#aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #idc ,,an ,,act ,to authorize the ,director of the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum to support ,holocaust education programs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,never ,again ,education ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,the ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has demonstrated a commitment to remembrance and education about the ,holocaust through bilateral relationships and engagement in international organizations such as the ,united ,nations and the ,international ,holocaust ,remembrance ,alliance2 the ,united ,states works to promote ,holocaust education as a means to understand the importance of democratic principles1 use and abuse of power1 and to raise awareness about the importance of genocide prevention today4 7#b7 ,the ,congress has played a critical role in preserving the memory of the ,holocaust and promoting awareness1 including by authorizing the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum as an independent establishment of the ,federal ,government to ensure that the study of the ,holocaust become part of the curriculum in every school system in the country1 as well as by establishing a national ,holocaust ,remembrance ,day in #aigh4 7#c7 #ge years after the conclusion of ,world ,war ,,ii1 with the decreasing number of eyewitnesses and growing distance of students and their families from this history1 it is important to institutionalize education about the events of the ,holocaust such as the ,german ,nazis' racist ideology1 propaganda1 and plan to lead a state to war and1 with their collaborators1 kill millions--including the systematic murder of #f1jjj1jjj ,jewish people2 as well as the persecution and murder of millions of others in the name of racial purity1 political1 ideological1 and behavioral grounds1 among them ,roma1 the disabled1 the ,slavs1 ,communists1 ,socialists1 ,jehovah's ,witnesses1 and homosexuals4 7#d7 ,as intolerance1 antisemitism1 and bigotry are promoted by hate groups1 ,holocaust education provides a context in which to learn about the danger of what can happen when hate goes unchallenged and there is indifference in the face of the oppression of others2 learning how and why the ,holocaust happened is an important component of the education of citizens of the ,united ,states4 7#e7 ,today1 those who deny that the ,holocaust occurred or distort the true nature of the ,holocaust continue to find forums1 especially online2 this denial and distortion dishonors those who were persecuted1 and murdered1 making it even more of a national imperative to educate students in the ,united ,states so that they may explore the lessons that the ,holocaust provides for all people1 sensitize communities to the circumstances that gave rise to the ,holocaust1 and help youth be less susceptible to the falsehood of ,holocaust denial and distortion and to the destructive messages of hate that arise from ,holocaust denial and distortion4 7#f7 ,currently1 #ab ,states 7,california1 ,connecticut1 ,florida1 ,illinois1 ,indiana1 ,kentucky1 ,michigan1 ,new ,jersey1 ,new ,york1 ,oregon1 ,pennsylvania1 and ,rhode ,island7 require by law that schools teach students about the ,holocaust2 more schools and teachers1 including those in underserved communities1 can and should deliver quality ,holocaust education4 7#g7 ,for more than #cj years1 the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum has worked to build and support the field of ,holocaust education1 and advance the quality and sustainability of ,holocaust education at the local1 ,state1 and national levels1 by engaging teachers and students across disciplines and grade levels4 7#h7 ,the ,federal ,government1 through support for educational activities of national museums established under ,federal law1 can assist teachers in efforts to incorporate historically accurate instruction on human rights atrocities1 including the ,holocaust1 in curricula4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,antisemitism ,the term antisemitism means a certain perception of ,jews1 which may be expressed as hatred toward ,jews4 ,rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward ,jewish or non-,jewish individuals or their property1 toward ,jewish community institutions and religious facilities4 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum4 7#c7 ,eligible program participant ,the term eligible program participant means-- 7,a7 a high school teacher1 a teacher of one of the middle grades1 or a school leader of a high school or a school that includes one of the middle grades 7as such terms are defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 7,b7 an educational leader or expert who is not employed by a local educational agency 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja77 or an elementary school or secondary school 7as such terms are so defined7 that is independent of any local educational agency2 or 7,c7 a prospective teacher enrolled in a program of postsecondary education coursework or preservice clinical education4 7#d7 ,holocaust ,the term the ,holocaust means the systematic1 bureaucratic1 state-sponsored persecution and murder of #f1jjj1jjj ,jews by the ,nazi regime and its allies and collaborators4 ,during the era of the ,holocaust1 ,german authorities also targeted other groups because of their perceived racial inferiority1 such as ,roma1 the disabled1 and ,slavs4 ,other groups were persecuted on political1 ideological1 and behavioral grounds1 among them ,communists1 ,socialists1 ,jehovah's ,witnesses1 and homosexuals4 7#e7 ,holocaust denial and distortion ,the term ,holocaust denial and distortion means discourse and propaganda that deny the historical reality and the extent of the extermination of the ,jews by the ,nazis and their accomplices during ,world ,war ,,ii1 known as the ,holocaust4 ,holocaust denial refers specifically to any attempt to claim that the ,holocaust did not take place4 ,holocaust distortion refers to efforts to excuse or minimize the events of the ,holocaust or its principal elements1 including collaborators and allies of ,nazi ,germany1 to blame the ,jews for causing their own genocide1 or to portray the ,holocaust as a positive historical event4 7#f7 ,holocaust education center ,the term ,holocaust education center means an institution that furthers the teaching and learning about the ,holocaust by offering programs for students and training for teachers and other types of professional leadership audiences4 7#g7 ,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 educate individuals on the lessons of the ,holocaust as a means to raise awareness about the importance of preventing genocide1 hate1 and bigotry against any group of people4 #d4 ,program authorized 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act #b1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and each of the #d succeeding fiscal years4 7b7 ,donations1 gifts1 bequests1 and devises of property ,in accordance with chapter #bc of title #cf1 ,united ,states ,code1 and in furtherance of the purposes of this ,act1 the ,director is authorized to solicit1 accept1 hold1 administer1 invest1 and use donated funds and gifts1 bequests1 and devises of property1 both real and personal4 7c7 ,use of funds ,the ,director1 using funds appropriated under subsection 7a7 and resources received under subsection 7b71 and including through the engagement of eligible program participants as appropriate-- 7#a7 shall develop and nationally disseminate accurate1 relevant1 and accessible resources to promote understanding about how and why the ,holocaust happened1 which shall include digital resources and may include other types of resources1 such as print resources and traveling exhibitions2 and 7#b7 may carry out one or more of the following ,holocaust education program activities3 7,a7 ,development1 dissemination1 and implementation of principles of sound pedagogy for teaching about the ,holocaust4 7,b7 ,provision of professional development for eligible program participants1 such as through-- 7i7 local1 regional1 and national workshops2 7ii7 teacher trainings in conjunction with ,holocaust education centers and other appropriate partners2 7iii7 engagement with-- 7,i7 local educational agencies 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ba #ghja772 and 7,,ii7 high schools and schools that include one of the middle grades 7as so defined7 that are independent of any local educational agency2 and 7iv7 operation and expansion of a teacher fellowship program to cultivate and support leaders in ,holocaust education4 7,c7 ,engagement with ,state and local education leaders to encourage the adoption of resources supported under this ,act into curricula across diverse disciplines4 7,d7 ,evaluation and research to assess the effectiveness and impact of ,holocaust education programs1 which may include completion of the report required under section #h4 7d7 ,applications ,the ,director may seek the engagement of an eligible program participant under subsection 7c7 by requiring submission of an application to the ,director at such time1 in such manner1 and based on such competitive criteria as the ,director may require4 #e4 ,online ,holocaust education resources 7a7 ,website ,the ,director shall maintain on the website of the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum a special section designated for ,holocaust education resources to improve awareness and understanding of the ,holocaust and educate individuals on the lessons of the ,holocaust as a means to raise awareness about the importance of preventing genocide1 hate1 and bigotry against any group of people4 ,the website and resources shall be made publically available4 7b7 ,information distribution ,the ,director shall distribute information about the activities funded under this ,act through the website of the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,museum1 and shall respond to inquiries for supplementary information concerning such activities4 7c7 ,best practices ,the information distributed by the ,director shall include best practices for educators4 #f4 ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,council ,the ,united ,states ,holocaust ,memorial ,council established under section #bcjb of title #cf1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall have governance responsibility for the programs and activities carried out under this ,act in accordance with chapter #bc of title #cf1 ,united ,states ,code4 #g4 ,engagement of eligible program participants 7a7 ,in general ,an eligible program participant shall be engaged at the discretion of the ,director to participate in ,holocaust education program activities authorized under this ,act and approved by the ,director pursuant to an application described in section #d7;d74 7b7 ,engagement period ,engagement of eligible program participants under this ,act shall be for a period determined by the ,director4 7c7 ,priority ,in engaging eligible program participants under section #d1 the ,director shall give priority to applications from such participants who work for or with a local educational agency1 or a school that is independent of any local educational agency1 that does not1 at the time application is made1 offer any ,holocaust education programming4 #h4 ,annual report ,not later than ,february #a of each year1 the ,director shall submit to the ,congress a report describing the activities carried out under this ,act4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,january #bg1 #bjbj4;,clerk4