SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON CIVICS EDU-
CATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Congres-
sional Commission on Civics Education (referred to in this 
Act as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 10 members, of whom: 
(A) Five shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House and the House Minority Leader, 
in consultation with the Chair and Ranking 
Member of the House Committee on Education 
and Labor. 
(B) Five shall be appointed by the Senate 
Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader, 
in consultation with the Chair and Ranking 
Member of the Senate Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions. 
(2) EXPERTISE
OF
MEMBERS.—Members ap-
pointed under paragraph (1) shall represent entities 
or professions having to do with civic knowledge and 
education, including— 
(A) elementary and secondary schools; 
(B) institutions of higher education; 
(C) State educational agencies; 
(D) local educational agencies; 
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(E) Federal, State, or local government; 
(F) journalism; and 
(G) nonprofit providers of civic education. 
(3) LIMITATIONS.—Members appointed under 
paragraph (1) may not be— 
(A) at any time during such appointment, 
a Member of Congress; or 
(B) individuals who have made political 
contributions of any amount to any appointing 
Congressional officials at any time. 
(4) COMMISSION CHAIRS.—From the members 
appointed under paragraph (1), the Commission 
shall be co-chaired by— 
(A) 1 member selected by the appointing 
Congressional officials belonging to the majority 
party; and 
(B) 1 member selected by the appointing 
Congressional officials belonging to the minority 
party. 
(5) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member shall 
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(c) STAFF OF COMMISSION.— 
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(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 
Director who shall be appointed by the co-chairs. 
(2) STAFF.—To the extent or in the amounts 
provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Di-
rector, in coordination with the co-chairs, may ap-
point and fix the pay of additional personnel as the 
Commission considers appropriate. 
(3) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Com-
mission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Commission shall: 
(1) Examine existing civics education programs 
in each State. 
(2) Solicit the views of educators, school admin-
istrators, and other State and local education offi-
cials, including through— 
(A) direct contact and engagement; 
(B) field hearings; 
(C) roundtable discussions; and 
(D) focus groups. 
(3) Submit the report required under subsection 
(f). 
(e) POWERS.— 
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(1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may, for pur-
poses of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and 
act at times and places, take testimony, and receive 
evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 
(2) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commis-
sion may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the Unites States information necessary to 
enable it to carry out this Act. 
(3) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND
DEVISES.—The 
Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, 
bequests, or devises of services or property, both real 
and personal, in a manner that does not affect the 
findings of the Commission. 
(4) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other departments and agen-
cies of the United States. 
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.— 
Upon the request of the Commission, the Adminis-
trator of General Services shall provide to the Com-
mission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Commission to 
carry out the responsibilities of the Commission 
under this Act. 
(f) REPORT.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the first meeting of the Commis-
sion, the Commission shall submit a report to Con-
gress that contains the following: 
(A) A description of each State that exhib-
its— 
(i) high levels of success in civic edu-
cation and civic learning; 
(ii) moderate levels of success in civic 
education and civic learning; and 
(iii) low levels of success in civic edu-
cation and civic learning. 
(B) A determination with respect to exist-
ing State civic education programs that may be 
used as national models in all States. 
(C) Recommendations to the Secretary of 
Education with respect to issuing guidance on 
civics education to States. 
(D) A recommendation as to how the Sec-
retary should dedicate Department funds and 
resources to promoting civics education, includ-
ing with respect to establishing an office dedi-
cated to civics education. 
(2) BRIEFING.—Upon submission of the report 
described in paragraph (1), the Commission shall 
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brief, with respect to the contents of such report, the 
following individuals: 
(A) Appointing Congressional officials. 
(B) Members of the House Committee on 
Education and Labor. 
(C) Members of the Senate Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 
(D) The Secretary. 
(3) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date on which the briefing required under 
paragraph (2) occurs, the Secretary shall make the 
report described in paragraph (1) publicly available 
on the website of the Department of Education. 
(g) MONTHLY EXPENSE REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall sub-
mit to the Chief Administrator of the House of Rep-
resentatives a detailed monthly expense report for 
each month in accordance with paragraph (2). 
(2) TIMING.—With respect to a month, a report 
required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted 
during the period beginning on the first day of such 
month and ending on the day that is 15 days after 
the last day of such month. 
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(h) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect on 
the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry 
out this section. 
(2) ADDITIONAL USES.—In addition to carrying 
out the activities described in this section, the Com-
mission may use the funds appropriated under para-
graph (1) for— 
(A) office supplies; 
(B) necessary electronic equipment, includ-
ing— 
(i) computers; 
(ii) printers; and 
(iii) telecommunications equipment; 
and 
(C) maintenance costs, including— 
(i) technical support; and 
(ii) equipment repair. 
(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) APPOINTING CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIAL.— 
The 
term 
‘‘appointing 
Congressional 
official’’ 
means— 
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(A) the Speaker of the House; 
(B) the House Minority Leader; 
(C) the Senate Majority Leader; and 
(D) the Senate Minority Leader. 
(2) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘Department’’, 
‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, 
‘‘secondary school’’, ‘‘Secretary’’, ‘‘State’’, and 
‘‘State educational agency’’ have the meanings given 
such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(3) NONPROFIT
PROVIDER
OF
CIVIC
EDU-
CATION.—The term ‘‘nonprofit provider of civic edu-
cation’’ means an organization that focuses on sup-
porting and strengthening civics education pro-
grams. 
Æ 
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