[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2702 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2702
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program on the
provision of assistance to certain military families.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 3, 2006
Mr. Allard (for himself and Mr. Johnson) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program on the
provision of assistance to certain military families.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Military Family Assistance Act of
2006''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN MILITARY FAMILIES.
(a) Program Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a
program utilizing non-Federal eligible entities to provide assistance
to the families of members of the Armed Forces who live more than 180
miles from a military installation where members of the Armed Forces on
active duty are stationed.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--Under the program, the Secretary shall
award grants to eligible entities described in subsection (c)
for the provision of assistance to military families as
described in subsection (a).
(2) Maximum grant amount.--The amount of any grant awarded
under this section may not exceed $25,000.
(3) Maximum number of grants.--An eligible entity may not
be awarded more than three grants this section.
(4) Applications.--An entity seeking a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor
containing such information as the Secretary shall require for
purposes of this section.
(c) Eligible Entities.--
(1) In general.--For purposes of this section, an eligible
entity is any nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that has
the capacity to provide assistance to military families as
described in subsection (a) in a manner that the Secretary
considers appropriate for purposes of the program.
(2) Matching requirement.--An application may not be
treated as valid for purposes of this section unless the
eligible entity submitting the application commits to
contribute to activities funded by the grant awarded to the
organization under this section an amount equal to the grant
amount which is derived from non-Federal sources.
(d) Review and Approval of Applications.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide for the review
and approval of applications for grants under this section
through a board of review consisting of five individuals
selected by the Secretary from among individuals having the
qualifications described in paragraph (2).
(2) Qualifications.--An individual selected for the board
of review under paragraph (1) shall have at least five years of
experience in two of the following areas:
(A) Grant writing.
(B) The operation of nonprofit organizations
identical or similar to eligible entities.
(C) Military family support assistance programs.
(3) Considerations.--In determining whether to approve an
application for a grant under this section, the board of review
shall address the following:
(A) Whether the assistance to be provided to
military families using the grant amount is appropriate
for purposes of the program under this section.
(B) The nature of the commitment under subsection
(c)(2) of the organization submitting the application.
(e) Use of Grant Amounts.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall use the grant amount, and any amounts
committed by the eligible entity under subsection (c)(2), to
provide assistance to military families as described in
subsection (a) in the manner specified in the application for
the grant under this section.
(2) Limitation.--Amounts under a grant under this section
may not be used to purchase, rent, renovate, or construct any
facilities.
(f) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
obligation of any portion of the amount authorized to be
appropriated by subsection (i), the Secretary shall submit to
the congressional defense committees a report on the program
under this section.
(2) Elements.--The report shall include the following:
(A) A description of the procedures implemented by
the Secretary for purposes of the program.
(B) A description of the applications submitted
under the program, including a description of the
various types of assistance for military families
proposed to be provided under such applications.
(C) A description, current as of the date of the
report, of the activities to be funded by grants under
the program.
(D) A review of the effectiveness of the board of
review under subsection (d).
(E) An assessment, current as of the date of the
report, of the advisability of extending the program or
making it permanent.
(g) Sunset.--The program required by this section shall cease upon
the earlier of the following:
(1) The date of the declaration by the President of the
cessation of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(2) The date that is three years after the first obligation
of funds for the program under this section.
(h) Congressional Defense Committees Defined.--In this section, the
term ``congressional defense committees'' means--
(1) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of
the Senate; and
(2) the Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of
the House of Representatives.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to
be appropriated to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2007,
$10,000,000 for the purpose of carrying out the program under this
section.
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