Title II — Best Buddies

H.R. 1008 · 113th Congress · Mar 6, 2013 · Lineage

II Best Buddies

Sec. 201 Findings and purpose

(a)

Findings— Congress finds the following:

(1)

Best Buddies operates the first national social and recreational program in the United States for people with intellectual disabilities.

(2)

Best Buddies is dedicated to helping people with intellectual disabilities become part of mainstream society.

(3)

Best Buddies is determined to end social isolation for people with intellectual disabilities by promoting meaningful friendships between them and their typical peers in order to help increase the self-esteem, confidence, and abilities of people with and without intellectual disabilities.

(4)

Since 1989, Best Buddies has enhanced the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for 1-to-1 friendships and integrated employment.

(5)

Best Buddies is an international organization spanning 1,500 middle school, high school, and college campuses.

(6)

Best Buddies implements programs that will positively impact more than 700,000 individuals in 2013.

(7)

The Best Buddies Middle Schools program matches middle school students with intellectual disabilities with other middle school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships between them.

(8)

The Best Buddies High Schools program matches high school students with intellectual disabilities with other high school students and supports 1-to-1 friendships between them.

(9)

The Best Buddies Colleges program matches adults with intellectual disabilities with college students and creates 1-to-1 friendships between them.

(10)

The Best Buddies e-Buddies program supports e-mail friendships between people with and without intellectual disabilities.

(11)

The Best Buddies Citizens program pairs adults with intellectual disabilities in 1-to-1 friendships with other people in the corporate and civic communities.

(12)

The Best Buddies Jobs program promotes the integration of people with intellectual disabilities into the community through supported employment.

(13)

The Best Buddies Ambassadors program educates and empowers people with intellectual disabilities to be leaders and public speakers in their schools, communities, and workplaces. Best Buddies Ambassadors prepares people with intellectual disabilities to become active agents of change.

(14)

Best Buddies Promoters empowers youth to become advocates for people with intellectual disabilities. Students who take part in Best Buddies Promoters are introduced to the disability rights movement and the importance of inclusion through local awareness events.

(b)

Purpose— The purposes of this title are to—

(1)

provide support to Best Buddies to increase participation in and public awareness about Best Buddies programs that serve people with intellectual disabilities;

(2)

dispel negative stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities; and

(3)

promote the extraordinary contributions of people with intellectual disabilities.

Sec. 202 Assistance for Best Buddies

(a)

Education activities— The Secretary of Education may award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Best Buddies to carry out activities to promote the expansion of Best Buddies, including activities to increase the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in social relationships and other aspects of community life, including education and employment, within the United States.

(b)

Limitations— Amounts appropriated to carry out this title may not be used for direct treatment of diseases, medical conditions, or mental health conditions.

(c)

Rule of construction— Nothing in this title shall be construed to limit the use of non-Federal funds by Best Buddies.

Sec. 203 Application and annual report

(a)

Application—

(1)

In general— To be eligible for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under section 202(a), Best Buddies shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of Education may require.

(2)

Content— At a minimum, an application under this subsection shall contain the following:

(A)

A description of activities to be carried out under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

(B)

Information on specific measurable goals and objectives to be achieved through activities carried out under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

(b)

Annual report—

(1)

In general— As a condition of receipt of any funds under section 202(a), Best Buddies shall agree to submit an annual report at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of Education may require.

(2)

Content— At a minimum, each annual report under this subsection shall describe the degree to which progress has been made toward meeting the specific measurable goals and objectives described in the applications submitted under subsection (a).

Sec. 204 Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Education for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under section 202(a), $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.

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Mar 6, 2013viewing Introduced in House Mr. Hoyer (for himself, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Carney, Ms. Norton, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Loebsack, Ms. Speier, Mr. Israel, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Hahn, Ms. Schwartz, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Shea-Porter, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Markey, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Keating, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Clarke, Ms. Bonamici, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Rush, Ms. Brownley of California, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Pocan, and Mr. Webster of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce, 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