 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
             SUBCHAPTER X--PROGRAMS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
 
                         Part F--Civic Education
 
Sec. 8141. Instruction on history and principles of democracy in 
        the United States
        

(a) General authority

                       (1) Program established

        (A) The Secretary is authorized to carry out a program to 
    enhance the attainment of the third and sixth National Education 
    Goals by educating students about the history and principles of the 
    Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of Rights, and 
    to foster civic competence and responsibility.
        (B) Such program shall be known as ``We the People . . . The 
    Citizen and the Constitution''.

                     (2) Educational activities

        The program required by paragraph (1) shall--
            (A) continue and expand the educational activities of the 
        ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution'' program 
        administered by the Center for Civic Education; and
            (B) enhance student attainment of challenging content 
        standards in civics and government.

                  (3) Contract or grant authorized

        The Secretary is authorized to award a grant or enter into a 
    contract with the Center for Civic Education to carry out the 
    program described in paragraph (1).

(b) Program content

    The education program authorized by this section shall provide--
        (1) a course of instruction on the basic principles of our 
    Nation's constitutional democracy and the history of the 
    Constitution and the Bill of Rights;
        (2) at the request of a participating school, school and 
    community simulated congressional hearings following the course of 
    study; and
        (3) an annual national competition of simulated congressional 
    hearings for secondary students who wish to participate in such 
    program.

(c) Availability of program

    The education program authorized by this section shall be made 
available to public and private elementary and secondary schools in the 
435 congressional districts, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia.

(d) Special rule

    After the provisions of subsection (b) of this section have been 
implemented, funds provided under this section may be used for--
        (1) advanced training of teachers about the United States 
    Constitution and the political system the United States created; or
        (2) a course of instruction at the middle school level on the 
    roles of State and local governments in the Federal system 
    established by the Constitution, which course shall provide for--
            (A) optional school and community simulated State 
        legislative hearings;
            (B) an annual competition of simulated legislative hearings 
        at the State legislative district, State, and national levels 
        for middle school students who wish to participate in the 
        program; and
            (C) participation by public and private middle schools in 
        the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title X, Sec. 10601, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3838.)

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 8143 of this title.
