II
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 900
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 5, 2011
Mr. Menendez (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.
Holocaust education programs
Part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Holocaust Education Assistance Program
Short title
This subpart may be
cited as the Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance
Act
.
Findings and purposes
Findings
Congress finds the following:
The Holocaust was an historical event that resulted in the systemic, state-sponsored, mass murders by Nazi Germany of 6,000,000 Jews, along with millions of others, in the name of racial purity.
Six States (California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York) now mandate that the Holocaust be taught in the educational curriculum, and 11 States (Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia) recommend teaching the Holocaust but the funds necessary to carry out those recommendations may not be available.
The Holocaust is a sensitive and difficult subject to teach effectively, and educators need appropriate teaching tools and training to increase their knowledge of the Holocaust and enhance the educational experience.
Statement of purpose
It is the purpose of this subpart—
to educate students in the United States so that they—
may explore the lessons that the Holocaust provides for all people; and
may be less susceptible to the falsehood of Holocaust denial and to the destructive messages of hate that arise from Holocaust denial; and
to provide resources and support for educational programs that—
portray accurate historical information about the Holocaust;
sensitize communities to the circumstances that gave rise to the Holocaust;
convey the lessons that the Holocaust provides for all people; and
develop curriculum guides and provide training to help teachers incorporate the study of the Holocaust and its lessons into mainstream disciplines.
Program authorized
The Secretary is authorized to award grants to educational organizations to carry out proposed or existing Holocaust education programs.
Application
The Secretary may award a grant under this subpart only to an educational organization that has submitted an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
Use of grants
In General
An educational organization receiving a grant under this subpart may use the grant only to carry out the Holocaust education program for which the grant was provided.
Requirements
An educational organization receiving a grant under this subpart shall comply with the following requirements:
Continuation of eligibility
The educational organization shall, throughout the period that the educational organization receives and uses the grant, continue to be an educational organization.
Supplementation of existing funds
The educational organization shall ensure that the grant is used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available to the educational organization to carry out the Holocaust education program for which the grant was provided.
Additional Conditions
The Secretary may require additional terms and conditions in connection with the use of grants provided under this subpart as the Secretary considers appropriate.
Cooperative arrangements
The Secretary should encourage educational organizations to work cooperatively with State educational agencies or local educational agencies in applying for and using grants under this subpart.
Selection criteria
In General
The Secretary shall award grants under this subpart in accordance with competitive criteria to be established by the Secretary.
Consultation With Holocaust Educators
In establishing the competitive criteria under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with a number of prominent educators in the field of Holocaust education, to be determined by the Secretary.
Review and sanctions
Annual Review
The Secretary shall review at least annually each educational organization receiving a grant under this subpart to determine the extent to which the educational organization has complied with the provisions of this subpart and any regulation issued under this subpart.
Imposition of Sanctions
The Secretary may impose 1 or more sanctions, to be determined by the Secretary, on an educational organization for the failure of the educational organization to comply substantially with the provisions of this subpart or any regulation issued under this subpart.
Annual report
Not later than February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the activities carried out under this subpart and containing any related information that the Secretary considers appropriate.
Definitions
In this subpart:
Educational organization
The term educational organization means an entity—
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
organized and operated for cultural, literary, or educational purposes.
Holocaust education program
The term Holocaust education program means a program that—
has as its specific and primary purpose to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust; and
to achieve such purpose, furnishes 1 or more of the following:
Educational materials.
Student and school-based activities, including field trips.
Teacher training.
Any other good or service designed to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust.
Holocaust
The term Holocaust means the systemic, state-sponsored, mass murders by Nazi Germany of 6,000,000 Jews, and millions of others, in the name of racial purity.
Regulations
The Secretary shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this subpart.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the first fiscal year beginning on or after the date of enactment of this subpart, and for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years, $2,000,000 for grants under this subpart. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this subpart shall remain available until expended.
.
Table of contents
The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 5618 the following:
Subpart 22—Holocaust Education Assistance Program
Sec. 5631. Short title.
Sec. 5632. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 5633. Program authorized.
Sec. 5634. Application.
Sec. 5635. Use of grants.
Sec. 5636. Selection criteria.
Sec. 5637. Review and sanctions.
Sec. 5638. Annual report.
Sec. 5639. Definitions.
Sec. 5640. Regulations.
Sec. 5641. Authorization of appropriations.
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