109th CONGRESS
1st Session

H. R. 856

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 16, 2005

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

AN ACT

To establish a Federal Youth Development Council to improve the administration and coordination of Federal programs serving youth, and for other purposes.

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 `Federal Youth Coordination Act'.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

(a) Members and Terms- There is established the Federal Youth Development Council (in this Act referred to as the `Council') composed of members as follows:

(1) The Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Drug Control Policy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the Director of the U.S.A. Freedom Corps, the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, or a designee of each such individual who holds significant decision-making authority, and other Federal officials as directed by the President, to serve for the life of the Council.

(2) Any additional members as the President shall appoint from among representatives of faith-based organizations, community based organizations, child and youth focused foundations, universities, non-profit organizations, youth service providers, State and local government, and youth in disadvantaged situations. In making the appointments under this paragraph, the President shall consult with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall take into account the recommendations of the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the president pro tempore of the Senate, who shall take into account the recommendations of the Majority Leader and the minority Leader of the Senate. Each member appointed under this paragraph shall serve for 1 term of 2 years.

(b) Chairperson- The Chairperson of the Council shall be the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(c) Meetings- The Council shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, not less frequently than 4 times each year. The first meeting shall be not less than 4 months after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL.

(a) The duties of the Council shall be--

(1) to ensure communication among agencies administering programs designed to serve youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations;

(2) to assess the needs of youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations, and those who work with youth, and the quantity and quality of Federal programs offering services, supports, and opportunities to help youth in their educational, social, emotional, physical, vocational, and civic development;

(3) to recommend objectives and quantifiable 5-year goals for such programs;

(4) to make recommendations for the allocation of resources in support of such goals and objectives;

(5) to identify areas of overlap or duplication in purpose and operation of programs serving youth and recommend ways to better facilitate coordination and consultation, improve efficiency, and streamline such programs;

(6) to identify target populations of youth who are disproportionately at risk and assist agencies in focusing additional resources on them;

(7) to develop a recommended plan, including common indicators of youth well-being, and assist agencies, at the request of 1 or more agency, in coordinating to achieve such goals and objectives;

(8) to assist Federal agencies, at the request of 1 or more such agency, in collaborating on model programs and demonstration projects focusing on special populations, including youth in foster care, migrant youth, projects to promote parental involvement, and projects that work to involve young people in service programs;

(9) to solicit and document ongoing input and recommendations from--

(A) youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations;

(B) national youth development experts, researchers, parents, faith and community-based organizations, foundations, business leaders, youth service providers, and teachers; and

(C) State and local government agencies, particularly agencies serving children and youth; and

(10) to work with Federal agencies to conduct high-quality research and evaluation, identify and replicate model programs and best practices, provide technical assistance, and coordinate the collection and dissemination of youth services-related data and research.

(b) The Council may provide technical assistance to a State at the request of a State to support State-funded councils for coordinating State youth efforts.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE OF STAFF.

(a) Director- The Chairperson, in consultation with the Council, shall employ and set the rate of pay for a Director.

(b) Staff of Federal Agencies- Upon request of the Council, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Council to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL.

(a) Mails- The Council may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States.

(b) Administrative Support Services- Upon the request of the Council, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Council to carry out its responsibilities under this Act.

SEC. 6. REPORT.

Not later than 1 year after the Council holds its first meeting, the Council shall transmit to Congress an interim report of its findings, and not later than 2 years after the Council holds its first meeting, the Council shall transmit to Congress a final report including its findings and recommendations. The report shall--

(1) include a comprehensive list of recent research and statistical reporting by various Federal agencies on the overall well-being of youth, including the ratings of the Program Assessment Ratings Tool (PART) of Federal programs serving youth used by the Office of Management and Budget, if applicable;

(2) include the assessment of the needs of youth and those who serve them;

(3) include a summary of the plan called for in section 3(a)(7);

(4) recommend ways to coordinate and improve Federal training and technical assistance, information sharing, and communication among the various programs and agencies serving youth;

(5) include recommendations to better integrate and coordinate policies across agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels, including recommendations for legislation and administrative actions;

(6) include a summary of actions the Council has taken at the request of Federal agencies to facilitate collaboration and coordination on youth serving programs and the results of those collaborations, if available;

(7) include a summary of the action the Council has taken at the request of States to provide technical assistance under section 3(b), if applicable; and

(8) include a summary of the input and recommendations from the groups identified in section 3(a)(9).

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

The Council shall terminate 60 days after transmitting its final report under section 6.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 and 2008 to carry out this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives November 15, 2005.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.

END