California Lawyers Association
Letter Regarding Civics Secures Democracy Act of 2021
July 23, 2021
| The Honorable Rosa DeLauro United States House of Representatives 2413 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 |
| The Honorable Chris Coons United States Senate 218 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
| The Honorable Tom Cole United States House of Representatives 2207 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 |
| The Honorable John Cornyn United States Senate 517 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
| The Honorable Earl Blumenauer United States House of Representatives 1111 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 |
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Re: Civics Secures Democracy Act of 2021 – H.R. 1814 and S. 879
Dear Representatives and Senators:
We write on behalf of the California Lawyers Association (CLA) to endorse the Civics Secures Democracy Act. CLA is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to the professional advancement of attorneys practicing law in California. CLA’s mission is promoting excellence, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law. One of CLA’s priorities, facilitated by our Civics Engagement and Outreach Committee, is to help increase the civic awareness, knowledge, and engagement of Californians.
Over the last several decades, civics education in American schools has been on the decline. The Civics Secures Democracy Act represents a bipartisan commitment to strengthening civics education, from K–12 through higher education.
The Civics Secures Democracy Act would create a variety of grants to states, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and civics education researchers to support and expand access to civics and history education; strengthen the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation and James Madison Fellowship Program; create a new fellowship designed to diversify the civics and history education workforce, named for Prince Hall, an abolitionist and leader during the Revolutionary War; reauthorize and modernize an existing Higher Education Act grant program with an eye toward strengthening civics and history education in higher education and institutions’ partnerships with local school districts; and require the administration every two years of the National Assessments of Education Progress (NAEP) in civics and history to students in grades four, eight, and twelve.
CLA strongly supports this robust investment in civics education. The Civics Secures Democracy Act properly prioritizes American history and civics in our nation’s schools, restoring the importance placed on civics education in American classrooms and investing in the future of our democracy.
We appreciate your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Ona Alston Dosunmu
C.E.O. & Executive Director
Emilio Varanini
President