[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2858 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2858

 To establish and strengthen postsecondary 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 9, 2005

  Mr. Petri introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish and strengthen postsecondary 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 purpose.
            (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 school 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 purposes of this Act are to promote and sustain 
postsecondary academic centers, institutes, and programs that offer 
undergraduate and graduate courses, support research, sponsor lectures, 
seminars, and conferences, and develop teaching materials, for the 
purpose of developing and imparting a knowledge of traditional American 
history, the American founding, and 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 who are enrolled in teacher 
        education programs, who may consider becoming school teachers, 
        or who wish to enhance their civic competence;
            (2) elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers in 
        need of additional training in order to effectively teach in 
        these subject areas; and
            (3) graduate students and postsecondary 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.--The term ``eligible 
        institution'' means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education;
                    (B) a specific program within an institution of 
                higher education; and
                    (C) a non-profit history or academic organization 
                associated with higher education whose mission is 
                consistent with the purposes of this Act.
            (2) Free institution.--The term ``free institution'' means 
        an institution that emerged out of Western Civilization, such 
        as democracy, constitutional government, 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--
                    (A) the significant constitutional, political, 
                intellectual, economic, and foreign policy trends and 
                issues that have shaped the course of American history; 
                and
                    (B) 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 award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
institutions, which grants shall be used for--
            (1) history teacher preparation initiatives, that--
                    (A) stress content mastery in traditional American 
                history and the principles 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; and
            (2) strengthening postsecondary 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 
principles 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 at such time, 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 made under this Act.
    (e) Grant Awards.--
            (1) Maximum and minimum grants.--The Secretary shall award 
        each grant under this Act in an amount that is not less than 
        $400,000 and not more than $6,000,000.
            (2) Exception.--A subgrant made by an eligible institution 
        under this Act to another eligible institution shall not be 
        subject to the minimum amount specified in paragraph (1).
    (f) Multiple Awards.--For the purposes of this Act, the Secretary 
may award more than 1 grant to an eligible institution.
    (g) Subgrants.--An eligible institution may use grant funds 
provided under this Act to award subgrants to other eligible 
institutions at the discretion of, and subject to the oversight of, the 
Secretary.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are authorized to 
be appropriated--
            (1) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
        succeeding 5 fiscal years.
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