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HR 1516 105th Congress House

America Reads Challenge Act of 1997

Official title: To support local reading programs for children so that all children are able to read well and independently by the end of the third grade.

Introduced: May 1, 1997 See on congress.gov
Education Church and educationCommunity and schoolEconomics and Public FinanceEducation of disadvantaged children
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Educational accountabilityElementary and secondary educationElementary educationFamiliesFederal aid to IndiansFederal aid to educationFederal aid to higher educationFederal aid to territoriesGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicityHigher educationIndian educationInformation networksLiteracy programsMinoritiesNational serviceParent and childParent-school relationshipsPreschool educationPrivate schoolsReadingReligionScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareState aid to local areasStudent aidTeacher educationTeaching materialsVolunteer workers in education
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 22, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.
May 22, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning.
May 5, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E830)
May 1, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
May 1, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 22, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: America Reads Challenge Act

Title II: Grants to States

Title III: Local and Regional Grants to Support Effective

Models and Exemplary Partnerships

Title IV: Supportive Activities

Title V: Miscellaneous

America Reads Challenge Act of 1997 - Title I: America Reads Challenge - Makes appropriations to the Secretary of Education and provides for funds from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporation for National and Community Service for joint financial support for effective local reading programs for preschool-aged children and children attending both public and private schools.

Title II: Grants to States - Directs the Secretary and the CEO to use specified amounts of funds for grants to States for subgrants to local reading programs and local "Parents As First Teachers" programs.

Title III: Local and Regional Grants to Support Effective Models and Exemplary Partnerships - Directs the Secretary and the CEO jointly to: (1) make competitive grants for various local, regional, and national activities that identify and promote effective and promising practices for helping all children read well and independently by the end of the third grade; and (2) ensure that at least ten percent of such funds are awarded to national or regional information networks or other programs to provide support, training, and educational materials to assist parents to help their children become successful readers by the end of the third grade.

Title IV: Supportive Activities - Directs the Secretary and the CEO to use certain reserved funds: (1) for technical assistance, dissemination of materials and information about best practices, and other activities; and (2) to evaluation of programs under this Act.

Title V: Miscellaneous - Authorizes the Secretary and the CEO to waive certain provisions of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 under specified conditions.

(Sec. 503) Prohibits use of funds under this Act for: (1) awards to a pervasively sectarian organization; or (2) support of religious worship, instruction, or proselytization.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 5
All 5 Democratic 4
Faleomavaega, Eni
· May 22, 1997
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · May 1, 1997
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · May 1, 1997
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 1, 1997
 D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · May 1, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1516: America Reads Challenge Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1516/
MLA
"H.R. 1516: America Reads Challenge Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1516/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1516, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1516/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1516: America Reads Challenge Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1516/)
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