119-hr4329

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4329 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4329

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 10, 2025

 Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Mr. Barr, Mrs. McBath, Mr. Thompson of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Carbajal, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Moore of 
 Utah) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 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 and input through the 
 consultation process under subsection
            (c) ) 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 (based 
 on principles of scientific research and input through the 
 consultation process under subsection
            (c) )--
 ``
        (A) for participants (including individuals who 
 have been selected to be participants) of a program 
 receiving funding under the authority of the national 
 service laws; and
 ``
        (B) upon request by an organization that receives 
 funding under the authority of the national service 
 laws or that is carrying out a program in which 
 participants described in subparagraph
        (A) are 
 participating, for such organization.
 ``

    (3) 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--
 ``
            (i) other offices (such as the Office of 
 Research and Evaluation), teams, or individuals 
 within the Corporation; and
 ``
            (ii) other Federal agencies, including 
 the Community Relations Service of the 
 Department of Justice, the United States Agency 
 for International Development, and the United 
 States Institute of Peace; and
 ``
            (C) the establishment of a publicly available 
 collection of publications for a research base for the 
 purpose of 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.
 ``

    (4) Activate and sustain 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 for 
 the purpose of disseminating and refining best practices based 
 on principles of scientific research and input through the 
 consultation process under subsection
            (c) .
 ``
            (c) Consultation Process.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--In carrying out the duties under this 
 section, the Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding shall consult with 
 members of the civic bridgebuilding field, including for 
 purposes of--
 ``
        (A) identifying strategic priorities for the 
 Office;
 ``
        (B) developing the standardized criteria required 
 under subsection

    (b)

    (1) ;
 ``
            (C) supporting the development and dissemination 
 of research under subsection

    (b)

    (3) ;
 ``
            (D) developing best practices for civic 
 bridgebuilding under subsection

    (b)

    (4) ; and
 ``
        (E) administering the grant program described in 
 subsection
            (d) .
 ``

    (2) Diversity in consultation.--In carrying out the 
 consultation under paragraph

    (1) , the Officer of Civic 
 Bridgebuilding shall consult members of the civic 
 bridgebuilding field who represent diverse ideological, 
 religious, racial, regional, professional, or ethnic 
 communities, including such members--
 ``
        (A) who represent eligible entities engaged in 
 civic bridgebuilding;
 ``
        (B) who represent existing or potential programs 
 and grantees receiving funding under the authority of 
 the national service laws, including State Service 
 Commissions;
 ``
            (C) who are researchers producing work based on 
 principles of scientific research related to civic 
 bridgebuilding in the United States and 
 internationally; and
 ``
            (D) who represent other Federal agencies or 
 public institutions engaged in or supporting work 
 related to civic bridgebuilding in the United States 
 and internationally, such as--
 ``
            (i) the Community Relations Service of 
 the Department of Justice;
 ``
            (ii) the United States Agency for 
 International Development; and
 ``
            (iii) the United States Institute of 
 Peace.
 ``
            (d) Civic Bridgebuilding Pilot Grant Program.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Corporation (acting through the 
 Officer of Civic Bridgebuilding with input through the 
 consultation process 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 for purposes of--
 ``
            (i) reducing conflict and improving 
 social cohesion; and
 ``
            (ii) addressing a public concern such as 
 unmet human, educational, health care, 
 environmental, or public safety needs; 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 
 pilot 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 communities across lines of 
 polarization;
 ``
            (ii) facilitate the establishment or 
 continuation of civic bridgebuilding and social 
 cohesion, which may include addressing the root 
 causes of polarization and conflict as 
 described in the publicly available collection 
 of publications for a research base established 
 under subsection

    (b)

    (3)
            (C) ;
 ``
            (iii) reflect research supporting the 
 efficacy and impact of the proposed approach 
 for the project; and
 ``
            (iv) ensure physical, social, and 
 psychological well-being and safety for all 
 participants involved in the project, including 
 for such participants from historically 
 marginalized communities;
 ``
            (C) a description of best practices grounded in 
 principles of scientific research 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) .
 ``

    (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.
 ``

    (e) Comptroller General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall, not later than 18 months after the end of the 3-year 
period of the program carried out under subsection
            (d) (1)
        (A) and, as 
applicable, not later than 18 months after each 3-year period of the 
program carried out under subsection
            (d) (1)
        (B) , 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, grounded in principles of 
 scientific research, that--
 ``
            (i) fosters respect between diverse 
 communities;
 ``
            (ii) supports social cohesion and 
 diminishes polarization;
 ``
            (iii) forges a sense of common civic 
 purpose; and
 ``
            (iv) seeks to address a public concern 
 such as unmet human, educational, health care, 
 environmental, or public safety needs; and
 ``
        (B) includes--
 ``
            (i) activities that take place in local 
 communities, where individuals and institutions 
 come together to build empathy and social 
 cohesion, 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 field.--The term `civic 
 bridgebuilding field' means--
 ``
        (A) the programs, leaders, and community groups 
 involved in civic bridgebuilding activities;
 ``
        (B) researchers producing work based on 
 principles of scientific research related to civic 
 bridgebuilding in the United States and abroad; and
 ``
            (C) Federal agencies and public institutions 
 engaged in or supporting work related to civic 
 bridgebuilding in the United States and 
 internationally.
 ``

    (3) Civic bridgebuilding leader.--The term `civic 
 bridgebuilding leader' means an individual who leads civic 
 bridgebuilding programs or efforts.
 ``

    (4) Civic engagement.--The term `civic engagement' means 
 an individual or collective action designed to address a public 
 concern such as an unmet human, educational, health care, 
 environmental, or public safety need.
 ``

    (5) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
 nonprofit entity, community- or faith-based organization, 
 institution of higher education (as defined in 

section 101

    (a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001

    (a) )), 
 public institution, or consortium of any such entities.
 ``

    (6) Public institution.--The term `public institution' 
 means a library or unit of State, local, or special purpose 
 government.
 ``

    (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) Funding.--No Federal funds are authorized to be made 
available to carry out this section. Such section shall be carried out 
exclusively using amounts donated under 

section 196.''.

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>