Saving American History Act of 2020
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds by an elementary or secondary school to teach the 1619 Project or by a local educational agency (LEA) to support its teaching in public schools. (The 1619 Project is an initiative that addresses the beginning of slavery in the United States.)
Additionally, an elementary or secondary school that teaches this project or an LEA that supports its teaching in public schools is ineligible to receive federal funds for professional development.
Further, the Departments of Education, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services must reduce federal funds in a prorated amount to an elementary or secondary school that teaches this project or an LEA that supports its teaching in public schools. However, federal funding shall not be reduced for programs for low-income students (e.g., free or reduced-price lunch) or students with disabilities.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4292 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4292
To prohibit Federal funds from being made available to teach the 1619
Project curriculum in elementary schools and secondary schools, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 23, 2020
Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit Federal funds from being made available to teach the 1619
Project curriculum in elementary schools and secondary schools, 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 ``Saving American History Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The true date of America's founding is July 4, 1776,
the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the
Second Continental Congress.
(2) The self-evident truths set forth by that Declaration
are the fundamental principles upon which America was founded.
(3) An activist movement is now gaining momentum to deny or
obfuscate this history by claiming that America was not founded
on the ideals of the Declaration but rather on slavery and
oppression.
(4) This distortion of American history is being taught to
children in public school classrooms via the New York Times'
``1619 Project'', which claims that ``nearly everything that
has truly made America exceptional'' grew ``out of slavery''.
(5) The 1619 Project is a racially divisive and revisionist
account of history that threatens the integrity of the Union by
denying the true principles on which it was founded.
(6) The Federal Government has a strong interest in
promoting an accurate account of the Nation's history through
public schools and forming young people into knowledgeable and
patriotic citizens.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS TO TEACH THE 1619
PROJECT CURRICULUM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local
educational agency'', and ``secondary school'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(b) Prohibition of Use of Federal Funding for 1619 Project.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds shall be
used by any--
(1) elementary school or secondary school to teach the 1619
Project initiative of the New York Times in such school; or
(2) local educational agency to support the teaching of the
1619 Project initiative of the New York Times in the public
schools served by such agency.
(c) Prohibition on Federal Professional Development Funds for
Schools That Teach the 1619 Project.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, an elementary school or secondary school that teaches
the 1619 Project initiative of the New York Times in such school or a
local educational agency that supports the teaching of the 1619 Project
initiative of the New York Times in the public schools served by such
agency shall not receive any Federal funding for professional
development.
(d) Determination of Cost and Reduction in Federal Funds.--
(1) In general.--In the case of an elementary school or
secondary school that receives Federal funds and teaches the
1619 Project initiative of the New York Times in such school or
a local educational agency that supports the teaching of the
1619 Project initiative of the New York Times in the public
schools served by such agency, the Secretaries shall determine
the cost associated with teaching the 1619 Project, including
in planning time and teaching time.
(2) Reductions.--The Secretaries, based on coordinated
prorated formulas established by the Secretaries, shall reduce
Federal funds provided to an elementary school, secondary
school, or local educational agency described in paragraph (1)
in an amount equal to the cost amount determined under
paragraph (1).
(3) No reduction for certain funds.--In reducing Federal
funds to an elementary school, secondary school, or local
educational agency under paragraph (2), the Secretaries shall
not reduce Federal funds for--
(A) the free and reduced price school lunch program
established under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), or any other
program for low-income students; or
(B) students with disabilities.
(e) Future Funding.--The Secretaries shall promulgate regulations
to ensure that Federal funds provided after the date of enactment of
this Act to an elementary school, secondary school, or local
educational agency comply with the requirements and restrictions
provided under this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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