[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2336 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2336

  To amend the Higher Education Act to establish and strengthen post-
secondary programs and courses in the subjects of traditional American 
  history, free institutions, and Western civilization, available to 
   students preparing to teach these subjects, and to other students.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2003

  Mr. Petri (for himself, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Dreier, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. 
    Garrett of New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Higher Education Act to establish and strengthen post-
secondary programs and courses in the subjects of traditional American 
  history, free institutions, and Western civilization, available to 
   students preparing to teach these subjects, and to other students.

    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 ``Higher Education for Freedom Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Given the increased threat to American ideals in the 
        trying times in which we live, it is important to preserve and 
        defend our common heritage of freedom and civilization and to 
        ensure that future generations of Americans understand the 
        importance of traditional American history and the principles 
        of free government on which this Nation was founded in order to 
        provide the basic knowledge that is essential to full and 
        informed participation in civic life and to the larger vibrancy 
        of the American experiment in self-government, binding together 
        a diverse people into a single Nation with a common purposes.
            (2) However, despite its importance, most of the Nation's 
        colleges and universities no longer require United States 
        history or systematic study of Western civilization and free 
        institutions as a prerequisite to graduation.
            (3) In addition, too many of our Nation's elementary and 
        secondary history teachers lack the training necessary to 
        effectively teach these subjects--due largely to the inadequacy 
        of their teacher preparation.
            (4) Distinguished historians and intellectuals fear that 
        without a common civic memory and a common understanding of the 
        remarkable individuals, events, and ideals that have shaped our 
        Nation and its free institutions, the people in the United 
        States risk losing much of what it means to be an American, as 
        well as the ability to fulfill the fundamental responsibilities 
        of citizens in a democracy.
    (b) Purposes.--The purpose of this act is to promote and sustain 
post-secondary academic centers, institutes, and programs that offer 
undergraduate and graduate courses, support research, and develop 
teaching materials for the purpose of developing and imparting a 
knowledge of traditional American history, the American Founding, the 
history and nature of, and threats to, free institutions, or of the 
nature, history and achievements of Western Civilization, particularly 
for--
            (1) undergraduate students enrolled in teacher education 
        programs, or who may consider becoming school teachers, or who 
        wish to enhance their civic competence;
            (2) elementary, middle, and high school teachers in need of 
        additional training in order to effectively teach in these 
        subject area; and
            (3) graduate students and post-secondary faculty who wish 
        to teach about these subject areas with greater knowledge and 
        effectiveness.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

     For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Eligible institution.--For the purposes of this Act:
                    (A) In general.--The term ``eligible institution'' 
                means--
                            (i) an institution of higher education;
                            (ii) a specific program within an 
                        institution of higher education; and
                            (iii) a non-profit history or academic 
                        organization associated with higher education 
                        whose mission is consistent with the purposes 
                        of this Act.
                    (B) Special rule.--An eligible institution within 
                the meaning of subparagraph (A) may apply to award 
                subgrants to other such eligible institutions at the 
                discretion of, and subject to the oversight of, the 
                Secretary.
            (2) Free institution.--The term ``free institution'' means 
        institutions that emerged out of Western Civilization, such as 
        democracy, individual rights, market economics, religious 
        freedom and tolerance, and freedom of thought and inquiry.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the same meaning given 
        that term under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (5) Traditional american history.--The term ``traditional 
        American history'' means the significant constitutional, 
        political, intellectual, economic, and foreign policy trends 
        and issues that have shaped the course of American history; and 
        the key episodes, turning points and leading figures, involved 
        in the constitutional, political, intellectual, diplomatic, and 
        economic history of the United States.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) In General.--From amounts appropriated to carry out this Act, 
the Secretary shall provide, on a competitive basis, grants to eligible 
institutions, which shall be used for--
            (1) History Teacher Preparation Initiatives, that--
                    (A) stress content mastery in traditional American 
                history and the principals on which the American 
                political system is based, including the history and 
                philosophy of free institutions, and the study of 
                Western civilization; and
                    (B) provide for grantees to carry out research, 
                planning, and coordination activities devoted to the 
                purposes of this Act.
            (2) Grants to Strengthen Post-Secondary Programs in fields 
        related to the American founding, free institutions, and 
        Western civilization, particularly through--
                    (A) the design and implementation of courses, 
                lecture series and symposia, the development and 
                publication of instructional materials, and the 
                development of new, and supporting of existing, 
                academic centers;
                    (B) research supporting the development of relevant 
                course materials;
                    (C) the support of faculty teaching in 
                undergraduate and graduate programs; and
                    (D) the support of graduate and postgraduate 
                fellowships and courses for scholars related to such 
                fields.
    (b) Selection Criteria.--In selecting eligible institutions for 
grants under this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
establish criteria by regulation, which shall, at a minimum, consider 
the education value and relevance of the institution's programming to 
carrying out the purposes of this Act and the expertise of key 
personnel in the area of traditional American history and the 
principals on which the American political system is based, including 
the political and intellectual history and philosophy of free 
institutions, the American Founding, and other key events that have 
contributed to American freedom and the study of Western civilization.
    (c)  Grant Application.--An eligible institution that desires to 
receive a grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary an 
application therefor at such time or times, or in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may prescribe by 
regulation.
    (d) Grant Review.--The Secretary shall establish procedures for 
reviewing and evaluating grants and contracts made or entered into 
under such programs.
    (e) Grant Awards.--
            (1) Maximum and minimum grants.--For the purposes of this 
        Act, the Secretary shall award grants of not less than $400,000 
        and not more than $6,000,000 to eligible institutions.
            (2) Exception.--A subgrant by an eligible institution to 
        another eligible institution is not subject to the minimum 
        amount specified in paragraph (1).
    (f) Multiple Awards.--For the purposes of this Act, the Secretary 
may award more than one grant to an eligible institution.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) For the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are authorized 
to be appropriated--
            (1) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
        succeeding 5 fiscal years.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

     This Act shall take effect on September 1, 2003.
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