National Literacy Act of 1991

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

30 January 1991

Last action

25 July 1991 · President

Status

Became Public Law No: 102-73.

Summary

National Literacy Act of 1991 - Title I: Literacy: Strategic Planning, Research, and Coordination - Establishes an Interagency Task Force on Literacy. Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to direct the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education to coordinate literacy-related programs. Establishes the National Institute for Literacy and the National Institute Board. Authorizes the Institute to award Literacy Leader Fellowships. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Adult Education Act (AEA) to authorize the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to establish a network of State or regional adult literacy resource centers. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Workforce Literacy - Establishes in the Department of Labor a National Workforce Literacy Assistance Collaborative. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Adult Education Act (AEA) to revise provisions for national workforce literacy strategies grants to business, industry, labor, and education partnerships for workplace literacy. Requires the Secretary of Education (the Secretary), in awarding grants for exemplary demonstration partnerships for workplace literacy, to: (1) give priority to partnerships which include small businesses; and (2) limit such grant awards to not more than three years. Directs the Secretary to reserve a specified amount, whenever appropriations for workforce literacy partnership grants exceed a certain level, to establish a program of grants for large-scale national workforce literacy strategies. Authorizes appropriations for AEA workforce literacy programs. Title III: Investment in Literacy - Extends through FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for programs under the Adult Education Act (AEA). Revises the use of funds under the AEA basic State grants program. Requires that basic grants to States also be used for competitive two-year Gateway Grants to public housing authorities for literacy programs and related activities. Requires biennial evaluations and reports on such Gateway Grants. Revises AEA to give State advisory councils, plans, and evaluations literacy-related responsibilities. Requires States to report biennially to the Interagency Task Force on meeting literacy goals, coordinating workplace literacy services, and building a high quality delivery system for adult literacy programs. Provides for training educators to recognize and serve illiterate individuals more effectively. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to revise targeted assistance programs under ESEA to include training programs to enhance the ability of teachers and school counselors to identify, particularly in the early grades, students with reading and related problems which place them at risk for adult illiteracy. Renames the Even Start program under ESEA as the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Revises the program to expand eligibility to include community-based organizations or other nonprofit organizations of demonstrated quality applying in collaboration with a local educational agency (LEA) (as well as LEAs and LEA consortia). Sets minimum grant amounts. Makes individual children eligible from birth through age seven (currently from age one through age seven). Provides for continuation of eligibility for certain participants until the parents become ineligible due to educational achievement or until all children in the family attain age eight. Gives priority to applicants demonstrating that the area to be served has a high percentage or a large number of children and adults in need of program services. Authorizes appropriations for the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Establishes a Family Literacy Public Broadcasting Program. Authorizes the Secretary of Education, subject to availability of appropriations, to contract with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for production and dissemination of family literacy programming and accompanying materials to assist parents in improving family literacy skills and languages development. Requires CPB to: (1) cooperate with local public broadcasting stations; (2) arrange for distribution of audio and video instructional media materials for use, and distribution on loan, to families at sites chosen from among State and local libraries with literacy programs and nonprofit entities serving hard-to-serve populations; and (3) report to the Congress. Authorizes appropriations for the Family Literacy Public Broadcasting Program. Title IV: Business Leadership for Employment Skills - Amends the Adult Education Act (AEA) to provide for education programs for commercial drivers. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make competitive matching grants for adult education programs which increase the literacy skills of eligible commercial drivers so that they may successfully complete the knowledge test requirements under the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986. Requires grantees to refer individuals identified as having literacy skill problems to appropriate adult education programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title V: Books for Families - Revises the ESEA inexpensive book distribution program to require that priority be given in selection of additional local programs to those which serve children and students with special needs. Requires the program contractor (Reading is Fundamental) to report to the Secretary of Education annually on such additional programs. Amends the Library Services and Construction Act to direct the Secretary of Education, in awarding grants for library literacy programs and services, to give priority to those that: (1) will be delivered in areas of greatest need with highest concentrations of adults without secondary education or its equivalent, and which either have few community or financial resources or have low per capita income, unemployment, or underemployment; and (2) coordinate with literacy organizations and community-based organizations providing literacy services. Title VI: Students for Literacy - Amends HEA to authorize appropriations for Student Literacy Corps programs. Requires individual students in such programs, as a condition of course credit, to perform at least 60 hours of voluntary, uncompensated service as tutors in a public community agency's educational or literacy program. Title VII: Volunteers for Literacy - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to establish a Literacy Challenge Grants program. Authorizes the Director of the ACTION Agency to award such grants to eligible public and private entities to pay the Federal share of costs of establishing, operating, or expanding community or employee literacy programs that include the use of full- or part-time volunteers. Authorizes appropriations for Literacy Challenge Grants, but only if there are specified levels of funding for the VISTA Program and the VISTA Literacy Corps. Title VIII: Literacy for Incarcerated Individuals - Amends the Adult Education Act (AEA) to establish requirements for mandatory functional literacy programs for incarcerated adults in State correctional systems and local jails or detention centers. Requires such a program to be in effect in at least one major correctional facility, for each State correctional system and each local jail or detention center with an inmate population, within two years after enactment of this Act. Requires, if adequate funds are available, each State correctional system and each local jail or detention center with over 150 inmates to have such a program in effect within five years after enactment of this Act. Sets forth required components of such programs, including inmate mandatory participation any individual who is serving a life sentence without parole, or terminally ill, or under a sentence of death. Requires annual reports. Encourages: (1) parole agencies to make educational recommendations for those being released who do not have a marketable job skill or a high school diploma; and (2) jails with less than 150 inmates to develop such mandatory functional literacy programs.

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Timeline

30 January 1991
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Source: IntroReferral
30 January 1991
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
30 January 1991
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
22 February 1991
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education.
Source: Committee
4 March 1991
Committee
Executive Comment Requested from Labor, ACTION, HHS, Education.
Source: Committee
7 March 1991
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
7 March 1991
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Source: Committee
11 March 1991
Committee
Executive Comment Received from Education.
Source: Committee
12 March 1991
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
12 March 1991
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Source: Committee
18 March 1991
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 13.
Source: Calendars
18 March 1991
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 102-23.
Source: Committee
18 March 1991
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 102-23.
Source: Committee
19 March 1991
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
19 March 1991
Passed
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Source: Floor
19 March 1991
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Source: Floor
19 March 1991
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Source: Floor
19 March 1991
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules.
Source: Floor
19 March 1991
Floor
Mr. Kildee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Source: Floor
20 March 1991
Introduced
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 53.
Source: Calendars
26 June 1991
Floor
Measure laid before Senate.
Source: Floor
26 June 1991
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
27 June 1991
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
11 July 1991
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
11 July 1991
Passed
On motion to agree to Senate amendments Nos. 1 and 2 with amendments and agree to Senate amendment No. 3 Agreed to without objection.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
11 July 1991
Passed
Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion to agree to Senate amendments Nos. 1 and 2 with amendments and agree to Senate amendment No. 3 Agreed to without objection.
Source: NotUsed
11 July 1991
ResolvingDifferences
Mr. Kildee asked unanimous consent that the House agree to Senate amendments Nos. 1 and 2 with amendments and agree to Senate amendment No. 3.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
15 July 1991
Passed
Senate agreed to the House amendment to Senate amendments nos. 1 and 2 by Voice Vote.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
15 July 1991
Passed
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to Senate amendments nos. 1 and 2 by Voice Vote.
Source: NotUsed
16 July 1991
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
22 July 1991
Floor
Measure Signed in Senate.
Source: Floor
22 July 1991
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
22 July 1991
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
25 July 1991
Became law
Became Public Law No: 102-73.
Source: President
25 July 1991
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
25 July 1991
President
Signed by President.
Source: President

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Engrossed Amendment House · — · Download file
Engrossed Amendment Senate · — · Download file
Engrossed in House · — · Download file
Enrolled Bill · — · Download file
Introduced in House · — · Download file
Placed on Calendar Senate · — · Download file
Reported in House · — · Download file

Documents

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Reported in House (text)

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Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN
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Placed on Calendar Senate (text)
Placed on Calendar Senate · EN
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN
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Enrolled Bill (text)
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Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN
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Engrossed Amendment Senate (text)
Engrossed Amendment Senate · EN
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Engrossed Amendment House (text)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN
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Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 26 July 1991
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Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 26 June 1991
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 19 March 1991
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Reported to House with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 18 March 1991
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 30 January 1991
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Related records

amends ← To amend programs regarding the territories and the freely associated States.

Related across the Repo ecosystem

Direct relationships are identifier-backed. Topic context means shared TopicMembership — not a citation and not causation.

Direct relationships

Legal framework · National Literacy Act of 1991 · H.R. 751 (102nd) · US

Identifier matchPROJECTS_FROM
Same us record 102-hr-751 projected from PoliticalRepo US row.
National Literacy Act of 1991

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/house-bill/751
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/102/hr/751
us · 102-hr-751 · source updated 21 July 2025