I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5140 

To establish the Congressional Teacher Award Task Force to enter into 

an agreement with a nonprofit entity for the operation of a program 

to recognize excellent elementary and secondary school teachers, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2006 

Mr. HOLT (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. 

KENNEDY of Minnesota, Ms. LEE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. WOLF, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. MCINTYRE, and Mr. INSLEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To establish the Congressional Teacher Award Task Force 

to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit entity for 

the operation of a program to recognize excellent elementary and secondary school teachers, 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 ‘‘Congressional Teacher 

5 Award Act of 2006’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL TEACHER AWARD TASK FORCE. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established 

4 the Congressional Teacher Award Task Force (here5 after in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Task Force’’), 

6 consisting of the following members: 

7 (A) 6 members of the House of Represent8 atives, of whom 3 shall be appointed by the 

9 Speaker of the House of Representatives and 3 

10 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 

11 House of Representatives. 

12 (B) 6 members of the Senate, of whom 3 

13 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the 

14 Senate and 3 shall be appointed by the minority 

15 leader of the Senate. 

16 (2) CO-CHAIRS.—The members of the Task 

17 Force shall designate two of the members, of whom 

18 one shall be a member of the House of Representa19 tives and the other shall be a member of the Senate, 

20 to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force. 

21 (b) DUTIES.—It is the duty of the Task Force to find 

22 an appropriate nonprofit entity to operate the Congres23 sional Teacher Award Program described in section 3. 

24 (c) DEADLINE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

25 of the enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall des26 ignate a nonprofit entity which will enter into a written 


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1 agreement to operate the Congressional Teacher Award 

2 Program described in section 3. 

3 (d) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.— 

4 (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

5 There are authorized to be appropriated from the 

6 applicable accounts of the House of Representatives 

7 and the contingent fund of the Senate (in such allo8 cation as the Task Force may establish) such sums 

9 as may be necessary for the operation of the Task 

10 Force. 

11 (2) VOUCHERS.—In the case of amounts paid 

12 from the applicable accounts of the House of Rep13 resentatives, payments shall be made on vouchers 

14 signed by the co-chair who is a member of the 

15 House of Representatives and approved in the man16 ner directed by the Committee on House Adminis17 tration. 

18 (e) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 

19 upon the expiration of the 30-day period which begins on 

20 the date the nonprofit entity enters into the written agree21 ment referred to in subsection (c). 

22 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL TEACHER AWARD PROGRAM. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Congressional Teacher 

24 Award Program— 


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1 (1) shall provide an award each academic year 

2 to one excellent private or public elementary or sec3 ondary school teacher in each congressional district 

4 of the United States (including each district of a 

5 Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Con6 gress); and 

7 (2) may provide scholarships for professional 

8 development to teachers receiving an award under 

9 the Program. 

10 (b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Congres11 sional Teacher Award Program shall include eligibility re12 quirements for a teacher to qualify as a recipient of an 

13 award under the Program, including requirements that 

14 each such recipient— 

15 (1) be certified as a teacher; 

16 (2) have at least 5 consecutive years of teaching 

17 experience in private or public elementary or sec18 ondary school; 

19 (3) demonstrate— 

20 (A) a commitment of service to his or her 

21 school; 

22 (B) maintenance of high academic stand23 ards for students; and 

24 (C) incorporation of multiculturalism, tech25 nology, interdisciplinary studies, student relVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:14 Apr 13, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5140.IH H5140

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1 evance, and current issues in lessons, classroom 

2 activities, and special presentations; and 

3 (4) provide 3 letters of recommendation, includ4 ing a letter from each of a principal, a fellow teach5 er, and a student. 

Æ 


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