*****************

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS

The Committee recommends $2,752,697,000 for the Child Support Enforcement and Family Support programs, and $1,000,000,000 in advance funding for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008 to ensure timely payments for the child support enforcement program. This is the same as the budget request. The Committee recommends estimated funding of $38,000,000 for Payments to Territories, the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. The Committee also recommends $1,000,000 for the repatriation program, which is the authorized funding level under section 1113(d) of the Social Security Act.

LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE

The Committee recommends $1,930,000,000 for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance state formula grants. This is $50,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $148,000,000 more than the budget request. The Committee recommends $181,170,000 for the contingent emergency reserve. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level. No funds were requested for this program.

For Fiscal year 2006, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (as amended by Public Law 109-204) provided $500,000,000 for State formula grants and $500,000,000 for the contingency emergency reserve (in addition to the funds appropriated for these items in the general appropriation Act).

The low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP) provides assistance to low-income households to help pay the costs of home energy. Funds are provided through grants to states, Indian Tribes, and territories and are used for summer cooling, winter heating, and crisis assistance programs.

REFUGEE AND ENTRANT ASSISTANCE

The Committee recommends $604,329,000 for refugee assistance programs. This is $34,506,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $10,606,000 less than the budget request.

In addition, the Committee recommends that the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) be granted authority to carry over unexpended funds from fiscal year 2007 to reimburse the costs of services provided through September 30, 2009, for all programs within ORR's jurisdiction.

Transitional and medical services

The Committee recommends $282,333,000 for transitional and medical services. This is $16,786,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the same as the budget request. The transitional and medical services program provides funding for the state-administered cash and medical assistance program that assists refugees who are not categorically eligible for TANF or Medicaid, the unaccompanied minors program that reimburses states for the cost of foster care, and the voluntary agency grant program in which participating National refugee resettlement agencies provide resettlement assistance with a combination of Federal and matched funds.

Victims of trafficking

The Committee recommends up to $9,816,000 for the victims of trafficking program. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $5,000,000 less than the budget request. The funds will ensure continued administration of a national network for identification, tracking, and certification of trafficking victims.

The Committee supports efforts to ensure that child trafficking victims do not remain trapped in life-threatening situations out of fear of being interrogated by law enforcement authorities. The Committee supports the efforts of the Department, under the Trafficking Victim Protection Act of 2000, to independently certify children as child trafficking victims eligible for benefits and services and encourages the Department to facilitate the provision of guardians ad litem for child trafficking victims to help ensure their access to emergency benefits and services until their ultimate placement in foster care.

Social Services

The Committee recommends $154,004,000 for social services. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $4,394,000 more than the budget request. Funds are distributed by formula as well as through the discretionary grant-making process for special projects.

Within the funds provided, the Committee has included $19,000,000 for support to communities with large concentrations of Cuban and Haitian entrants of varying ages whose cultural differences make assimilation especially difficult, justifying a more intense level and longer duration of Federal assistance.

The Committee continues to request the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to adequately fund refugee school impact grants.

Preventive health

The Committee recommends $4,748,000 for preventive health services. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. These funds are awarded to the states to ensure adequate health assessment activities for refugees.

Targeted assistance

The Committee recommends $48,590,000 for the targeted assistance program. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. These grants provide assistance to areas with high concentrations of refugees.

Unaccompanied minors

The Committee recommends $95,022,000 for the unaccompanied minors program. This is $17,720,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $10,000,000 less than the budget request.

The Committee recognizes the legal representation crisis and need for guardians for unaccompanied children and is pleased with the progress ORR has made in implementing pro bono pilot programs to test the benefits of providing pro bono counsel and guardians for unaccompanied children through its grant to Vera Institute for Justice. The Committee has included additional funds to expand the pilot pro-bono legal services program to a national level. The Committee has also included additional funds for the care and placement of an increasing number of unaccompanied alien children through foster care, shelter care, staff secure or secure detention centers, and for additional field staff in areas of high apprehensions. The Committee does not recommend that funds be included for expanded background checks before placement of unaccompanied minors. The Committee expects the Department to continue to perform the rigorous background checks on the adult to whom the minor is released and to conduct home assessments as circumstances warrant.

Victims of torture

The Committee recommends $9,816,000 to provide a comprehensive program of support for domestic centers and programs for victims of torture. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request.

CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

The Committee recommends $2,062,081,000 for the child care and development block grant program, the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request.

The discretionary funds provided in this bill, along with annual child care entitlement funds and matching funds, constitute the Child Care and Development Fund. That Fund enables states, Territories, and Indian Tribes to provide child care services for low-income families. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 increased the annual child care entitlement contribution to that fund through 2010 to $2,917,000,000, an annual increase of $200,000,000.

SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT

The Committee recommends $1,700,000,000 for the social services block grant (SSBG). This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 level. The Committee rejects language proposed in the budget request to override the authorized funding level set forth in section 2003(c) of the Social Security Act.

SSBGs are designed to encourage states to furnish a variety of social services to needy individuals to prevent and reduce dependency; help individuals achieve and maintain self-sufficiency; prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional care; secure admission or referral for institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate; and prevent neglect, abuse, and exploitation of children and adults.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMS

The Committee recommends a program level total of $8,663,166,000 for children and families services programs. This is $194,213,000 less than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $414,064,000 more than the budget request. Within the total provided, $10,500,000 is provided through the evaluation set-aside. This account finances a number of programs aimed at enhancing the well-being of the Nation's children and families, particularly those who are disadvantaged or troubled.

Head Start

The Committee recommends $6,788,571,000 for the Head Start program, the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and an increase of $2,800,000 over the budget request. Of this total, the Committee recommends advancing $1,388,800,000 of this account for fiscal year 2008.

Head Start provides comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and their families. Intended primarily for preschoolers from low-income families, the program promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through educational, health, nutritional, social and other services. At least 10 percent of enrollment opportunities in each state are made available to handicapped children.

Grants to carry out Head Start programs are awarded to public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies. Unless a waiver is approved, grantees must contribute 20 percent of the total cost of the program from non-Federal funds, which is usually an in-kind contribution. No more than 15 percent of total costs may be for program administration.

The Committee continues to point to the 2001 study published by the Department of Health and Human Services, documenting that only 19 percent of eligible children were able to access Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs. The Committee supports the provision included in H.R. 2123, the School Readiness Act of 2005 as passed by the House, which would address the funding shortfall facing Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs by reserving 5 percent of the total annual Head Start appropriation for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs. Until such time as the Bureau can put in place a system to ensure that access to funding for migrant and seasonal children is comparable to the access enjoyed by other eligible children, the Committee encourages the Bureau to develop strategies to better serve the needs of migrant and seasonal farm workers and their children and requests that the Secretary submit a report on the Bureau's ongoing plans to ensure that Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs are able to serve a larger percentage of the children eligible for services.

Consolidated runaway and homeless youth program

The Committee recommends $87,837,000 for runaway and homeless youth activities. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. Funds for this program are distributed between the basic center program and the transitional living program under a statutory formula.

The runaway and homeless youth programs provide grants to local public and private organizations to establish and operate runaway and homeless youth shelters to address the crisis needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families. Grants are used to develop or strengthen community-based shelters, which are outside the law enforcement, juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health systems.

The Committee request that ACF work with nonprofit organizations that are trained and dedicated to meeting the needs of young homeless children and their families. The Committee directs the Department to refrain from vouchering transitional living program funds to provide maternity group home services. The Committee believes that the voucher policy is ill-advised and, furthermore, that the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act does not authorize the Department to issue such vouchers. Rather, it is the Committee's continued expectation that current transitional living program grantees will provide transitional living opportunities and supports to pregnant and parenting homeless youth, as is their current practice. The Committee continues to encourage the Secretary, acting through the network of federally-funded runaway and homeless youth training and technical assistance providers, to offer guidance to grantees and others on the programmatic modifications required to address the unique needs of pregnant and parenting youth and on the various sources of funding available for residential services to this population.

Prevention grants to reduce abuse of runaway youth

The Committee recommends $15,027,000 for prevention grants to reduce abuse of runaway youth. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. This program is designed to reduce the sexual abuse of runaway youth by providing grants to support street-based outreach and education to runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been sexually abused or who are at-risk of sexual abuse. The street outreach program ensures rapid engagement with young people in an effort to prevent the most terrible situations that take place when they are subjected to life on the streets, including physical and sexual abuse, assault, commercial sexual exploitation, disease, long-term homelessness, and even death.

Child abuse state grants and discretionary activities

For child abuse state grants and discretionary activities, the Committee recommends $53,137,000. This is $350,000 more than both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. Within this total, the recommendation includes $27,007,000 for state grants and $26,130,000 for child abuse discretionary activities.

Within the funds provided for child abuse discretionary activities, the Committee includes funding for the following items:.

Children's Advocacy Center of Manhattan, New York, NY for assessment and treatment services to victims of child abuse	$150,000
Jefferson County, CO for reengineering of child abuse prevention infrastructure	150,000
McKenzie's Hope, Huntington, IN for child abuse and neglect programs	50,000

 

Community-based child abuse prevention

The Committee recommends $42,430,000 for community-based child abuse prevention. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. Funds are provided to lead state agencies and are used to develop, operate, expand, and enhance community-based efforts to strengthen and support families in an effort to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Abandoned infants assistance

The Committee recommends $11,835,000 for the Abandoned Infants Assistance program. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. The purpose of this program is to provide financial support to public and private community and faith-based entities to develop, implement, and operate demonstration projects that will prevent the abandonment of infants and young children exposed to HIV/AIDS and drugs; identify and address their needs; assist such children to reside with their natural families or in foster care; recruit, train, and retain foster parents as well as health and social services personnel; provide respite care for families and foster families; and prevent the abandonment of infants and young children.

Child welfare services and training

The Committee recommends $286,753,000 for child welfare services. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. This program provides grants to states to assist public welfare agencies to improve child welfare services. state services include preventive intervention in order for children to stay in their homes, alternative placement like foster care or adoption if it is not possible for children to remain at home, and reunification programs so that, if appropriate, children can return home.

The Committee recommends $7,335,000 for child welfare training. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. The Committee recognizes the need for trained, skilled, and qualified child welfare service workers. This program provides grants to institutions of higher education to develop and improve education and training programs and resources for child welfare service providers as well as students seeking degrees in social work.

Adoption opportunities

The Committee recommends $26,848,000 for adoption opportunities. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. This program provides funding specifically targeted to improving the adoption of children, particularly those with special needs, and for providing innovative services that support families involved in adoption.

Adoption incentives

The Committee recommends $17,820,000 for the adoption incentives program. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $11,834,000 less than the budget request. This program targets incentives specifically for older children. Funds are awarded to states using three baselines: one for the total number of children adopted, one for children with special needs under the age of nine, and one for children aged nine and older. The goal of this program is to increase the number of adoptions nationwide.

Adoption awareness

The Committee recommends $12,674,000 for the adoption awareness program. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. This program provides training to designated staff of eligible health centers in providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women on an equal basis with all other courses of action included in non-directive counseling to pregnant women.

Compassion capital fund

The Committee recommends $54,549,000 for the compassion capital fund. This is $9,801,000 less than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $45,451,000 less than the budget request. This program provides grants to intermediary organizations that in turn provide training and technical assistance to faith and community based organizations. The program also provides capacity-building grants directly to the latter organizations, which include organizations that foster supportive relationships with youth.

Social services and income maintenance research

The Committee recommends a program level total of $14,395,000 for social services and income maintenance research, $6,000,000 of which is through the evaluation set-aside. The program level total is $8,527,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $14,395,000 more than the budget request. These funds support research, demonstration, evaluation, and dissemination activities. Recent topics funded through this program include welfare-to-work strategies and programs to strengthen family relationships and promote healthy marriages.

While the Child Support Enforcement program continues to make gains in enforcing child support orders--child support collections reached $23 billion in 2005, serving an estimated 16 million child support cases--the costs and complexities of tracking, locating and coordinating child support cases is imposing heavy burdens on State automation systems. Both the General Accountability Office and the Office of the Inspector General have recommended that ACF provide more technical assistance to help States better administer and manage these systems. In addition, broader administration and reporting requirements contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 will place additional strain on the States' ability to manage this program. ACF is currently working with the State Information Technology Consortium to expand data exchange capabilities between the courts and State child support enforcement agencies as well as increase collection efficiency in States and tribal organizations. The Committee recommends that collaborative effort continue.

Within the funds provided for this program, the Committee includes funding for the following items:

Abstinence the Better Choice, Inc., Akron, OH to expand educational methods of the Responsible Social Values program and to update technology	$25,000
Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Virginia, MN for the Family to Family community-based mentoring program to assist low-income families	250,000
Beth El House, Alexandria, VA for social services and transitional housing for formerly homeless women and their children	75,000
Beth Gavriel Bukharian Jewish Congregation, Queens, NY for a demonstration project to address the needs of elderly immigrants	150,000
Cherokee County Commission, Centre, Alabama, for Cherokee County Family Resource Center	100,000
Child Adoption Resource Association, Inc., New London, CT for adoption services	60,000
Children's Home Society of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD for services related to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect	250,000
Children's Center of Southwest Missouri, Joplin, MO for child advocacy	50,000
Children's Home Society of Idaho, Boise, ID for foster care	260,000
Children's Hunger Alliance, Columbus, OH for the nutrition and obesity education program	100,000
Children's Rights Council, Hyattsville, MD for Safe Haven Access Centers in Stark County, OH	50,000
Christian Outreach of Lutherans (COOL), Waukegan, IL for Latino leadership development in underserved areas	125,000
City and County of Denver, CO for housing assistance, mentoring and other services to homeless families and seniors	150,000
City of Chicago, IL Department of Housing for assistance to chronically homeless families	150,000
City of Detroit, MI for an Individual Development Account initiative	250,000
City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX for early childhood development program	250,000
City of Lansing, MI for Michigan Center for Infant Loss	350,000
City of Portland, OR for services to prevent and end family homelessness	250,000
City of San Jose, CA for its Services for New Americans program, including assistance with job seeking skills, citizenship, family safety and resettlement	200,000
Clearbrook Clinical Services, Arlington Heights, IL for services to children with developmental disabilities	210,000
Clearbrook, Arlington Heights, IL to enhance its residential services for persons with developmental disabilities	100,000
Cleveland Avenue YMCA, Montgomery, AL for family support services for at- risk youth	100,000
Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club, Owensboro, KY for computers, fitness equipment, and furnishings of new facility	300,000
Community Mediation Center of Stark County, OH for a conflict resolution program	50,000
Community of Hope, Washington, DC for social services to homeless families using a Housing First model	225,000
Community Support Services, Brookfield, IL for counseling and services for people with developmental disabilities and their families	150,000
Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies, Wethersfield, CT for the Empowering People for Success welfare-to-work initiative	300,000
Cross Road Foundation, Staten Island, NY for crisis pregnancy services	25,000
District Attorney, 32nd Judicial District, Houma, LA for counseling and other intervention services for at-risk youth and their families	100,000
Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline, Honolulu, HI for education and other services related to domestic violence prevention	250,000
Dreams with Wings, Inc., Louisville, KY for its Dream Builders--Day Program for mentally disabled adults	50,000
East Akron Community House, Akron, OH for youth services programs	50,000
Family and Children First, Inc., Louisville, KY for abused and neglected children's services	50,000
Family Center of Columbus, Columbus, GA for family counseling, youth mentoring, and other services for families dealing with consequences of divorce	200,000
Gerard Treatment Programs, Austin, MN for program for abused and neglected children with severe emotional or behavioral problems	500,000
Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, Clearwater, FL for the Training and Best Practices Research Center for Victims of Torture and Genocide	300,000
Helping Children Worldwide, Herndon, VA for support programs for low- income students and their families	250,000
Hope Village for Children, Meridan, MS for expansion of urgent shelter and therapeutic group care	300,000
Interagency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, El Monte, CA, for a mentoring program for foster children in Los Angeles County	240,000
J.W. Darden Foundation, Opelika, AL for a health resource and education screening center	100,000
Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, Beechwood, OH for human services programs for children and families	100,000
Kids Hope United, Miami, FL for the WINGS program	200,000
L.I.F.T. Women's Resource Center, Detroit, MI, for services to improve self- suficiency and life skills of women transitioning from substance abuse, domestic violence or homelessness	150,000
Lutheran Social Services, Duluth, MN for services to runaway, homeless and other at-risk youth and their families	250,000
Mary's Family, Orlean, VA to develop a respite program for Winchester-area special needs families	100,000
Mecklenburg County, NC for the Mecklenburg County Domestic Violence Initiative	150,000
Mecklenburg Domestic Violence Shelter, Mecklenburg, NC for equipment	300,000
Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium, Sikeston, MO for the Fatherhood First program	300,000
Monterey County Probation Department, Salinas, CA for the Silver Star gang prevention and intervention program	500,000
National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, Washington, DC for research and information dissemination related to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program	200,000
New Hope for Families, Pawtucket, RI for case management and other supportive services for families leaving emergency shelter	200,000
Nihonmachi Little Friends, San Francisco, CA for child care and family resource and referral services	200,000
PathWays PA, Holmes, PA for programs for teen mothers	120,000
Pathways/Senderos and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, New Britain, CT for education and outreach	400,000
Peace River Center, Bartow, FL for Joint Family Intensive Therapy Team	350,000
Pennsylvania Women Work, Pittsburgh, PA for program for single parents and displaced homemakers	500,000
Public Health Department of Dakota County, West St. Paul, MN for the Dakota County Healthy Families program	300,000
Quality Services for the Autism Community, Astoria, NY to improve training and skills of health care workers and others serving people with autism	150,000
Ridgely, Caroline County, MD for curriculum and program development, staff and consultants, communication devices, and technical support	600,000
Safe Haven of Tarrant County, Arlington, TX for shelter and associated services for victims of domestic violence	70,000
Sephardic Bikur Holim of Monmouth County, Deal, NJ for social services programs	100,000
Shelter for Abused Women, Winchester, VA to develop a model for service delivery for domestic violence victims in rural communities.	100,000
South Shore Women's Center, North Plymouth, MA for domestic violence prevention and intervention services	75,000
TLC for Children and Families, Olathe, KS for a transitional living program for at-risk and homeless youth	250,000
Union Station Foundation, Pasadena, CA for services to homeless families	150,000
University of Louisville, Louisville, KY to enhance clinical services for education and training initiatives in autism	800,000
Visitation Home, Inc., Yardville, NJ for care of developmentally disabled residents	110,000
Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Louisville, KY for preschool programs for the blind and visually impaired	200,000
Voyager Program Inc., Canton, OH for domestic violence prevention	50,000
Women's Center of Beaver County, PA for the `Building Foundations' project	75,000
Yale University Child Study Center, New Haven, CT for diagnostic and intervention services for children affected by autism or related developmental disorders	400,000

 

Developmental disabilities

For programs authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act, the Committee recommends $170,836,000. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $1,000 more than the budget request.

The account total includes $71,771,000 for allotments to the states to fund state Councils, the same as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2006 funding level. These Councils engage in such activities as planning, policy analysis, demonstrations, training, outreach, interagency coordination, and public education. They do not provide direct services to the developmentally disabled population.

Within the total, $38,718,000 will be available to the states to be used for operating a protection and advocacy system to protect the legal and human rights of the developmentally disabled. This is the same as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2006 funding level.

The Committee recommends $15,720,000 for voting access for individuals with disabilities programs. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. Within the funds provided, $10,890,000 is for payments to states to promote access for voters with disabilities and $4,830,000 is for state protection and advocacy systems. These programs are intended to make polling places accessible and provide equal access and participation for individuals with disabilities. The protection and advocacy program will ensure that individuals can fully participate in the electoral process, including registering to vote, accessing polling places, and casting a vote.

The Committee recommends $11,414,000 for developmental disabilities projects of national significance. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request.

The Committee recommends $33,213,000 for the university centers for excellence in developmental disabilities. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $1,000 more than the budget request. This funding provides discretionary grants to public or not-for-profit entities associated with universities. The grants provide basic operational and administrative core support for these agencies. In addition, these funds support interdisciplinary training, community services, research and technical assistance, and information dissemination .

Native American programs

The Committee recommends $44,332,000 for Native American programs. This is the same as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2006 funding level. The Native American programs assist Tribal and Village governments, Native American institutions and organizations to support and develop stable, diversified local economies. In promoting social and economic self-sufficiency, this program provides financial assistance through direct grants for individual projects, training and technical assistance, and research and demonstration programs.

Community services

The Committee recommends $489,266,000 for community services activities. This is $464,814,000 more than the budget request and $205,308,000 less than the fiscal year 2006 funding level.

State block grant

For the State block grant, the Committee provides $430,425,000. This is $200,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2006 funding level. No funds were requested for this program. This program provides grants to states, territories, and Indian Tribes for services to meet employment, housing, nutrition, energy, emergency services, and health needs of low-income people. By law, 90 percent of these funds are passed directly through to local community action agencies that have previously received block grant funds.

The Committee recognizes the impact that its recommended funding level may have on rural areas. Rural areas highly depend on these funds to provide the infrastructure to deliver antipoverty services. Therefore, the Committee encourages the authorizing Committee of jurisdiction to review the funding allocations for the Community Services Block Grant to ensure that limited funding is reaching those areas with the greatest need.

Community economic development

The Committee recommends $27,022,000 for community economic development. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level. No funds were requested for this program. This program provides assistance to private, locally initiated community development corporations that sponsor enterprises providing employment, training, and business development opportunities for low-income residents in poor communities.

Job opportunities for low-income individuals

The Committee concurs with the budget request not to include funding for job opportunities for low-income individuals. The fiscal year 2006 funding level for this program is $5,382,000. This program provides competitive grants to non-profit organizations to create new employment and business opportunities for TANF recipients and other low-income individuals.

Individual development accounts

The Committee recommends $24,452,000 for individual development accounts. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. Individual development accounts are dedicated savings accounts that can be used by families with limited means for purchasing a first home, paying for postsecondary education or capitalizing a business. The intent of the program is to encourage participants to develop and reinforce strong habits for saving money. Section 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply for the funds and applicants must match Federal funds with non-Federal funds.

Rural community facilities

The Committee recommends $7,367,000 for the rural community facilities program. This is $74,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level. No funds were requested for this program. The Committee includes these funds to be used solely for the purpose of improving water and wastewater facilities in poor, rural communities. As in the past, these funds should be allocated to regional rural community assistance programs.

Violent crime reduction programs

The Committee recommends $124,731,000 for family violence prevention and services and battered women's shelters. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. This program is designed to assist states and Indian Tribes in efforts to prevent family violence and to provide immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of family violence and their dependents. The program also provides technical assistance and training relating to family violence programs to state and local public agencies (including law enforcement agencies), nonprofit private organizations, and persons seeking such assistance.

The Committee also includes $2,970,000 to continue funding the national domestic violence hotline. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request.

Mentoring children of prisoners

The Committee recommends $40,000,000 for the mentoring children of prisoners program. This is $9,493,000 below the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the same as the budget request. This program supports competitively awarded grants to states and local governments, Indian tribes and consortia, and faith- and community-based organizations to mentor children of prisoners and those recently released from prison.

Independent living training vouchers

The Committee recommends $46,157,000 for independent living training vouchers. This is the same as both the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. These funds support vouchers for college tuition or vocational training for individuals who age out of the foster care system so they can be better prepared to live independently.

Abstinence education

The Committee recommends a program level total of $113,400,000 for the community-based abstinence education program, which is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $27,765,000 below the budget request. As requested, $4,500,000 is provided within the total through the evaluation set-aside. The program provides support to public and private entities for implementation of community-based abstinence education programs for adolescents aged 12 through 18 (as defined in Section 510(b)(2)(A)-(H)). The entire focus of these programs is to educate young people and create an environment within communities that supports teen decisions to postpone sexual activity until marriage. There is no funding match requirement for these grants. The Committee intends that up to five percent of these funds be used to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to grantees. Within the total, up to $10,000,000 may be used to carry out a National Abstinence Education Campaign.

The Committee urges the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to utilize the set-aside to ensure that programs around the country are using appropriate and approved curricula that are evidence-based and comply with the appropriate Federal legislation. To that end, the Committee requests ACF to issue a report to the Committees on Appropriation of the House and Senate no later than 90 days after enactment of this Act on the use of the 5 percent set-aside and the intended use of the fiscal year 2007 funds. The Committee also requests ACF to include in this report the funds from the National Abstinence Education Campaign that are being used for training and technical assistance.

The Committee reinforces the guidance from its report accompanying the fiscal year 2005 appropriation with respect to the abstinence messages given by the public health entities that are grantees in the community-based abstinence education program and to the conduct of evaluation activities for the program.

Faith-based center

The Committee recommends $1,386,000 for the faith-based center. This is the same as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2006 funding level. The center will support implementation of faith-based and community initiatives in accordance with the President's executive order.

Program direction

The Committee recommends $186,265,000 for program direction expenses for ACF. This is $2,900,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and $1,858,000 less than the budget request.

PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES

The Committee recommends $434,100,000 for the promoting safe and stable families program. This is $40,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the same as the budget request. Of this amount, $345,000,000 are mandatory funds and $89,100,000 are discretionary.

PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR FOSTER CARE AND ASSISTANCE

The Committee recommends $5,211,000,000 for payments to states for foster care and adoption assistance. This is $270,200,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the same as the budget request. The Committee also includes an advance appropriation of $1,810,000,000 for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008 to ensure timely completion of first quarter grant awards.

Within the total appropriation, including the advance appropriation from the prior year, the Committee recommends $4,757,000,000 for the foster care program to provide maintenance payments to states on behalf of children who must live outside their homes. This is the same as the budget request and $72,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level.

Within the total appropriation, the Committee recommends $2,044,000,000 for adoption assistance. This is $161,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the same as the budget request. This program provides training for parents and state administrative staff as well as payments on behalf of categorically eligible children considered difficult to adopt. This annually appropriated entitlement is designed to provide alternatives to long, inappropriate stays in foster care by developing permanent placements with families.

Within the total appropriation for this account, the Committee recommends $140,000,000 for the independent living program. This is the same as the fiscal year 2006 funding level and the budget request. The program is designed to assist foster children age 16 or older to make successful transitions to independence. Funds assist children to earn high school diplomas, receive vocational training, and obtain training in daily living skills. Funds are awarded to states on the basis of the number of children on behalf of whom Federal foster care payments are received.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

*****************

TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AND
FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Language providing that the sum of the amounts available to a state with respect to expenditures under title IV-A of the Social Security Act in fiscal year 1997 under this appropriation and under such title IV-A as amended by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 shall not exceed the limitations under section 116(b) of such Act.

LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE
Language waiving existing law.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES PROGRAMS
Language making $6,000,000 available under section 241 of the Public Health Service Act to carry out provisions of section 1110 of the Social Security Act.

Language requiring the Secretary to establish certain procedures regarding the disposition of intangible property.

Language imposing certain requirements on grantees under the abstinence education program.

*****************