[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 20331-20334]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      NATIONAL POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE YOUTH ENRICHMENT ACT OF 2000

  Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3235) to improve academic and social outcomes for 
youth and reduce both juvenile crime and the risk that youth will 
become victims of crime by providing productive activities conducted by 
law enforcement personnel during non-school hours, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3235

       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 ``National Police Athletic 
     League Youth Enrichment Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The goals of the Police Athletic League are to--
       (A) increase the academic success of youth participants in 
     PAL programs;
       (B) promote a safe, healthy environment for youth under the 
     supervision of law enforcement personnel where mutual trust 
     and respect can be built;
       (C) increase school attendance by providing alternatives to 
     suspensions and expulsions;
       (D) reduce the juvenile crime rate in participating 
     designated communities and the number of police calls 
     involving juveniles during nonschool hours;
       (E) provide youths with alternatives to drugs, alcohol, 
     tobacco, and gang activity;
       (F) create positive communications and interaction between 
     youth and law enforcement personnel; and
       (G) prepare youth for the workplace.
       (2) The Police Athletic League, during its 55-year history 
     as a national organization, has proven to be a positive force 
     in the communities it serves.
       (3) The Police Athletic League is a network of 1,700 
     facilities serving over 3,000 communities. There are 320 PAL 
     chapters throughout the United States, the Virgin Islands, 
     and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, serving 1,500,000 
     youths, ages 5 to 18, nationwide.
       (4) Based on PAL chapter demographics, approximately 82 
     percent of the youths who benefit from PAL programs live in 
     inner cities and urban areas.
       (5) PAL chapters are locally operated, volunteer-driven 
     organizations. Although most PAL chapters are sponsored by a 
     law enforcement agency, PAL chapters receive no direct 
     funding from law enforcement agencies and are dependent in 
     large part on support from the private sector, such as 
     individuals, business leaders, corporations, and foundations. 
     PAL chapters have been exceptionally successful in balancing 
     public funds with private sector donations and maximizing 
     community involvement.
       (6) Today's youth face far greater risks than did their 
     parents and grandparents. Law enforcement statistics 
     demonstrate that youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are at 
     risk of committing violent acts and being victims of violent 
     acts between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
       (7) Greater numbers of students are dropping out of school 
     and failing in school, even though the consequences of 
     academic failure are more dire in 1999 than ever before.
       (8) Many distressed areas in the United States are still 
     underserved by PAL chapters.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to provide adequate resources in 
     the form of--
       (1) assistance for the 320 established PAL chapters to 
     increase of services to the communities they are serving; and
       (2) seed money for the establishment of 250 (50 per year 
     over a 5-year period) additional local PAL chapters in public 
     housing projects and other distressed areas, including 
     distressed areas with a majority population of Native 
     Americans, by not later than fiscal year 2006.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Assistant attorney general.--The term ``Assistant 
     Attorney General'' means the Assistant Attorney General for 
     the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice.
       (2) Distressed area.--The term ``distressed area'' means an 
     urban, suburban, or rural area with a high percentage of 
     high-risk youth, as defined in section 509A of the Public 
     Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-8(f)).
       (3) PAL chapter.--The term ``PAL chapter'' means a chapter 
     of a Police or Sheriff's Athletic/Activities League.
       (4) Police athletic league.--The term ``Police Athletic 
     League'' means the private, nonprofit, national 
     representative organization for 320 Police or Sheriff's 
     Athletic/Activities Leagues throughout the United States 
     (including the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto 
     Rico).
       (5) Public housing; project.--The terms ``public housing'' 
     and ``project'' have the meanings given those terms in 
     section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437a(b)).

     SEC. 5. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

       (a) In General.--Subject to appropriations, for each of 
     fiscal years 2001 through 2005, the Assistant Attorney 
     General shall award a grant to the Police Athletic League for 
     the purpose of establishing PAL chapters to serve public 
     housing projects and other distressed areas, and expanding 
     existing PAL chapters to serve additional youths.
       (b) Application.--
       (1) Submission.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant 
     under this section, the Police Athletic League shall submit 
     to the Assistant Attorney General an application, which shall 
     include--
       (A) a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional PAL 
     chapters and detailed summary of those areas in which new PAL 
     chapters will be established, or in which existing chapters 
     will be expanded to serve additional youths, during the next 
     fiscal year;
       (B) a plan to ensure that there are a total of not less 
     than 570 PAL chapters in operation before January 1, 2004;
       (C) a certification that there will be appropriate 
     coordination with those communities where new PAL chapters 
     will be located; and
       (D) an explanation of the manner in which new PAL chapters 
     will operate without additional, direct Federal financial 
     assistance once assistance under this Act is discontinued.
       (2) Review.--The Assistant Attorney General shall review 
     and take action on an application submitted under paragraph 
     (1) not later than 120 days after the date of such 
     submission.

     SEC. 6. USE OF FUNDS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Assistance for new and expanded chapters.--Amounts made 
     available under a grant awarded under this Act shall be used 
     by the Police Athletic League to provide funding for the 
     establishment of PAL chapters serving public housing projects 
     and other distressed areas, or the expansion of existing PAL 
     chapters.
       (2) Program requirements.--Each new or expanded PAL chapter 
     assisted under paragraph (1) shall carry out not less than 4 
     programs during nonschool hours, of which--
       (A) not less than 2 programs shall provide--
       (i) mentoring assistance;
       (ii) academic assistance;
       (iii) recreational and athletic activities; or
       (iv) technology training; and
       (B) any remaining programs shall provide--
       (i) drug, alcohol, and gang prevention activities;
       (ii) health and nutrition counseling;
       (iii) cultural and social programs;
       (iv) conflict resolution training, anger management, and 
     peer pressure training;
       (v) job skill preparation activities; or
       (vi) Youth Police Athletic League Conferences or Youth 
     Forums.
       (b) Additional Requirements.--In carrying out the programs 
     under subsection (a), a PAL chapter shall, to the maximum 
     extent practicable--
       (1) use volunteers from businesses, academic communities, 
     social organizations, and law enforcement organizations to 
     serve as mentors or to assist in other ways;
       (2) ensure that youth in the local community participate in 
     designing the after-school activities;
       (3) develop creative methods of conducting outreach to 
     youth in the community;
       (4) request donations of computer equipment and other 
     materials and equipment; and

[[Page 20332]]

       (5) work with State and local park and recreation agencies 
     so that activities funded with amounts made available under a 
     grant under this Act will not duplicate activities funded 
     from other sources in the community served.

     SEC. 7. REPORTS.

       (a) Report to Assistant Attorney General.--For each fiscal 
     year for which a grant is awarded under this Act, the Police 
     Athletic League shall submit to the Assistant Attorney 
     General a report on the use of amounts made available under 
     the grant.
       (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than May 1 of each 
     fiscal year for which amounts are made available to carry out 
     this Act, the Assistant Attorney General shall submit to the 
     Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives a report that details the progress made under 
     this Act in establishing and expanding PAL chapters in public 
     housing projects and other distressed areas, and the 
     effectiveness of the PAL programs in reducing drug abuse, 
     school dropouts, and juvenile crime.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this Act $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 
     through 2005.
       (b) Funding for Program Administration.--Of the amount made 
     available to carry out this Act in each fiscal year--
       (1) not less than 2 percent shall be used for research and 
     evaluation of the grant program under this Act;
       (2) not less than 1 percent shall be used for technical 
     assistance related to the use of amounts made available under 
     grants awarded under this Act; and
       (3) not less than 1 percent shall be used for the 
     management and administration of the grant program under this 
     Act, except that the total amount made available under this 
     paragraph for administration of that program shall not exceed 
     6 percent.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Canady) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3235, the National Police 
Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 2000. The gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett) introduced H.R. 3235 last November and the 
Committee on the Judiciary reported the bill by voice vote on July 25 
of this year.
  The bill would direct the Office of Justice Programs of the 
Department of Justice to award a grant to the Police Athletic League 
for the purposes of establishing Police Athletic League chapters to 
serve public housing projects and other distressed areas and expanding 
existing chapters to serve additional youth. The bill was modeled on 
legislation enacted in 1997 to increase the number of Boys and Girls 
Clubs serving low-income areas.
  The Police Athletic League was founded by police officers in New York 
City in 1914; and its goal is to offer an alternative to crime, drugs, 
and violence for our Nation's most at-risk youth. Since 1914, the 
Police Athletic League, also known as PAL, has grown into one of the 
largest youth crime prevention programs in the Nation, with a network 
of 320 local chapters and 1,700 facilities that serve more than 3,000 
communities and 1.5 million children. Local chapters are volunteer-
driven and receive most of their funding from private sources. In 
partnership with local law enforcement agencies, PAL chapters help to 
narrow the gap in trust between children and police, especially in low-
income and high-crime neighborhoods. PAL offers after-school athletic, 
recreational, and educational programs designed to give children an 
alternative to gangs, drugs, and crime and to reinforce the values of 
responsibility, hard work, and community. These programs are geared to 
the after-school hours of 3 o'clock to 8 p.m., the peak hours for 
juvenile crime and other antisocial behavior.
  H.R. 3235 would authorize the appropriation of $16 million a year for 
5 years beginning with fiscal year 2001. The money would be used to 
enhance the services provided by the 320 established PAL chapters and 
provide seed money for the establishment of 250, 50 per year over a 5-
year period, additional PAL chapters in public housing projects and 
other distressed areas, including distressed areas with a majority 
population of Native Americans.
  In order to be eligible to receive a grant, the bill would require 
PAL to submit to the Assistant Attorney General an application which 
includes, one, a long-term strategy to establish 250 additional 
chapters; two, a plan to ensure that there is a total of not less than 
570 chapters in operation before January 1, 2004; three, a 
certification that there will be appropriate coordination with those 
communities where new chapters will be located; and, four, an 
explanation of the manner in which new chapters will operate without 
additional direct Federal financial assistance once assistance under 
this act is discontinued.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a very worthwhile piece of legislation. I urge 
all my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 3235, the National Police Athletic League 
Youth Enrichment Act of 2000. I am a cosponsor of this bill. Although 
we have not had hearings on it and I generally do not support 
consideration of legislation without hearings, I believe that the 
congressional record in this Congress sufficiently supports the passage 
of this legislation and to have its passage take place expeditiously.
  H.R. 3235 would award grant moneys to the Police Athletic League to 
assist the establishment of Police Athletic League chapters in high-
crime and low-income areas as well as enhance existing services 
provided by the Police Athletic League. They offer young people 
opportunities to engage in constructive activities, including 
recreational programming and activities in creative and performing 
arts. I am pleased to note that research on these programs shows that 
communities with this program show a decrease in juvenile crime. In a 
survey of the California Police Athletic League, for example, 
preliminary data shows that communities served by the program reported 
a 34 percent decrease in juvenile arrests, a 58 percent decrease in 
aggravated assaults committed by juveniles and a 47 percent drop in the 
number of armed robberies by juveniles.
  In short, Mr. Speaker, the record reflects that prevention and early 
intervention as compared to other approaches to reducing juvenile crime 
and delinquency are the most effective. In March 1999, for example, the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on H.R. 1150, 
the Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act. During that 
hearing, the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention identified promoting prevention as the most 
cost-effective approach to reducing delinquency.
  At the same hearing, the Commissioner at the Administration on 
Children, Youth and Families at Health and Human Services also 
summarized what should be our priorities and said the following:

       The early years are critical. We know that and we must 
     continue to invest in early childhood. But we must also stick 
     with kids as they grow older. Children are like gardens. It 
     is critical that we prepare the soil and plant the seeds. But 
     if that is all we do, we should not be surprised if they do 
     not flourish. We have to pay attention to them on an ongoing 
     basis. Just as one would fertilize a garden, we must 
     stimulate growth in young people. Just as one would weed a 
     garden, we must root out the negative influences, peer 
     pressure and self-doubt that threaten to stunt the positive 
     development of our children. Especially during preadolescence 
     and adolescence, we must have continued youth development 
     activities to provide something to which the young people can 
     say yes instead of just asking them to say no to risky 
     behaviors.

  Mr. Speaker, as a result of hearings such as these, the Subcommittee 
on Early Childhood, Youth and Families of the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce passed in this Congress H.R. 1150, the Juvenile Crime 
Control and

[[Page 20333]]

Delinquency Prevention Act of 1999, which highlighted the importance of 
prevention and early intervention as the means of addressing juvenile 
crime. That passed out of the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
subcommittee with support from all of the subcommittee members. 
Similarly, the Subcommittee on Crime unanimously passed the first 
version of H.R. 1501, which provided for flexible accountability and 
early intervention approaches for juveniles before the court system 
with cosponsorship of the entire subcommittee.
  Additionally, many of us had the opportunity to participate in a 
bipartisan task force to examine youth violence. The task force 
reviewed the research on the problem of youth violence and heard 
testimony from witnesses from academia, law enforcement, the judicial 
system, and advocacy groups.

                              {time}  1615

  I quote from the final report:

       Overall, the need for prevention and early intervention 
     programs at every step is paramount. Since the most important 
     contributing factor to youth violence is the absence of a 
     nurturing and supportive home environment, we know that youth 
     can be steered away from crime. Building strong relationships 
     between children and their parents and communities are the 
     best way to ensure their health and well-being.

  Mr. Speaker, experts who met with the bipartisan task force 
essentially agreed that early intervention and prevention efforts are 
essential to reducing youth violence. Furthermore, the task force 
concluded that such prevention efforts also require coordination and 
partnership with community organizations.
  In sum, the record shows that we know how to reduce juvenile crime 
and delinquency. We must focus on prevention and early intervention, 
and we must seek help from community organizations such as police 
athletic leagues.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3235, the National Police Athletic League Youth 
Enrichment Act of 1999, would foster much-needed community partnerships 
and help to accomplish our goal of reducing juvenile crime. I therefore 
support the legislation and urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett), the chief sponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in 
support of H.R. 3235, a bill I introduced to make the programs of the 
Police Athletic League available to more kids across the country.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman McCollum) 
and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) of the Subcommittee on 
Crime for their work in moving this bill through committee and on to 
the floor before the House adjourns for this year.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) 
for his support in helping move this bill. Since this is sort of the 
waning days of the gentleman's days in Congress, I want to publicly 
thank him for his service to the people of Florida and his country, and 
wish him and his young family the best of luck as he returns to life as 
a normal person.
  I also would like to applaud Ron Exley, a board member of the 
National Police Athletic League, for his tireless efforts in promoting 
this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, since you are going to be going back to Indiana, I want 
to thank you for the opportunity to serve with you as well. This is 
sort of a bittersweet time of year for many of us. Both of you have 
really done a great job for the people you represent.
  The Police Athletic League is a network of more than 320 chapters in 
42 states serving over 1.5 million kids each year. Individual chapters 
are volunteer-driven and receive most of their funding from private 
sources. In partnership with local law enforcement activities, PAL 
chapters help to narrow the gap in trust that exists between kids and 
the police, especially in low-income and high-crime neighborhoods.
  PAL offers after-school athletic and recreation programs designed to 
give kids an alternative to gangs, drugs and crime, and to reinforce in 
them the values of responsibility, hard work and community.
  Just last week I was reminded of what PAL means for our kids when I 
attended the ground breaking for the Milwaukee chapter's new facility. 
This event was the perfect illustration of what we are trying to 
accomplish with this legislation. The new facility will be located in a 
neighborhood plagued by high crime and poverty, bringing these valuable 
programs and activities to the kids who need them.
  The National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act is modeled 
after legislation enacted in 1997 to increase the number of Boys and 
Girls Clubs serving low-income areas. Similarly, this bill calls for 
the establishment of 250 new PAL chapters over 5 years in public 
housing projects in other distressed areas and would provide additional 
resources to help existing chapters expand and enhance their services 
in underserved areas.
  In addition to recreational activities, the new PAL chapters would be 
required to offer mentoring and academic assistance, technology 
training and drug and alcohol counseling. The bill would also direct 
the chapters to seek volunteers and donations from the business, 
academic and law enforcement communities.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the strengths of this program is that it allows 
young kids, who many times encounter police only in stressful 
situations, to encounter police in a meaningful, friendly situation. I 
think that is a huge plus for the young kids.
  It is also a plus for the police officers, who many times encounter 
these young kids again in stressful situations, and for the police 
officers to see these young people in athletic settings and learning 
how to run computers I think is very important, positive.
  I have always said I would much rather have kids shooting basketballs 
than shooting each other, and I would much rather have them pushing 
computer keys than pushing drugs, and this bill will go a long way in 
trying to provide young people with alternatives to crime.
  I am a strong believer in giving kids an alternative to the 
temptations of the street. The Police Athletic League has established 
an impressive track record of providing such an alternative in 
America's cities. But there are many kids out there who do not have 
access to help and deserve our attention. I urge my colleagues to help 
these kids by supporting this bill.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I again want to congratulate the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett) for his outstanding leadership on this 
important legislation and to acknowledge the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. McCollum) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for helping 
move us to the point where this bill is considered by the House today.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 3235, the ``National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act 
of 1999.'' I commend my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for 
reporting the bill by voice vote. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I 
am delighted that it enjoys bipartisan support. I does so for a good 
reason.
  It helps our children find alternatives to crime through a sensible 
grant program administered by the Department of Justice. America 
urgently needs such legislation to allow children, especially at-risk 
youth, to obtain greater exposure through such legislative solutions. 
Our children need the right kind of incentives that allow them to learn 
in a welcoming environment without the threat of violence.
  The Police Athletic League (PAL) was founded by police officers in 
New York city in 1914. Its goal is to offer an alternative to crime, 
drugs, and violence for at-risk youths. PAL offers after school 
numerous school athletic, prevention programs in the nation, with a 
network of 320 local chapters and 1,700 facilities that serve more than 
3,000 communities and 1.5 million children. Local chapters are 
volunteer driven and receive most of their funding from private 
sources. That is certainly a record to be proud of.
  H.R. 3235 would authorize the appropriation of $16 million a year for 
5 years beginning with this fiscal year. The funds would be used

[[Page 20334]]

to enhance services provided by the present chapters, and provide seed 
money for the establishment of 250 additional chapters in public 
housing projects and other distressed areas. This could make an 
enormous difference to the life of so many children that need a 
fighting chance.
  To be eligible to receive a grant, PAL would have to submit an 
application to DOJ with a few important requirements. First, a long-
term strategy on how and where the 250 new chapters will be established 
and maintained, along with how the present 320 chapters will be 
maintained. Second, a certification that there will be coordination 
with the communities in which the new chapters are established. Third, 
an explanation of how the new chapters will continue to exist when the 
full federal funding stops.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe these are very reasonable procedures to help 
find alternative steps to violence. These are reasonable and necessary 
incentives for communities to come together on behalf of our children.
  Children need these after school athletic, recreational, and 
educational programs to improve their lives. As cosponsor of this 
important legislation, I urge my colleagues to embrace this measure in 
the widest bipartisan manner possible.
  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 3235. In California, 
the PAL programs play an integral role in our communities. PAL programs 
provide positive activities for youth to participate in as an 
alternative to gangs and violence. They instill family values, teach 
teamwork, honesty, and personal accountability. PAL programs keep our 
communities safe and our youth out of danger.
  In Long Beach, California, a city I proudly represent, PAL programs 
have served thousands of youth in the area throughout the past ten 
years. Not only are young people enjoying recreational activities, they 
are receiving help with homework, learning to use computers, and 
positively influencing their peers to participate. This invaluable 
program has helped so many youngsters that would have otherwise been at 
risk of getting involved in criminal activity, gang violence or drug 
abuse.
  Every community should be as fortunate to have a preventive program 
like the PAL program to help reduce juvenile crime. I commend the Long 
Beach chapter for their excellent work on behalf of our community and 
the lives of every youth that PAL has touched. I also look forward to 
hearing about more success stories from PAL programs across the 
country.
  As a cosponsor and strong supporter of H.R. 3235, I encourage all of 
my colleagues to support and pass this bill. Our nation's youth 
deserves this commitment of resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3235, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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