[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3745 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3745

To improve Mandarin language education by authorizing grants to support 
the creation of Mandarin language classes for elementary and secondary 
              school and adult education program students.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 4, 2007

 Mr. Knollenberg introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve Mandarin language education by authorizing grants to support 
the creation of Mandarin language classes for elementary and secondary 
              school and adult education program 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 ``Mandarin Language Teaching Grant Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the 50 States of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and 
        American Samoa.
            (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        school district located in any State, or a group of two or more 
        school districts located in any State.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
eligible entities to institute Mandarin language classes for elementary 
and secondary school and adult education students.
    (b) Term.--Each grant shall be for a term of 5 years.
    (c) Instructor Compensation.--Funds received under such grant may 
be used to pay any salary or benefit to a Mandarin language instructor.
    (d) Supplanting.--Funds made available under this section shall 
supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, or local funds 
available to an eligible entity to carry out activities described in 
this Act.

SEC. 4. APPLICATION PROCEDURES.

    (a) Application.--To be considered for a grant under section 3, an 
eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such 
time, in such manner, and including such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    (b) Criteria for Approval.--In making a determination of whether to 
award to an eligible entity a grant under section 3, the Secretary 
shall give special consideration to applications describing programs 
that--
            (1) include a range of class levels, from beginner to 
        advanced;
            (2) link speakers in the community who are bilingual in 
        English and Mandarin with elementary and secondary schools in 
        order to promote two-way language learning;
            (3) promote the sequential study of Mandarin language for 
        students, beginning in elementary school;
            (4) make effective use of technology, such as computer-
        assisted instruction, language laboratories, or distance 
        learning, to promote Mandarin language study;
            (5) promote innovative activities, such as Mandarin 
        language immersion, partial Mandarin language immersion, or 
        content-based instruction; and
            (6) promote a comprehensive approach to learning Mandarin, 
        which includes programs on the history and culture of China.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary for the purpose of making grants under section 3 of this Act 
$50,000,000 for the period beginning with fiscal year 2008 and ending 
with fiscal year 2013.
    (b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated under this section 
are authorized to remain available until expended.
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