[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4057 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4057

To establish a congressional commission on American civics renewal, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 11, 2026

    Mr. Kim introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a congressional commission on American civics renewal, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Civics Renewal Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'', 
        ``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'', and ``State 
        educational agency'' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the 
        Commission on American Civics Renewal established under section 
        3(a).

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON AMERICAN CIVICS 
              RENEWAL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a congressional 
commission, to be known as the ``Commission on American Civics 
Renewal'', tasked with identifying ways that the Federal Government can 
strengthen its support for civics education.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall consist of 8 members, 
        with 1 member being appointed by each of the following 
        individuals:
                    (A) The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of 
                the Senate.
                    (B) The chairman and ranking member of the 
                Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
                the Senate.
                    (C) The Speaker and the Minority Leader of the 
                House of Representatives.
                    (D) The chair and ranking member of the Committee 
                on Education and Workforce of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Date.--The appointments of the members of the 
        Commission shall be made not later than 60 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Commission shall select 
a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of the 
Commission at the initial meeting of the Commission.
    (d) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--
            (1) Period of appointment.--A member of the Commission 
        shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission--
                    (A) shall not affect the powers of the Commission; 
                and
                    (B) shall be filled in the same manner as the 
                original appointment.
    (e) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the 
        Commission shall hold the first meeting of the Commission.
            (2) Frequency.--The Commission shall meet at the call of 
        the Chairperson.
            (3) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
        hold hearings.

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) conduct a comprehensive review of the current state of 
        civics education, as of the date of the review, across 
        elementary and secondary education, higher education, and adult 
        learning;
            (2) evaluate existing, as of the date of the review, 
        Federal programs and funding streams that support civics 
        education and recommend ways to streamline, coordinate, or 
        scale these programs to ensure efficiency and equitable access;
            (3) assess teacher preparation programs and ongoing 
        professional development opportunities for civics and 
        government instruction;
            (4) collect best practices regarding teaching and 
        supporting civics education;
            (5) provide guidance on how Federal investment can leverage 
        philanthropic, State, or local resources to avoid imposing an 
        unfunded mandate on State educational agencies or local 
        educational agencies; and
            (6) propose strategies to elevate civics education as a 
        national priority, in accordance with subsection (c).
    (b) Stakeholder Engagement.--In carrying out the duties under 
subsection (a), the Commission shall engage with--
            (1) public Federal entities, such as the National Archives 
        and Records Administration, the National Endowment for the 
        Humanities, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the 
        Library of Congress, the Department of Education, the 
        Corporation for National and Community Service, and the James 
        Madison Fellowship Foundation;
            (2) State and local education leaders who have advanced 
        civics learning and understanding for educators and students; 
        and
            (3) nonpartisan organizations described in section 
        501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 
        tax under section 501(a) of such Code, that have advanced 
        civics learning and understanding for educators and students, 
        such as the United States Capitol Historical Society.
    (c) Proposed Curriculum and National Strategy.--After carrying out 
the activities described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection 
(a), the Commission shall--
            (1) develop a proposed age-appropriate civics education 
        curriculum for elementary school students, secondary school 
        students, and postsecondary education students that--
                    (A) promotes the political thought and history of 
                the United States along with the impact of the 
                representative democracy of the United States and 
                constitutional democracies globally;
                    (B) describes how the Federal Government was 
                founded on the principles of a representative 
                democracy, constitutional government, individual 
                rights, market economics, religious freedom and 
                tolerance, and freedom of thought and inquiry;
                    (C) demonstrates the importance of students 
                developing civic-minded engagement; and
                    (D) provides examples of how lessons can be taught 
                beyond traditional classroom instruction and 
                incorporated into subjects other than history or 
                civics; and
            (2) by not later than 2 years after the date of the first 
        meeting of the Commission, publish a national strategy document 
        that contains--
                    (A) examples of how State educational agencies, 
                local educational agencies, and schools can partner 
                with relevant Federal partners and nonprofit 
                organizations, including entities and organizations 
                described in subsection (b); and
                    (B) recommendations on how State and local 
                education leaders can implement the curriculum 
                described in paragraph (1).
    (d) Submission of Curriculum and Strategy.--By not later than 15 
months after the date of the first meeting of the Commission, the 
Commission shall submit the proposed civics education curriculum and 
the national strategy described in subsection (c) to--
            (1) the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House 
        of Representatives;
            (2) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
        of the Senate;
            (3) the Secretary of Education; and
            (4) the Archivist of the United States.
    (e) Duties of Secretary of Education.--Not later than 30 days after 
receiving the proposed civics education curriculum and the national 
strategy described in subsection (c), the Secretary of Education 
shall--
            (1) inform all State educational agencies of the 
        availability of the curriculum and national strategy; and
            (2) provide a method, through a website or other easily 
        accessible means, for the State educational agencies to access 
        the curriculum and national strategy.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this Act.
    (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may secure directly from a 
        Federal department or agency such information as the Commission 
        considers necessary to carry out this Act.
            (2) Furnishing information.--On request of the Chairperson 
        of the Commission, the head of the department or agency shall 
        furnish the information to the Commission.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (d) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.

SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--A member of the Commission who is not 
an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated 
at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay 
prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 
title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) 
during which the member is engaged in the performance of the duties of 
the Commission.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--A member of the Commission shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular 
places of business in the performance of services for the Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may, 
        without regard to the civil service laws (including 
        regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and 
        such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable 
        the Commission to perform its duties, except that the 
        employment of an executive director shall be subject to 
        confirmation by the Commission.
            (2) Compensation.--The Chairperson of the Commission may 
        fix the compensation of the executive director and other 
        personnel without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of 
        chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
        classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, 
        except that the rate of pay for the executive director and 
        other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of 
        the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--A Federal Government employee 
may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and such 
detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
privilege.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates 
for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5316 of that title.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 60 days after 
the date on which the Commission submits the proposed civics curriculum 
and national strategy to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate under section 4(d).

SEC. 8. APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Commission $2,000,000 to 
carry out this Act.
    (b) Availability.--The amounts made available under this section 
shall be available beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, and 
shall remain available until expended.
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