To help build and improve youth sports facilities across the nation, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) and U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) on April 10 offered a bipartisan, bicameral bill to include these facilities in specific federal development grants.
“Youth sports play a vital role in promoting healthy lifestyles from an early age while teaching essential life skills like teamwork and discipline,” Sen. Young said. “This bill would empower communities to use existing grant resources to improve youth sports facilities for children living in areas of need, encouraging greater youth sports participation across the nation.”
The Youth Sports Facilities Act, H.R. 2850 / S. 1419, would amend Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act to add youth sports facilities to the list of eligible uses of Economic Development Assistance grants.
Sen. Young cosponsored S. 1419 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), while Rep. Huizenga sponsored H.R. 2850 alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX).
“I am proud to champion the Youth Sports Facilities Act because it opens the doors for communities across Michigan and around the country to create new opportunities for children to develop critical skills, enhance local tourism, and foster small business growth,” said Rep. Huizenga.
The Economic Development Administration was created to assist state and local stakeholders with developing the conditions and amenities to grow businesses, create jobs, and expand investment in economically distressed areas. Allowing communities to access federal grants to build youth sports facilities will lead to better health outcomes for future generations of children, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
Not only do youth sports encourage athletic growth and teamwork, but they also create significant economic impact by attracting events and visitors to the community, the summary says.
“The Youth Sports Facilities Act is a bipartisan solution designed to bring communities together, create economic opportunity, and improve the physical and mental well-being of students across the nation,” Rep. Huizenga said. “For too long, an area code has determined whether students could have access to facilities or resources necessary to participate and compete.”
The bill has been endorsed by the YMCA of the USA, Pop Warner Little Scholars, the West Michigan Sports Commission, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the National Federation of High Schools, the American College of Sports Medicine, U.S. Soccer, the NHL, and the National Recreation and Parks Association, among others.