[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 504 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 504

 To establish academies for teachers and students of American history 
and civics and a national alliance of teachers of American history and 
                    civics, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 4, 2003

  Mr. Alexander (for himself, Mr. Reid, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Santorum, Mr. 
Nickles, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Frist, Mr. 
  Dodd, and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read 
 twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish academies for teachers and students of American history 
and civics and a national alliance of teachers of American history and 
                    civics, 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 ``American History and Civics 
Education Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) American history and civics.--The term ``American 
        history and civics'' means the key events, key persons, key 
        ideas, and key documents that shaped the institutions and 
        democratic heritage of the United States.
            (2) Chairperson.--The term ``Chairperson'' means the 
        Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) Key documents.--The term ``key documents'' means the 
        documents that established or explained the foundational 
        principles of democracy in the United States, including the 
        United States Constitution and the amendments to the 
        Constitution (particularly the Bill of Rights), the Declaration 
        of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Emancipation 
        Proclamation.
            (5) Key events.--The term ``key events'' means the critical 
        turning points in the history of the United States (including 
        the American Revolution, the Civil War, the world wars of the 
        twentieth century, the civil rights movement, and the major 
        court decisions and legislation) that contributed to extending 
        the promise of democracy in American life.
            (6) Key ideas.--The term ``key ideas'' means the ideas that 
        shaped the democratic institutions and heritage of the United 
        States, including the notion of equal justice under the law, 
        freedom, individualism, human rights, and a belief in progress.
            (7) Key persons.--The term ``key persons'' means the men 
        and women who led the United States as founding fathers, 
        elected officials, scientists, inventors, pioneers, advocates 
        of equal rights, entrepreneurs, and artists.
            (8) Nonprofit educational institution.--The term 
        ``nonprofit educational institution''--
                    (A) means--
                            (i) an institution of higher education; or
                            (ii) a nonprofit educational research 
                        center; and
                    (B) includes a consortium of entities described in 
                subparagraph (A).
            (9) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States 
        and the District of Columbia.

SEC. 3. PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIES FOR TEACHING OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND 
              CIVICS.

    (a) Establishment.--From amounts appropriated under subsection (j), 
the Chairperson shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
nonprofit educational institutions to establish Presidential Academies 
for Teaching of American History and Civics (in this section referred 
to as ``Academies'') that shall offer workshops for teachers of 
American history and civics--
            (1) to learn how better to teach the subjects of American 
        history and civics; and
            (2) to strengthen such teachers' knowledge of such 
        subjects.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--A nonprofit educational institution that 
        desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an 
        application to the Chairperson at such time, in such manner, 
        and containing such information as the Chairperson may require.
            (2) Contents.--An application submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) include the criteria the nonprofit educational 
                institution intends to use to determine which teachers 
                will be selected to attend workshops offered by the 
                Academy;
                    (B) identify the individual the nonprofit 
                educational institution intends to appoint to be the 
                primary professor at the Academy; and
                    (C) include a description of the curriculum to be 
                used at workshops offered by the Academy.
    (c) Number of Grants.--Except as provided in subsection (e)(2)(B), 
the Chairperson shall award not more than 12 grants to different 
nonprofit educational institutions under this section.
    (d) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Chairperson shall ensure that such grants are equitably distributed 
among the geographical regions of the United States.
    (e) Grant Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        for a term of 2 years.
            (2) Grants after first two years.--Upon completion of the 
        first 2-year grant term, the Chairperson shall--
                    (A) renew a grant awarded under this section to a 
                nonprofit educational institution for one more term of 
                2 years; or
                    (B) award a new grant to a nonprofit educational 
                institution having an application approved under this 
                section for a term of 2 years, notwithstanding the 12 
                grant award maximum under subsection (c).
    (f) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Workshops.--
                    (A) In general.--A nonprofit educational 
                institution that receives a grant under this section 
                shall establish an Academy that shall offer a workshop 
                during the summer, or during another appropriate time, 
                for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers of American 
                history and civics--
                            (i) to learn how better to teach the 
                        subjects of American history and civics; and
                            (ii) to strengthen such teachers' knowledge 
                        of such subjects.
                    (B) Duration of workshop.--A workshop offered 
                pursuant to this section shall be approximately 2 weeks 
                in duration.
            (2) Academy staff.--
                    (A) Primary professor.--Each Academy shall be 
                headed by a primary professor identified in the 
                application submitted under subsection (b) who shall--
                            (i) be accomplished in the field of 
                        American history and civics; and
                            (ii) design the curriculum for and lead the 
                        workshop.
                    (B) Core teachers.--Each primary professor shall 
                appoint an appropriate number of core teachers. At the 
                direction of the primary professor, the core teachers 
                shall teach and train the workshop attendees.
            (3) Selection of teachers.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) Number of teachers.--Each year, each 
                        Academy shall select approximately 300 
                        kindergarten through grade 12 teachers of 
                        American history and civics to attend the 
                        workshop offered by the Academy.
                            (ii) Flexibility in number of teachers.--An 
                        Academy may select more than or fewer than 300 
                        teachers depending on the population in the 
                        region where the Academy is located.
                    (B) Teachers from same region.--In selecting 
                teachers to attend a workshop, an Academy shall select 
                primarily teachers who teach in schools located in the 
                region where the Academy is located.
                    (C) Teachers from public and private schools.--An 
                Academy may select teachers from public schools and 
                private schools to attend the workshop offered by the 
                Academy.
    (g) Costs.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
        teacher who attends a workshop offered pursuant to this section 
        shall not incur costs associated with attending the workshop, 
        including costs for meals, lodging, and materials while 
        attending the workshop.
            (2) Travel costs.--A teacher who attends a workshop offered 
        pursuant to this section shall use non-Federal funds to pay for 
        such teacher's costs of transit to and from the Academy.
    (h) Evaluation.--Not later than 90 days after completion of all of 
the workshops assisted in the third year grants are awarded under this 
section, the Chairperson shall conduct an evaluation to--
            (1) determine the overall success of the grant program 
        authorized under this section; and
            (2) highlight the best grantees' practices in order to 
        become models for future grantees.
    (i) Non-Federal Funds.--A nonprofit educational institution 
receiving Federal assistance under this section may contribute non-
Federal funds toward the costs of operating the Academy.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2007.

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL ACADEMIES FOR STUDENTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND 
              CIVICS.

    (a) Establishment.--From amounts appropriated under subsection (j), 
the Chairperson shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
nonprofit educational institutions to establish Congressional Academies 
for Students of American History and Civics (in this section referred 
to as ``Academies'') that shall offer workshops for outstanding 
students of American history and civics to broaden and deepen such 
students' understanding of American history and civics.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--A nonprofit educational institution that 
        desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an 
        application to the Chairperson at such time, in such manner, 
        and containing such information as the Chairperson may require.
            (2) Contents.--An application submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) include the criteria the nonprofit educational 
                institution intends to use to determine which students 
                will be selected to attend workshops offered by the 
                Academy;
                    (B) identify the individual the nonprofit 
                educational institution intends to appoint to be the 
                primary professor at the Academy; and
                    (C) include a description of the curriculum to be 
                used at workshops offered by the Academy.
    (c) Number of Grants.--Except as provided in subsection (e)(2)(B), 
the Chairperson shall award not more than 12 grants to different 
nonprofit educational institutions under this section.
    (d) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Chairperson shall ensure that such grants are equitably distributed 
among the geographical regions of the United States.
    (e) Grant Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        for a term of 2 years.
            (2) Grants after first two years.--Upon completion of the 
        first 2-year grant term, the Chairperson shall--
                    (A) renew a grant awarded under this section to a 
                nonprofit educational institution for one more term of 
                2 years; or
                    (B) award a new grant to a nonprofit educational 
                institution having an application approved under this 
                section for a term of 2 years, notwithstanding the 12 
                grant award maximum under subsection (c).
    (f) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Workshops.--
                    (A) In general.--A nonprofit educational 
                institution that receives a grant under this section 
                shall establish an Academy that shall offer a workshop 
                during the summer, or during another appropriate time, 
                for outstanding students of American history and civics 
                to broaden and deepen such students' understanding of 
                American history and civics.
                    (B) Duration of workshop.--A workshop offered 
                pursuant to this section shall be approximately 4 weeks 
                in duration.
            (2) Academy staff.--
                    (A) Primary professor.--Each Academy shall be 
                headed by a primary professor identified in the 
                application submitted under subsection (b) who shall--
                            (i) be accomplished in the field of 
                        American history and civics; and
                            (ii) design the curriculum for and lead the 
                        workshop.
                    (B) Core teachers.--Each primary professor shall 
                appoint an appropriate number of core teachers. At the 
                direction of the primary professor, the core teachers 
                shall teach the workshop attendees.
            (3) Selection of students.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) Number of students.--Each year, each 
                        Academy shall select approximately 300 eligible 
                        students to attend the workshop offered by the 
                        Academy.
                            (ii) Flexibility in number of students.--An 
                        Academy may select more than or fewer than 300 
                        eligible students depending on the population 
                        in the region where the Academy is located.
                    (B) Eligible students.--A student shall be eligible 
                to attend a workshop offered by an Academy if the 
                student--
                            (i) is recommended by the student's 
                        secondary school principal (or other head of 
                        such student's secondary school) to attend the 
                        workshop; and
                            (ii) will be a junior or senior in a public 
                        or private secondary school in the academic 
                        year following attendance at the workshop.
                    (C) Students from same region.--In selecting 
                students to attend a workshop, an Academy shall select 
                primarily students who attend secondary schools located 
                in the region where the Academy is located.
    (g) Costs.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
        student who attends a workshop offered pursuant to this section 
        shall not incur costs associated with attending the workshop, 
        including costs for meals, lodging, and materials while 
        attending the workshop.
            (2) Travel costs.--A student who attends a workshop offered 
        pursuant to this section shall use non-Federal funds to pay for 
        such student's costs of transit to and from the Academy.
    (h) Evaluation.--Not later than 90 days after completion of all of 
the workshops assisted in the third year grants are awarded under this 
section, the Chairperson shall conduct an evaluation to--
            (1) determine the overall success of the grant program 
        authorized under this section; and
            (2) highlight the best grantees' practices in order to 
        become models for future grantees.
    (i) Non-Federal Funds.--A nonprofit educational institution 
receiving Federal assistance under this section may contribute non-
Federal funds toward the costs of operating the Academy.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $14,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2007.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under subsection 
        (e), the Chairperson shall award a grant to an organization for 
        the creation of a national alliance of elementary school and 
        secondary school teachers of American history and civics.
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the national alliance is--
                    (A) to facilitate the sharing of ideas among 
                teachers of American history and civics; and
                    (B) to encourage best practices in the teaching of 
                American history and civics.
    (b) Application.--An organization that desires to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Chairperson at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Chairperson may require.
    (c) Grant Term.--A grant awarded under this section shall be for a 
term of 2 years and may be renewed after the initial term expires.
    (d) Use of Funds.--An organization that receives a grant under this 
section may use the grant funds for any of the following:
            (1) Creation of a website on the Internet to facilitate 
        discussion of new ideas on improving American history and 
        civics education.
            (2) Creation of in-State chapters of the national alliance, 
        to which individual teachers of American history and civics may 
        belong, that sponsors American history and civics activities 
        for such teachers in the State.
            (3) Seminars, lectures, or other events focused on American 
        history and civics, which may be sponsored in cooperation with, 
        or through grants awarded to, libraries, States' humanities 
        councils, or other appropriate entities.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $4,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2007.
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