I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 5944 To establish the History Is Learned from the Living grant program to enable communities to learn about historical movements in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of community members who participated in those movements, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 21, 2020 Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To establish the History Is Learned from the Living grant program to enable communities to learn about historical movements in the United States in the past century through the oral histories of community members who participated in those movements, 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 ‘‘History Is Learned 4 from the Living Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5944.IH H5944 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5944 IH SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING PRESERVATION 1 OF STORIES OF HEROES OF HISTORICAL 2 MOVEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. 3 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 4 (1) The historical movements in the United 5 States over the past century have been integral to 6 growth, progress, and innovation in the United 7 States. 8 (2) Notable examples of such historical move- 9 ments include the Women’s Suffrage, Reagan Revo- 10 lution, Peace, Veteran, Civil Rights, Tea Party, Chi- 11 cano (El Movimiento), Pro-Life, Environmental, and 12 Deficit Reduction Movements. 13 (3) Martin Luther King, Jr., Phyllis Schlafly, 14 Cesar Chavez, William Buckley, Susan B. Anthony, 15 and Ronald Reagan are among the many well-known 16 heroes of such historical movements. 17 (4) In addition to the well-known heroes of such 18 historical movements, there are numerous unsung 19 heroes living in local communities across the United 20 States. 21 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 22 gress that the stories of the unsung heroes of historical 23 movements in the United States over the past century 24 should be preserved and archived, and the historical move- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5944.IH H5944 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5944 IH ments in which they participated remembered, for genera- 1 tions to come. 2 SEC. 3. HISTORY IS LEARNED FROM THE LIVING GRANT 3 PROGRAM. 4 (a) GRANT PROGRAM.—There is established the His- 5 tory Is Learned from the Living grant program (in this 6 section referred to as the ‘‘HILL grant program’’), to be 7 carried out by the Secretary of the Interior. 8 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—Under the HILL grant pro- 9 gram, the Secretary shall make 1-year grants in the 10 amount of $50,000 to community groups, organizations, 11 or institutions to— 12 (1) carry out projects through which the com- 13 munity may learn about historical movements in the 14 United States in the past century through the oral 15 histories of members of the community who partici- 16 pated in those movements; and 17 (2) submit to the Secretary a digital report on 18 the projects, in such form and containing such infor- 19 mation as may be specified by the Secretary, includ- 20 ing— 21 (A) each oral history described in para- 22 graph (1); 23 (B) the relevance of such oral history; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5944.IH H5944 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5944 IH (C) the background of the community 1 member to whom the oral history belongs. 2 (c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under 3 this section, a community group, organization, or institu- 4 tion shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 5 time, in such manner, and containing such information as 6 the Secretary may require. 7 (d) PRESERVATION OF ORAL HISTORIES.—The Sec- 8 retary shall establish a system to preserve and make avail- 9 able to the public the digital reports submitted under sub- 10 section (b)(2). 11 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 12 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 13 out the HILL grant program $5,000,000 for fiscal year 14 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 24, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5944.IH H5944 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS