USC Subchapter II

in effect

42 U.S.C. § 12371 Findings

(a) FindingsThe Congress finds that—(1) children and youth are inherently our most valuable resource and their welfare, protection, healthy development, and positive role in society are essential to the Nation; (2) children and youth deserve love, respect, and guidance, as well as good health, shelter, food, education, productive work, and preparation for responsible participation in community life; (3) an increasing opportunity for children and youth to participate in the decisions that affect their lives is essential; (4) the family is the primary caregiver and the source of social learning which must be supported and strengthened, but when families are unable to ensure the satisfaction of the needs of children and youth, it is society’s responsibility to assist them; (5) at a minimum, all children and youth need and deserve access to—(A) the best possible physical and mental health; (B) adequate and safe physical shelter; (C) the highest quality of educational opportunity; (D) effective training, apprenticeships, opportunities for community service, and productive employment; (E) the widest range of civic, cultural, and recreational activities which recognize young Americans as resources and promote self-esteem and a stake in their communities; (F) comprehensive community services which are efficient, coordinated, and readily available; and (G) genuine participation in decisions concerning the planning and managing of their lives; and (6) there is a great need for a comprehensive national policy with respect to young individuals, designed to engage Federal, State, and local government agencies, youth organizations, and other voluntary organizations. (b) Statement of policyIt is the policy of the Congress that the Federal Government should work jointly with the States and their citizens to develop recommendations and plans for action to meet the challenge and needs of young individuals.

42 U.S.C. § 12372 Authority of President and Secretary; final report

(a) Calling of ConferenceThe President shall call a White House Conference on Children, Youth, and Families in 1993 in order to develop recommendations for further action in the field of children, youth, and families which will further the policy set forth in section 12371(b) of this title. The Conference shall be planned and conducted under the direction of the Secretary in cooperation with the Commissioner and with the heads of such other Federal departments and agencies as are appropriate. Such assistance may include the assignment of personnel. (b) Purposes of ConferenceThe purposes of the Conference shall be—(1) to increase the public awareness of the value and needs of young individuals; (2) to examine the well-being of young individuals as well as the problems which they face; (3) to describe the extent to which young individuals with identified needs do not receive services to meet such needs; (4) to determine the reasons why young individuals are not receiving needed services; and (5) to develop such specific and comprehensive recommendations for executive and legislative action as may be appropriate to improve the well-being of youth and their families. (c) Conference participants and delegates(1) ParticipantsIn order to carry out the purposes of the Conference, the Conference shall bring together—(A) representatives of Federal, State, and local governments, including representatives of the Government Accountability Office; (B) professionals who are working in the field of children, youth, and families; and (C) representatives of the general public, particularly young individuals. (2) Selection of delegatesThe delegates to attend the Conference shall be selected without regard to political affiliation or past partisan activity and shall, to the best of the appointing authority’s ability, be representative of the spectrum of thought in the field of children, youth, and families.

42 U.S.C. § 12373 Conference administration

(a) AdministrationFor purposes of carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall—(1) request the cooperation and assistance of the heads of such other Federal departments and agencies as may be appropriate; (2) furnish all reasonable assistance to State agencies administering programs related to children, youth and families, and to other appropriate organizations, to enable them to organize and conduct conferences in conjunction with the Conference; (3) prepare and make available for public comment a proposed agenda for the Conference which reflects, to the greatest extent possible, the major issues facing children, youth, and families consistent with subsection (a); (4) prepare and make available background materials which the Secretary deems necessary for the use of delegates to the Conference; and (5) engage such additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out this section without regard to provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. (b) DutiesThe Secretary shall, in carrying out the Secretary’s responsibilities and functions under this section, ensure that—(1) the conferences under subsection (a)(2) will be conducted so as to ensure broad participation of young individuals; (2) the proposed agenda for the Conference under subsection (a)(3) is published in the Federal Register not less than 180 days before the beginning of the Conference and the proposed agenda is open for public comment for a period of not less than 60 days; (3) the final agenda for the Conference, taking into consideration the comments received under paragraph (2), is published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the chief executive officers of the States not later than 30 days after the close of the public comment period provided for under paragraph (2); (4) the personnel engaged under subsection (a)(5) shall be fairly balanced in terms of points of views represented and shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation or previous partisan activities; (5) the recommendations of the Conference are not inappropriately influenced by any appointing authority or by any special interest, but will instead be the result of the independent judgment of the Conference; and (6) to the extent practicable, current and adequate statistical data (including decennial census data) and other information on the well-being of young individuals in the United States are readily available, in advance of the Conference, to the delegates of the Conference, together with such information as may be necessary to evaluate Federal programs and policies relating to children and youth. In carrying out this subparagraph, the Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public agencies and nonprofit private organizations.

42 U.S.C. § 12374 Conference committees

(a) Advisory committeeThe Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to the Conference which shall include representatives from the Federal Council on Children, Youth, and Families, public agencies and nonprofit private organizations as appropriate. (b) Other committeesThe Secretary may establish such other committees, including technical committees, as may be necessary to assist in the planning, conducting, and reviewing of the Conference. (c) Composition of committeesEach committee established under this section shall be composed of professionals and public members, and shall include individuals from low-income families and from minority groups. (d) CompensationMembers of any committee established under this section (other than any officers or employees of the Federal Government), while attending conferences or meetings of the committee or otherwise serving at the request of the Secretary, shall be entitled to receive compensation at a rate to be fixed by the Secretary, but not to exceed the daily rate payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5 (including travel time). While away from their homes or regular places of business, such members may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized under section 5703 of such title for persons employed intermittently in Federal Government service.

42 U.S.C. § 12375 Report of Conference

(a) Proposed reportA proposed report of the Conference which shall include a statement of comprehensive coherent national policy on children, youth, and families together with recommendations for the implementation of such policy, shall be published and submitted to the chief executive officers of the States not later than 180 days following the date on which the Conference is adjourned. The findings and recommendations included in the published proposed report shall be available immediately to the public. (b) Response to proposed reportThe chief executive officers of the States, after reviewing and soliciting recommendations and comments on the proposed report of the Conference, shall submit to the Secretary, not later than 180 days after receiving such report, their views and findings on the recommendations of the Conference. (c) Final reportNot later than 180 days after submission of the views and comments of the chief executive officers of the States, the Secretary shall—(1) prepare a final report on the conference, which shall include—(A) a statement of the policy and recommendations of the Conference; (B) the views and comments of the chief executive officers of the States; and (C) the recommendations of the Secretary, after taking into consideration the views and comments of such officers, for administrative and legislative action necessary to implement the recommendations of the Conference; and (2) publish and transmit such report to the President and the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and chairman of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate.

42 U.S.C. § 12376 Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter— (1) the term “Conference” means the 1993 White House Conference on Children, Youth, and Families; and (2) the terms “child”, “youth”, and “young individual” means 11 So in original. Probably should be “mean”. an individual who is less than 21 years of age.

42 U.S.C. § 12377 Authorization of appropriations

(a) AuthorizationThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary, for each of the fiscal years 1993 and 1994, to carry out this subchapter. Sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the date the Conference is adjourned. New spending authority or authority to enter into contracts as provided in this subchapter shall be effective only to the extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts. (b) Return of unexpended fundsAny funds remaining upon the expiration of the 1-year period referred to in subsection (a) shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States and credited as miscellaneous receipts.