[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4766 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4766


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2006

                                Received

                           November 13, 2006

       Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT



 To amend the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to provide for the 
  revitalization of Native American languages through Native American 
          language immersion programs; 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 ``Esther Martinez Native American 
Languages Preservation Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PROGRAM TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL AND CONTINUING 
              VITALITY OF NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES.

    Section 803C of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2991b-3) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (5) by striking ``and'' at the 
                end,
                    (B) in paragraph (6) by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and'', and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7)(A) Native American language nests, which are site-
        based educational programs that--
                    ``(i) provide instruction and child care through 
                the use of a Native American language for at least 10 
                children under the age of 7 for an average of at least 
                500 hours per year per student;
                    ``(ii) provide classes in a Native American 
                language for parents (or legal guardians) of students 
                enrolled in a Native American language nest (including 
                Native American language-speaking parents); and
                    ``(iii) ensure that a Native American language is 
                the dominant medium of instruction in the Native 
                American language nest;
            ``(B) Native American language survival schools, which are 
        site-based educational programs for school-age students that--
                    ``(i) provide an average of at least 500 hours of 
                instruction through the use of 1 or more Native 
                American languages for at least 15 students for whom a 
                Native American language survival school is their 
                principal place of instruction;
                    ``(ii) develop instructional courses and materials 
                for learning Native American languages and for 
                instruction through the use of Native American 
                languages;
                    ``(iii) provide for teacher training;
                    ``(iv) work toward a goal of all students 
                achieving--
                            ``(I) fluency in a Native American 
                        language; and
                            ``(II) academic proficiency in mathematics, 
                        reading (or language arts), and science; and
                    ``(v) are located in areas that have high numbers 
                or percentages of Native American students; and
            ``(C) Native American language restoration programs, which 
        are educational programs that--
                    ``(i) operate at least 1 Native American language 
                program for the community in which it serves;
                    ``(ii) provide training programs for teachers of 
                Native American languages;
                    ``(iii) develop instructional materials for the 
                programs;
                    ``(iv) work toward a goal of increasing proficiency 
                and fluency in at least 1 Native American language;
                    ``(v) provide instruction in at least 1 Native 
                American language; and
                    ``(vi) may use funds received under this section 
                for--
                            ``(I) Native American language programs, 
                        such as Native American language immersion 
                        programs, Native American language and culture 
                        camps, Native American language programs 
                        provided in coordination and cooperation with 
                        educational entities, Native American language 
                        programs provided in coordination and 
                        cooperation with local universities and 
                        colleges, Native American language programs 
                        that use a master-apprentice model of learning 
                        languages, and Native American language 
                        programs provided through a regional program to 
                        better serve geographically dispersed students;
                            ``(II) Native American language teacher 
                        training programs, such as training programs in 
                        Native American language translation for fluent 
                        speakers, training programs for Native American 
                        language teachers, training programs for 
                        teachers in schools to utilize Native American 
                        language materials, tools, and interactive 
                        media to teach Native American language; and
                            ``(III) the development of Native American 
                        language materials, such as books, audio and 
                        visual tools, and interactive media 
                        programs.'',
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (5) by striking ``and'' at the 
                end,
                    (B) in paragraph (6) by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and'', and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) in the case of an application for a grant to carry 
        out any purpose specified in subsection (b)(7)(B), a 
        certification by the applicant that the applicant has not less 
        than 3 years of experience in operating and administering a 
        Native American language survival school, a Native American 
        language nest, or any other educational program in which 
        instruction is conducted in a Native American language.'', and
            (3) in subsection (e)(2) by inserting before the period the 
        following: ``, except that grants made under such subsection 
        for any purpose specified in subsection (b)(7) may be made only 
        on a 3-year basis''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    Section 815 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
2992c) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (2) through (7), respectively, and
            (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 
        the following:
            ``(1) `average' means the aggregate number of hours of 
        instruction through the use of a Native American language to 
        all students enrolled in a native language immersion program 
        during a school year divided by the total number of students 
        enrolled in the immersion program;''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR PROGRAM TO ENSURE THE 
              SURVIVAL AND CONTINUING VITALITY OF NATIVE AMERICAN 
              LANGUAGES.

    Section 816(e) of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 
U.S.C. 2992d(e)) is amended by striking ``1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002'' 
and inserting ``2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 27, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.