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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2971 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2971
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a youth biodiversity
monitoring grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 21, 2025
Ms. Ansari (for herself, Mr. Huffman, and Ms. Matsui) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a youth biodiversity
monitoring grant program.
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 ``Youth Outdoors Using Nature's
Genetics Act of 2025'' or the ``YOUNG Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. YOUTH BIODIVERSITY MONITORING GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of
relevant Federal agencies, including the Director of the United States
Geological Survey and the Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service, shall establish a grant program to award amounts and
provide technical assistance to covered entities to carry out youth
biodiversity monitoring projects that use and educate students about
advanced technologies.
(b) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a
covered entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(c) Use of Amounts.--A covered entity that is awarded a grant under
this section may use such grant to carry out the following activities
as part of a youth biodiversity monitoring project:
(1) The purchase of supplies.
(2) Transportation of participants to and from a youth
biodiveristy monitoring project.
(3) Outreach with respect to a youth biodiversity
monitoring project to promote participation in such project.
(4) The purchase of scientific collection licenses and
permits.
(5) Other expenses related to carrying out a youth
biodiversity monitoring project the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to applications from covered entities that include
a proposal for a youth biodiversity monitoring project focused on an
underserved community.
(e) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment
of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
regarding the grant program, including the following information:
(1) Each eligible entity awarded a grant under this
section.
(2) The amount awarded to each such eligible entity.
(3) How each such eligible entity used such grant.
(4) The number of participants in youth biodiversity
monitoring projects carried out using grants awarded under this
section.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $1,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2032.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Advanced technologies.--The term ``advanced
technologies'' means--
(A) environmental DNA collection and analysis
procedures;
(B) remote sensing;
(C) drones;
(D) camera traps;
(E) acoustic monitoring;
(F) advanced sensors and sensor networks;
(G) AI, machine learning, or advanced modeling; or
(H) any other technology or method the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a nonprofit organization;
(B) an elementary school or secondary school (as
those terms are defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801));
(C) an institution of higher education (as that
term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); or
(D) a State, local, or Tribal government.
(3) Grant program.--The term ``grant program'' means the
grant program established pursuant to subsection (a).
(4) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit
organization'' means an organization that is--
(A) described in section 501(c)(3)?of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986; and
(B) exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of
that Code.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for
Oceans and Atmosphere.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) each of the several States;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
(D) American Samoa;
(E) Guam;
(F) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands;
(G) the Virgin Islands of the United States; and
(H) any other territory or possession of the United
States.
(7) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government''
means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska
Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community,
component band, or component reservation individually
identified (including parenthetically) in the list published
pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian
Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
(8) Underserved community.--The term ``underserved
community'' means a population of individuals sharing a
particular characteristic, or a geographic community, that has
been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in
aspects of economic, social, or civic life, such as--
(A) racial and ethnic minorities;
(B) individuals with access and functional needs;
or
(C) individuals otherwise adversely affected by
persistent poverty or inequality.
(9) Youth biodiversity monitoring project.--The term
``youth biodiversity monitoring project'' means a project that
provides youth with--
(A) hands-on experience collecting, analyzing, or
interpreting biological data about wildlife populations
and the ecosystems associated with such populations;
and
(B) education regarding--
(i) wildlife science;
(ii) marine science;
(iii) conservation; or
(iv) biodiversity.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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