To support certain national youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, and for other purposes.

March 16, 2005

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia (for herself, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. HAYES, Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania, Mr. HERGER, Mr. AKIN, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. KLINE, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. ISSA, Mr. WICKER, Mr. CASE, Mr. SHAW, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. CANNON, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CHOCOLA, Mr. FORBES, and Mr. BOYD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To support certain national youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, 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 `Support our Scouts Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.

(a) Definitions- In this section--

(1) the term `Federal agency' means each department, agency, instrumentality, or other entity of the United States Government; and

(2) the term `youth organization' means any organization described under part B of subtitle II of title 36, United States Code, that is intended to serve individuals under the age of 21 years.

(b) In General-

(1) SUPPORT FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS- No Federal law (including any rule, regulation, directive, instruction, or order) shall be construed to limit any Federal agency from providing any form of support for a youth organization (including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America) that would result in that Federal agency providing less support to that youth organization (or any similar organization chartered under the chapter of title 36, United States Code, relating to that youth organization) than was provided during each of the preceding 4 fiscal years.

(2) TYPES OF SUPPORT- Support described under paragraph (1) shall include--

(A) holding meetings, camping events, or other activities on Federal property; and

(B) hosting any official event of such organization.

SEC. 3. EQUAL ACCESS FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.

Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5309) is amended--

(1) in the first sentence of subsection (b) by inserting `or (e)' after `subsection (a)'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(e) Equal Access-

`(1) DEFINITION- The term `youth organization' means any organization described under part B of subtitle II of title 36, United States Code, that is intended to serve individuals under the age of 21 years.

`(2) IN GENERAL- No State or unit of general local government that has a designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of assistance under this chapter shall deny equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise participate in that designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum.'.

END