,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #biga ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #ba1 #bjbe,ms4 ,ansari 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 and ,ms4 ,matsui7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,commerce to establish a youth biodiversity monitoring grant program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,youth ,outdoors ,using ,nature's ,genetics ,act of #bjbe or the ,,young ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,youth biodiversity monitoring grant program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the heads of relevant ,federal agencies1 including the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey and the ,director of the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service1 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 technologies4 7b7 ,applications ,to be eligible for a grant under this section1 a covered entity shall submit to the ,secretary an application in such form1 at such time1 and containing such information as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7c7 ,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 project3 7#a7 ,the purchase of supplies4 7#b7 ,transportation of participants to and from a youth biodiveristy monitoring project4 7#c7 ,outreach with respect to a youth biodiversity monitoring project to promote participation in such project4 7#d7 ,the purchase of scientific collection licenses and permits4 7#e7 ,other expenses related to carrying out a youth biodiversity monitoring project the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7d7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to applications from covered entities that include a proposal for a youth biodiversity monitoring project focused on an underserved community4 7e7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report regarding the grant program1 including the following information3 7#a7 ,each eligible entity awarded a grant under this section4 7#b7 ,the amount awarded to each such eligible entity4 7#c7 ,how each such eligible entity used such grant4 7#d7 ,the number of participants in youth biodiversity monitoring projects carried out using grants awarded under this section4 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #a1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcb4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,advanced technologies ,the term advanced technologies means-- 7,a7 environmental ,,dna collection and analysis procedures2 7,b7 remote sensing2 7,c7 drones2 7,d7 camera traps2 7,e7 acoustic monitoring2 7,f7 advanced sensors and sensor networks2 7,g7 ,,ai1 machine learning1 or advanced modeling2 or 7,h7 any other technology or method the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,covered entity ,the term covered entity means-- 7,a7 a nonprofit organization2 7,b7 an elementary school or secondary school 7as those terms are defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 7,c7 an institution of higher education 7as that term is defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja772 or 7,d7 a ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government4 7#c7 ,grant program ,the term grant program means the grant program established pursuant to subsection 7a74 7#d7 ,nonprofit organization ,the term nonprofit organization means an organization that is-- 7,a7 described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf2 and 7,b7 exempt from taxation under section #eja7;a7 of that ,code4 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,oceans and ,atmosphere4 7#f7 ,state ,the term ,state means-- 7,a7 each of the several ,states2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,c7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico2 7,d7 ,american ,samoa2 7,e7 ,guam2 7,f7 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands2 7,g7 the ,virgin ,islands of the ,united ,states2 and 7,h7 any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states4 7#g7 ,tribal government ,the term ,tribal government means the recognized governing body of any ,indian or ,alaska ,native ,tribe1 band1 nation1 pueblo1 village1 community1 component band1 or component reservation individually identified 7including parenthetically7 in the list published pursuant to section #ajd of the ,federally ,recognized ,indian ,tribe ,list ,act of #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 7#h7 ,underserved community ,the term underserved community means a population of individuals sharing a particular characteristic1 or a geographic community1 that has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic1 social1 or civic life1 such as-- 7,a7 racial and ethnic minorities2 7,b7 individuals with access and functional needs2 or 7,c7 individuals otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality4 7#i7 ,youth biodiversity monitoring project ,the term youth biodiversity monitoring project means a project that provides youth with-- 7,a7 hands-on experience collecting1 analyzing1 or interpreting biological data about wildlife populations and the ecosystems associated with such populations2 and 7,b7 education regarding-- 7i7 wildlife science2 7ii7 marine science2 7iii7 conservation2 or 7iv7 biodiversity4