[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6642-6650]
[From the U.S. 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

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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 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.

[[Page 6644]]


  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.
  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 2012 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.

[[Page 6645]]

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 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

[[Page 6646]]

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 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):

[[Page 6647]]

  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.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Reid, Ms. 
        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.

[[Page 6648]]

       ``(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 
     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

[[Page 6649]]

       (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 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.

[[Page 6650]]



     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.

                          ____________________