[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3030 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
2d Session
H. R. 3030
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 5, 2004
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Community Service Block Grant Act to provide for quality
improvements.
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 ``Improving the Community Services
Block Grant Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ACT AMENDMENTS.
(a) Purposes and Goals.--Section 672 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 note) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 672 PURPOSES AND GOALS.
``The purpose of this subtitle is to reduce poverty--
``(1) by strengthening and coordinating local efforts to
expand opportunities for individuals and families to become
economically self-sufficient and to improve and revitalize low-
income communities in urban and rural areas, by providing
resources to States for support of local eligible entities,
including community action agencies and other community-based
organizations--
``(A) to plan, coordinate, and mobilize a broad
range of Federal, State, local, and private assistance
or investment in such a manner as to use these
resources effectively to reduce poverty and in
initiatives that are responsive to specific local needs
and conditions;
``(B) to coordinate a range of services that meet
the needs of low-income families and individuals, that
support strong and healthy families, and that assist
them in developing the skills needed to become self
sustaining while ensuring that these services are
provided effectively and efficiently; and
``(C) to design and implement comprehensive
approaches to assist eligible individuals in gaining
employment and achieving economic self-sufficiency;
``(2) by improving and revitalizing the low-income
communities in urban and rural areas by providing resources to
States for support of local eligible entities and their
partners--
``(A) to broaden the resource base of initiatives
and projects directed to the elimination of poverty and
the redevelopment of the low-income community,
including partnerships with nongovernmental and
governmental institutions to develop the community
assets and services that reduce poverty, such as--
``(i) other private, religious, charitable,
and community-based organizations;
``(ii) individual citizens, and business,
labor, and professional groups, that are able
to influence the quantity and quality of
opportunities and services for the poor; and
``(iii) local government leadership; and
``(B) to coordinate community-wide resources and
services that will have a significant, measurable
impact on the causes of poverty in the community and
that will help families and individuals to achieve
economic self-sufficiency and to test innovative,
community-based approaches to attacking the causes and
effects of poverty and of community breakdown,
including--
``(i) innovative initiatives to prevent and
reverse loss of investment, jobs, public
services, and infrastructure in low- and
moderate-income communities; and
``(ii) innovative partnerships to leverage
the assets and services that reduce poverty, as
provided in subparagraph (A); and
``(3) by ensuring maximum participation of residents of
low-income communities and of members of the groups served by
grants made under this subtitle in guiding the eligible
entities and in their programs funded under this subtitle, to
ameliorate the particular problems and needs of low-income
residents and to develop the permanent social and economic
assets of the low-income community in order to reduce the
incidence of poverty.''.
(b) Definitions.--Section 673(1)(A) of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(1)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in clause (ii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) that successfully develops and
meets the locally determined goals described in
section 678E(b)(1), as determined by the State,
and meets State goals, standards, and
performance requirements as provided for in
section 678B(a).''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 674 of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9903) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``1999 through 2003'' and inserting
``2004 through 2009''; and
(B) by striking ``681'' and inserting ``675C(b)(3),
681,'';
(2) in subsection (b)(2)--
(A) by striking ``678F'' and inserting ``678E to
assist States, eligible entities, and their partners in
projects supported by this subtitle'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``monitoring
(to correct programmatic deficiencies of eligible
entities)'' and inserting ``monitoring (including
technical assistance and training to correct
programmatic deficiencies of eligible entities)''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Assistance Relating to Unemployment.--There are authorized to
be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004 to
carry out section 675C(b)(3).''.
(d) Uses of Funds.--Section 675C of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9907) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(3)(A) by striking ``Beginning on
October 1, 2000, a'' and inserting ``A''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(F) by striking ``neighborhood-
based'' and inserting ``community-based''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Assistance relating to unemployment.--With the amount
appropriated under section 674(c), the Secretary shall make
grants to States to provide financial and employment support to
individuals who cannot find employment, who have exhausted
their State unemployment benefits, and who, after the week of
December 20, 2003, can no longer receive Federal extended
temporary unemployment compensation. The eligibility criteria
and benefit amounts under this paragraph for such individuals
shall be the same as for such individuals prior to December 20,
2003, under the Federal extended temporary unemployment
compensation program.''; and
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting ``paragraphs (1) and
(2) of'' after ``under''.
(e) Application and Plan.--Section 676 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9908) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``Beginning with fiscal year 2000,
to'' and inserting ``To'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) by striking ``youth development
programs that support'' and inserting
``youth development programs, which may
include mentoring programs, that
support''; and
(II) by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(ii) in subparagraph (C) by adding ``and''
at the end; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) initiatives to improve economic conditions
and mobilize new resources in rural areas to eliminate
obstacles to the self-sufficiency of families and
individuals in rural communities;'';
(C) in paragraph (2) by striking ``community and
neighborhood-based'' and inserting ``community-based'';
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A) by striking ``information provided by
eligible entities in the State, containing''
and inserting ``an assurance that the State
will provide information, including''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (D) by striking
``community and neighborhood-based'' and
inserting ``community-based'';
(E) in paragraph (9) by striking ``and community
organizations'' and inserting ``and community-based
organizations'';
(F) in paragraph (10) by striking ``community
organization'' and inserting ``community-based
organization'';
(G) in paragraph (12) by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(H) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph
(15); and
(I) by inserting after paragraph (12) the
following:
``(13) an assurance that the State will take swift action
to improve performance or, when appropriate, to terminate the
funding under this subtitle of low-performing eligible entities
that do not meet the applicable locally determined goals
described in section 678E(b)(1) or do not meet the State goals,
standards, and requirements as provided for in section 678B(a);
``(14) an assurance that the State will provide a
justification to the Secretary if it continues to fund
persistently low-performing eligible entities; and'';
(2) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ``plan, or'' and all
that follows through the period at the end, and inserting
``plan, to meet a State requirement, as described in section
678C(a), or to meet the locally determined goals as described
in section 678E(b)(1).''; and
(3) by striking subsection (f).
(f) Training, Technical Assistance, and Other Activities.--Section
678A(a)(1)(A) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9913(a)(1)(A)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``dissemination regarding best
practices,'' after ``technical assistance,''; and
(2) by inserting ``(including to assist in the development
of reporting systems and electronic data systems)'' after
``collection activities''.
(g) Monitoring of Eligible Entities.--Section 678B of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9914) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by
inserting ``and the locally determined performance
goals described in section 678E(b)(1)'' after ``a
State''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``appropriate'' before
``goals''; and
(ii) by striking ``established by the
State''; and
(2) in the last sentence of subsection (c) by striking
``Chairperson of the Committee on Education'' and all that
follows through ``Human Resources of the Senate'' and inserting
``appropriate congressional committees''.
(h) Corrective Action; Termination and Reduction of Funding.--
Section 678C(a) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9915(a)) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking
``established by the State''.
(i) Accountability and Reporting Requirements.--Section 678E of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9917) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking ``By October 1,
2001, each'' and inserting ``Each''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the 1st sentence by inserting
``including any activities under section 678C''
before the period at the end;
(ii) by striking the 2d sentence;
(iii) in the 3d sentence by striking
``also''; and
(iv) in the 3d sentence by inserting
``information on the timeliness of the
distribution of block grant funds to eligible
entities as provided in section 675C(a),''
after ``including'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2) in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A) by striking ``beginning after
September 30, 1999'';
(B) in paragraph (3) by striking ``Committee on
Education'' and all that follows through ``Human
Resources of the Senate'' and inserting ``appropriate
congressional committees'';
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Coordination of reporting requirements.--To the
maximum extent possible, the Secretary shall coordinate
reporting requirements for all programs of the Department of
Health and Human Services managed by eligible entities so as to
consolidate and reduce the number of reports required about
individuals, families, and uses of grant funds.''; and
(D) by redesignating such subsection as subsection
(c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Local Accountability and Reporting Requirements.--
``(1) Locally determined goals.--In order to be designated
as an eligible entity and to receive a grant under this
subtitle, an eligible entity shall establish locally determined
goals for reducing poverty in the community, including goals
for--
``(A) leveraging and mobilizing community
resources;
``(B) fostering coordination of Federal, State,
local, private, and other assistance; and
``(C) promoting community involvement.
``(2) Demonstration that goals were met.--In order for an
eligible entity to receive a second or subsequent grant made
under this subtitle after the effective date of this paragraph,
such entity shall demonstrate to the State that it has met the
goals described in paragraph (1).''.
(j) Treatment of Beneficiaries.--Section 679 of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9920) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(f) Treatment of Beneficiaries.--In providing assistance under a
program described in subsection (a), a religious organization shall not
discriminate against a beneficiary, or a potential beneficiary, of such
assistance on the basis of religion or of a religious belief.''.
(k) Discretionary Authority of Secretary.--Section 680 of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9921) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A) by inserting
``(including financial assistance for
construction or substantial rehabilitation of
buildings and facilities, and for loans or
investments in private business enterprises
owned by community development corporations)''
after ``assistance'';
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (B),
(C), (D), and (E) as subparagraphs (D), (E),
(F), and (G), respectively; and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A)
the following:
``(B) Federal interest.--The Secretary shall
establish procedures that permit funds provided under a
grant made under this paragraph, or intangible assets
acquired with such funds, to become the sole property
of the grantee before the expiration of the 12-year
period beginning after the fiscal year for which such
grant is made if such grantee agrees to use such funds
or such property for purposes and uses consistent with
the purposes and uses for which such grant is made.
``(C) Replacement activities.--The Secretary shall
establish procedures to allow a grant made under this
paragraph to be used by a grantee to carry out
activities substantially similar to the activities for
which such grant is made if, due to no fault of such
grantee, such grantee cannot carry out the activities
for which such grant is made. Such procedures shall
require that the substantially similar activities serve
the same impact area and have the same goals,
objectives, and outcomes as the activities for which
such grant is made.'';
(B) in paragraph (3)(B) by inserting ``water and
wastewater'' after ``community''; and
(C) in paragraph (4) by striking ``neighborhood-
based'' and inserting ``community-based''; and
(2) in subsection (c) by striking ``Chairperson of the
Committee on Education'' and all that follows through ``Human
Resources of the Senate'' and inserting ``appropriate
congressional committees''.
(l) Community Food and Nutrition Programs.--Section 681 of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9922) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)
by striking ``Committee on Education'' and all that follows
through ``Human Resources of the Senate'' and inserting
``appropriate congressional committees''; and
(2) in subsection (d) by striking ``1999 through 2003'' and
inserting ``2004 through 2009''.
(m) National or Regional Programs Designed To Provide Instructional
Activities for Low-Income Youth.--Section 682 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9923) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(5)--
(A) by inserting ``(which may be accomplished
through mentoring)'' after ``youth''; and
(B) by inserting ``to improve academic
achievement'' after ``study practices''; and
(2) in subsection (g) by striking ``1999 through 2003'' and
inserting ``2004 through 2009''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on
the 1st day of the 1st fiscal year beginning after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives February 4, 2004.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.