What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to create and share a civics curriculum and oral history resources for high school students. The curriculum and resources focus on comparing communism and totalitarianism with American principles of freedom and democracy.
##
Who It Affects
High school students, families, civic institutions, local communities, local educational agencies, high schools and State educational agencies.
##
Key Provisions
* The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation must develop a civic education curriculum for high school students that includes a comparative discussion of communism and totalitarianism as political systems that conflict with American principles of freedom and democracy. The curriculum must be accurate, relevant and accessible, and work with social studies, government, history and economics classes. (Sec. 3)
* The Foundation must develop oral history resources called "Portraits in Patriotism" featuring personal stories from individuals who suffered under communism and can compare communism with the American political system. These resources may be used alongside the curriculum. (Sec. 3)
* The Foundation must work with State and local educational leaders to help high schools use the curriculum and resources. (Sec. 3)
##
What Changes
If this becomes law, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation will be required to create and help distribute new civics teaching materials about communism to high schools across the country.
##
Important Definitions
Not specified in bill text
##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 634
To develop and disseminate a civic education curriculum and oral history
resources regarding certain political ideologies, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 2, 2023
Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Florida) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To develop and disseminate a civic education curriculum
and oral history resources regarding certain political
ideologies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crucial Communism
4
Teaching Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
6
The purposes of this Act are the following:
7
(1) To help families, civic institutions, local
8
communities,
local
educational
agencies,
high
9
VerDate Sep 11 2014
04:10 Mar 15, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S634.IS
S634
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•S 634 IS
schools, and State educational agencies to prepare
1
high school students to be civically responsible and
2
knowledgeable adults.
3
(2) To ensure that high school students in the
4
United States—
5
(A) learn that communism has led to the
6
deaths of more than 100,000,000 victims world-
7
wide;
8
(B) understand the dangers of communism
9
and similar political ideologies; and
10
(C) understand that 1,500,000,000 people
11
still suffer under communism.
12
SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF CIVIC EDU-
13
CATION CURRICULUM AND ORAL HISTORY
14
RESOURCES.
15
The independent entity created under section
16
905(b)(1)(B) of the FRIENDSHIP Act (Public Law 103–
17
199; 107 Stat. 2331), also known as the ‘‘Victims of Com-
18
munism Memorial Foundation’’, shall—
19
(1) develop a civic education curriculum for
20
high school students that—
21
(A) includes a comparative discussion of
22
certain political ideologies, including com-
23
munism and totalitarianism, that conflict with
24
the principles of freedom and democracy that
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
04:10 Mar 15, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S634.IS
S634
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•S 634 IS
are essential to the founding of the United
1
States;
2
(B) is accurate, relevant, and accessible, so
3
as to promote the understanding of such polit-
4
ical ideologies; and
5
(C) is compatible with a variety of courses,
6
including social studies, government, history,
7
and economics classes;
8
(2) develop oral history resources that may be
9
used alongside the curriculum described in para-
10
graph (1) and that include personal stories, titled
11
‘‘Portraits in Patriotism’’, from diverse individuals
12
who—
13
(A) demonstrate civic-minded qualities;
14
(B) are victims of the political ideologies
15
described in paragraph (1)(A); and
16
(C) are able to compare the political
17
ideologies described in paragraph (1)(A) with
18
the political ideology of the United States; and
19
(3) engage with State and local educational
20
leaders to assist high schools in using the curriculum
21
described in paragraph (1) and the resources de-
22
scribed in paragraph (2).
23
VerDate Sep 11 2014
04:10 Mar 15, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S634.IS
S634
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4
•S 634 IS
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
1
The terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
2
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) shall
3
apply to this Act.
4
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
04:10 Mar 15, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\S634.IS
S634
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS