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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9839 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9839
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
grant program to, through subgrants to eligible entities, improve
certain impacts of participation in programs related to physical
activity or youth sports and increase access to youth sports, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2026
Mr. Carey (for himself and Ms. Barragan) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in
addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
grant program to, through subgrants to eligible entities, improve
certain impacts of participation in programs related to physical
activity or youth sports and increase access to youth sports, and for
other purposes.
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 ``Sports Training, Recreation, and
Opportunities for the Next Generation Act'' or the ``STRONG Kids Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM RELATED TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOUTH SPORTS.
(a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
conjunction with the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary''),
shall establish a program to make grants on a competitive basis to
national nonprofits or government organizations, or regional nonprofits
or State-based government organizations, that run youth sports programs
to, through subgrants in accordance with subsection (b)--
(1) improve the impacts, with respect to health and
positive youth development, of participation in programs
related to physical activity or sports for individuals under 18
years of age; and
(2) increase access to such programs.
(b) Subgrants.--A nonprofit or organization that receives a grant
under subsection (a) shall make subgrants on a competitive basis to
eligible entities to--
(1) improve the effectiveness of a program related to
physical activity or youth sports;
(2) increase participation in such a program;
(3) promote safety and health in such a program; or
(4) support the prevention of and response to physical,
mental, and sexual abuse in youth sports through background
checks, education, training, and mandatory reporting policies.
(c) Eligibility for Subgrants.--To be eligible to receive a
subgrant under subsection (b), an entity shall--
(1) be a local nonprofit or government organization; and
(2) have experience organizing youth sports.
(d) Eligible Use of Funds for Subgrants.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a
subgrant under subsection (b) shall use any funds received
through such subgrant to carry out an activity that meets at
least one requirement described in subsection (b), including
any of the following:
(A) For the purpose of lowering barriers to
participation, implementing an activity focused on
increasing the rate of participation in youth sports
among populations less likely to participate due to
disability or economic or geographic limitation.
(B) Implementing a program or policy for coaches
related to training and voluntary certification,
including with respect to--
(i) health benefits of youth sports and
physical activity;
(ii) youth development and character
development;
(iii) a code of conduct for coaches;
(iv) promoting positive lifestyle
behaviors;
(v) promoting a positive sports experience,
athletic development, teamwork, leadership, and
socialization skills;
(vi) implementing any applicable protocol
issued by the United States Center for
SafeSport;
(vii) an injury prevention strategy,
including free online concussion training
offered by the Centers for Disease Control; and
(viii) a risk management strategy,
including maintaining a safe venue for physical
activity or youth sports.
(C) Implementing training related to youth
development and character development.
(D) Implementing an evaluation and results
implementation process to measure physical, mental, and
social health of athletes.
(E) Educating parents, caregivers, and guardians
and raising awareness about the importance of
participation in physical activity and youth sports.
(F) Implementing an athlete code of conduct and
instruction.
(G) Implementing an activity focused on coach and
volunteer retention.
(H) Implementing an activity that--
(i) focuses on fostering a positive sport
experience; and
(ii) emphasizes athlete development,
teamwork, leadership, and socialization skills.
(I) Implementing an activity that promotes positive
lifestyle behaviors, including positive--
(i) nutrition practices;
(ii) academic performance;
(iii) life-long practices; or
(iv) self-image.
(J) For the purpose of lowering barriers to
participation--
(i) implementing a program or procedure
that enables participation regardless of
athletic ability;
(ii) acquiring or modifying any venue used
for physical activity or youth sports;
(iii) ensuring any such venue complies with
requirements under the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et
seq.); or
(iv) enabling a league or team to reduce,
waive, or cover the full amount of any fee for
participation, including through providing
scholarships.
(K) Implementing an activity focused on increasing
the capacity of such eligible entity to organize youth
sports, including increasing the number of youth league
teams organized by such eligible entity to accommodate
more youth.
(L) Establishing a procedure for implementing any
applicable prevention, reporting, or training protocol
issued by the United States Center for SafeSport with
respect to preventing physical, mental, and sexual
abuse of athletes, including any protocol related to
covering the cost of a background check for a coach or
volunteer.
(M) Establishing a procedure to encourage--
(i) water drinking;
(ii) physical movement; and
(iii) consumption of nutritious snacks.
(N) Implementing a program for individuals with a
physical or mental disability.
(O) Implementing a parent code of conduct and
instruction.
(P) Encouraging and facilitating participation in--
(i) the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award
program carried out by the President's Council
on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition; and
(ii) the Presidential Fitness Test
administered by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services in accordance with Executive
Order 14327 (90 Fed. Reg. 37993; relating to
the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and
Nutrition, and the reestablishment of the
Presidential Fitness Test).
(Q) With respect to such program and such test,
developing a strategy to ensure the Council or
Secretary, respectively, recognize youth, regardless of
their ability, for continued improvement over time.
(R) Working with insurance providers or other risk
management experts to maintain a safe environment.
(2) Prioritization of certain youth.--In carrying out an
activity described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall
prioritize youth with limited resources.
(3) National strategy and other guidance.--In the case of
an activity described in subparagraph (A), (B), (J), (K), or
(L) of paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall carry out such
activity in accordance with--
(A) the national strategy established by the Office
of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the
Department of Health and Human Services, entitled
``National Youth Sports Strategy''; or
(B) notwithstanding any policy or procedure in such
national strategy, such other guidance issued by a
governing body of a youth sports league.
(e) Application and Review Requirements for Grants.--To be eligible
to receive a grant under subsection (a), a nonprofit or organization
shall submit to the Secretary an application that--
(1) includes a plan describing how such nonprofit or
organization proposes to use any funds received through such
grant to--
(A) make subgrants in accordance with subsection
(b), including a description of how the proposed use of
funds received through such subgrants will meet at
least one requirement described in subsection (b);
(B) use a managed application process to make such
subgrants;
(C) provide technical assistance in accordance with
subsection (g);
(D) serve youth with limited resources; and
(E) serve providers of adaptive sports programming
for individuals with physical, cognitive, or other
disabilities;
(2) demonstrates experience--
(A) working with eligible entities to carry out an
activity similar to an activity described in subsection
(b) or (d);
(B) serving low-income and under-resourced
communities; and
(C) providing adaptive sports programming;
(3) describes any policy of such nonprofit or organization
related to background checks of staff and volunteers who engage
with individuals under 18 years of age; and
(4) includes a plan for continuing any activity proposed to
be carried out using funds received under this section after
such nonprofit or organization has expended all such funds.
(f) Deadline for Making First Grant.--The Secretary shall make the
first grant under subsection (a) not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(g) Technical Assistance for Subgrants.--As a condition of
receiving a grant under subsection (a), a nonprofit or organization
shall agree to provide technical assistance to an eligible entity that
receives a subgrant under subsection (b) with respect to the eligible
uses of funds described in subsection (d).
(h) Amounts.--
(1) Grants.--
(A) National.--The Secretary shall make a grant to
a national nonprofit or government organization in an
amount that is not more than $5,000,000.
(B) Regional.--The Secretary shall make a grant to
a regional nonprofit or State-based government
organization in an amount that is not more than
$2,500,000.
(2) Subgrants.--A nonprofit or organization shall make a
subgrant to an eligible entity in an amount that is not less
than $10,000 but not more than $50,000.
(i) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 3 years thereafter during the period
in which funds are appropriated under subsection (j), the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report evaluating, with respect to the
period covered by the report, the effectiveness and outcomes of any
activity carried out using funds received under this section.
(j) Funding.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section--
(A) for fiscal year 2027, an amount that is equal
to 50 percent of the amounts received by the Secretary
of the Treasury under section 4401 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 4401) with respect to
the 2025 calendar year; and
(B) for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2037, the
amount described in paragraph (2).
(2) Adjustment for inflation.--For fiscal years 2028
through 2037, the amount authorized by this subsection shall be
the amount under paragraph (1)(A), adjusted by the percentage
increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
of the Department of Labor for the 12-month period ending June
30 of the preceding fiscal year.
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