History Is Learned from the Living Act

To establish the History Is Learned from the Living grant program to enable communities to learn about historical movements in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of community members who participated in those movements, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the History Is Learned from the Living Act 2. Sense of Congress regarding preservation of stories of heroes of historical movements in the United States (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The historical movements in the United States over the past century have been integral to growth, progress, and innovation in the United States. (2) Notable examples of such historical movements include the Women’s Suffrage, Reagan Revolution, Peace, Veteran, Civil Rights, Tea Party, Chicano (El Movimiento), Pro-Life, Environmental, and Deficit Reduction Movements. (3) Martin Luther King, Jr., Phyllis Schlafly, Cesar Chavez, William Buckley, Susan B. Anthony, and Ronald Reagan are among the many well-known heroes of such historical movements. (4) In addition to the well-known heroes of such historical movements, there are numerous unsung heroes living in local communities across the United States. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the stories of the unsung heroes of historical movements in the United States over the past century should be preserved and archived, and the historical movements in which they participated remembered, for generations to come. 3. History Is Learned from the Living grant program (a) Grant program There is established the History Is Learned from the Living grant program (in this section referred to as the HILL grant program (b) Requirements Under the HILL grant program, the Secretary shall make 1-year grants in the amount of $50,000 to community groups, organizations, or institutions to— (1) carry out projects through which the community may learn about historical movements in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of members of the community who participated in those movements; and (2) submit to the Secretary a digital report on the projects, in such form and containing such information as may be specified by the Secretary, including— (A) each oral history described in paragraph (1); (B) the relevance of such oral history; and (C) the background of the community member to whom the oral history belongs. (c) Application To be eligible for a grant under this section, a community group, organization, or institution shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (d) Preservation of oral histories The Secretary shall establish a system to preserve and make available to the public the digital reports submitted under subsection (b)(2). (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the HILL grant program $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter.

Summary: History Is Learned from the Living Act This bill establishes the History Is Learned from the Living grant program. The Department of the Interior shall make one-year grants to community groups, organizations, or institutions to carry out projects through which the community may learn about historical movements in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of community members who participated in those movements.