article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Gang Prevention and Youth Recreation Act of 1993''. SEC. 2. GRANTS TO CITIES TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, RECREATION, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL AWARENESS ASSISTANCE TO AT-RISK YOUTH. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall, from amounts appropriated under section 10, provide grants to not more than 10 selected cities for the purpose of assisting such cities in establishing and operating teen resource and education centers in such cities to provide education, employment, recreation, social, and cultural awareness assistance to at-risk youth. SEC. 3. APPLICATION. To receive a grant under section 2, a city shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and containing such information as the Secretary may require. SEC. 4. TEEN RESOURCE AND EDUCATION CENTERS. The Secretary may not make a grant under section 2 to a city unless the city agrees that it will use all amounts received from such grant to establish and operate, in conjunction with local social service agencies, at least 2 teen resource and education centers in such city to provide education, employment, recreation, social, and cultural awareness assistance to at-risk youth. Teen resource and education centers established and operated using amounts from a grant under section 2 shall, at a minimum, meet the following requirements: (1) Educational assistance.--The teen resource and education centers shall provide educational assistance to at- risk youth for the purpose of-- (A) providing information on institutions of higher education to at-risk youth interested in attending such institutions; (B) establishing a scholarship search and resource program at the centers to provide assistance to such youth in the preparation of financial aid applications, scholarship applications, and other relevant forms and applications; and (C) establishing and carrying out preparatory courses for high school equivalency examinations and college entrance examinations at the center. (2) Employment and skills training assistance.--The teen resource and education centers shall provide employment and skills training assistance to at-risk youth by hiring teen peer counselors to-- (A) provide training to such youth in basic job skills, including interviewing, personal appearance, and communication with coworkers and superiors; (B) provide job referral services to such youth; and (C) establish job banks for such youth by providing listings of job openings in local businesses. (3) Recreational opportunities.--The teen resource and education centers shall provide recreational opportunities for at-risk youth by-- (A) establishing sports teams for such youth and seeking financial support or sponsorship of such teams from local businesses; (B) establishing and carrying out cooperative work activities at such centers, such as a garden to give such youth a chance to work together to achieve positive results from their efforts and to distribute the food harvested from such garden to the families of such youth and to neighborhood soup kitchens; (C) establishing and carrying out creative activities, such as writing, music, media, and visual art classes to provide such youth with the opportunity to channel creative energies and develop creative talents; and (D) establishing and carrying out a reading program to introduce such youth to the importance of reading. (4) Development of social skills.--The teen resource and education centers shall provide for the development of the social skills of at-risk youth by-- (A) hiring adult counselors and providing support groups at such centers for the purpose of counseling such youth on social and personal issues, including issues relating to-- (i) problems facing young minorities; (ii) teen-age pregnancy and early parenthood, including pregnancy prevention and pregnancy management, family planning, and sex education, including education relating to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); (iii) job preparedness and unemployment; and (iv) crime; and (B) sponsoring trips for such youth to museums, State capitals, concerts, plays, and other cultural and educational settings and events. (5) Cultural awareness.--The teen resource and education centers shall assist in raising the cultural awareness of at- risk youth by-- (A) establishing and carrying out classes on the history and culture of African-Americans, Hispanics, and other cultural groups to supplement courses taught in elementary and secondary schools and to bolster the social and personal self-esteem and pride of such youth; and (B) encouraging such youth to produce plays, stories, and artwork that reflect their cultural heritage and pride. (6) Financial assistance to college graduates working at teen resource and education centers.-- (A) In general.--The teen resource and education centers shall provide financial assistance from amounts received from a grant under section 2 to graduates of institutions of higher education who work full-time at such centers for the purpose of assisting such graduates to repay student loans obtained by such graduates to attend such schools. (B) Amount of assistance.--The center may provide financial assistance under subparagraph (A) in an amount equal to not more than 25 percent of the total amount owed by a graduate during any year that such graduate is working at such center for the repayment of student loans of such graduate. Such assistance may be provided to a graduate for up to 4 years that such graduate is working at such center. SEC. 5. CITY REPORT. The Secretary may not make a grant under section 2 to a city unless the city agrees that it will submit, for any fiscal year in which such city receives a grant under such section, a report to the Secretary describing the use of such grant, including-- (1) the number of at-risk youth receiving assistance at each teen resource and education center established in such city under section 4; (2) the types of services and referrals received by such at-risk youth; and (3) any other information the Secretary determines to be appropriate. SEC. 6. SELECTION. (a) In General.--The Secretary shall select cities to receive grants under section 2 which have a large number of at-risk youth. (b) Geographic Diversity.--To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make grants to cities under section 2 in a manner which will equitably distribute such grants among the various regions of the United States. SEC. 7. ALLOCATION. The Secretary may not make a grant under section 2 in a fiscal year to any city in an amount totaling more than 10 percent of amounts appropriated under section 10 for that fiscal year. SEC. 8. REPORTS. (a) Interim Report.--Not later than February 1, 1996, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress an interim report containing-- (1) a compilation of the information contained in the city reports received by the Secretary pursuant to section 5; and (2) a process evaluation of the effectiveness of the grant program. (b) Final Report.--Not later than February 1, 1997, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a final report containing the information described in subsection (a). SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply: (1) At-risk youth.--The term ``at-risk youth'' means individuals who have attained the age of 10 but have not attained the age of 23 and who live in a city in which-- (A) drug and gang activity, or other violent community activity, are prevalent; (B) a large number of youth are unlikely to complete an elementary or secondary education; (C) a large number of youth are runaway or homeless youth; (D) a large number of individuals receive public assistance; and (E) a large number of individuals are single parents. (2) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such term under section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965. (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1994 and 1995 to carry out section 2. (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated under subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
summary: Gang Prevention and Youth Recreation Act of 1993 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to make grants to not more than ten selected cities to assist them to establish and operate teen resource and education centers to provide education, employment, recreation, social, and cultural awareness assistance to at-risk youth. Authorizes the Secretary to make such grants to a city if it applies and agrees to operate at least two such centers. Requires such centers to offer for at-risk youth: (1) educational assistance, including information on institutions of higher education, assistance with financial aid applications and scholarship search, and preparatory courses for high school equivalency and college entrance examinations; (2) employment and skills training, including hiring teen peer counselors to provide basic job skills training, job referral services, and job banks; (3) recreational opportunities, such as sports teams, neighborhood gardening and food distribution, creative activities and arts, and reading programs; (4) social skills development, including hiring adult counselors and providing support groups for counseling on social and personal issues; and (5) cultural awareness programs, such as classes in the history and culture of various cultural groups and productions of plays, stories, and artwork reflecting the cultural heritage of such youth. Requires such centers to provide financial assistance to college graduates who work full-time at the center to assist them to repay part of their student loan debt. Sets forth grant selection, allocation, and reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations.