I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1078
To establish academies for teachers and students of American history and 
civics and a national alliance of teachers of American history and civics, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2003
Mr. WICKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish academies for teachers and students of Amer-
ican history and civics and a national alliance of teachers 
of American history and civics, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American History and 
Civics Education Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS.—The term 
‘‘American history and civics’’ means the key events,
key persons, key ideas, and key documents that 
shaped the institutions and democratic heritage of 
the United States. 
(2) CHAIRPERSON.—The term ‘‘Chairperson’’ 
means the Chairperson of the National Endowment 
for the Humanities. 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(4) KEY DOCUMENTS.—The term ‘‘key docu-
ments’’ means the documents that established or ex-
plained the foundational principles of democracy in 
the United States, including the United States Con-
stitution and the amendments to the Constitution 
(particularly the Bill of Rights), the Declaration of 
Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Eman-
cipation Proclamation. 
(5) KEY
EVENTS.—The term ‘‘key events’’ 
means the critical turning points in the history of 
the United States (including the American Revolu-
tion, the Civil War, the world wars of the twentieth 
century, the civil rights movement, and the major 
court decisions and legislation) that contributed to
extending the promise of democracy in American 
life. 
(6) KEY IDEAS.—The term ‘‘key ideas’’ means 
the ideas that shaped the democratic institutions 
and heritage of the United States, including the no-
tion of equal justice under the law, freedom, individ-
ualism, human rights, and a belief in progress. 
(7) KEY PERSONS.—The term ‘‘key persons’’ 
means the men and women who led the United 
States as founding fathers, elected officials, sci-
entists, inventors, pioneers, advocates of equal 
rights, entrepreneurs, and artists. 
(8) NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.—
The term ‘‘nonprofit educational institution’’—
(A) means—
(i) an institution of higher education; 
or 
(ii) a nonprofit educational research 
center; and 
(B) includes a consortium of entities de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the 50 States and the District of Columbia.
SEC. 3. PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIES FOR TEACHING OF 
AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—From amounts appropriated 
under subsection (j), the Chairperson shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis, to nonprofit educational institu-
tions to establish Presidential Academies for Teaching of 
American History and Civics (in this section referred to 
as ‘‘Academies’’) that shall offer workshops for teachers 
of American history and civics—
(1) to learn how better to teach the subjects of 
American history and civics; and 
(2) to strengthen such teachers’ knowledge of 
such subjects. 
(b) APPLICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A nonprofit educational in-
stitution that desires to receive a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Chair-
person at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Chairperson may require. 
(2) 
CONTENTS.—An 
application 
submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall—
(A) include the criteria the nonprofit edu-
cational institution intends to use to determine 
which teachers will be selected to attend work-
shops offered by the Academy;
proved under this section for a term of 2 years, 
notwithstanding the 12 grant award maximum 
under subsection (c). 
(f) USE OF FUNDS.—
(1) WORKSHOPS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—A nonprofit educational 
institution that receives a grant under this sec-
tion shall establish an Academy that shall offer 
a workshop during the summer, or during an-
other 
appropriate 
time, 
for 
kindergarten 
through grade 12 teachers of American history 
and civics—
(i) to learn how better to teach the 
subjects of American history and civics; 
and 
(ii) to strengthen such teachers’ 
knowledge of such subjects. 
(B) DURATION OF WORKSHOP.—A work-
shop offered pursuant to this section shall be 
approximately 2 weeks in duration. 
(2) ACADEMY STAFF.—
(A) PRIMARY PROFESSOR.—Each Academy 
shall be headed by a primary professor identi-
fied in the application submitted under sub-
section (b) who shall—
(i) be accomplished in the field of 
American history and civics; and 
(ii) design the curriculum for and lead 
the workshop. 
(B) CORE TEACHERS.—Each primary pro-
fessor shall appoint an appropriate number of 
core teachers. At the direction of the primary 
professor, the core teachers shall teach and 
train the workshop attendees. 
(3) SELECTION OF TEACHERS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—
(i) NUMBER
OF
TEACHERS.—Each 
year, each Academy shall select approxi-
mately 300 kindergarten through grade 12 
teachers of American history and civics to 
attend the workshop offered by the Acad-
emy. 
(ii) FLEXIBILITY
IN
NUMBER
OF 
TEACHERS.—An Academy may select more 
than or fewer than 300 teachers depending 
on the population in the region where the 
Academy is located. 
(B) TEACHERS FROM SAME REGION.—In 
selecting teachers to attend a workshop, an 
Academy shall select primarily teachers who
teach in schools located in the region where the 
Academy is located. 
(C) TEACHERS
FROM
PUBLIC
AND
PRI-
VATE
SCHOOLS.—An Academy may select 
teachers from public schools and private schools 
to attend the workshop offered by the Academy. 
(g) COSTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a teacher who attends a workshop offered 
pursuant to this section shall not incur costs associ-
ated with attending the workshop, including costs 
for meals, lodging, and materials while attending the 
workshop. 
(2) TRAVEL COSTS.—A teacher who attends a 
workshop offered pursuant to this section shall use 
non-Federal funds to pay for such teacher’s costs of 
transit to and from the Academy. 
(h) EVALUATION.—Not later than 90 days after com-
pletion of all of the workshops assisted in the third year 
grants are awarded under this section, the Chairperson 
shall conduct an evaluation to—
(1) determine the overall success of the grant 
program authorized under this section; and 
(2) highlight the best grantees’ practices in 
order to become models for future grantees.
(i) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—A nonprofit educational 
institution receiving Federal assistance under this section 
may contribute non-Federal funds toward the costs of op-
erating the Academy. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007. 
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL ACADEMIES FOR STUDENTS OF 
AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—From amounts appropriated 
under subsection (j), the Chairperson shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis, to nonprofit educational institu-
tions to establish Congressional Academies for Students 
of American History and Civics (in this section referred 
to as ‘‘Academies’’) that shall offer workshops for out-
standing students of American history and civics to broad-
en and deepen such students’ understanding of American 
history and civics. 
(b) APPLICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A nonprofit educational in-
stitution that desires to receive a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Chair-
person at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Chairperson may require.
(2) 
CONTENTS.—An 
application 
submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) include the criteria the nonprofit edu-
cational institution intends to use to determine 
which students will be selected to attend work-
shops offered by the Academy; 
(B) identify the individual the nonprofit 
educational institution intends to appoint to be 
the primary professor at the Academy; and 
(C) include a description of the curriculum 
to be used at workshops offered by the Acad-
emy. 
(c) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—Except as provided in 
subsection (e)(2)(B), the Chairperson shall award not 
more than 12 grants to different nonprofit educational in-
stitutions under this section. 
(d) DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Chairperson shall ensure that such grants are 
equitably distributed among the geographical regions of 
the United States. 
(e) GRANT TERMS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants awarded under this 
section shall be for a term of 2 years.
(2) GRANTS AFTER FIRST TWO YEARS.—Upon 
completion of the first 2-year grant term, the Chair-
person shall—
(A) renew a grant awarded under this sec-
tion to a nonprofit educational institution for 
one more term of 2 years; or 
(B) award a new grant to a nonprofit edu-
cational institution having an application ap-
proved under this section for a term of 2 years, 
notwithstanding the 12 grant award maximum 
under subsection (c). 
(f) USE OF FUNDS.—
(1) WORKSHOPS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—A nonprofit educational 
institution that receives a grant under this sec-
tion shall establish an Academy that shall offer 
a workshop during the summer, or during an-
other appropriate time, for outstanding stu-
dents of American history and civics to broaden 
and deepen such students’ understanding of 
American history and civics. 
(B) DURATION OF WORKSHOP.—A work-
shop offered pursuant to this section shall be 
approximately 4 weeks in duration. 
(2) ACADEMY STAFF.—
(A) PRIMARY PROFESSOR.—Each Academy 
shall be headed by a primary professor identi-
fied in the application submitted under sub-
section (b) who shall—
(i) be accomplished in the field of 
American history and civics; and 
(ii) design the curriculum for and lead 
the workshop. 
(B) CORE TEACHERS.—Each primary pro-
fessor shall appoint an appropriate number of 
core teachers. At the direction of the primary 
professor, the core teachers shall teach the 
workshop attendees. 
(3) SELECTION OF STUDENTS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—
(i) NUMBER
OF
STUDENTS.—Each 
year, each Academy shall select approxi-
mately 300 eligible students to attend the 
workshop offered by the Academy. 
(ii) FLEXIBILITY IN NUMBER OF STU-
DENTS.—An Academy may select more 
than or fewer than 300 eligible students 
depending on the population in the region 
where the Academy is located.
(B) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—A student shall 
be eligible to attend a workshop offered by an 
Academy if the student—
(i) is recommended by the student’s 
secondary school principal (or other head 
of such student’s secondary school) to at-
tend the workshop; and 
(ii) will be a junior or senior in a pub-
lic or private secondary school in the aca-
demic year following attendance at the 
workshop. 
(C) STUDENTS FROM SAME REGION.—In 
selecting students to attend a workshop, an 
Academy shall select primarily students who at-
tend secondary schools located in the region 
where the Academy is located. 
(g) COSTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a student who attends a workshop offered 
pursuant to this section shall not incur costs associ-
ated with attending the workshop, including costs 
for meals, lodging, and materials while attending the 
workshop. 
(2) TRAVEL COSTS.—A student who attends a 
workshop offered pursuant to this section shall use
non-Federal funds to pay for such student’s costs of 
transit to and from the Academy. 
(h) EVALUATION.—Not later than 90 days after com-
pletion of all of the workshops assisted in the third year 
grants are awarded under this section, the Chairperson 
shall conduct an evaluation to—
(1) determine the overall success of the grant 
program authorized under this section; and 
(2) highlight the best grantees’ practices in 
order to become models for future grantees. 
(i) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—A nonprofit educational 
institution receiving Federal assistance under this section 
may contribute non-Federal funds toward the costs of op-
erating the Academy. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$14,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS OF AMERICAN 
HISTORY AND CIVICS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—From amounts appropriated 
under subsection (e), the Chairperson shall award a 
grant to an organization for the creation of a na-
tional alliance of elementary school and secondary 
school teachers of American history and civics.
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the national al-
liance is—
(A) to facilitate the sharing of ideas among 
teachers of American history and civics; and 
(B) to encourage best practices in the 
teaching of American history and civics. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An organization that desires to 
receive a grant under this section shall submit an applica-
tion to the Chairperson at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Chairperson may re-
quire. 
(c) GRANT TERM.—A grant awarded under this sec-
tion shall be for a term of 2 years and may be renewed 
after the initial term expires. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—An organization that receives 
a grant under this section may use the grant funds for 
any of the following: 
(1) Creation of a website on the Internet to fa-
cilitate discussion of new ideas on improving Amer-
ican history and civics education. 
(2) Creation of in-State chapters of the national 
alliance, to which individual teachers of American 
history and civics may belong, that sponsors Amer-
ican history and civics activities for such teachers in 
the State.
(3) Seminars, lectures, or other events focused 
on American history and civics, which may be spon-
sored in cooperation with, or through grants award-
ed to, libraries, States’ humanities councils, or other 
appropriate entities. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007.
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