Bilingual Education Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
Comprehensive Bilingual Education Amendments Act (Bilingual Education Act) - Sets forth the policy considerations of this Act. Authorizes, to be appropriated for carrying out the provisions of this Act, $135,000,000 for fiscal year 1974, and for each succeeding fiscal year prior to July 1, 1977; and further authorizes to be appropriated such additional sums as the Congress may determine. Sets forth the definitions of terms used in this Act. States that funds available for grants shall be used for: (1) the establishment of bilingual education programs; (2) planning and providing technical assistance for such programs; (3) training designed to prepare persons to participate in such programs; and (4) auxiliary community activities designed to facilitate the implementation of a program. Specifies the requirements which an application for a grant must meet for approval. States that for carrying out programs for individuals on reservations serviced by elementary and secondary schools operated for Indian children, a nonprofit organization of the Indian tribe which operates any such school may be considered to be a local educational agency for purposes of this Act. Establishes in the Office of Education a Division of Bilingual Education through which the Commissioner shall carry out his responsibilities relating to bilingual education and headed by a Director of Bilingual Education. Requires the Director to prepare and submit to the Congress and the President an annual report on the condition of bilingual education in the Nation. Specifies the items to be included in such report. Establishes a National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education to be composed of fifteen members, to advise the Commissioner in the preparation of general regulations and with respect to policy matters arising in the administration of this Act. Directs the National Institute of Education to carry out a program of research in the field of bilingual education in order to assist local educational agencies in planning and operating effective programs of bilingual education.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on August 5, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 5, 1974: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RICHARD VANDER VEEN (D-MI) introduced it on August 5, 1974. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on August 5, 1974, 19029 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19029 days ago, on August 5, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers