To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.

July 25, 2003

Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. LANTOS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.

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 `Holocaust Education Assistance Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS- The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) 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.

(2) Six States (California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York) now mandate that the Holocaust be taught in the educational curriculum, and 11 States (Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington) recommend teaching the Holocaust but do not provide sufficient funds to assist in the training and educating of teachers.

(3) The Holocaust is a sensitive and difficult issue about which to teach, and to do so effectively, educators need appropriate teaching tools and training to increase their knowledge to enhance the educational experience.

(b) PURPOSES- The purposes of this Act are the following:

(1) To educate Americans so that they can--

(A) explore the lessons that the Holocaust provides for all people; and

(B) be less susceptible to the falsehood of Holocaust denial and to the destructive messages of hate that arise from Holocaust denial.

(2) To provide resources and support for education programs that--

(A) portray accurate historical information about the Holocaust;

(B) sensitize communities to the circumstances that gave rise to the Holocaust;

(C) convey the lessons that the Holocaust provides for all people; and

(D) by developing curriculum guides and providing training, help teachers incorporate into their mainstream disciplines the study of the Holocaust and its lessons.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.

From any amounts made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary may make grants under this Act to educational organizations to carry out proposed or existing Holocaust education programs.

SEC. 4. USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.

(a) IN GENERAL- An educational organization receiving grant amounts under this Act shall use such grant amounts only to carry out the Holocaust education program for which the grant amounts were provided.

(b) REQUIREMENTS- An educational organization receiving grant amounts under this Act shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) CONTINUATION OF ELIGIBILITY- The educational organization shall, throughout the period that the educational organization receives and uses such grant amounts, continue to be an educational organization.

(2) SUPPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING FUNDS- The educational organization shall ensure that such grant amounts are 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 amounts were provided.

(c) ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS- The Secretary may require additional terms and conditions in connection with the use of grant amounts provided under this Act as the Secretary considers appropriate.

SEC. 5. SELECTION CRITERIA.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall award grant amounts under this Act in accordance with competitive criteria to be established by the Secretary.

(b) CONSULTATION WITH HOLOCAUST EDUCATORS- In establishing the competitive criteria under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with a variety of individuals, to be determined by the Secretary, who are prominent educators in the field of Holocaust education.

SEC. 6. APPLICATION.

The Secretary may award grant amounts under this Act 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.

SEC. 7. REVIEW AND SANCTIONS.

(a) ANNUAL REVIEW- The Secretary shall review at least annually each educational organization receiving grant amounts under this Act to determine the extent to which the educational organization has complied with the provisions of this Act.

(b) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS- The Secretary may impose sanctions on an educational organization for any failure of the educational organization to comply substantially with the provisions of this Act. The Secretary shall establish the sanctions to be imposed for a failure to comply substantially with the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. ANNUAL REPORT.

Not later than February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Senate and House of Representatives a report describing the activities carried out under this Act and containing any related information that the Secretary considers appropriate.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION- The term `educational organization' means an entity--

(A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(B) exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and

(C) organized and operated for cultural, literary, or educational purposes.

(2) HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROGRAM- The term `Holocaust education program' means a program that--

(A) has as its specific and primary purpose to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust; and

(B) to achieve such purpose, furnishes one or more of the following:

(i) classes, seminars, or conferences.

(ii) educational materials.

(iii) teacher training.

(iv) any other good or service designed to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust.

(3) HOLOCAUST- The term `Holocaust' means the 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.

(4) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Education.

SEC. 10. REGULATIONS.

The Secretary shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

For grants under this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $2,000,000 each fiscal year for five fiscal years, beginning with the first fiscal year to commence after the date of enactment of this Act, to remain available until expended.

END