I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8797 

To establish a Congressional Commission on Civics Education, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2020 

Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. BEYER, Ms. WILD, Ms. MENG, Mr. SUOZZI, and Mr. RASKIN) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To establish a Congressional Commission on Civics 

Education, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Commission on Amer5 ican Civics Education Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON CIVICS EDU2 CATION. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Congres4 sional Commission on Civics Education (referred to in this 

5 Act as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

6 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 

8 composed of 10 members, of whom: 

9 (A) Five shall be appointed by the Speaker 

10 of the House and the House Minority Leader, 

11 in consultation with the Chair and Ranking 

12 Member of the House Committee on Education 

13 and Labor. 

14 (B) Five shall be appointed by the Senate 

15 Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader, 

16 in consultation with the Chair and Ranking 

17 Member of the Senate Committee on Health, 

18 Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

19 (2) EXPERTISE OF MEMBERS.—Members ap20 pointed under paragraph (1) shall represent entities 

21 or professions having to do with civic knowledge and 

22 education, including— 

23 (A) elementary and secondary schools; 

24 (B) institutions of higher education; 

25 (C) State educational agencies; 

26 (D) local educational agencies; 


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1 (E) Federal, State, or local government; 

2 (F) journalism; and 

3 (G) nonprofit providers of civic education. 

4 (3) LIMITATIONS.—Members appointed under 

5 paragraph (1) may not be— 

6 (A) at any time during such appointment, 

7 a Member of Congress; or 

8 (B) individuals who have made political 

9 contributions of any amount to any appointing 

10 Congressional officials at any time. 

11 (4) COMMISSION CHAIRS.—From the members 

12 appointed under paragraph (1), the Commission 

13 shall be co-chaired by— 

14 (A) 1 member selected by the appointing 

15 Congressional officials belonging to the majority 

16 party; and 

17 (B) 1 member selected by the appointing 

18 Congressional officials belonging to the minority 

19 party. 

20 (5) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall 

21 receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 

22 subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 

23 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

24 States Code. 

25 (c) STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 


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1 (1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 

2 Director who shall be appointed by the co-chairs. 

3 (2) STAFF.—To the extent or in the amounts 

4 provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Di5 rector, in coordination with the co-chairs, may ap6 point and fix the pay of additional personnel as the 

7 Commission considers appropriate. 

8 (3) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Com9 mission may procure temporary and intermittent 

10 services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 

11 States Code. 

12 (d) DUTIES.—The Commission shall: 

13 (1) Examine existing civics education programs 

14 in each State. 

15 (2) Solicit the views of educators, school admin16 istrators, and other State and local education offi17 cials, including through— 

18 (A) direct contact and engagement; 

19 (B) field hearings; 

20 (C) roundtable discussions; and 

21 (D) focus groups. 

22 (3) Submit the report required under subsection 

23 (f). 

24 (e) POWERS.— 


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1 (1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for pur2 poses of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and 

3 act at times and places, take testimony, and receive 

4 evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 

5 (2) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commis6 sion may secure directly from any department or 

7 agency of the Unites States information necessary to 

8 enable it to carry out this Act. 

9 (3) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—The 

10 Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, 

11 bequests, or devises of services or property, both real 

12 and personal, in a manner that does not affect the 

13 findings of the Commission. 

14 (4) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 

15 United States mails in the same manner and under 

16 the same conditions as other departments and agen17 cies of the United States. 

18 (5) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.— 

19 Upon the request of the Commission, the Adminis20 trator of General Services shall provide to the Com21 mission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 

22 support services necessary for the Commission to 

23 carry out the responsibilities of the Commission 

24 under this Act. 

25 (f) REPORT.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 

2 after the date of the first meeting of the Commis3 sion, the Commission shall submit a report to Con4 gress that contains the following: 

5 (A) A description of each State that exhib6 its— 

7 (i) high levels of success in civic edu8 cation and civic learning; 

9 (ii) moderate levels of success in civic 

10 education and civic learning; and 

11 (iii) low levels of success in civic edu12 cation and civic learning. 

13 (B) A determination with respect to exist14 ing State civic education programs that may be 

15 used as national models in all States. 

16 (C) Recommendations to the Secretary of 

17 Education with respect to issuing guidance on 

18 civics education to States. 

19 (D) A recommendation as to how the Sec20 retary should dedicate Department funds and 

21 resources to promoting civics education, includ22 ing with respect to establishing an office dedi23 cated to civics education. 

24 (2) BRIEFING.—Upon submission of the report 

25 described in paragraph (1), the Commission shall 


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1 brief, with respect to the contents of such report, the 

2 following individuals: 

3 (A) Appointing Congressional officials. 

4 (B) Members of the House Committee on 

5 Education and Labor. 

6 (C) Members of the Senate Committee on 

7 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

8 (D) The Secretary. 

9 (3) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 90 days 

10 after the date on which the briefing required under 

11 paragraph (2) occurs, the Secretary shall make the 

12 report described in paragraph (1) publicly available 

13 on the website of the Department of Education. 

14 (g) MONTHLY EXPENSE REPORTS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall sub16 mit to the Chief Administrator of the House of Rep17 resentatives a detailed monthly expense report for 

18 each month in accordance with paragraph (2). 

19 (2) TIMING.—With respect to a month, a report 

20 required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted 

21 during the period beginning on the first day of such 

22 month and ending on the day that is 15 days after 

23 the last day of such month. 


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1 (h) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect on 

2 the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment 

3 of this Act. 

4 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

6 appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry 

7 out this section. 

8 (2) ADDITIONAL USES.—In addition to carrying 

9 out the activities described in this section, the Com10 mission may use the funds appropriated under para11 graph (1) for— 

12 (A) office supplies; 

13 (B) necessary electronic equipment, includ14 ing— 

15 (i) computers; 

16 (ii) printers; and 

17 (iii) telecommunications equipment; 

18 and 

19 (C) maintenance costs, including— 

20 (i) technical support; and 

21 (ii) equipment repair. 

22 (j) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

23 (1) APPOINTING CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIAL.— 

24 The term ‘‘appointing Congressional official’’ 

25 means— 


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1 (A) the Speaker of the House; 

2 (B) the House Minority Leader; 

3 (C) the Senate Majority Leader; and 

4 (D) the Senate Minority Leader. 

5 (2) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘Department’’, 

6 ‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, 

7 ‘‘secondary school’’, ‘‘Secretary’’, ‘‘State’’, and 

8 ‘‘State educational agency’’ have the meanings given 

9 such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 

10 Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

11 (3) NONPROFIT PROVIDER OF CIVIC EDU12 CATION.—The term ‘‘nonprofit provider of civic edu13 cation’’ means an organization that focuses on sup14 porting and strengthening civics education pro15 grams. 

Æ 


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