WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster civics education resources for school children across the United States. Introduced to mark Constitution Day, the Constitution education Is Valuable In Community Schools (CIVICS) Act would require elementary and secondary education federal grant recipients to include U.S. Constitution education—through hands-on programming for teachers and students—to be eligible for continued funding. The bill recognizes the importance of teaching American history, government, geography, and the importance of the Constitution to basic civic literacy.

Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined King on the legislation.

“Good civics education creates good citizens. The U.S. Constitution is the blueprint for democracy and freedom, and its survival relies on each generation understanding our history and the values Americans have held sacred since our founding,” said Senator King. “Our democratic system of governance is an anomaly in world history, and if we truly want a government of, by, and for the people, we must make sure people have the perspective and knowledge required to do their part in protecting it. I hope this bipartisan legislation allows young Americans to better understand and engage with America’s foundational principles.”

“The Constitution isn’t just paper and ink. The soul of our nation rests in what our Constitution represents: the rule of law, personal responsibility without government coercion, protection of humanity, and a limited federal government,” Senator Lankford said. “We must continue to safeguard those values and defend the Constitution’s carefully crafted guarantees of our freedoms and rights. Our children will only live our American values if we intentionally commit to pass down our Constitutional values to the next generation.”

“President Reagan said that freedom is 'never more than one generation away from extinction.' Through civics education, we teach American students to value our country’s history and principles. The founders’ ideals were revolutionary in their time, and they are no less important today. I am glad to see Republicans, Democrats, and Independents unite around this important legislation,” said Senator Wicker.

“Since 1788, the U.S. Constitution has withstood the test of time—serving as the basis of our nation’s government and the supreme law of the land," said Senator Kaine. "As a former civil rights attorney and constitutional law professor, I’ve had critical discussions with my fellow Americans about this cornerstone document. Those kinds of conversations are critical to our ability to uphold the values our country was founded on, and the future of our democracy and rights. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to foster more of those discussions and strengthen students’ understanding of the Constitution.” 

Constitution Day was established in 1952 and Congress expanded recognition in 2004, requiring public schools and federal agencies to teach the Constitution and civics lessons. The American History and Civics Education program was established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, and created grants for institutions of higher learning and other organizations to develop evidence-based approaches to improve the quality of American government, history, and civics. However, these entities are not required to include educational programs regarding the Constitution or Bill of Rights. Under the CIVICS Act, the institutions that receive these grants would be required to develop programming that teaches the Constitution.

Senator King has long championed increasing civic engagement and historical literacy, especially among younger Americans. As a former member of the Senate Rules Committee, he cosponsored a bipartisan bill, the Civics Secure Democracy Act, which would make a $1 billion annual investment in civics and history at K-12 and higher education institutions across the country. He also introduced bipartisan legislation to designate a National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day to encourage school districts nationwide to help high school seniors register to vote.

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