109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2702
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program on the
provision of assistance to certain military families.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 3, 2006
Mr. ALLARD (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program on the
provision of assistance to certain military families.
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 `Military Family Assistance Act of 2006'.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN MILITARY FAMILIES.
(a) Program Required- The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program
utilizing non-Federal eligible entities to provide assistance to the families
of members of the Armed Forces who live more than 180 miles from a military
installation where members of the Armed Forces on active duty are stationed.
(1) IN GENERAL- Under the program, the Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities described in subsection (c) for the provision of assistance
to military families as described in subsection (a).
(2) MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT- The amount of any grant awarded under this section
may not exceed $25,000.
(3) MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GRANTS- An eligible entity may not be awarded more
than three grants this section.
(4) APPLICATIONS- An entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit
to the Secretary an application therefor containing such information as
the Secretary shall require for purposes of this section.
(1) IN GENERAL- For purposes of this section, an eligible entity is any
nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that has the capacity to provide assistance
to military families as described in subsection (a) in a manner that the
Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the program.
(2) MATCHING REQUIREMENT- An application may not be treated as valid for
purposes of this section unless the eligible entity submitting the application
commits to contribute to activities funded by the grant awarded to the
organization under this section an amount equal to the grant amount which
is derived from non-Federal sources.
(d) Review and Approval of Applications-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall provide for the review and approval
of applications for grants under this section through a board of review
consisting of five individuals selected by the Secretary from among individuals
having the qualifications described in paragraph (2).
(2) QUALIFICATIONS- An individual selected for the board of review under
paragraph (1) shall have at least five years of experience in two of the
following areas:
(B) The operation of nonprofit organizations identical or similar to
eligible entities.
(C) Military family support assistance programs.
(3) CONSIDERATIONS- In determining whether to approve an application for
a grant under this section, the board of review shall address the following:
(A) Whether the assistance to be provided to military families using
the grant amount is appropriate for purposes of the program under this
section.
(B) The nature of the commitment under subsection (c)(2) of the organization
submitting the application.
(e) Use of Grant Amounts-
(1) IN GENERAL- An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section
shall use the grant amount, and any amounts committed by the eligible
entity under subsection (c)(2), to provide assistance to military families
as described in subsection (a) in the manner specified in the application
for the grant under this section.
(2) LIMITATION- Amounts under a grant under this section may not be used
to purchase, rent, renovate, or construct any facilities.
(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the obligation of any portion
of the amount authorized to be appropriated by subsection (i), the Secretary
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the program
under this section.
(2) ELEMENTS- The report shall include the following:
(A) A description of the procedures implemented by the Secretary for
purposes of the program.
(B) A description of the applications submitted under the program, including
a description of the various types of assistance for military families
proposed to be provided under such applications.
(C) A description, current as of the date of the report, of the activities
to be funded by grants under the program.
(D) A review of the effectiveness of the board of review under subsection
(d).
(E) An assessment, current as of the date of the report, of the advisability
of extending the program or making it permanent.
(g) Sunset- The program required by this section shall cease upon the earlier
of the following:
(1) The date of the declaration by the President of the cessation of Operation
Iraqi Freedom.
(2) The date that is three years after the first obligation of funds for
the program under this section.
(h) Congressional Defense Committees Defined- In this section, the term
`congressional defense committees' means--
(1) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate;
and
(2) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations- There is hereby authorized to be appropriated
to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2007, $10,000,000 for the purpose
of carrying out the program under this section.
END
