I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2214 
To amend the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to establish inte-
grated English literacy and civics education programs, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2007 
Mr. HINOJOSA (for himself, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GONZALEZ, Ms. 
CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. REYES, Ms. 
SOLIS, and Mr. GUTIERREZ) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the 
Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 
to establish integrated English literacy and civics edu-
cation programs, 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 ‘‘Adults Achieving the 
American Dream Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
(1) According to the National Assessment of 
Adult Literacy, 93 million adults in the United 
States have limited reading, writing, and mathe-
matics skills, and 14 percent of adults in the United 
States have below basic proficiency in prose literacy. 
(2) According to the United States Census, 
nearly 16 percent of adults over the age of 25 have 
not attained a high school diploma or its equivalent. 
(3) According to the United States Census, over 
23 million individuals speak do not speak English 
well. 
(4) An estimated 8 million aliens admitted for 
lawful permanent residency are eligible to apply for 
United States citizenship. 
(5) Recent reports indicate that a majority of 
Adult English as a Second Language programs have 
waiting lists, and some such programs have dropped 
waiting lists because of the extreme demand for 
English as a second language services. 
(6) Only three percent of the 93 million adults 
who could benefit from adult education services, 
English literacy, and civics education programs actu-
ally participate in such services and programs. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
(7) There is a growing and urgent need for ad-
ditional adult education, English literacy, and civics 
education programs for adults in the United States. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ADULT EDUCATION AND 
FAMILY LITERACY ACT. 
(a) INTEGRATED ENGLISH LITERACY AND CIVICS 
EDUCATION PROGRAM.—Section 203 of the Adult Edu-
cation and Family Literacy Act (20 U.S.C. 9202) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(19) INTEGRATED
ENGLISH
LITERACY
AND 
CIVICS
EDUCATION
PROGRAMS.—The term ‘inte-
grated English literacy and civics education pro-
grams’ means programs of instruction designed to 
help an individual of limited English proficiency 
achieve 
competence 
in 
English 
through 
contextualized instruction on the rights and respon-
sibilities of citizenship, naturalization procedures, 
civic participation, and United States history and 
government to help such an individual acquire the 
skills and knowledge to become an active and in-
formed parent, worker, and community member.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
205 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 9204) is amended by inserting 
before the period at the end the following: ‘‘, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
$650,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $750,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2009, $850,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, 
$950,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, $1,100,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2012, and $1,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2013’’. 
(c) RESERVATION
OF FUNDS.—Section 211(a) of 
such Act (20 U.S.C. 9211(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$8,000,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$15,000,000’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘1.5 percent’’ and inserting 
‘‘1.25 percent’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘$8,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$12,000,000’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) shall reserve 12 percent of the amount 
that remains after reserving and making available 
funds under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) to carry 
out section 244.’’. 
(d) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY.—Section 
242(c)(1) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 9252(c)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) by redesignating clauses (ii), (iii), and 
(iv) as clauses (iii), (iv), and (v), respectively; 
and 
(B) by inserting after clause (i) the fol-
lowing new clause: 
‘‘(ii) effective practices in the provi-
sion of integrated English literacy and 
civics education programs;’’; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (G), (H), 
and (I) as subparagraphs (H), (I), and (J), respec-
tively; and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(G) to coordinate and share information 
with national organizations and associations 
that are interested in integrated English lit-
eracy and civics education programs;’’. 
(e) NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.—Section 
243 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 9253) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘, 
and integrated English literacy and civics edu-
cation programs’’ before the semicolon at the 
end; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
(B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘and integrated English literacy and civics edu-
cation programs’’ before ‘‘based on scientific 
evidence’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘, 
and integrated English literacy and civics edu-
cation programs’’ before the semicolon at the 
end; 
(B) in subparagraph (D)(ii), insert ‘‘inte-
grated English literacy and civics education 
programs,’’ before ‘‘and workplace literacy pro-
grams’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (E)— 
(i) in clause (i), insert ‘‘, and inte-
grated English literacy and civics edu-
cation programs’’ before the semicolon at 
the end; 
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(iii) in clause (iv)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘and section 
244’’ after ‘‘section 231’’; and 
(II) by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
(iv) by adding at the end the following 
new clause: 
‘‘(v) the extent to which integrated 
English literacy and civics education pro-
grams carried out under section 244 lead 
participants in such programs to increase 
their civic participation and, if applicable, 
lead such participants to become United 
States citizens.’’. 
(f) INTEGRATED ENGLISH LITERACY
AND CIVICS 
EDUCATION.—Chapter 4 of subtitle A of such Act (20 
U.S.C. 9251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 244. INTEGRATED ENGLISH LITERACY AND CIVICS 
EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—From funds reserved under sec-
tion 211(a)(4) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
award grants to States, from allocations under subsection 
(b), for integrated English literacy and civics education 
programs. 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2) 
and with respect to funds described in subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall allocate— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
‘‘(A) 65 percent to States on the basis of 
a State’s need for integrated English and civics 
education programs, as determined by calcu-
lating each State’s share of a ten-year average 
of the data compiled by the Office of Immigra-
tion Statistics of the Department of Homeland 
Security, for immigrants admitted for lawful 
permanent residence for the ten most recent 
years; and 
‘‘(B) 35 percent to the States on the basis 
of whether the State experienced growth, as 
measured by the average of the three most re-
cent years for which data compiled by the Of-
fice of Immigration Statistics of the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security are available, for 
immigrants admitted for lawful permanent resi-
dence. 
‘‘(2) MINIMUM.—No State shall receive an allo-
cation under paragraph (1) in an amount that is less 
than $60,000.’’. 
SEC. 4. EXPANDING EVEN START FAMILY LITERACY PRO-
GRAMS. 
Section 1002(b)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 is amended to read as follows: 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
‘‘(3) EVEN START.—For the purpose of car-
rying out subpart 3 of part B, there are authorized 
to be appropriated $500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’’. 
SEC. 5. RESEARCH IN ADULT EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 133(c)(A) of the Edu-
cation Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 
9533(c)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘education and’’ be-
fore ‘‘literacy’’. 
(b) NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CEN-
TER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education 
shall direct the Commissioner for Education Re-
search of the National Center for Education Re-
search established pursuant to section 131 of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 
9531) to establish a national research and develop-
ment center for adult education and literacy as de-
scribed in section 133(c)(A) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 
9533(c)(A)) (as amended by subsection (a)). 
(2) 
PROVISION
FOR
EXPANSION
OF
RE-
SEARCH.—If, as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Commissioner has established a center for 
adult literacy in accordance with section 133(c)(A) 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:27 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the 
Commissioner shall expand the topic of research of 
such center to include adult education, in accordance 
with the amendment made by subsection (a). 
SEC. 6. IMMIGRANTS TO NEW AMERICANS. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall transfer 
to the Secretary of Education to carry out integrated 
English literacy and civics education programs under sec-
tion 244 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 
(as added by section 3(f) of this Act) two percent of all 
fees collected under section 218(a)(2) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(a)(2)) and two per-
cent of all civil penalties collected under section 
274A(e)(4) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a(e)(4)). 
SEC. 
7. 
CREDIT 
FOR 
EMPLOYER 
PROVIDED 
ADULT 
ENGLISH LITERACY AND BASIC EDUCATION 
PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart D of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 (relating to business related credits) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 45O. EMPLOYER-PROVIDED ADULT ENGLISH LIT-
ERACY AND BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 38, the 
credit determined under this section with respect to any 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
03:27 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
employer for the taxable year is an amount equal to 20 
percent of qualified education program expenses for the 
taxable year. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION.—The amount of the credit deter-
mined under subsection (a) shall not exceed an amount 
equal to the product of $1,000 multiplied by the average 
number of full-time employees of the employer for the tax-
able year. 
‘‘(c) 
QUALIFIED
EDUCATION
PROGRAM
EX-
PENSES.—For purposes of this section— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘qualified edu-
cation program expenses’ means expenses paid or in-
curred by an employer to make available qualified 
education to employees of the employer, who are in-
dividuals of limited English proficiency or have not 
received a secondary school diploma, or its recog-
nized equivalent, or who lack sufficient mastery of 
basic educational skills to enable the individuals to 
function effectively in society. 
‘‘(2) QUALIFIED EDUCATION.—The term ‘quali-
fied education’ means adult education and literacy 
activities provided— 
‘‘(A) by an eligible provider which for the 
fiscal year ending during the employer’s taxable 
year receives Federal funds under section 231 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
00:54 May 10, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2214.IH
H2214
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS