109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6217
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide vouchers for
the purchase of educational books for infants and children participating
in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
under that Act.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 27, 2006
Mrs. MALONEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide vouchers for
the purchase of educational books for infants and children participating
in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
under that Act.
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 `Access to Books for Children Act' or the `ABC
Act'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Reading to a child plays a crucial role in the development of the
child's brain from the earliest years.
(2) According to a 1995 study by the National Commission on Reading, reading
aloud to a child is the single most important tool for developing literacy
skills.
(3) A child who is not introduced to books and early literacy practices
is more than three times as likely to drop out of school as a child who
is introduced to books and early literacy practices.
(4) The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends daily reading to a child
beginning when the child is just 6 months old and recommends that pediatricians
prescribe reading activities and other instruction to parents during well-child
visits.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966.
Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(r) Vouchers for Purchase of Educational Books for Infants and Children-
`(1) IN GENERAL- In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary
shall provide grants to local agencies for the purpose of providing vouchers
to women participating in the program for the purchase of educational
books for the infants and children of such women.
`(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS- In providing vouchers pursuant to paragraph
(1), a local agency shall comply with the following requirements:
`(A) A woman may receive not more than 1 voucher (irrespective of the
number of infants or children of the woman).
`(B) The amount of a voucher may not exceed $5.
`(A) IN GENERAL- Of the amounts made available to the Department of
Education for fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009, $10,000,000 shall be
made available to carry out this subsection (except as provided in subparagraph
(B)) for each such fiscal year.
`(B) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- In addition to amounts made available under
subparagraph (A), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
$1,000,0000 for each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009 for the
administrative costs in carrying out this subsection.
`(C) AVAILABILITY- Amounts made available under subparagraphs (A) and
(B) are authorized to remain available until expended.'.
END
