I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6561 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 21, 2010 Ms. Richardson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To establish the History is Learned from the Living grant program to enable communities to learn about historical events in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of community members who participated in those events, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the History Is Learned from the Living Act.

2.

Sense of Congress regarding preservation of stories of heroes of historical movements and events in the United States

(a)

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The historical events in the United States over the past century have been integral to growth, progress, and innovation in the United States. (2)Notable examples of such historical movements include the Women’s Suffrage, Reagan Revolution, Peace, Veteran, Civil Rights, Tea Party, Chicano (El Movimiento), Environmental, and Deficit Reduction Movements. (3)Martin Luther King, Jr., Gloria Steinem, Cesar Chavez, William Buckley, Susan B. Anthony, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Rachel Carson, Howard Jarvis and John Muir are among the many well-known heroes of such historical events. (4)In addition to the well-known heroes of such historical events, there are numerous unsung heroes living in local communities across the United States. (b)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that the stories of the unsung heroes of historical events in the United States over the past century should be preserved and archived, and the historical events in which they participated remembered, for generations to come.

3.

History Is Learned from the Living grant program

(a)

Grant program

There is established the History Is Learned from the Living grant program (in this section referred to as the HILL grant program), to be carried out by the Secretary of the Interior. (b)

Requirements

Under the HILL grant program, the Secretary shall make 1-year grants in the amount of $200,000 to community groups, organizations, or institutions to— (1)carry out projects through which the community may learn about historical events in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of members of the community who participated in those events; and (2)submit to the Secretary a digital report (including interviews, documents, videos, photos, etc.) on the projects, in such form and containing such information as may be specified by the Secretary, including but not limited to— (A)each oral history described in paragraph (1); (B)the relevance of such oral history; and (C)the background of those interviewed and the community, organizations and/or institutions to whom the oral history belongs. (c)

Application

To be eligible for a grant under this section, a community group, organization, or institution shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (d)

Preservation of oral histories

The Secretary shall establish a system to preserve and make available to the public the digital reports submitted under subsection (b)(2). (e)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the HILL grant program $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter.