| HR 2363 IH
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2363
To improve early
learning opportunities and promote preparedness by increasing the availability
of Head Start programs, to increase the availability and affordability
of quality child care, to reduce child hunger and encourage healthy eating
habits, to facilitate parental involvement, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 5, 2003
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr.
CUMMINGS, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. OWENS, Mr.
SANDERS, Ms. SOLIS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms.
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. FROST, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. CONYERS,
Mr. ALLEN, and Mr. BROWN of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition
to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, House Administration,
Government Reform, and Agriculture, 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
A BILL
To improve early
learning opportunities and promote preparedness by increasing the availability
of Head Start programs, to increase the availability and affordability
of quality child care, to reduce child hunger and encourage healthy eating
habits, to facilitate parental involvement, 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; TABLE
OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act
may be cited as the `Right Start Act of 2003'.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The
table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table
of contents.
TITLE I--INVESTING IN HEAD START
Sec. 101. Authorization
of appropriations.
TITLE II--IMPROVING THE AFFORDABILITY
AND QUALITY OF CHILD CARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES
Sec. 201. Increase in funding
for child care.
Sec. 202. Clarification
of authority of States to use TANF funds carried over from prior years
to provide TANF benefits and services.
TITLE III--FIGHTING CHILDHOOD
HUNGER AND PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING HABITS
Subtitle A--Training Grants
Sec. 311. Grants to provide
training for health profession students.
Sec. 312. Grants to provide
training for health professionals.
Subtitle B--Local Grants
Sec. 321. Grants to increase
physical activity and improve nutrition.
Subtitle C--School Health Program
Sec. 331. Establishment
of a coordinated school health program.
Sec. 332. National Center
for Health Statistics.
Subtitle D--Institute of Medicine
Study
Sec. 341. Study of the food
supplement and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture.
Subtitle E--Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality Studies
Sec. 351. Evidence report
on weight reduction programs.
Sec. 352. Health disparities
report.
Subtitle F--Preventive Health
and Health Services Block Grant
Sec. 361. Use of allotments.
Subtitle G--Medicare Nutrition
Therapy Demonstration Project
Sec. 371. Demonstration
project to reduce obesity and other chronic disease risks.
Subtitle H--Overweight and Obesity
Treatment and Prevention Demonstration Projects
Sec. 381. Grants to local
healthcare delivery systems.
Subtitle I--Research on Obesity
Sec. 391. Report on obesity
research.
Subtitle J--Youth Media Campaign
Sec. 395. Grants and contracts
for a national campaign to change children's health behaviors.
Subtitle K--Sense of the Senate
Sec. 399. Sense of the Senate
concerning nutrition.
TITLE IV--SUPPORTING SERVICES
TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES THROUGH THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT
Sec. 401. Increase in funding.
TITLE V--EXPANDING THE FAMILY
AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
Subtitle A--Family Income To
Respond to Significant Transitions
Sec. 514. Demonstration
projects.
Sec. 516. Evaluations and
reports.
Sec. 517. Authorization
of appropriations.
Sec. 518. Technical and
conforming amendments.
Subtitle B--Family Friendly
Workplaces
Sec. 522. Coverage of employees.
Subtitle C--Employment Protection
for Battered Women
Sec. 531. Entitlement to
leave for addressing domestic violence for non-Federal employees.
Sec. 532. Entitlement to
leave for addressing domestic violence for Federal employees.
Sec. 533. Existing leave
usable for domestic violence.
Subtitle D--Federal Employees
Paid Parental Leave
Sec. 542. Demonstration
project.
Sec. 543. Technical and
conforming amendments.
Sec. 544. Effective date.
Subtitle E--Time for Schools
Sec. 552. General requirements
for leave.
Sec. 553. School involvement
leave for civil service employees.
Sec. 554. Effective date.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) Learning is an active
process that begins at birth, is dependent on the existence of strong and
stable relationships, is influenced by a child's physical, emotional, social,
and cognitive capacities, and is shaped by a combination of biology and
experience.
(2) Before children reach
the age of 2 years, measurable differentiation in their development and
skills begins to appear. In the absence of intervention, that differentiation
may increase over the preschool years.
(3) Early childhood, which
is the period in a child's life from birth through the age of 6 years,
is a critical time for children to develop the physical, emotional, social,
and cognitive skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Good nutrition
and health care are essential to maximize the development process.
(4) Young children receive
care in a wide variety of settings. While 38 percent of young children
receive care solely from their parents, the remaining 62 percent receive
care through a variety of full-time and part-time arrangements, including
by relatives, by nonrelatives (in a variety of home-based settings), and
through center-based programs.
(5) The cognitive, social,
and emotional development of young children can be enhanced through parental
involvement and high-quality early care, and developmentally appropriate
early education activities.
(6) Research indicates that
successful academic achievement in education programs for children in kindergarten
and grades 1 through 12 is linked to participation in high quality early
care, including access to health care and nutrition, and early education
activities.
(7) The United States will
be stronger now and in the future if the Nation invests in its children
today.
TITLE I--INVESTING IN HEAD START
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section
639(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834(a)) is amended by striking
`such sums' and all that follows and inserting the following: `$7,500,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, $8,290,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, $9,040,000,000
for fiscal year 2006,
$9,890,000,000 for fiscal year
2007, and $10,890,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.'.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS-
(1) RESERVATIONS- Paragraphs
(1) and (3) of section 639(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834(b))
are amended by striking `2003' and inserting `2008'.
(2) DISTRIBUTION- Paragraphs
(3)(A)(i)(I) and (6)(A) of section 640(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9835(a)) are amended by striking `fiscal year 2003' and inserting `each
of fiscal years 2004 through 2008'.
TITLE II--IMPROVING THE AFFORDABILITY
AND QUALITY OF CHILD CARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES
SEC. 201. INCREASE IN FUNDING
FOR CHILD CARE.
(a) INCREASE IN FUNDING-
Section 418(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 618(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) by striking `and' at
the end of subparagraph (E);
(2) by striking the period
at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end
the following:
`(G) $3,717,000,000 for
fiscal year 2004;
`(H) $4,217,000,000 for
fiscal year 2005;
`(I) $4,917,000,000 for
fiscal year 2006;
`(J) $5,617,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007; and
`(K) $6,367,000,000 for
fiscal year 2008.'.
(b) INCREASE IN SET ASIDE
FOR CHILD CARE QUALITY- Section 658G of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858e) is amended by striking `4 percent'
and inserting `10 percent'.
(c) INDIAN TRIBES AND PUERTO
RICO-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section
418(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 618(a)) is amended by striking
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
`(A) INDIAN TRIBES- The
Secretary shall reserve 2 percent of the aggregate amount appropriated
to carry out this section under paragraphs (3) and (5) for each fiscal
year for payments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations for each such
fiscal year for the purpose of providing child care assistance.
`(B) PUERTO RICO- The Secretary
shall reserve $10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under paragraph (3)
for each fiscal year for payments to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for
each such fiscal year for the purpose of providing child care assistance.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT-
Section 1108(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1308(a)(2)) is
amended by striking `or 413(f)' and inserting `413(f), or 418(a)(4)(B)'.
SEC. 202. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY
OF STATES TO USE TANF FUNDS CARRIED OVER FROM PRIOR YEARS TO PROVIDE TANF
BENEFITS AND SERVICES.
Section 404(e) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604(e)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading,
by striking `ASSISTANCE' and inserting `BENEFITS OR SERVICES'; and
(2) after the heading, by
striking `assistance' and inserting `any benefit or service that may be
provided'.
TITLE III--FIGHTING CHILDHOOD
HUNGER AND PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING HABITS
SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited
as the `Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act' or the `IMPACT Act'.
SEC. 302. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) An estimated 61 percent
of United States adults and 13 percent of children and adolescents are
overweight or obese.
(2) The prevalence of obesity
and being overweight is increasing among all age groups. There are twice
the number of overweight children and 3 times the number of overweight
adolescents as there were 29 years ago.
(3) An estimated 300,000
deaths a year are associated with being overweight or obese.
(4) Obesity and being overweight
are associated with increased risk for heart disease (the leading cause
of death), cancer (the second leading cause of death), diabetes (the 6th
leading cause of death), and musculoskeletal disorders.
(5) Individuals who are
obese have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death.
(6) The Healthy People 2010
goals identify obesity and being overweight as one of the Nation's leading
health problems and include objectives of increasing the proportion of
adults who are at a healthy weight, reducing the proportion of adults who
are obese, and reducing the proportion of children and adolescents who
are overweight or obese.
(7) Another goal of Healthy
People 2010 is to eliminate health disparities among different segments
of the population. Obesity is a health problem
that disproportionally impacts
medically underserved populations.
(8) The United States Surgeon
General's report `A Call To Action' lists the treatment and prevention
of obesity as a top national priority.
(9) The estimated direct
and indirect annual cost of obesity in the United States is $117,000,000,000,
which exceeds the cost of tobacco-related illnesses and appears to be rising
dramatically.
(10) Weight control programs
should promote a healthy lifestyle including regular physical activity
and healthy eating, as consistently discussed and
identified in a variety of public
and private consensus documents, including `A Call to Action' and other
documents prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services and other
agencies.
SEC. 303. DEFINITIONS.
(1) OBESE- The term `obese'
means an adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater.
(2) OVERWEIGHT- The term
`overweight' means an adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9
kg/m2 and a child or adolescent with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile
on the revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts.
(3) SECRETARY- Unless otherwise
indicated, term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Subtitle A--Training Grants
SEC. 311. GRANTS TO PROVIDE
TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS.
Section 747(c)(3) of title
VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)(3)) is amended
by striking `and victims of domestic violence' and inserting `victims of
domestic violence, and individuals (including children) who are overweight
or obese (as such terms are defined in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition
and Physical Activity Act) and at risk for related, serious and chronic
medical conditions'.
SEC. 312. GRANTS TO PROVIDE
TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
Section 399Z of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h-3) is amended by striking subsection
(b) and inserting the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary
may award grants to qualified entities to train primary care physicians
and other licensed or certified health professionals on how to identify,
treat, and prevent obesity and aid individuals who are overweight (as such
term is defined in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity
Act).
`(2) APPLICATION- An entity
that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application
at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, including a plan for the use of funds that may be awarded
and an evaluation of the training that will be provided.
`(3) USE OF FUNDS- An entity
that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the funds made available
through such grant to--
`(A) conduct educational
conferences, including Internet-based courses and teleconferences, on--
`(i) how to treat and prevent
obesity and being overweight using nutritional counseling, methods to increase
physical activity, pharmacological therapies, motivational counseling to
promote positive changes in health behaviors and to assist patients in
identifying potential barriers to adhering to medical recommendations,
and other proven interventions;
`(ii) how to discuss varied
strategies to promote positive behavior change and healthy lifestyles to
avoid obesity, being overweight, and other eating disorders;
`(iii) how to identify overweight
and obese patients and those who are at risk for obesity and being overweight
and therefore at risk for related serious and chronic medical conditions;
`(iv) how to conduct a comprehensive
assessment of individual and familial health risk factors, such as poor
nutritional status, physical inactivity, and personal and family history
of obesity and related serious and chronic medical conditions; and
`(v) how to educate patients
and their families about effective strategies to improve dietary habits
and establish appropriate levels of physical activity;
`(B) conduct training to
enhance cultural and linguistic competency and communication skills needed
to effectively interact with patients from diverse populations regarding
weight, health, and nutritional status, including raising awareness of
issues regarding stigma and prejudice about obesity or being overweight;
`(C) evaluate the effectiveness
of the training provided by such entity in increasing knowledge and changing
attitudes and behaviors of trainees;
`(D) develop training materials
and course content using evidence-based findings or recommendations that
pertain to obesity and overweight treatment and prevention ; and
`(E) collaborate with other
training programs related to overweight and obesity prevention and treatment.
`(A) IN GENERAL- An entity
that receives a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary
an evaluation that describes the activities carried out by such entity
with funds received under this section.
`(B) CONTENTS- Such evaluation
shall include an assessment of the effectiveness of the activities in increasing
physical activity, improving nutrition, and preventing individuals from
becoming overweight or obese,
treating individuals who are overweight or obese, and any other information
that the Secretary may require.
`(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2005 through 2008.'.
Subtitle B--Local Grants
SEC. 321. GRANTS TO INCREASE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IMPROVE NUTRITION.
Title III of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`SEC. 399AA. GRANTS TO INCREASE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IMPROVE NUTRITION.
`(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and in consultation with Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, the Director of the Indian Health Service, and the heads
of other appropriate agencies, shall award competitive grants to cities,
counties, tribes, and States to plan, implement, and evaluate culturally
and linguistically appropriate and competent community-based programs and
promote good nutrition and physical activity to prevent overweight, obesity
(as such terms are defined in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition and
Physical Activity Act), and related serious and chronic medical conditions
that may result from being overweight or obese (as such terms are defined
in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act).
`(b) AWARD OF GRANTS- A
city, county, tribe, or State desiring a grant under this section shall
submit an
application to the Secretary
at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, including a plan describing how funds received through a grant
under this section will be used and an evaluation of the programs that
will be provided. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall ensure that the proposed programs are coordinated in substance and
format with programs currently funded through other Federal agencies and
operating within the community.
`(c) USE OF FUNDS- A city,
county, tribe, or State that receives a grant under this section shall
use the funds made available through the grant to carry out 3 or more of
the following activities:
`(1) Planning for and promotion
of bike paths, walking paths, or other similar or related environmental
changes that promote physical activity.
`(2) Forming partnerships
and activities with businesses and other entities to increase activity
levels at the workplace and while traveling to and from the workplace,
develop wellness programs that relate to overweight and obesity, and to
enhance nutritional status by improving food options.
`(3) Establishing tax and
other incentives for businesses to increase the activity levels and improve
the nutrition of their employees by encouraging such employees to--
`(A) walk or bike to work;
`(B) engage in other physical
activity during working hours; and
`(C) improve available food
options.
`(4) Forming partnerships
with public and private entities including schools, faith-based entities,
and other facilities providing recreational services to establish programs
that use their facilities for after-school and weekend activities for the
community.
`(5) Establishing tax or
other incentives for retail food stores, grocery stores, and other retail
food outlets that offer nutritious foods, to encourage such stores and
outlets to locate in economically depressed areas to improve the nutritional
status of the community.
`(6) Forming partnerships
with senior centers and nursing homes to establish programs for older people
to foster physical activity and improved nutrition, including strength,
flexibility, and aerobic classes.
`(7) Providing educational
activities targeting healthier eating, such as cooking and shopping demonstrations,
onsite consultation by nutrition professionals at restaurants, and community
educational outreach using evidence-based nutrition recommendations.
`(8) Forming partnerships
with day care facilities to establish programs that promote improved nutritional
status and physical activity.
`(9) Providing training
and supervision of community health workers by health professionals to--
`(A) educate families regarding
the relationship between nutrition, eating habits, physical activity, and
obesity;
`(B) educate families about
effective strategies to improve nutrition, establish healthy eating patterns,
and establish appropriate levels of physical activity;
`(C) educate and guide parents
regarding the ability to model and communicate positive health behaviors;
and
`(D) educate and refer individuals
to appropriate health care agencies and community-based programs and organizations
in order to increase access to quality health care services, including
preventive health services.
`(10) Other activities as
deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
`(d) EVALUATION- A city,
county, tribe, or State that receives a grant under this section shall
submit to the Secretary an evaluation, in collaboration with an academic
health center or other qualified community-based entity, that describes
activities carried out with funds received under this section, the long-term
effectiveness of such activities in increasing physical activity, improving
nutrition, and preventing individuals from becoming overweight or obese,
and such other information as the Secretary may require.
`(e) MATCHING FUNDS- In
awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary may give priority to
applicants who provide matching funds.
`(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE-
The Secretary may set aside an amount not to exceed 15 percent of the total
amount appropriated for a fiscal
year under subsection (g) to permit the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to--
`(1) provide grantees with
technical support in the development, implementation, and evaluation of
programs under this section; and
`(2) disseminate culturally
and linguistically appropriate and competent information about strategies
and interventions in preventing and treating obesity through the promotion
of good nutrition and physical activity.
`(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 2005 through 2008.'.
Subtitle C--School Health Program
SEC. 331. ESTABLISHMENT OF A
COORDINATED SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM.
Part Q of title III of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h et seq.) is amended by striking
section 399W and inserting the following:
`SEC. 399W. GRANTS.
`(a) STATE EDUCATIONAL GRANTS-
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and in consultation with the Administrator of the Health
Resources and Services Administration, the Secretary of Education, the
Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of the Interior, shall, as
part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's coordinated school
health program currently operated pursuant to the Director's general authority,
award competitive grants to State, tribal, and local educational agencies
(where applicable) to--
`(1) develop and disseminate
school-based curricula or programs that focus on a healthy lifestyle that
includes promotion of balanced dietary patterns and physical activity to
prevent becoming overweight or obese and related, serious, and chronic
medical conditions that are associated with being overweight or obese (as
such terms are defined in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition and Physical
Activity Act);
`(2) provide education and
training to education professionals, including health education, physical
education, and food service professionals;
`(3) develop and implement
policies that create a healthy school environment in relation to nutrition
and physical activity; and
`(4) evaluate activities
conducted under paragraphs (1) through (3).
`(b) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL GRANTS-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and in consultation with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Agriculture,
and the Secretary of the Interior, shall award competitive grants to local
educational agencies to plan, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically
appropriate and competent programs to promote a healthy lifestyle, including
programs that, in collaboration with statewide coordinated school health
programs, when applicable, increase physical activity and improve the nutritional
status of the students at elementary and secondary schools.
`(2) AWARD OF GRANTS- A
local educational agency desiring a grant under this subsection shall submit
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary may require, including a plan describing
how funds received under this section will be used and an evaluation of
the program.
`(3) USE OF FUNDS- A local
educational agency that receives a grant under this subsection shall use
the funds made available through the grant to carry out 4 or more of the
following activities:
`(A) Planning and implementing
a healthy lifestyle curriculum or program with an emphasis on nutrition
and physical activity for each grade level.
`(B) Planning and implementing
a physical education and activity curriculum or program for each grade
level and purchasing appropriate equipment, with no more than 15 percent
of a grant award used for purchasing such equipment.
`(C) Planning and implementing
healthy lifestyle classes or programs for parents and guardians, with an
emphasis on nutrition and physical activity.
`(D) Planning and implementing
after-hours physical activity programs.
`(E) Creating opportunities
for students to choose foods to improve nutritional status.
`(F) Training teachers and
staff, including food service workers, on how to teach good nutrition and
physical activity practices.
`(G) Other activities as
deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
`(4) EVALUATION- An agency
that receives a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary
an evaluation, in collaboration with an academic department or other qualified
community-based entity, describing the activities carried out under the
grant, the effectiveness of the activities in increasing physical activity,
improving nutrition, and preventing individuals from becoming overweight
and obese, and such other information as the Secretary may require.
`(c) Community Educational
Grants-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary,
acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award
competitive grants to universities, colleges, or community-based nonprofit
organizations to develop, implement, and evaluate programs to promote healthy
eating and physical activity in youth and to conduct effectiveness reports
to identify programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in improving
nutritional status and physical activity in youth.
`(2) AWARD OF GRANTS- A
university, college, or qualified community-based nonprofit entity desiring
a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
`(3) INFORMATION AVAILABILITY-
Information about programs funded with grants authorized under this subsection
shall be made available to State, tribal, and local educational agencies
and may be used in planning and implementing programs described in subsections
(a) and (b).
`(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE-
The Secretary may set aside an amount not to exceed 15 percent of the total
amount appropriated for a fiscal year under subsection (e) to permit the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to--
`(1) provide grantees with
technical support in the development, implementation, and evaluation of
programs under this section; and
`(2) disseminate culturally
and linguistically appropriate and competent information about strategies
and interventions in preventing and treating obesity through the promotion
of good nutrition and physical activity.
`(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 2005 through 2008.'.
SEC. 332. NATIONAL CENTER FOR
HEALTH STATISTICS.
Section 306 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242k) is amended by striking subsection (n)
and inserting the following:
`(n)(1) The Secretary, acting
through the Center, may provide for the--
`(A) collection of data
for determining the fitness levels of children and youth; and
`(B) analysis of data collected
as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other
data sources.
`(2) In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Secretary, acting through the Center, may make grants to states,
public and nonprofit entities.
`(3) The Secretary, acting
through the Center, may provide technical assistance, standards, and methodologies
to grantees supported by this subsection in order to maximize the data
quality and comparability with other studies.'.
Subtitle D--Institute of Medicine
Study
SEC. 341. STUDY OF THE FOOD
SUPPLEMENT AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary
of Agriculture shall request that the Institute of Medicine conduct, or
contract with another entity to conduct, a study on the food and nutrition
assistance programs run by the Department of Agriculture.
(b) CONTENT- Such study
shall--
(1) investigate whether
the nutrition programs and nutrition recommendations are based on the latest
scientific evidence;
(2) investigate whether
the food assistance programs contribute to either preventing or enhancing
obesity and being overweight in children, adolescents, and adults;
(3) investigate whether
the food assistance programs can be improved or altered to contribute to
the prevention of obesity and becoming overweight; and
(4) identify obstacles that
prevent or hinder the programs from achieving their objectives.
(c) REPORT- Not later than
24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report containing
the results of the Institute of Medicine study authorized under this section.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $750,000
for fiscal years 2004 and 2005.
Subtitle E--Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality Studies
SEC. 351. EVIDENCE REPORT ON
WEIGHT REDUCTION PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary,
acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
shall conduct or support an evidence report on the effectiveness of weight
reduction programs.
(b) CONTENT- The study described
in subsection (a) shall evaluate the available scientific evidence regarding
the safety and effectiveness of the programs, including programs that use
dietary supplements, behavior modification, and other weight loss methods,
and how successful the programs are in helping individuals achieve short-term
weight loss and sustain long-term weight maintenance.
(c) REPORT- The Secretary
shall, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
prepare and submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report that
describes the results of the evidence report described in this section.
Such report shall be made available on the web site of the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $500,000
for fiscal year 2004.
SEC. 352. HEALTH DISPARITIES
REPORT.
Not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director
of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shall review all research
that results from the activities outlined in this Act and determine if
particular information may be important to the report on health disparities
required by section 903(c)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
299a-1(c)(3)).
Subtitle F--Preventive Health
and Health Services Block Grant
SEC. 361. USE OF ALLOTMENTS.
Section 1904(a)(1) of title
XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300w-3(a)(1)) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(H) Activities and community
education programs designed to address and prevent overweight, obesity,
and eating disorders through effective programs to promote healthy eating,
and exercise habits and behaviors.'.
Subtitle G--Medicare Nutrition
Therapy Demonstration Project
SEC. 371. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
TO REDUCE OBESITY AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASE RISKS.
(a) DEMONSTRATION- The Secretary,
in consultation with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services, shall
conduct a demonstration project to develop a comprehensive and systematic
model for improving the health of older Americans.
(b) CONTENT- The demonstration
project described in subsection (a) shall--
(1) identify, through self-assessment,
behavioral risk factors, such as obesity and overweight, poor nutrition,
physical inactivity, alcohol use, tobacco use, and mental health problems
among those target individuals;
(2) identify, through self-assessment,
needed medicare clinical preventive and screening benefits among those
target individuals;
(3) identify, through self-assessment,
functional and self-management information the Secretary determines to
be appropriate;
(4) provide ongoing support
to reduce risk factors and promote the appropriate use of preventive and
screening benefits; and
(5) improve health outcomes,
satisfaction, quality of life, and appropriate use of medicare-covered
services among those target individuals.
(1) TARGET INDIVIDUALS-
The term `target individuals' means individuals who are medicare beneficiaries
under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) who
shall include different segments of the population including racial and
ethnic minority groups and persons of lower socioeconomic status. The demonstration
is completely voluntary on the part of target individuals.
(2) SELF-ASSESSMENT- The
term `self-assessment' means a form delivered by the Secretary to each
target individual that--
(A) includes questions regarding--
(i) behavioral risk factors;
(ii) needed preventive and
screening services; and
(iii) target individuals'
preferences for receiving followup information; and
(B) is then assessed using
such computer generated assessment programs and provides ongoing support
to the individual as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(3) ONGOING SUPPORT- The
term `ongoing support' means--
(A) to provide target individuals
with information, feedback, health coaching, and recommendations regarding--
(i) the results of the self-assessment;
(ii) behavior modification
based on the self-assessment; and
(iii) any need for clinical
preventive and screening services or treatment including medical nutrition
therapy;
(B) to provide target individuals
with referrals to community resources and programs (such as senior centers)
available to assist the target individual in reducing health risks;
(C) information on available
volunteer opportunities to promote active engagement in the community;
and
(D) to provide the information
described in subparagraph (A) to a health care provider, if designated
by the target individual to receive such information.
(1) INITIAL DESIGN- Not
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall design the demonstration project. The demonstration should draw upon
promising, innovative models and incentives to reduce behavioral risk factors.
The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall
consult with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Director of the Office of Minority Health, and the heads other agencies
in the Department of Health and Human Services, and professional organizations,
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate on the design, conduct, and
evaluation of the demonstration.
(2) NUMBER AND PROJECT AREAS-
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall implement 1 demonstration project designed to determine whether similar
programs should be implemented for the general medicare population.
(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS-
Not later than 3 years after the date the Secretary implements the demonstration
project under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
that describes the project, evaluates the effectiveness and cost effectiveness
of the project, evaluates the beneficiary satisfaction under the project,
and includes any other information the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(f) WAIVER AUTHORITY- The
Secretary shall waive compliance with the requirements of title XVIII of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) to such extent and for
such period as the Secretary determines is necessary to conduct the demonstration
project under this section.
(g) FUNDING- The Secretary
shall provide for the transfer from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust
Fund and the Federal Supplementary Insurance Trust Fund under title XVIII
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) an amount not to exceed
$25,000,000 for the costs of designing, implementing, and evaluating the
demonstration project under this section.
Subtitle H--Overweight and Obesity
Treatment and Prevention Demonstration Projects
SEC. 381. GRANTS TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE
DELIVERY SYSTEMS.
Title III of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) as amended in section 321, is
further amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 399BB. GRANTS TO LOCAL
HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS.
`(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary
shall award grants to eligible entities to implement demonstration
overweight and obesity (as such
terms are defined in section 303 of the Improved Nutrition and Physical
Activity Act) treatment and prevention programs using evidence-based recommendations.
`(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- In
this section, the term `eligible entity' means a federally qualified health
center (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(4)), rural health clinic, health department, Indian Health
Service hospital or clinic, Indian tribal health facility, urban Indian
facility, or other health care service provider, as determined appropriate
by the Secretary.
`(c) AWARD OF GRANTS- An
eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including a plan for the use of funds awarded
under the grant and an evaluation of the program.
`(d) USE OF FUNDS- An eligible
entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the funds made
available through the grant to carry out 3 or more of the following activities
in a culturally and linguistically appropriate and competent manner:
`(1) Providing nutrition
and physical activity services by a health professional to treat or prevent
overweight and obesity.
`(2) Providing patient education
and counseling to increase physical activity and improve nutrition.
`(3) Providing community
education on nutrition and physical activity by a health professional to
provide better understanding of the relationship between diet, physical
activity, and obesity.
`(4) Training health professionals
on how to identify and treat obese and overweight individuals which may
include nutrition and physical activity counseling.
`(5) Providing education
and referring individuals to appropriate health care agencies and community-based
programs and organizations in order to increase access to quality health
care services, including preventive health services.
`(6) Training and supervising
community health workers by qualified health professionals to--
`(A) educate families regarding
the relationship between nutrition, eating habits, physical activity, and
obesity;
`(B) educate families about
effective strategies to improve nutrition, establish healthy eating patterns
and establish appropriate levels of physical activity; and
`(C) educate and guide parents
regarding the ability to model and communicate positive health behaviors.
`(7) Other activities that
are deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
`(e) EVALUATION- An eligible
entity that receives a grant under this section shall, in collaboration
with an academic health center or other qualified community-based entity,
submit to the Secretary a report describing the activities carried out
under the grant, the effectiveness of the activities in increasing physical
activity, improving nutrition, and preventing overweight and obesity, and
such other information as the Secretary may require.
`(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE-
The Secretary may set aside an amount not to exceed 15 percent of the total
amount appropriated for a fiscal year under subsection (g) to--
`(1) provide grantees with
technical support in the development, implementation, and evaluation of
programs under this section; and
`(2) disseminate culturally
and linguistically appropriate and competent information about strategies
and interventions in preventing and treating obesity through the promotion
of good nutrition and physical activity.
`(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $40,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 2005 through 2008.'.
Subtitle I--Research on Obesity
SEC. 391. REPORT ON OBESITY
RESEARCH.
(a) IN GENERAL- Not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives
a report on research on causes and health implications of obesity and being
overweight.
(b) CONTENT- The report
described in subsection (a) shall contain--
(1) descriptions on the
status of relevant, current, ongoing research being conducted in the department
including--
(A) the types and numbers
of studies completed or being conducted by the National Institutes of Health
on--
(i) mechanisms responsible
for obesity (including nutrition, physical activity, genetic causes such
as syndrome X), the prevention of and the treatment for obesity and related,
serious, and chronic medical conditions (including diabetes and cardiovascular
disease); and
(ii) psychosocial aspects
of obesity;
(B) the types and number
of studies completed or being conducted by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention on individual and community interventions to prevent individuals
from becoming overweight or obese;
(C) the types of studies
completed or being conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality on the treatment and prevention of overweight and obesity;
(D) the types of studies
being conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration on
the prevention of overweight and obesity; and
(E) what these studies have
shown about the causes of, prevention of, and treatment of overweight and
obesity; and
(2) recommendations on further
research that is needed, including research among diverse populations,
the department's plan for conducting such
research, and how current knowledge
can be disseminated.
Subtitle J--Youth Media Campaign
SEC. 395. GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
FOR A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE CHILDREN'S HEALTH BEHAVIORS.
Section 399Y of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h-2) is amended by striking subsection
(b) and inserting the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- As part
of the campaign described in subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award
grants or contracts to eligible entities to design and implement culturally
and linguistically appropriate and competent campaigns to change children's
health behaviors.
`(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- In
this subsection, the term `eligible entity' means a marketing, public relations,
advertising, or other appropriate entity.
`(3) CONTENT- An eligible
entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use funds received
through such grant or contract to utilize marketing and communication strategies
to--
`(A) communicate messages
to help young people develop habits that will foster good health over a
lifetime;
`(B) provide young people
with motivation to engage in sports and other physical activities;
`(C) influence youth to
develop good health habits such as regular physical activity and good nutrition;
`(D) educate parents of
young people on the importance of physical activity and improving nutrition,
how to maintain healthy behaviors for the entire family, and how to encourage
children to develop good nutrition and physical activity habits; and
`(E) discourage stigmatization
and discrimination based on body size or shape.
`(4) REPORT- The Secretary
shall evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign described in paragraph
(1) in changing children's behaviors and report such results to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
`(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $125,000,000
for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as necessary for each of fiscal years
2005 through 2008.'.
Subtitle K--Sense of the Senate
SEC. 399. SENSE OF THE SENATE
CONCERNING NUTRITION.
(a) FINDINGS- Congress makes
the following findings:
(1) Key child nutrition
programs are up for reauthorization in the 108th Congress, including the
School Breakfast Program, School Lunch Program, Special Milk Program, Child
and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Women's,
Infant's, and Children's (WIC) Program.
(2) The United States Department
of Agriculture reports, based on national United States Census Bureau data,
that in 2000 10.5 percent of all United States households, representing
20,000,000 adults and 13,000,000 children, were `food insecure'. Of the
11,000,000 households that were food insecure, 3,300,000 suffered from
food insecurity that was so severe that USDA's very conservative measure
classified them as `hungry'. 2,700,000 children lived in these hungry households.
(3) Households with children
experience food insecurity at more than double the rate for households
without children.
(4) Mental and physical
changes accompany inadequate food intake which can have harmful effects
on learning, development, productivity, physical and psychological health,
and family life. These effects are particularly harmful to children, and
can have a lasting impact.
(5) The Surgeon General
has established as an important health objective, to increase the food
security from 88 percent of all United States households (in 1995) to 94
percent by the year 2010.
(6) A national survey of
emergency feeding programs conducted by America's Second Harvest in 2001
found their food bank network of emergency food providers served 23,000,000
people in a year, 9 percent more than were served in 1997, and more than
9,000,000 of those served were children.
(7) United States Conference
of Mayors data indicates that between November 2000 to November 2001, only
one-third of the major cities surveyed reported that they were able to
provide an adequate quantity of food to meet the need. Eighty-five percent
of the cities reported that emergency food assistance facilities have had
to decrease the quantity of food provided or the number of times families
or individuals may receive food. Across the cities surveyed, 54 percent
of those requesting emergency assistance were either children or their
parents. The average increase in the number of families with children requesting
emergency food was 19 percent.
(8) Adequate nutrition in
the earliest years of life is essential for healthy child development and
for school readiness.
(9) Congress recently enacted,
and the President signed into law, the No Child Left Behind Act to increase
student academic achievement. Numerous studies indicate that hunger can
have a detrimental effect on a child's ability to learn and thrive in school.
(10) Food insecurity and
overweight frequently co-exist in the population.
(11) Federal child nutrition
programs can be an efficient and effective means to reduce hunger, reduce
overweight prevalence, and promote healthy eating habits among children
in the United States.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE-
It is the Sense of the Senate, that as Congress works to reauthorize the
child nutrition laws of the United States, it should--
(1) carefully evaluate elements
of those programs to strengthen efficiency and effectiveness, including
streamlining program administration, reducing paperwork burdens, and simplifying
access for parents;
(2) improve the healthfulness
of meals served, as well as that of other foods and beverages made available
in schools;
(3) strengthen the educational
component of the programs to encourage healthy eating habits and promote
physical activity;
(4) review eligibility guidelines,
and reimbursement rates; and
(5) provide significant
additional funding to carry out these and other vital priorities to make
sure pregnant women, and children from infancy through school have access
to nutritious food to optimize health and prevent overweight.
TITLE IV--SUPPORTING SERVICES
TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES THROUGH THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT
SEC. 401. INCREASE IN FUNDING.
Section 2003(c) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1379b(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (10), by
striking `and';
(2) in paragraph (11), by
striking `and each fiscal year thereafter.' and inserting a semicolon;
and
(3) by adding at the end
the following:
`(12) $2,800,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008; and
`(13) $1,700,000,000 for
the fiscal year 2009 and each fiscal year thereafter.'.
TITLE V--EXPANDING THE FAMILY
AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited
as the `Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act'.
SEC. 502. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) Since the enactment
of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.), more
than 35,000,000 Americans have taken leave for family or medical reasons.
(2) Of those taking leave
under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 52 percent took the leave
for their own serious health conditions, and 26 percent took the leave
to care for a new child or for maternity disability reasons.
(3) While the leave provided
by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 has proven to be a critical
resource for millions of Americans, too many people are left behind because
the Act provides only unpaid leave.
(4) According to a 2000
Department of Labor survey--
(A) 3,500,000 Americans
needed family and medical leave but could not afford to take time off without
pay;
(B) nearly four-fifths (78
percent) of those surveyed who needed the leave but did not take it said
they could not afford unpaid leave;
(C) nine percent of those
taking family and medical leave and receiving less than full pay during
their longest period of the leave had to go on public assistance to cover
their lost wages; and
(D) seventy-three percent
of those taking family and medical leave had incomes above $30,000.
(5) In 1970, only 27 percent
of mothers with infants under age 1 were in the labor force.
(6) In 1999, nearly 60 percent
of mothers with infants under age 1 were working.
(7) Worldwide, 128 countries
of the 172 responding to an International Social Security Association survey
in 1999 provided at least some paid and job protected maternity leave,
and, on average, provided 16 weeks of basic paid maternity leave. In some
countries, paid maternity leave is mandatory and in others it is voluntary.
(8) A European Union directive
mandating 14 weeks of paid maternity leave was adopted as a health and
safety measure in 1992.
(9) Among the 29 Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the most advanced
industrialized countries, the average period of childbirth-related leave
(including maternity, paternity, and parental leaves) is 44 weeks (10 months)
with additional time provided in some countries for leave to care for a
sick child. In those countries, the average duration of paid childbirth-related
leave is 36 weeks.
(10) In more than half of
the OECD countries (16 countries), the cash benefit provided while on the
paid childbirth-related leave replaces between 70 and 100 percent of prior
wages.
(11) Among the OECD countries,
adoptive mothers and adoptive parents are increasingly eligible for the
paid childbirth-related leave.
Subtitle A--Family Income To
Respond to Significant Transitions
SEC. 511. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited
as the `Family Income to Respond to Significant Transitions Insurance Act'.
SEC. 512. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this subtitle
are--
(1) to establish a demonstration
program that supports the efforts of States and political subdivisions
to provide partial or full wage replacement, often referred to as FIRST
insurance, to new parents so that the new parents are able to spend time
with a new infant or newly adopted child, and to other employees; and
(2) to learn about the most
effective mechanisms for providing the wage replacement assistance.
SEC. 513. DEFINITIONS.
(1) EMPLOYER; SON OR DAUGHTER;
STATE- The terms `employer', `son or daughter', and `State' have the meanings
given the terms in section 101 of the Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C.
2611).
(2) SECRETARY- The term
`Secretary' means the Secretary of Labor, acting after consultation with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
SEC. 514. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary
shall make grants to eligible entities to pay for the Federal share of
the cost of carrying out projects that assist families by providing, through
various mechanisms, wage replacement for eligible individuals who are responding
to--
(A) caregiving needs resulting
from the birth or adoption of a son or daughter; or
(B) other family caregiving
needs.
(2) PERIODS- The Secretary
shall make the grants for periods of 5 years.
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- To
be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a
State or political subdivision of a State.
(1) IN GENERAL- An entity
that receives a grant under this section may use the funds made available
through the grant to provide partial or full wage replacement as described
in subsection (a) to eligible individuals--
(B) through an insurance
program, such as a State temporary disability insurance program or the
State unemployment compensation benefit program;
(C) through a private disability
or other insurance plan, or another mechanism provided by a private employer;
or
(D) through another mechanism.
(2) PERIOD- In carrying
out a project under this section, the entity shall provide partial or full
wage replacement to eligible individuals for not less than 6 weeks during
a period of leave, or an absence from employment, described in subsection
(d)(2), during any 12-month period. Wage replacement available to an individual
under this paragraph shall be in addition to any compensation from annual
or sick leave that the individual may elect to use during a period of leave,
or an absence from employment, described in subsection (d)(2), during any
12-month period.
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS-
No entity may use more than 10 percent of the total funds made available
through the grant during the 5-year period of the grant to pay for the
administrative costs relating to a project described in subsection (a).
(d) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS-
To be eligible to receive wage replacement under subsection (a), an individual
shall--
(1) meet such eligibility
criteria as the eligible entity providing the wage replacement may specify
in an application described in subsection (e); and
(A) an individual who is
taking leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C.
2601 et seq.), other Federal, State, or local law, or a private plan, for
a reason described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 102(a)(1) of the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1));
(B) at the option of the
eligible entity, an individual who--
(i) is taking leave, under
that Act, other Federal, State, or local law, or a private plan, for a
reason described in subparagraph (C), (D), (E), or (F) of section 102(a)(1)
of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1)); or
(ii) leaves employment,
and has an absence from employment, because the individual has elected
to care for a son or daughter under age 1; or
(C) at the option of the
eligible entity, an individual who has an absence from employment and has
other characteristics specified by the eligible entity in an application
described in subsection (e).
(e) APPLICATION- To be eligible
to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application
to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum--
(1) a plan for the project
to be carried out with the grant;
(2) information demonstrating
that the applicant consulted representatives of employers and employees,
including labor organizations, in developing the plan;
(3) estimates of the costs
and benefits of the project;
(4)(A) information on the
number and type of families to be covered by the project, and the extent
of such coverage in the area served under the grant; and
(B) information on any criteria
or characteristics that the entity will use to determine whether an individual
is eligible for wage replacement under subsection (a), as described in
paragraphs (1) and (2)(C) of subsection (d);
(5) if the project will
expand on State and private systems of wage replacement for eligible individuals,
information on the manner in which the project will expand on the systems;
(6) information demonstrating
the manner in which the wage replacement assistance provided through the
project will assist families in which an individual takes leave or is absent
from employment as described in subsection (d)(2); and
(7) an assurance that the
applicant will participate in efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of
the project.
(f) SELECTION CRITERIA-
In selecting entities to receive grants for projects under this section,
the Secretary shall--
(1) take into consideration--
(A) the scope of the proposed
projects;
(B) the cost-effectiveness,
feasibility, and financial soundness of the proposed projects;
(C) the extent to which
the proposed projects would expand access to wage replacement in response
to family caregiving needs, particularly for low-wage employees, in the
area served by the grant; and
(D) the benefits that would
be offered to families and children through the proposed projects; and
(2) to the extent feasible,
select entities proposing projects that utilize diverse mechanisms, including
expansion of State unemployment compensation benefit programs, and establishment
or expansion of State temporary disability insurance programs, to provide
the wage replacement.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Federal
share of the cost described in subsection (a) shall be--
(A) 50 percent for the first
year of the grant period;
(B) 40 percent for the second
year of that period;
(C) 30 percent for the third
year of that period; and
(D) 20 percent for each
subsequent year.
(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE- The
non-Federal share of the cost may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated,
including plant, equipment, and services and may be provided from State,
local, or private sources, or Federal sources other than this subtitle.
(h) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT-
Funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of this subtitle shall be
used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public
funds and private funds expended to provide wage replacement.
(i) EFFECT ON EXISTING RIGHTS-
Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to supersede, preempt, or otherwise
infringe on the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement or any
employment benefit program or plan that provides greater rights to employees
than the rights established under this subtitle.
SEC. 515. NOTIFICATION.
An eligible entity that
provides partial or full wage replacement to an eligible individual under
this subtitle shall notify (in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary)--
(1) the employer of the
individual of the amount of the wage replacement provided; and
(2) the individual and the
employer of the individual that the employer shall count an appropriate
period of leave, calculated under section 102(g) of the Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(g)), as added by section 518, against
the total amount of leave (if any) to which the employee is entitled under
section 102(a)(1) of that Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1)).
SEC. 516. EVALUATIONS AND REPORTS.
(a) AVAILABLE FUNDS- The
Secretary shall use not more than 2 percent of the funds made available
under section 517 to carry out this section.
(b) EVALUATIONS- The Secretary
shall, directly or by contract, evaluate the effectiveness of projects
carried out with grants made under section 514, including conducting--
(1) research relating to
the projects, including research comparing--
(A) the scope of the projects,
including the type of insurance or other wage replacement mechanism used,
the method of financing used, the eligibility requirements, the level of
the wage replacement benefit provided (such as the
percentage of salary replaced),
and the length of the benefit provided, for the projects;
(B) the utilization of the
projects, including the characteristics of individuals who benefit from
the projects, particularly low-wage workers, and factors that determine
the ability of eligible individuals to obtain wage replacement through
the projects; and
(C) the costs of and savings
achieved by the projects, including the cost-effectiveness of the projects
and their benefits for children and families;
(2) analysis of the overall
need for wage replacement; and
(3) analysis of the impact
of the projects on the overall availability of wage replacement.
(1) INITIAL REPORT- Not
later than 3 years after the beginning of the grant period for the first
grant made under section 514, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to
Congress a report that contains information resulting from the evaluations
conducted under subsection (b).
(2) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS-
Not later than 4 years after the beginning of that grant period, and
annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that contains--
(A) information resulting
from the evaluations conducted under subsection (b); and
(B) usage data for the demonstration
projects, for the most recent year for which the data are available.
SEC. 517. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this subtitle $400,000,000 for fiscal year
2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
SEC. 518. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section
102 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(g) RELATIONSHIP TO FIRST
INSURANCE-
`(1) FULL WAGE REPLACEMENT-
If an eligible entity provides full wage replacement to an employee for
a period under subtitle A of the Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act,
the employee's employer shall count an amount of leave, equal to that period,
against the total amount of leave (if any) to which the employee is entitled
under subsection (a)(1).
`(2) PARTIAL WAGE REPLACEMENT-
If an eligible entity provides partial wage replacement to an employee
for a period under subtitle A of the Family and Medical Leave Expansion
Act, the employee's employer shall--
`(A) total the amount of
partial wage replacement provided for that period;
`(B) convert the total into
a corresponding amount of full wage replacement provided for a proportionately
reduced period; and
`(C) count an amount of
leave, equal to the period described in subparagraph (B), against the total
amount of leave (if any) to which the employee is entitled under subsection
(a)(1).'.
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS- Section 102(d)(2) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
(29 U.S.C. 2612(d)(2)) is amended by striking `for leave' each place it
appears and inserting `for any unpaid leave'.
Subtitle B--Family Friendly
Workplaces
SEC. 521. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited
as the `Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 2003'.
SEC. 522. COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEES.
Paragraphs (2)(B)(ii) and
(4)(A)(i) of section 101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29
U.S.C. 2611(2)(B)(ii) and (4)(A)(i)) are amended by striking `50' each
place it appears and inserting `25'.
Subtitle C--Employment Protection
for Battered Women
SEC. 531. ENTITLEMENT TO LEAVE
FOR ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR NON-FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.
(a) DEFINITIONS- Section
101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(14) ADDRESSING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND ITS EFFECTS- The term `addressing domestic violence and its
effects' means--
`(A) being unable to attend
or perform work due to an incident of domestic violence;
`(B) seeking medical attention
for or recovering from injuries caused by domestic violence;
`(C) seeking legal assistance
or remedies, including communicating with the police or an attorney, or
participating in any legal proceeding, related to domestic violence;
`(D) obtaining services
from a domestic violence shelter or program or rape crisis center as a
result of domestic violence;
`(E) obtaining psychological
counseling related to experiences of domestic violence;
`(F) participating in safety
planning and other actions to increase safety from future domestic violence,
including temporary or permanent relocation; and
`(G) participating in any
other activity necessitated by domestic violence that must be undertaken
during the hours of employment involved.
`(15) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-
The term `domestic violence' means domestic violence, and dating violence,
as such terms are defined in section 2105 of the Omnibus Crime Control
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796hh-4).'.
(b) LEAVE REQUIREMENT- Section
102 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1),
by adding at the end the following:
`(E) In order to care for
the son, daughter, or parent of the employee, if such son,
daughter, or parent is addressing
domestic violence and its effects.
`(F) Because the employee
is addressing domestic violence and its effects, which make the employee
unable to perform the functions of the position of such employee.';
(2) in subsection (b), by
adding at the end the following:
`(3) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-
Leave under subparagraph (E) or (F) of subsection (a)(1) may be taken by
an eligible employee intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. The
taking of leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule pursuant
to this paragraph shall not result in a reduction in the total amount of
leave to which the employee is entitled under subsection (a) beyond the
amount of leave actually taken.'; and
(3) in subsection (d)(2)(B),
by striking `(C) or (D)' and inserting `(C), (D), (E), or (F)'.
(c) CERTIFICATION- Section
103 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2613) is amended--
(1) in the title of the
section, by inserting before the period the following: `; confidentiality';
and
(2) by adding at the end
the following:
`(f) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-
In determining if an employee meets the requirements of subparagraph (E)
or (F) of section 102(a)(1), the employer of an employee may require the
employee to provide--
`(1) a written statement
describing the domestic violence and its effects;
`(2) documentation of the
domestic violence involved, such as a police or court record, or documentation
from a shelter worker, an employee of a domestic violence program, an attorney,
a member of the clergy, or a medical or other professional,
from whom the employee has sought
assistance in addressing domestic violence and its effects; or
`(3) other corroborating
evidence, such as a statement from any other individual with knowledge
of the circumstances that provide the basis for the claim of domestic violence,
or physical evidence of domestic violence, such as a photograph, torn or
bloody clothing, or any other damaged property.
`(g) CONFIDENTIALITY- All
evidence provided to the employer under subsection (f) of domestic violence
experienced by an employee or the son, daughter, or parent of an employee,
including a statement of an employee, any other documentation or corroborating
evidence, and the fact that an employee has requested leave for the purpose
of addressing, or caring for a son, daughter, or parent who is addressing,
domestic violence and its effects, shall be retained in the strictest confidence
by the employer, except to the extent that disclosure is requested, or
consented to, by the employee for the purpose of--
`(1) protecting the safety
of the employee or a family member or co-worker of the employee; or
`(2) assisting in documenting
domestic violence for a court or agency.'.
(d) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The
table of contents in section 1(b) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of
1993 (29 U.S.C. prec. 2601) is amended by striking the item relating to
section 103 and inserting the following:
`Sec. 103. Certification;
confidentiality.'.
SEC. 532. ENTITLEMENT TO LEAVE
FOR ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.
(a) DEFINITIONS- Section
6381 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) at the end of paragraph
(5), by striking `and';
(2) in paragraph (6), by
striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end
the following:
`(7) the term `addressing
domestic violence and its effects' has the meaning given the term in section
101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611); and
`(8) the term `domestic
violence' means domestic violence, and dating violence, as such terms are
defined in section 2105 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796hh-4).'.
(b) LEAVE REQUIREMENT- Section
6382 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1),
by adding at the end the following:
`(E) In order to care for
the son, daughter, or parent of the employee, if such son, daughter, or
parent is addressing domestic violence and its effects.
`(F) Because the employee
is addressing domestic violence and its effects, which make the employee
unable to perform the functions of the position of such employee.';
(2) in subsection (b), by
adding at the end the following:
`(3) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-
Leave under subparagraph (E) or (F) of subsection (a)(1) may be taken by
an employee intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. The taking of
leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule pursuant to this paragraph
shall not result in a reduction in the total amount of leave to which the
employee is entitled under subsection (a) beyond the amount of leave actually
taken.'; and
(3) in subsection (d), by
striking `(C), or (D)' and inserting `(C), (D), (E), or (F)'.
(c) CERTIFICATION- Section
6383 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the title of the
section, by adding at the end the following: `; confidentiality';
and
(2) by adding at the end
the following:
`(f) In determining if an
employee meets the requirements of subparagraph (E) or (F) of section 6382(a)(1),
the employing agency of an employee may require the employee to provide--
`(1) a written statement
describing the domestic violence and its effects;
`(2) documentation of the
domestic violence involved, such as a police or court record, or documentation
from a shelter worker, an employee of a domestic violence program, an attorney,
a member of the clergy, or a medical or other professional, from whom the
employee has sought assistance in addressing domestic violence and its
effects; or
`(3) other corroborating
evidence, such as a statement from any other individual with knowledge
of the circumstances that provide the basis for the claim of domestic violence,
or physical evidence of domestic violence, such as a photograph, torn or
bloody clothing, or other damaged property.
`(g) All evidence provided
to the employing agency under subsection (f) of domestic violence experienced
by an employee or the son, daughter, or parent of an employee, including
a statement of an employee, any other documentation or corroborating evidence,
and the fact that an employee has requested leave for the purpose of addressing,
or caring for a son, daughter, or parent who is addressing, domestic violence
and its effects, shall be retained in the strictest confidence by the employing
agency, except to the extent that disclosure is requested, or consented
to, by the employee for the purpose of--
`(1) protecting the safety
of the employee or a family member or co-worker of the employee; or
`(2) assisting in documenting
domestic violence for a court or agency.'.
(d) TABLE OF SECTIONS- The
table of sections for chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by
striking the item relating to
section 6383 and inserting the following:
`6383. Certification; confidentiality.'.
SEC. 533. EXISTING LEAVE USABLE
FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
(a) DEFINITIONS- In this
section:
(1) ADDRESSING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND ITS EFFECTS- The term `addressing domestic violence and its
effects' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611), as amended in section 531(a).
(2) EMPLOYEE- The term `employee'
means any person employed by an employer. In the case of an individual
employed by a public agency, such term means an individual employed as
described in section 3(e) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.
203(e)).
(3) EMPLOYER- The term `employer'--
(A) means any person engaged
in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce who employs
individuals, if such person is also subject to the Family and Medical Leave
Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) or to any provision of a State or
local law, collective bargaining agreement, or employment benefits program
or plan, addressing paid or unpaid leave from employment (including family,
medical, sick, annual, personal, or similar leave); and
(B) includes any person
acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation
to any employee, and includes a public agency, who is subject to a law,
agreement, program, or plan described in subparagraph (A), but does not
include any labor organization (other than when acting as an employer)
or anyone acting in the capacity of officer or agent of such labor organization.
(4) EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS-
The term `employment benefits' has the meaning given the term in section
101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611).
(5) PARENT; SON OR DAUGHTER-
The terms `parent' and `son or daughter' have the meanings given the terms
in section 101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611).
(6) PUBLIC AGENCY- The term
`public agency' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of
the Fair Labor Standards Act
of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203).
(b) USE OF EXISTING LEAVE-
An employee who is entitled to take paid or unpaid leave (including family,
medical, sick, annual, personal, or similar leave) from employment, pursuant
to State or local law, a collective bargaining agreement, or an employment
benefits program or plan, shall be permitted to use such leave for the
purpose of addressing domestic violence and its effects, or for the purpose
of caring for a son or daughter or parent of the employee, if such son
or daughter or parent is addressing domestic violence and its effects.
(c) CERTIFICATION- In determining
whether an employee qualifies to use leave as described in subsection (b),
an employer may require a written statement, documentation of domestic
violence, or corroborating evidence consistent with section 103(f) of the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2613(f)), as amended by
section 531(c).
(d) CONFIDENTIALITY- All
evidence provided to the employer under subsection (c) of domestic violence
experienced by an employee or the son or daughter or parent of the employee,
including a statement of an employee, any other documentation or corroborating
evidence, and the fact that an employee has requested leave for the purpose
of addressing, or caring for a son or daughter or parent who is addressing,
domestic violence and its effects, shall be retained in the strictest confidence
by the employer, except to the extent that disclosure is requested, or
consented to, by the employee for the purpose of--
(1) protecting the safety
of the employee or a family member or co-worker of the employee; or
(2) assisting in documenting
domestic violence for a court or agency.
(1) INTERFERENCE WITH RIGHTS-
(A) EXERCISE OF RIGHTS-
It shall be unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny
the exercise of or the attempt to exercise, any right provided under this
section.
(B) DISCRIMINATION- It shall
be unlawful for any employer to discharge or in any other manner discriminate
against an individual for opposing any practice made unlawful by this section.
(2) INTERFERENCE WITH PROCEEDINGS
OR INQUIRIES- It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or in any
other manner discriminate against any individual because such individual--
(A) has filed any charge,
or had instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding, under or related
to this section;
(B) has given, or is about
to give, any information in connection with any inquiry or proceeding relating
to any right provided under this section; or
(C) has testified, or is
about to testify, in any inquiry or proceeding relating to any right provided
under this section.
(1) PUBLIC ENFORCEMENT-
The Secretary of Labor shall have the powers set forth in subsections (b),
(c), (d), and (e) of section 107 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of
1993 (29 U.S.C. 2617) for the purpose of public agency enforcement of any
alleged violation of subsection (e) against any employer.
(2) PRIVATE ENFORCEMENT-
The remedies and procedures set forth in section 107(a) of the Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2617(a)) shall be the remedies and
procedures pursuant to which an employee may initiate a legal action against
an employer for alleged violations of subsection (e).
(3) REFERENCES- For purposes
of paragraph (1) and (2), references in section 107 of the Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2617) to
section 105 of such Act (29
U.S.C. 2615) shall be considered to be references to subsection (e).
(4) EMPLOYER LIABILITY UNDER
OTHER LAWS- Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability
of an employer to an employee for harm suffered relating to the employee's
experience of domestic violence pursuant to any other Federal or State
law, including a law providing for a legal remedy.
Subtitle D--Federal Employees
Paid Parental Leave
SEC. 541. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited
as the `Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2003'.
SEC. 542. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
Subchapter V of chapter
63 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating section
6387 as section 6388; and
(2) by inserting after section
6386 the following:
`Sec. 6387. Paid leave demonstration
project
`(a) The Office of Personnel
Management may, through an agreement or contract with 1 or more employing
agencies described in subsection (b), conduct under section 4703 a demonstration
project that assists families by providing paid leave for eligible individuals
who are responding to--
`(1) caregiving needs resulting
from the birth or adoption of a son or daughter; or
`(2) other family caregiving
needs.
`(b) In carrying out a project
under this section, an employing agency of 1 or more employees shall provide
partial or full paid leave to eligible individuals for not less than 6
weeks during a period of leave, or an absence from employment, described
in subsection (c)(2), during any 12-month period. Paid leave available
to an individual under this subsection shall be in addition to any annual
or sick leave that the individual may elect to use during a period of leave,
or an absence from employment, described in subsection (c)(2), during any
12-month period.
`(c) To be eligible to receive
paid leave under subsection (a), an individual shall--
`(1) be an employee who
meets such eligibility criteria as the Office of Personnel Management may
specify in a plan described in section 4703(b); and
`(A) an individual who is
taking leave, under this subchapter, or other Federal law, for a reason
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 6382(a)(1);
`(B) at the option of the
Office of Personnel Management, an individual who--
`(i) is taking leave, under
this subchapter, or other Federal law, for a reason described in subparagraph
(C), (D), (E), or (F) of section 6382(a)(1); or
`(ii) leaves employment,
and has an absence from employment, because the individual has elected
to care for a son or daughter under age 1; or
`(C) at the option of the
Office of Personnel Management, an individual who has an absence from employment
and has other characteristics specified by the Office of Personnel Management
in a plan described in section 4703(b).
`(d) An employing agency
that provides partial or full paid leave to an eligible individual under
this section shall notify (in a form and manner prescribed by the Office
of Personnel Management) the individual that the employing agency shall
count an appropriate period of leave, calculated under section 6382(f),
against the total amount of leave (if any) to which the employee is entitled
under section 6382(a)(1).
`(e)(1) A demonstration
project conducted under this section shall not be counted toward the 10-project
limit established in section 4703(d)(2).
`(2) The Office of Personnel
Management may provide a waiver for the demonstration project in accordance
with section 4703, except that section 4703(c)(1) shall not apply to such
a waiver.
`(f)(1) There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $400,000,000 for fiscal year
2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
`(2) Funds appropriated
under paragraph (1) may be allocated as described in section 4704.'.
SEC. 543. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section
6382 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
`(f)(1) If an employing
agency provides an amount of full paid leave to an employee for a period
under section 6387, the employing agency shall count an amount of leave,
equal to that period, against the total amount of leave (if any) to which
the employee is entitled under subsection (a)(1).
`(2) If an employing agency
provides an amount of partial paid leave to an employee for a period under
section 6387, the employing agency shall--
`(A) total the amount of
partial paid leave provided for that period;
`(B) convert the total into
a corresponding amount of full paid leave provided for a proportionately
reduced period; and
`(C) count an amount of
leave, equal to the period described in subparagraph (B), against the total
amount of leave (if any) to which the employee is entitled under subsection
(a)(1).'.
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS- Section 6382 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (c), by
striking `(d),' and inserting `(d) or section 6387,'; and
(2) in subsection (d), by
inserting `any unpaid' after `substitute for'.
(c) TABLE OF SECTIONS- The
table of sections for chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking the item relating to section 6387 and inserting the following:
`6387. Paid leave demonstration
project.
SEC. 544. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this
subtitle shall not be effective with respect to any birth or placement
occurring before the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date of
enactment of this Act.
Subtitle E--Time for Schools
SEC. 551. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited
as the `Time for Schools Act of 2003'.
SEC. 552. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR LEAVE.
(a) ENTITLEMENT TO LEAVE-
Section 102(a) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(3) ENTITLEMENT TO SCHOOL
INVOLVEMENT LEAVE-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Subject
to section 103(h), an eligible employee shall be entitled to a total of
24 hours of leave during any 12-month period to participate in an academic
activity of a school of a son or daughter of the employee, such as a parent-teacher
conference or an interview for a school, or to participate in literacy
training under a family literacy program.
`(B) DEFINITIONS- In this
paragraph:
`(i) FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM-
The term `family literacy program' means a program of services that are
of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration,
to make sustainable changes in a family and that integrate all of the following
activities:
`(I) Interactive literacy
activities between parents and their sons and daughters.
`(II) Training for parents
on how to be the primary teacher for their sons and daughters and full
partners in the education of their sons and daughters.
`(III) Parent literacy training.
`(IV) An age-appropriate
education program for sons and daughters.
`(ii) LITERACY- The term
`literacy', used with respect to an individual, means the ability of the
individual to speak, read, and write English, and compute and solve problems,
at levels of proficiency necessary--
`(I) to function on the
job, in the family of the individual, and in society;
`(II) to achieve the goals
of the individual; and
`(III) to develop the knowledge
potential of the individual.
`(iii) SCHOOL- The term
`school' means an elementary school or secondary school (as such terms
are defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), a Head Start program assisted under the Head
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), and a child care facility operated
by a provider who meets the applicable State or local government licensing,
certification, approval, or registration requirements, if any.
`(4) LIMITATION- No employee
may take more than a total of 12 workweeks of leave under paragraphs (1)
and (3) during any 12-month period.'.
(b) SCHEDULE- Section 102(b)(1)
of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(1)) is amended by inserting after the second
sentence the following: `Leave under subsection (a)(3) may be taken intermittently
or on a reduced leave schedule.'.
(c) SUBSTITUTION OF PAID
LEAVE- Section 102(d)(2)(A) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(d)(2)(A)) is amended
by inserting before the period the following: `, or for leave provided
under subsection (a)(3) for any part of the 24-hour period of such leave
under such subsection'.
(d) NOTICE- Section 102(e)
of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(3) NOTICE FOR SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT
LEAVE- In any case in which the necessity for leave under subsection (a)(3)
is foreseeable, the employee shall provide the employer with not less than
7 days' notice, before the date the leave is to begin, of the employee's
intention to take leave under such subsection. If the necessity for the
leave is not foreseeable, the employee shall provide such notice as is
practicable.'.
(e) CERTIFICATION- Section
103 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2613), as amended by section 531(c), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
`(h) CERTIFICATION FOR SCHOOL
INVOLVEMENT LEAVE- An employer may require that a request for
leave under section 102(a)(3)
be supported by a certification issued at such time and in such manner
as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe.'.
SEC. 553. SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT
LEAVE FOR CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES.
(a) ENTITLEMENT TO LEAVE-
Section 6382(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
`(3)(A) Subject to section
6383(h), an employee shall be entitled to a total of 24 hours of leave
during any 12-month period to participate in an academic activity of a
school of a son or daughter of the employee, such as a parent-teacher conference
or an interview for a school, or to participate in literacy training under
a family literacy program.
`(i) The term `family literacy
program' means a program of services that are of sufficient intensity in
terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes
in a family and that integrate all of the following activities:
`(I) Interactive literacy
activities between parents and their sons and daughters.
`(II) Training for parents
on how to be the primary teacher for their sons and daughters and full
partners in the education of their sons and daughters.
`(III) Parent literacy training.
`(IV) An age-appropriate
education program for sons and daughters.
`(ii) The term `literacy',
used with respect to an individual, means the ability of the individual
to speak, read, and write English, and compute and solve problems, at levels
of proficiency necessary--
`(I) to function on the
job, in the family of the individual, and in society;
`(II) to achieve the goals
of the individual; and
`(III) to develop the knowledge
potential of the individual.
`(iii) The term `school'
means an elementary school or secondary school (as such terms are defined
in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801)), a Head Start program assisted under the Head Start Act (42
U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), and a child care facility operated by a provider
who meets the applicable State or local government licensing, certification,
approval, or registration requirements, if any.
`(4) No employee may take
more than a total of 12 workweeks of leave under paragraphs (1) and (3)
during any 12-month period.'.
(b) SCHEDULE- Section 6382(b)(1)
of such title is amended by inserting after the second sentence the following:
`Leave under subsection (a)(3) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced
leave schedule.'.
(c) SUBSTITUTION OF PAID
LEAVE- Section 6382(d) of such title is amended by inserting before `,
except' the following: `, or for leave provided under subsection (a)(3)
any of the employee's accrued or accumulated annual leave under subchapter
I for any part of the 24-hour period of such leave under such subsection'.
(d) NOTICE- Section 6382(e)
of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(3) In any case in which
the necessity for leave under subsection (a)(3) is foreseeable, the employee
shall provide the employing agency with not less than 7 days' notice, before
the date the leave is to begin, of the employee's intention to take leave
under such subsection. If the necessity for the leave is not foreseeable,
the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.'.
(e) CERTIFICATION- Section
6383 of such title, as amended by section 532(c), is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
`(h) An employing agency
may require that a request for leave under section 6382(a)(3) be supported
by a certification issued at such time and in such manner as the Office
of Personnel Management may by regulation prescribe.'.
SEC. 554. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This subtitle takes effect
120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
END
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