I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3591 

To establish a grant program to enhance existing secondary education programs for the purpose of teaching high school students about the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the individual 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 

Mr. CUMMINGS (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. WATSON, Mr. 

RANGEL, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. WATERS, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CARSON

of Indiana, and Mr. WATT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program to enhance existing secondary 

education programs for the purpose of teaching high 

school students about the Constitution of the United 

States and the constitutions of the individual States. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Constitution and Citi5 zenship Day Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONSTITUTION DAY AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY 

2 SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS. 

3 Part C of title II of the Elementary and Secondary 

4 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amend5 ed by adding at the end the following new subpart: 

6 ‘‘Subpart 6—Teaching of the Constitution 

7 ‘‘SEC. 2371. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF CON8 STITUTION DAY GRANT PROGRAM. 

9 ‘‘(a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary 

10 shall establish and implement a grant program, to be 

11 known as the ‘Constitution Day Grant Program’, under 

12 which the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive 

13 basis to local educational agencies and charter schools for 

14 the purposes of enhancing educational programs to teach 

15 students about the United States Constitution and the 

16 constitution of the State in which the grant recipient is 

17 located. 

18 ‘‘(b) GRANTEE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 

19 Grants under this section may only be awarded to a local 

20 educational agency or charter school with established sec21 ondary educational programs to teach students about the 

22 United States Constitution and the constitution of the 

23 State in which the grant recipient is located. 

24 ‘‘(c) OPERATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.—An 

25 educational program funded by a grant under this section 

26 shall— 


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1 ‘‘(1) occur on Constitution Day, September 17, 

2 of each calender year (or on the Monday imme3 diately following Constitution Day, if Constitution 

4 Day falls on a Saturday or a Sunday); 

5 ‘‘(2) include assemblies, discussions, presen6 tations, or events commemorating the Constitution 

7 of the United States and the constitution of the 

8 State in which the grant recipient is located; 

9 ‘‘(3) include efforts to reinforce existing Con10 stitutional curricula conducted by the grant recipi11 ent; and 

12 ‘‘(4) make available to eligible students partici13 pating in such program the ability to register to 

14 vote. 

15 ‘‘(d) VOTER REGISTRATION LAWS.—A grant recipi16 ent under this section shall abide by all applicable State 

17 and Federal voter registration laws. 

18 ‘‘SEC. 2372. GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS. 

19 ‘‘(a) SECRETARY CREATED PROCESS.—The Sec20 retary shall develop an application process for the grant 

21 program under this subpart, consistent with the require22 ments of this section. 

23 ‘‘(b) GRANT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—An ap24 plication for a grant under this subpart shall— 


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1 ‘‘(1) describe the educational activities to be 

2 funded by the grant; and 

3 ‘‘(2) provide assurances that the requirements 

4 of section 2371(c) will be met, and any additional 

5 assurances that the Secretary determines to be nec6 essary to ensure compliance with the requirements 

7 of this subpart. 

8 ‘‘SEC. 2373. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

9 ‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec10 retary $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 

11 2014 to carry out this subpart.’’. 

Æ 


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