119-hr2971

[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.
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