TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending June 4, 2004

S 2363 Revise and extend the Boys and Girls Clubs of America

BRIEF

  The bill would establish 300 new Boys and Girls Club of America. The clubs come under the jurisdiction of the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the Department of Justice from where the grants would originate and would include a long term strategy to increase from 4,000 to 5,000 the number of clubs in operation by January 1, 2010. The original goal was 2007. Currently the clubs serve 3.6 million young people.

   Boys and Girls Clubs of America are considered by Congress to be highly successful in preventing disadvantaged youth from entering a life of crime. It was noted during debate that communities with strong commitments to the clubs have less problems with children turning to crime. Some jurisdictions have requested grants for the clubs rather than increasing the number of law enforcement personnel, supporters said. The bill would aim to increase the number of children served to 5 million by 2010.

Sponsor: Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT)

Vote: Passed Senate by unanimous consent.

Cost to the taxpayer: Two years ago, as this year, Congress included a provision to reauthorize Justice Department grants to establish 1200 new Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide by authorizing $80 million in DOJ grants for each of the fiscal years through 2005. Although President Bush has called to cut funding for the clubs by $20 million per year, the bill authorizes Justice Department grants for $80 million for 2006, $85 million for 2007, $90 million for 2008, $95 million for 2009 and $100 million for 2010. The grants are authorized but Congress must then appropriate the funds for the grants and the administration must decide how much it wants to spend. ## All Rights Reserved. No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.