[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4196 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4196

To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish an 
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and 
               Community Service, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 18, 2024

 Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish an 
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and 
               Community Service, 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 ``Building Civic Bridges Act''.

SEC. 2. CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING.

    Subtitle H of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12653 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

                    ``PART VI--CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING

``SEC. 198T. OFFICE OF CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There shall be in the Corporation an Office 
of Civic Bridgebuilding (in this section referred to as the `Office'). 
The Office shall be headed by an Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding, who 
shall be designated by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to section 
195(b).
    ``(b) Duties.--The Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding shall carry out 
each of the following:
            ``(1) Administer the grant program described in subsection 
        (d) to support civic bridgebuilding across the United States, 
        including by establishing standardized criteria (based on 
        principles of scientific research and input through the 
        consultation process under subsection (c)) to track the 
        effectiveness of projects and activities funded under such 
        program.
            ``(2) Support the Corporation in providing training in 
        skills and techniques relevant to civic bridgebuilding (based 
        on principles of scientific research and input through the 
        consultation process under subsection (c))--
                    ``(A) for participants (including individuals who 
                have been selected to be participants) of a program 
                receiving funding under the authority of the national 
                service laws; and
                    ``(B) upon request by an organization that receives 
                funding under the authority of the national service 
                laws or that is carrying out a program in which 
                participants described in subparagraph (A) are 
                participating, for such organization.
            ``(3) Support research and evaluations on civic 
        bridgebuilding and the dissemination of related information, 
        including through--
                    ``(A) evaluation and oversight of the grant program 
                described in subsection (d);
                    ``(B) as the Corporation determines necessary, 
                collaboration (including through the evaluation of the 
                activities of the Corporation relating to civic 
                bridgebuilding and civic engagement) between the Office 
                and--
                            ``(i) other offices (such as the Office of 
                        Research and Evaluation), teams, or individuals 
                        within the Corporation; and
                            ``(ii) other Federal agencies, including 
                        the Community Relations Service of the 
                        Department of Justice, the United States Agency 
                        for International Development, and the United 
                        States Institute of Peace; and
                    ``(C) the establishment of a publicly available 
                collection of publications for a research base for the 
                purpose of assembling research focused on evaluating 
                the extent to which civic bridgebuilding and civic 
                engagement activities strengthen or weaken other civic 
                bridgebuilding and civic engagement activities and 
                outcomes in the United States.
            ``(4) Activate and sustain a public conversation about the 
        importance of civic bridgebuilding by convening and 
        coordinating civic bridgebuilding programs and providing 
        resources, networking, and collaboration opportunities to 
        individuals and entities in the civic bridgebuilding field for 
        the purpose of disseminating and refining best practices based 
        on principles of scientific research and input through the 
        consultation process under subsection (c).
    ``(c) Consultation Process.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the duties under this 
        section, the Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding shall consult with 
        members of the civic bridgebuilding field, including for 
        purposes of--
                    ``(A) identifying strategic priorities for the 
                Office;
                    ``(B) developing the standardized criteria required 
                under subsection (b)(1);
                    ``(C) supporting the development and dissemination 
                of research under subsection (b)(3);
                    ``(D) developing best practices for civic 
                bridgebuilding under subsection (b)(4); and
                    ``(E) administering the grant program described in 
                subsection (d).
            ``(2) Diversity in consultation.--In carrying out the 
        consultation under paragraph (1), the Officer of Civic 
        Bridgebuilding shall consult members of the civic 
        bridgebuilding field who represent diverse ideological, 
        religious, racial, regional, professional, or ethnic 
        communities, including such members--
                    ``(A) who represent eligible entities engaged in 
                civic bridgebuilding;
                    ``(B) who represent existing or potential programs 
                and grantees receiving funding under the authority of 
                the national service laws, including State Service 
                Commissions;
                    ``(C) who are researchers producing work based on 
                principles of scientific research related to civic 
                bridgebuilding in the United States and 
                internationally; and
                    ``(D) who represent other Federal agencies or 
                public institutions engaged in or supporting work 
                related to civic bridgebuilding in the United States 
                and internationally, such as--
                            ``(i) the Community Relations Service of 
                        the Department of Justice;
                            ``(ii) the United States Agency for 
                        International Development; and
                            ``(iii) the United States Institute of 
                        Peace.
    ``(d) Civic Bridgebuilding Pilot Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--From the amounts appropriated to carry 
        out this subsection, the Corporation (acting through the 
        Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding with input through the 
        consultation process under subsection (c))--
                    ``(A) shall carry out a pilot program for a 3-year 
                period to award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
                eligible entities to support civic bridgebuilding 
                programs across the United States for purposes of--
                            ``(i) reducing conflict and improving 
                        social cohesion; and
                            ``(ii) addressing a public concern such as 
                        unmet human, educational, health care, 
                        environmental, or public safety needs; and
                    ``(B) may carry out such a pilot program for 
                additional 3-year periods.
            ``(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this subsection 
        shall be for a 1-year period. Grants shall be awarded under 
        this subsection in 3 grant cycles for each 3-year period of the 
        pilot program carried out under paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application 
        to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information and assurances as the Corporation may require, 
        including--
                    ``(A) a description of the project that will be 
                funded with the grant;
                    ``(B) an explanation of how that such project 
                will--
                            ``(i) engage communities across lines of 
                        polarization;
                            ``(ii) facilitate the establishment or 
                        continuation of civic bridgebuilding and social 
                        cohesion, which may include addressing the root 
                        causes of polarization and conflict as 
                        described in the publicly available collection 
                        of publications for a research base established 
                        under subsection (b)(3)(C);
                            ``(iii) reflect research supporting the 
                        efficacy and impact of the proposed approach 
                        for the project; and
                            ``(iv) ensure physical, social, and 
                        psychological wellbeing and safety for all 
                        participants involved in the project, including 
                        for such participants from historically 
                        marginalized communities;
                    ``(C) a description of best practices grounded in 
                principles of scientific research for how such safety 
                will be achieved; and
                    ``(D) an assurance that the eligible entity will 
                report outcomes of such project to track effectiveness 
                based on standardized criteria established by the 
                Office of Civic Bridgebuilding under subsection (b)(1).
            ``(4) Uses of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this subsection shall use the grant funds to carry out a 
        project to advance civic bridgebuilding in communities across 
        the United States.
    ``(e) Comptroller General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall, not later than 18 months after the end of the 3-year 
period of the program carried out under subsection (d)(1)(A) and, as 
applicable, not later than 18 months after each 3-year period of the 
program carried out under subsection (d)(1)(B), submit to Congress a 
report, which summarizes and assesses the effectiveness and impact of 
the activities carried out under grants awarded under subsection (d).
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Civic bridgebuilding.--The term `civic 
        bridgebuilding'--
                    ``(A) means an activity, grounded in principles of 
                scientific research, that--
                            ``(i) fosters respect between diverse 
                        communities;
                            ``(ii) supports social cohesion and 
                        diminishes polarization;
                            ``(iii) forges a sense of common civic 
                        purpose; and
                            ``(iv) seeks to address a public concern 
                        such as unmet human, educational, health care, 
                        environmental, or public safety needs; and
                    ``(B) includes--
                            ``(i) activities that take place in local 
                        communities, where individuals and institutions 
                        come together to build empathy and social 
                        cohesion, strengthen belonging, and address 
                        local issues; and
                            ``(ii) activities at the field level, where 
                        civic bridgebuilding leaders work together to 
                        share research and best practices, learn from 
                        one another, and grow other civic 
                        bridgebuilding.
            ``(2) Civic bridgebuilding field.--The term `civic 
        bridgebuilding field' means--
                    ``(A) the programs, leaders, and community groups 
                involved in civic bridgebuilding activities;
                    ``(B) researchers producing work based on 
                principles of scientific research related to civic 
                bridgebuilding in the United States and abroad; and
                    ``(C) Federal agencies and public institutions 
                engaged in or supporting work related to civic 
                bridgebuilding in the United States and 
                internationally.
            ``(3) Civic bridgebuilding leader.--The term `civic 
        bridgebuilding leader' means an individual who leads civic 
        bridgebuilding programs or efforts.
            ``(4) Civic engagement.--The term `civic engagement' means 
        an individual or collective action designed to address a public 
        concern such as an unmet human, educational, health care, 
        environmental, or public safety need.
            ``(5) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
        nonprofit entity, community- or faith-based organization, 
        institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) 
        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), 
        public institution, or consortium of any such entities.
            ``(6) Public institution.--The term `public institution' 
        means a library or unit of State, local, or special purpose 
        government.
            ``(7) Research base.--The term `research base' means any 
        publications that contain observations, analysis, and 
        conclusions based on principles of scientific research with 
        respect to the challenges of political and social polarization 
        in the United States, and practical approaches to strengthen 
        social cohesion, foster a sense of national connection, or 
        improve intergroup relations in divided communities.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2027.''.

SEC. 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents in section 1(b) of the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990 is amended by inserting at the end of the item 
relating to subtitle H of title I, the following:

                    ``Part VI--Civic Bridgebuilding

``Sec. 198T. Office of Civic Bridgebuilding.''.
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