Building Civic Bridges Act
This bill establishes the Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and Community Service to administer a grant program that addresses local issues and fosters social cohesion across diverse communities.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4530 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4530
To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish an
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and
Community Service, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 14, 2022
Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Sasse) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish an
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the Corporation for National and
Community Service, 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 ``Building Civic Bridges Act''.
SEC. 2. CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING.
Subtitle H of title I of the National and Community Service Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12653 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``PART VI--CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING
``SEC. 198T. OFFICE OF CIVIC BRIDGEBUILDING.
``(a) Establishment.--There shall be in the Corporation an Office
of Civic Bridgebuilding (in this section referred to as the `Office').
The Office shall be headed by an Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding, who
shall be designated by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to section
195(b).
``(b) Duties.--The Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding shall carry out
each of the following:
``(1) Administer the grant program described in subsection
(d) to support civic bridgebuilding across the United States,
including by establishing standardized criteria (based on
principles of scientific research) to track the effectiveness
of projects and activities funded under such program.
``(2) Support the Corporation in providing training in
skills and techniques relevant to civic bridgebuilding (with
the consideration of best practices collected by the Office,
including through input from the Advisory Committee under
subsection (c))--
``(A) for participants (including individuals who
have been selected to be participants) of a program
receiving funding under a national service law; and
``(B) upon request by an organization that receives
funding under a national service law or that is
carrying out a program in which participants described
in subparagraph (A) are participating, for such
organization.
``(3) Select the members of the Advisory Committee under
subsection (c).
``(4) Support research and evaluations on civic
bridgebuilding and the dissemination of related information,
including through--
``(A) evaluation and oversight of the grant program
described in subsection (d);
``(B) as the Corporation determines necessary,
collaboration (including through the evaluation of the
activities of the Corporation relating to civic
bridgebuilding and civic engagement) between the Office
and other offices (such as the Office of Research and
Evaluation), teams, or individuals within the
Corporation; and
``(C) the establishment of a publicly available
collection of publications for a research base for the
purposes of monitoring national metrics for civic
bridgebuilding and assembling research focused on
evaluating the extent to which civic bridgebuilding and
civic engagement activities strengthen or weaken other
civic bridgebuilding and civic engagement activities
and outcomes in the United States.
``(5) Activate a public conversation about the importance
of civic bridgebuilding by convening and coordinating civic
bridgebuilding programs and providing resources, networking,
and collaboration opportunities to individuals and entities in
the civic bridgebuilding field, such as through--
``(A) network cultivation to strengthen the
community of those involved, interested, or engaged in
the civic bridgebuilding field, including through
activities such as--
``(i) in-person and virtual events for the
public to showcase impactful practices, bring
civic bridgebuilding leaders together, present
relevant research, and explore emerging needs
that would benefit from civic bridgebuilding;
``(ii) organizing peer-learning
opportunities to facilitate conversations
within the civic bridgebuilding field;
``(iii) organizing and distributing lists
of civic bridgebuilding leaders and
organizations and groups in the civic
bridgebuilding field; and
``(iv) coordinating national communications
among civic bridgebuilding leaders, including
through the promotion of civic bridgebuilding
programs and sharing stories of local impact;
and
``(B) developing or distributing resources to
expand best practices in the civic bridgebuilding
field, including through--
``(i) the curation of a digital resource
hub focused on sharing resources from entities
that receive grants under subsection (d), civic
bridgebuilding leaders, civic bridgebuilding
programs, or the publicly available collection
of publications for a research base established
under paragraph (4)(C); and
``(ii) the production of new resources,
training, or best practices based on lessons
from the civic bridgebuilding field.
``(c) Advisory Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding an Advisory Committee.
``(2) Members.--
``(A) Selection.--The Advisory Committee shall be
composed of 9 members selected by the Officer of Civic
Bridgebuilding, including a member designated by the
Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding as the Chairperson of
the Advisory Committee, and such members shall be civic
bridgebuilding leaders--
``(i) who represent diverse ideological,
religious, racial, regional, or ethnic
communities; and
``(ii) with relevant experience and
expertise from the civic bridgebuilding field.
``(B) Terms of service.--A member of the Advisory
Committee shall serve for a term of 3 years.
``(3) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall carry out each
of the following:
``(A) Provide advice and consultation to the
Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding on the priorities and
administration of the Office.
``(B) Conduct an annual review of grants awarded
under subsection (d), with a focus on diversity,
equity, and inclusion, and identifying any gaps or
needs that emerged in an application cycle.
``(C) Conduct an annual review of the process of
awarding grants under subsection (d), including a
review of rubrics or metrics for selection of grant
recipients used by the Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding.
``(D) Review the analysis provided under the peer
review process under subsection (d)(5).
``(d) Civic Bridgebuilding Pilot Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--From the amounts appropriated to carry
out this subsection, the Corporation (acting through the
Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding and in consultation with the
Advisory Committee established under subsection (c))--
``(A) shall carry out a pilot program for a 3-year
period to award grants, on a competitive basis, to
eligible entities to support civic bridgebuilding
programs across the United States; and
``(B) may carry out such a pilot program for
additional 3-year periods.
``(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this subsection
shall be for a 1-year period. Grants shall be awarded under
this subsection in 3 grant cycles for each 3-year period of the
program carried out under paragraph (1).
``(3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application
to the Corporation at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information and assurances as the Corporation may require,
including--
``(A) a description of the project that will be
funded with the grant;
``(B) an explanation of how that such project
will--
``(i) engage diverse communities;
``(ii) facilitate the establishment or
continuation of civic bridgebuilding, which may
include addressing the root causes of
polarization as articulated in the publicly
available collection of publications for a
research base established under subsection
(b)(4)(C);
``(iii) reflect research supporting the
efficacy and impact of the proposed approach
for the project; and
``(iv) ensure physical, social, and
psychological safety for all participants
involved in the project;
``(C) a description of evidence-based best
practices for how such safety will be achieved; and
``(D) an assurance that the eligible entity will
report outcomes of such project to track effectiveness
based on standardized criteria established by the
Office of Civic Bridgebuilding under subsection (b)(1)
or will evaluate the impact of such project based on
principles of scientific research.
``(4) Uses of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
under this subsection shall use the grant funds to carry out a
project to advance civic bridgebuilding in communities across
the United States, which may include addressing the root causes
of polarization as articulated in the publicly available
collection of publications for a research base established
under subsection (b)(4)(C).
``(5) Peer review process.--The Corporation shall establish
a peer review process which shall include consultation with
research communities in the civic bridgebuilding field to
analyze the process of awarding grants (and the grants that are
awarded) under this subsection.
``(e) Comptroller General.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall, on an annual basis, submit to Congress a report, which
summarizes and assesses the effectiveness and impact of the activities
carried out under grants awarded under subsection (d).
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Civic bridgebuilding.--The term `civic
bridgebuilding'--
``(A) means an activity that--
``(i) fosters respect between diverse
communities;
``(ii) strengthens relationships across
lines of difference;
``(iii) forges a sense of common civic
purpose; and
``(iv) seeks to solve a community problem
and diminish polarization; and
``(B) includes--
``(i) activities that take place in local
communities, where individuals and institutions
come together to build empathy, strengthen
belonging, and address local issues; and
``(ii) activities at the field level, where
civic bridgebuilding leaders work together to
share research and best practices, learn from
one another, and grow other civic
bridgebuilding.
``(2) Civic bridgebuilding leader.--The term `civic
bridgebuilding leader' means an individual who leads civic
bridgebuilding programs or efforts.
``(3) Civic engagement.--The term `civic engagement' means
an individual or collective action designed to address a public
concern or an unmet human, educational, health care,
environmental, or public safety need.
``(4) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
nonprofit entity, public institution, elementary school,
secondary school, institution of higher education, religious
group, or consortium of any such entities.
``(5) Public institution.--The term `public institution'
means a library or unit of State, local, or special purpose
government.
``(6) Research.--The term `research' means research which
embodies principles of scientific research.
``(7) Research base.--The term `research base' means any
publications that contain observations, analysis, and
conclusions based on principles of scientific research with
respect to the challenges of political and social polarization
in the United States, and practical approaches to strengthen
social cohesion, foster a sense of national connection, or
improve intergroup relations in divided communities.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2023 through 2025.''.
SEC. 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 is amended by inserting at the end of the item
relating to subtitle H of title I, the following:
``Part VI--Civic Bridgebuilding
``Sec. 198T. Office of Civic Bridgebuilding.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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