Rep. Cleaver’s Civics Learning Act would help to bolster civics education in Missouri and across the country by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase funding by $70 million for civics education and awarding grants.
Reintroduce and advance the Civics Learning Act to increase federal funding for civics education by $70 million and expand grants for schools.
Occurrences
Congressman Cleaver Reintroduces Legislation to Strengthen Civics Education in Schools ... The Civics Learning Act would reaffirm Congress’s commitment to protecting American democracy by ensuring schools have the resources needed to provide a proper, robust education in civics and our constitutional system of government to students in every community.
Evidence
Rep. Cleaver’s Civics Learning Act would help to bolster civics education in Missouri and across the country by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase funding by $70 million for civics education and awarding grants that support investments in innovative and evidence-based civics learning and teaching programs, fund elementary, middle, and high school programs, and prioritize funding for high-need schools, underserved populations, and low-access areas.
GovInfo’s Congressional Record Index entry for “CIVICS LEARNING ACT” lists the 119th Congress, 2nd Session, and Congressional Bills H.R. 8402.
Sponsor: Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (Introduced 03/07/2023). Latest Action: House - 03/07/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. This bill has the status Introduced. The bill expands the use of American History and Civics Education—National Activities grants and requires the Department of Education to ensure specified percentages of grant funds are awarded on a diverse basis to eligible entities serving elementary, middle, and high school students and teachers.
Assessments
Cleaver appears to have fulfilled the 'reintroduce' part of the promise by introducing the Civics Learning Act in 2023 and reintroducing it again in 2026, with the bill carrying the promised $70 million increase and expanded grant provisions. But the promise also said he would 'advance' the measure, and the available evidence shows only introduction and committee referral, with no markup, floor passage, enactment, or other concrete policy adoption. Under the fulfillment standard, a serious legislative attempt that did not achieve the promised outcome counts as never delivered, with effort credit.