[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 892 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 892
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to educational
organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 23, 2009
Mr. Menendez introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to educational
organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. HOLOCAUST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
Part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Subpart 22--Holocaust Education Assistance Program
``SEC. 5631. SHORT TITLE.
``This subpart may be cited as the `Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust
Education Assistance Act'.
``SEC. 5632. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
``(1) The Holocaust was an historical event that resulted
in the systemic, state-sponsored, mass murders by Nazi Germany
of 6,000,000 Jews, along with millions of others, in the name
of racial purity.
``(2) Six States (California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
New Jersey, and New York) now mandate that the Holocaust be
taught in the educational curriculum, and 11 States (Alabama,
Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and West
Virginia) recommend teaching the Holocaust but the funds
necessary to carry out those recommendations may not be
available.
``(3) The Holocaust is a sensitive and difficult subject to
teach effectively, and educators need appropriate teaching
tools and training to increase their knowledge of the Holocaust
and enhance the educational experience.
``(b) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this subpart--
``(1) to educate students in the United States so that
they--
``(A) may explore the lessons that the Holocaust
provides for all people; and
``(B) may be less susceptible to the falsehood of
Holocaust denial and to the destructive messages of
hate that arise from Holocaust denial; and
``(2) to provide resources and support for educational
programs that--
``(A) portray accurate historical information about
the Holocaust;
``(B) sensitize communities to the circumstances
that gave rise to the Holocaust;
``(C) convey the lessons that the Holocaust
provides for all people; and
``(D) develop curriculum guides and provide
training to help teachers incorporate the study of the
Holocaust and its lessons into mainstream disciplines.
``SEC. 5633. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``The Secretary is authorized to award grants to educational
organizations to carry out proposed or existing Holocaust educational
programs.
``SEC. 5634. APPLICATION.
``The Secretary may award a grant under this subpart only to an
educational organization that has submitted an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require.
``SEC. 5635. USE OF GRANTS.
``(a) In General.--An educational organization receiving a grant
under this subpart may use the grant only to carry out the Holocaust
education program for which the grant was provided.
``(b) Requirements.--An educational organization receiving a grant
under this subpart shall comply with the following requirements:
``(1) Continuation of eligibility.--The educational
organization shall, throughout the period that the educational
organization receives and uses the grant, continue to be an
educational organization.
``(2) Supplementation of existing funds.--The educational
organization shall ensure that the grant is used to supplement,
and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be
available to the educational organization to carry out the
Holocaust education program for which the grant was provided.
``(c) Additional Conditions.--The Secretary may require additional
terms and conditions in connection with the use of grants provided
under this subpart as the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(d) Cooperative Arrangements.--The Secretary should encourage
educational organizations to work cooperatively with State educational
agencies or local educational agencies in applying for and using grants
under this subpart.
``SEC. 5636. SELECTION CRITERIA.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants under this
subpart in accordance with competitive criteria to be established by
the Secretary.
``(b) Consultation With Holocaust Educators.--In establishing the
competitive criteria under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult
with a number of prominent educators in the field of Holocaust
education, to be determined by the Secretary.
``SEC. 5637. REVIEW AND SANCTIONS.
``(a) Annual Review.--The Secretary shall review at least annually
each educational organization receiving a grant under this subpart to
determine the extent to which the educational organization has complied
with the provisions of this subpart and any regulation issued under
this subpart.
``(b) Imposition of Sanctions.--The Secretary may impose 1 or more
sanctions, to be determined by the Secretary, on an educational
organization for the failure of the educational organization to comply
substantially with the provisions of this subpart or any regulation
issued under this subpart.
``SEC. 5638. ANNUAL REPORT.
``Not later than February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report describing the activities carried out under
this subpart and containing any related information that the Secretary
considers appropriate.
``SEC. 5639. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subpart:
``(1) Educational organization.--The term `educational
organization' means an entity--
``(A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
``(B) exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
``(C) organized and operated for cultural,
literary, or educational purposes.
``(2) Holocaust education program.--The term `Holocaust
education program' means a program that--
``(A) has as its specific and primary purpose to
improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust;
and
``(B) to achieve such purpose, furnishes 1 or more
of the following:
``(i) Educational materials.
``(ii) Student and school-based activities,
including field trips.
``(iii) Teacher training.
``(iv) Any other good or service designed
to improve awareness and understanding of the
Holocaust.
``(3) Holocaust.--The term `Holocaust' means the systemic,
state-sponsored, mass murders by Nazi Germany of 6,000,000
Jews, and millions of others, in the name of racial purity.
``SEC. 5640. REGULATIONS.
``The Secretary shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out
this subpart.
``SEC. 5641. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the
first fiscal year beginning on or after the date of enactment of this
subpart, and for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years, $2,000,000 for
grants under this subpart. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this
subpart shall remain available until expended.''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding after the item relating to
section 5618 the following:
``Subpart 22--Holocaust Education Assistance Program
``Sec. 5631. Short title.
``Sec. 5632. Findings and purposes.
``Sec. 5633. Program authorized.
``Sec. 5634. Application.
``Sec. 5635. Use of grants.
``Sec. 5636. Selection criteria.
``Sec. 5637. Review and sanctions.
``Sec. 5638. Annual report.
``Sec. 5639. Definitions.
``Sec. 5640. Regulations.
``Sec. 5641. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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