,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hgig ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #bj1 #bjbj,mr4 ,cicilline 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana1 ,mr4 ,beyer1 ,ms4 ,wild1 ,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,suozzi1 and ,mr4 ,raskin7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,congressional ,commission on ,civics ,education1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,commission on ,american ,civics ,education ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,congressional ,commission on ,civics ,education 7a7 ,in general ,there is established the ,congressional ,commission on ,civics ,education 7referred to in this ,act as the ,commission74 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall be composed of #aj members1 of whom3 7,a7 ,five shall be appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house and the ,house ,minority ,leader1 in consultation with the ,chair and ,ranking ,member of the ,house ,committee on ,education and ,labor4 7,b7 ,five shall be appointed by the ,senate ,majority ,leader and ,senate ,minority ,leader1 in consultation with the ,chair and ,ranking ,member of the ,senate ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions4 7#b7 ,expertise of members ,members appointed under paragraph 7#a7 shall represent entities or professions having to do with civic knowledge and education1 including-- 7,a7 elementary and secondary schools2 7,b7 institutions of higher education2 7,c7 ,state educational agencies2 7,d7 local educational agencies2 7,e7 ,federal1 ,state1 or local government2 7,f7 journalism2 and 7,g7 nonprofit providers of civic education4 7#c7 ,limitations ,members appointed under paragraph 7#a7 may not be-- 7,a7 at any time during such appointment1 a ,member of ,congress2 or 7,b7 individuals who have made political contributions of any amount to any appointing ,congressional officials at any time4 7#d7 ,commission chairs ,from the members appointed under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall be co-chaired by-- 7,a7 #a member selected by the appointing ,congressional officials belonging to the majority party2 and 7,b7 #a member selected by the appointing ,congressional officials belonging to the minority party4 7#e7 ,travel expenses ,each member shall receive travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7c7 ,staff of ,commission 7#a7 ,director ,the ,commission shall have a ,director who shall be appointed by the co-chairs4 7#b7 ,staff ,to the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation ,acts1 the ,director1 in coordination with the co-chairs1 may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel as the ,commission considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,experts and consultants ,the ,commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7d7 ,duties ,the ,commission shall3 7#a7 ,examine existing civics education programs in each ,state4 7#b7 ,solicit the views of educators1 school administrators1 and other ,state and local education officials1 including through-- 7,a7 direct contact and engagement2 7,b7 field hearings2 7,c7 roundtable discussions2 and 7,d7 focus groups4 7#c7 ,submit the report required under subsection 7f74 7e7 ,powers 7#a7 ,hearings ,the ,commission may1 for purposes of carrying out this ,act1 hold hearings1 sit and act at times and places1 take testimony1 and receive evidence as the ,commission considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,obtaining official data ,the ,commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the ,unites ,states information necessary to enable it to carry out this ,act4 7#c7 ,gifts1 bequests1 and devises ,the ,commission may accept1 use1 and dispose of gifts1 bequests1 or devises of services or property1 both real and personal1 in a manner that does not affect the findings of the ,commission4 7#d7 ,mails ,the ,commission may use the ,united ,states mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the ,united ,states4 7#e7 ,administrative support services ,upon the request of the ,commission1 the ,administrator of ,general ,services shall provide to the ,commission1 on a reimbursable basis1 the administrative support services necessary for the ,commission to carry out the responsibilities of the ,commission under this ,act4 7f7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ah months after the date of the first meeting of the ,commission1 the ,commission shall submit a report to ,congress that contains the following3 7,a7 ,a description of each ,state that exhibits-- 7i7 high levels of success in civic education and civic learning2 7ii7 moderate levels of success in civic education and civic learning2 and 7iii7 low levels of success in civic education and civic learning4 7,b7 ,a determination with respect to existing ,state civic education programs that may be used as national models in all ,states4 7,c7 ,recommendations to the ,secretary of ,education with respect to issuing guidance on civics education to ,states4 7,d7 ,a recommendation as to how the ,secretary should dedicate ,department funds and resources to promoting civics education1 including with respect to establishing an office dedicated to civics education4 7#b7 ,briefing ,upon submission of the report described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall brief1 with respect to the contents of such report1 the following individuals3 7,a7 ,appointing ,congressional officials4 7,b7 ,members of the ,house ,committee on ,education and ,labor4 7,c7 ,members of the ,senate ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions4 7,d7 ,the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,publication ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the briefing required under paragraph 7#b7 occurs1 the ,secretary shall make the report described in paragraph 7#a7 publicly available on the website of the ,department of ,education4 7g7 ,monthly expense reports 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall submit to the ,chief ,administrator of the ,house of ,representatives a detailed monthly expense report for each month in accordance with paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,timing ,with respect to a month1 a report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted during the period beginning on the first day of such month and ending on the day that is #ae days after the last day of such month4 7h7 ,effective date ,this ,act shall take effect on the date that is #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,additional uses ,in addition to carrying out the activities described in this section1 the ,commission may use the funds appropriated under paragraph 7#a7 for-- 7,a7 office supplies2 7,b7 necessary electronic equipment1 including-- 7i7 computers2 7ii7 printers2 and 7iii7 telecommunications equipment2 and 7,c7 maintenance costs1 including-- 7i7 technical support2 and 7ii7 equipment repair4 7j7 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appointing ,congressional official ,the term appointing ,congressional official means-- 7,a7 the ,speaker of the ,house2 7,b7 the ,house ,minority ,leader2 7,c7 the ,senate ,majority ,leader2 and 7,d7 the ,senate ,minority ,leader4 7#b7 ,,esea terms ,the terms ,department1 elementary school1 local educational agency1 secondary school1 ,secretary1 ,state1 and ,state educational agency have the meanings given such terms in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#c7 ,nonprofit provider of civic education ,the term nonprofit provider of civic education means an organization that focuses on supporting and strengthening civics education programs4