[House Report 106-859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-859
======================================================================
NATIONAL POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE YOUTH ENRICHMENT ACT OF 2000
_______
September 18, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Hyde, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3235]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred 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 nonschool hours,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
The Amendment.............................................. 2
Purpose and Summary........................................ 4
Background and Need for the Legislation.................... 4
Committee Consideration.................................... 5
Vote of the Committee...................................... 5
Committee Oversight Findings............................... 5
Committee on Government Reform Findings.................... 5
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures.................. 5
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.................. 5
Constitutional Authority Statement......................... 7
Section-by-Section Analysis and Discussion................. 7
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
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
(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.
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 3235 would authorize the creation of a program that
would direct the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of the United
States Department of Justice to award grants to the Police
Athletic League (PAL) for the purposes of establishing PAL
chapters to serve public housing projects and other distressed
areas and expanding existing chapters to serve additional
youth. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $16
million a year for 5 years beginning with fiscal year 2001 for
this purpose. 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 for OJP
an application which includes: (1) a long-term strategy to
establish 250 additional chapters and a detailed summary of
those areas in which new chapters will be established, or in
which existing chapters will be expanded to serve additional
youths, during the next fiscal year; (2) a plan to ensure that
there is a total of not less than 570 chapters in operation
before January 1, 2003; (3) a certification that there will be
appropriate coordination with those communities where new
chapters will be located; and (4) an explanation of the manner
in which new chapters will operate without additional, direct
Federal financial assistance once assistance under this act is
discontinued. The bill directs the Assistant Attorney General
to review, and take action on, an application within 120 days
after the date of its submission.
Background and Need for the Legislation
The Police Athletic League was founded by police officers
in New York City in 1914. Its mission is to offer an
alternative to crime, drugs and violence for our nation's most
at-risk youth. Since its founding, 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 young people. Local
chapters are staffed by off-duty police officers, and they
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 the
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 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., the peak hours for
juvenile crime and other antisocial behavior.
Committee Consideration
On July 25, 2000, the Committee on the Judiciary met in
open session and ordered reported favorably the bill H.R. 3235
by voice vote with an amendment in the nature of a substitute,
a quorum being present.
Vote of the Committee
Vote on final passage: passed by voice vote.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the committee reports that the
findings and recommendations of the committee, based in
oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the
descriptive portions of this report.
Committee on Government Reform Findings
No findings or recommendations of the Committee on
Government Reform and Oversight were received as referred to in
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures
Clause 3(c)(2) of House Rule XIII is inapplicable because
this legislation does not provide new budgetary authority or
increased tax expenditures.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the committee sets forth, with
respect to the bill H.R. 3235, the following estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, August 4, 2000.
Hon. Henry J. Hyde, Chairman,
Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3235, the National
Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 2000.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Mark
Grabowicz (for federal costs), who can be reached at 226-2860,
and Shelley Finlayson (for the state and local impact), who can
be reached at 225-3220.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen, Director.
Enclosure
cc:
Honorable John Conyers Jr.
Ranking Democratic Member
H.R. 3235--National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of
2000.
SUMMARY
H.R. 3235 would authorize the appropriation of $16 million
for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005 for the Department
of Justice to make a grant to the Police Athletic League (PAL).
The PAL would use these funds to expand its current program
that serves disadvantaged youths.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 3235 would cost $80 million
over the 2001-2005 period. This legislation would not affect
direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go
procedures would not apply. H.R. 3235 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would not directly
affect state, local, and tribal governments.
ESTIMATED COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the amounts authorized
by the bill will be appropriated by the start of each fiscal
year. Based on information from the Department of Justice, we
expect that these amounts will be spent in the same year that
they are appropriated. The estimated budgetary impact of H.R.
3235 is shown in the following table. The costs of this
legislation fall within budget function 750 (administration of
justice).
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Authorization Level 16 16 16 16 16
Estimated Outlays 16 16 16 16 16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAY-AS-YOU-GO CONSIDERATIONS:
None.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND PRIVATE-SECTOR IMPACT
H.R. 3235 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in UMRA and would not directly affect
state, local, and tribal governments.
ESTIMATE PREPARED BY:
Federal Costs: Mark Grabowicz (226-2860)
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Shelley
Finlayson (225-3220)
Impact on the Private Sector: Patrice Gordon (226-2940)
ESTIMATE APPROVED BY:
Peter H. Fontaine
Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the committee finds the authority for this
legislation in Article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
Section-by-Section Analysis and Discussion
Sec. 1. Short Title.
This section provides that the short title of the bill is
the ``National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of
2000.''
Sec. 2. Findings.
This section contains findings made by Congress in support
of H.R. 3235.
Sec. 3. Purpose.
This section states the purpose of the act, which is to
provide grant money to the 320 established PAL chapters to
increase services to the communities they are serving, and to
provide seed money for the establishment of 250 (50 per year
over a 5-year period) additional local PAL chapters in public
housing project and other distressed areas, including
distressed areas with a majority population of Native
Americans, by not later than fiscal year 2006.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
This section defines several terms used in the act.
Sec. 5. Grants Authorized.
This section would direct the Assistant Attorney General
for the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice
to award a grant to the Police Athletic League for each of
fiscal years 2001 through 2005 for the purpose of establishing
PAL chapters to serve public housing projects and other
distressed areas, and expanding existing PAL chapters to serve
additional young people. Section five establishes guidelines
that PAL must meet to be eligible to receive a grant.
Sec. 6. Use of Funds.
This section establishes guidelines for how grant money
awarded to PAL may be used. Each new or expanded PAL chapter
that receives assistance under the act shall carry out not less
than four programs during non-school hours, of which not less
than two programs shall provide mentoring assistance, academic
assistance, recreational and athletic activities or technology
training. Several additional programs may be offered as well,
including drug, alcohol, and gang prevention activities, health
and nutrition counseling, cultural and social programs, and job
preparation activities. Section six would also require that, to
the maximum extent possible, PAL chapters use volunteers from
businesses, academia, social organizations, and law enforcement
organizations to serve as mentors or to assist in other ways.
Additionally, PAL chapters would be required to work with State
and local park recreation agencies so that activities funded
with amounts made available under a PAL grant will not
duplicate activities funded from other sources in the community
served.
Sec. 7. Reports.
This section would require that the Police Athletic League
report to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of
Justice Programs on the use of grant money for each fiscal year
in which a grant was awarded. Section 7 would also require that
the Attorney General report to the House and Senate Committees
on the Judiciary each year on the progress made under the act
in establishing and expanding PAL chapters and the
effectiveness of PAL programs in reducing drug abuse, school
dropouts, and juvenile crime.
Sec. 8. Authorization of Appropriations.
This section would authorize the appropriation of $16
million a year for 5 years beginning with fiscal year 2001 to
carry out the purposes of the act.