very pleased that
Senator Hatch has joined me in introducing this legislation, as well as
Senator Dodd, who has been a long time supporter of the Best Buddies
program. We are also joined by 8 other co-sponsors, both Republicans
and Democrats, demonstrating the bipartisan support for this
legislation.
The Special Olympics program is respected around the world as a model
and leader in using sport to end the isolation and stigmatization of
individuals with intellectual disabilities. For more than 40 years,
Special Olympics has encouraged skill development, sharing, courage and
confidence through year-round sports training and athletic competition
for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Through their
programs, Special Olympics has helped to ensure that millions of
individuals with intellectual disabilities are assured of equal
opportunities for community participation, access to appropriate health
care, and inclusive education, and to experience life in a
nondiscriminatory manner. Special Olympics gives athletes with
intellectual disabilities the tools they need to be included in
society, and it gives society the understanding and tools it needs to
include them.
I can speak first-hand about what a rewarding experience it is for
all of us who have been involved in Special Olympics. In 2006, my State
of Iowa hosted the first USA National Summer Games. Thousands of
athletes, volunteers, coaches, and families attended our Games, in
addition to 30,000 fans and spectators. Ames, IA, was transformed into
an Olympic Village, and it was thrilling to experience.
Similarly, the Best Buddies program is dedicated to ending the social
isolation of people with intellectual disabilities by promoting peer
support and friendships with their non-disabled peers. The aim is to
increase the self-esteem, confidence and abilities of people with and
without intellectual disabilities. Equally important, the Best Buddies
program has provided opportunities for integrated employment for
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Research shows that participation in activities involving both people
with intellectual disabilities and people without disabilities results
in more positive support for inclusion in society, including in
schools.
This new bill is named in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who
devoted her life to improving the lives of people with intellectual
disabilities around the world. Mrs. Shriver founded and fostered the
development of Special Olympics and Best Buddies, both of which
celebrate the possibilities of a world where all people, including
those with disabilities, have meaningful opportunities for
participation and inclusion.
In addition to reauthorizing the former Special Olympics Sports and
Empowerment Act and providing an authorization for the Best Buddies
program, this bill will also allow the Department of Education to award
competitive grants to support increased opportunities for inclusive
participation by individuals with intellectual disabilities in sports
and recreation programs.
I am pleased to be the chief sponsor of this legislation, which will
continue our support for these important programs which promote the
extraordinary gifts and contributions of people with intellectual
disabilities as well as broader community inclusion.
I urge all my colleagues to join with me, Senator Hatch, Senator
Dodd, Senator Casey, Senator Collins, Senator Franken, Senator Johanns,
Senator Mikulski, Senator Reid, Senator Risch, and Senator Snowe in
supporting this very worthy bill.
Mr. President, 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
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3293
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Eunice
Kennedy Shriver Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--REAUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ACT
Sec. 101. Reauthorization.
TITLE II--BEST BUDDIES
Sec. 201. Findings and purpose.
Sec. 202. Assistance for Best Buddies.
Sec. 203. Application and annual report.
Sec. 204. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE III--ESTABLISHMENT OF EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER INSTITUTES FOR SPORT
AND SOCIAL IMPACT
Sec. 301. Findings and purpose.
Sec. 302. Establishment of Institutes.
Sec. 303. Activities of Institutes.
Sec. 304. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE I--REAUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ACT
SEC. 101. REAUTHORIZATION.
Sections 2 through 5 of the Special Olympics Sport and
Empowerment Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15001 note) are amended to
read as follows:
``SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
``(1) Special Olympics celebrates the possibilities of a
world where everybody matters, everybody counts, and every
person contributes.
``(2) The Government and the people of the United States
recognize the dignity and value the giftedness of children
and adults with intellectual disabilities.
``(3) The Government and the people of the United States
recognize that children and adults with intellectual
disabilities experience significant health disparities,
including lack of access to primary care services and
difficulties in accessing community-based prevention and
treatment programs for chronic diseases.
``(4) The Government and the people of the United States
are determined to end the isolation and stigmatization of
people with intellectual disabilities, and to ensure that
such people are assured of equal opportunities for community
participation, access to appropriate health care, and
inclusive education, and to experience life in a
nondiscriminatory manner.
``(5) For more than 40 years, Special Olympics has
encouraged skill development, sharing, courage, and
confidence through year-round sports training and athletic
competition for children and adults with intellectual
disabilities.
``(6) Special Olympics provides year-round sports training
and competitive opportunities to more than 3,000,000 athletes
with intellectual disabilities in 26 sports and plans to
expand the benefits of participation through sport to
hundreds of thousands of people with intellectual
disabilities within the United States and worldwide over the
next 5 years.
``(7) Research shows that participation in activities
involving both people with intellectual disabilities and
nondisabled people results in more positive support for
inclusion in society, including in schools.
``(8) Special Olympics has demonstrated its ability to
provide a major positive effect on the quality of life of
people with intellectual disabilities, improving their health
and physical well-being, building their confidence and self-
esteem, and giving them a voice to become active and
productive members of their communities.
``(9) In society as a whole, Special Olympics has become a
vehicle and platform for reducing prejudice, improving public
health, promoting inclusion efforts in schools and
communities, and encouraging society to value the
contributions of all members.
``(10) The Government of the United States enthusiastically
supports the Special Olympics movement, recognizes its
importance in improving the lives of people with intellectual
disabilities, and recognizes Special Olympics as a valued and
important component of the global community.
``(b) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are to--
``(1) provide support to Special Olympics to increase
athlete participation in, and public awareness about, the
Special Olympics movement, including efforts to promote
broader community inclusion;
``(2) dispel negative stereotypes about people with
intellectual disabilities;
``(3) build community engagement through sport involvement;
and
``(4) promote the extraordinary gifts and contributions of
people with intellectual disabilities.
``SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
``(a) Education Activities.--The Secretary of Education may
award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative
agreements with, Special Olympics to carry out each of the
following:
``(1) Activities to promote the expansion of Special
Olympics, including activities to increase the full
participation of people with intellectual disabilities in
athletics, sports and recreation, and other inclusive school
[[Page S2810]]
and community activities with non-disabled people.
``(2) The design and implementation of Special Olympics
education programs, including character education and
volunteer programs that support the purposes of this Act,
that can be integrated into classroom instruction and are
consistent with academic content standards.
``(b) International Activities.--The Secretary of State,
acting through the Assistant Secretary of State for
Educational and Cultural Affairs, may award grants to, or
enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Special
Olympics to carry out each of the following:
``(1) Activities to increase the participation of people
with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics outside of
the United States.
``(2) Activities to improve the awareness outside of the
United States of the abilities and unique contributions that
people with intellectual disabilities can make to society.
``(c) Healthy Athletes.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services may award grants to, or enter into contracts or
cooperative agreements with, Special Olympics for the
implementation of on-site health assessments, screening for
health problems, health education, community-based
prevention, data collection, and referrals to direct health
care services.
``(2) Coordination.--Activities under paragraph (1) shall
be coordinated with appropriate health care entities,
including private health care providers, entities carrying
out local, State, Federal, or international programs, and the
Department of Health and Human Services, as applicable.
``(d) Limitation.--Amounts appropriated to carry out this
section shall not be used for direct treatment of diseases,
medical conditions, or mental health conditions. Nothing in
the preceding sentence shall be construed to limit the use of
non-Federal funds by Special Olympics.
``SEC. 4. APPLICATION AND ANNUAL REPORT.
``(a) Application.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of
section 3, Special Olympics shall submit an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary of Education, Secretary of State, or Secretary
of Health and Human Services, as applicable, may require.
``(2) Content.--At a minimum, an application under this
subsection shall contain each of the following:
``(A) Activities.--A description of activities to be
carried out with the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement.
``(B) Measurable goals.--A description of specific
measurable annual benchmarks and long-term goals and
objectives to be achieved through specified activities
carried out with the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement, which specified activities shall include, at a
minimum, each of the following activities:
``(i) Activities to increase the full participation of
people with intellectual disabilities in athletics, sports
and recreation, and other inclusive school and community
activities with nondisabled people.
``(ii) Education programs that dispel negative stereotypes
about people with intellectual disabilities.
``(iii) Activities to increase the participation of people
with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics outside of
the United States.
``(iv) Health-related activities as described in section
3(c).
``(b) Annual Report.--
``(1) In general.--As a condition on receipt of any funds
for a program under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 3,
Special Olympics shall agree to submit an annual report at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary of Education, Secretary of State, or Secretary
of Health and Human Services, as applicable, may require.
``(2) Content.--At a minimum, each annual report under this
subsection shall describe--
``(A) the degree to which progress has been made toward
meeting the annual benchmarks and long-term goals and
objectives described in the applications submitted under
subsection (a); and
``(B) demographic data about Special Olympics participants,
including the number of people with intellectual disabilities
served in each program referred to in paragraph (1).
``SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated--
``(1) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
under section 3(a), $9,500,000 for fiscal year 2011, and such
sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years;
``(2) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
under section 3(b), $4,500,000 for fiscal year 2011, and such
sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years; and
``(3) for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
under section 3(c), $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2011, and such
sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years.''.
TITLE II--BEST BUDDIES
SEC. 201. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Best Buddies operates the first national social and
recreational program in the United States for people with
intellectual disabilities.
(2) Best Buddies is dedicated to helping people with
intellectual disabilities become part of mainstream society.
(3) Best Buddies is determined to end social isolation for
people with intellectual disabilities by promoting meaningful
friendships between them and their non-disabled peers in
order to help increase the self-esteem, confidence, and
abilities of people with and without intellectual
disabilities.
(4) Since 1989, Best Buddies has enhanced the lives of
people with intellectual disabilities by providing
opportunities for 1-to-1 friendships and integrated
employment.
(5) Best Buddies is an international organization spanning
1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses.
(6) Best Buddies implements programs that will positively
impact more than 700,000 individuals in 2010.
(7) The Best Buddies Middle Schools program matches middle
school students with intellectual disabilities with other
middle school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships
between them.
(8) The Best Buddies High Schools program matches high
school students with intellectual disabilities with other
high school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships between
them.
(9) The Best Buddies Colleges program matches adults with
intellectual disabilities with college students and creates
1-to-1 friendships between them.
(10) The Best Buddies e-Buddies program supports e-mail
friendships between people with and without intellectual
disabilities.
(11) The Best Buddies Citizens program pairs adults with
intellectual disabilities in 1-to-1 friendships with other
people in the corporate and civic communities.
(12) The Best Buddies Jobs program promotes the integration
of people with intellectual disabilities into the community
through supported employment.
(b) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) provide support to Best Buddies to increase
participation in and public awareness about Best Buddies
programs that serve people with intellectual disabilities;
(2) dispel negative stereotypes about people with
intellectual disabilities; and
(3) promote the extraordinary contributions of people with
intellectual disabilities.
SEC. 202. ASSISTANCE FOR BEST BUDDIES.
(a) Education Activities.--The Secretary of Education may
award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative
agreements with, Best Buddies to carry out activities to
promote the expansion of Best Buddies, including activities
to increase the participation of people with intellectual
disabilities in social relationships and other aspects of
community life, including education and employment, within
the United States.
(b) Limitations.--
(1) In general.--Amounts appropriated to carry out this Act
may not be used for direct treatment of diseases, medical
conditions, or mental health conditions.
(2) Administrative activities.--Not more than 5 percent of
amounts appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year
may be used for administrative activities.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to limit the use of non-Federal funds by Best
Buddies.
SEC. 203. APPLICATION AND ANNUAL REPORT.
(a) Application.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under section 202(a), Best Buddies
shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary of Education may
require.
(2) Content.--At a minimum, an application under this
subsection shall contain the following:
(A) A description of activities to be carried out under the
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
(B) Information on specific measurable goals and objectives
to be achieved through activities carried out under the
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
(b) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--As a condition of receipt of any funds
under section 202(a), Best Buddies shall agree to submit an
annual report at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary of Education may require.
(2) Content.--At a minimum, each annual report under this
subsection shall describe the degree to which progress has
been made toward meeting the specific measurable goals and
objectives described in the applications submitted under
subsection (a).
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Education for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
under section 202(a), $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011 and
such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding
fiscal years.
TITLE III--ESTABLISHMENT OF EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER INSTITUTES FOR SPORT
AND SOCIAL IMPACT
SEC. 301. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
(1) For more than 50 years, Eunice Kennedy Shriver
dedicated her life, energies, and resources without bounds to
improving the lives of people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities around the world. She
[[Page S2811]]
stands as the iconic founder and leader of one of the most
important disability rights movements in history.
(2) Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded and influenced the
development of Special Olympics and Best Buddies, both of
which celebrate the possibilities of a world where everybody
matters, everybody counts, every person has value, and every
person has worth.
(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to improve
and advance opportunities for people with intellectual
disabilities to fully participate and engage in inclusive
sports and recreation, social activities, and other community
opportunities, through--
(1) conducting research, data collection, and evaluation
activities;
(2) providing technical assistance and training;
(3) fostering and promoting interdisciplinary
collaboration, cooperation, and partnerships; and
(4) commemorating the work and contributions of Eunice
Kennedy Shriver and encouraging others to emulate her
leadership, including her efforts to encourage and promote
greater social and community opportunities for people with
intellectual disabilities and their families.
SEC. 302. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTES.
(a) In General.--From the amount made available under
section 304 that is not reserved under subsection (g), the
Secretary of Education shall award competitive grants to one
or more eligible entities for the purpose of establishing
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institutes for Sport and Social Impact
(referred to in this title as ``Institutes'').
(b) Eligible Entity.--In this title, the term ``eligible
entity'' means an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a))) with demonstrated expertise and experience
in research, technical assistance, and training related to
improving and advancing opportunities for people with
intellectual disabilities to fully participate and engage in
inclusive community opportunities, in partnership with a
nonprofit organization with demonstrated expertise and
experience in inclusive sports, recreation, social,
educational, and community opportunities for people with
intellectual disabilities.
(c) Grant Period.--Each grant awarded under this title
shall be for a 3-year period.
(d) Grant Recipient Contribution.--An eligible entity
receiving a grant under this title shall provide a
contribution (which may include an in-kind contribution), in
an amount not less than 25 percent of the costs of the
activities assisted under the grant, to carry out such
activities.
(e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available under
this title shall be used to supplement, and not supplant,
other Federal, State, and local funds expended to carry out
the purpose of this title.
(f) Application.--An eligible entity that desires to
receive a grant under this title shall submit an application
to the Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information and assurances as the
Secretary may require. Such application shall, at a minimum,
include--
(1) a description of activities to be carried out
consistent with section 303; and
(2) proposed annual measurable benchmarks and long-term
goals and objectives to be achieved through such activities.
(g) Reservation of Funds for National Activities.--From the
amount appropriated under section 304, the Secretary of
Education shall reserve not more than 10 percent to enter
into a cooperative agreement, on a competitive basis, with an
eligible entity for the purpose of implementing national
coordination activities, including development of mechanisms
for communication between grant recipients, dissemination of
information resulting from activities under the grants, and
technical assistance to grant recipients.
SEC. 303. ACTIVITIES OF INSTITUTES.
(a) In General.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant
under this title shall use the grant to advance the quality
of life and inclusion of people with intellectual
disabilities through research and evaluation, technical
assistance, training, data collection, evaluation,
collaboration, and dissemination of evidence-based best
practices.
(b) Required Activities.--
(1) In general.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant
under this title shall use grant funds to--
(A) establish a research agenda and annual measurable
benchmarks and long-term goals, and conduct research and
evaluation of evidence-based best practices, to improve the
quality of life and further the social inclusion of people
with intellectual disabilities, in cooperation and
consultation with--
(i) people with intellectual disabilities;
(ii) family members of people with intellectual
disabilities;
(iii) University Centers for Excellence in Developmental
Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (as designated
in section 151 of the Developmental Disabilities Act (42
U.S.C. 15061)); and
(iv) other relevant Federal, State, and local entities
conducting research related to people with intellectual
disabilities;
(B) provide training and technical assistance to people
with intellectual disabilities, families of people with
intellectual disabilities, nonprofit organizations, public
entities, educational programs, recreation programs, and
others to increase opportunities for inclusive participation
by such people in sports and recreation, social
opportunities, education, and the community, including
provision of assistance to programs and entities serving
primarily non-disabled people in order to successfully
include people with intellectual disabilities in activities
with non-disabled people;
(C) collect and analyze data related to barriers to, and
factors assuring, access to full inclusion and participation
in community and quality of life for people with intellectual
disabilities, including demographic data; and
(D) report on the research, findings, conclusions, and
recommendations resulting from the activities of the grant.
(2) Research and evaluation.--Research, evaluation, and
data collection described in paragraph (1)(A) shall include--
(A) best practices in preventive health and wellness for
people with intellectual disabilities, including sports and
recreational activities;
(B) identification of barriers to, and factors assuring,
access to full inclusion and participation in community and
quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities;
(C) best practices in supporting independence, community
living, and inclusive social engagement for people with
intellectual disabilities;
(D) physical and mental health disparities for people with
intellectual disabilities; and
(E) other relevant activities related to the purpose of
this title, as described by the eligible entity in the
application submitted under section 302(f).
(c) Report.--Each recipient of a grant under this title
shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of Education an
annual report that includes information on progress made in
achieving the projected goals and outcomes of the activities
of the Institute for the previous year, including demographic
information on the populations served and measurable
accomplishments in advancing the quality of life and
inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the
community.
SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
title such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2011
through 2015.
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