1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Understanding and Studying American Civics Act of 2019 or the USA Civics Act of 2019 . 2. American Civics Education Program Section 805 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161e ) is amended— (1) in the section heading, by striking history for freedom and inserting civics education program ; (2) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking subsection (f) and inserting subsection (g) ; (B) by striking the Secretary is authorized to award three-year grants, on a competitive basis, and inserting the Secretary is authorized to award grants, once every 3 years and on a competitive basis, ; (C) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (1) American political thought and history; ; (D) in paragraph (2) by striking or after the semicolon; (E) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) the history, achievements, and impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally; or ; and (F) by adding at the end the following: (4) the means of participation in political and civic life. ; (3) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking as defined in section 101. and inserting , or a partnership that includes an institution of higher education and one or more nonprofit organizations, whose missions and demonstrated expertise are consistent with the purpose of this section. ; (B) in paragraph (2), by striking that emerged and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting founded on the principles of representative democracy, constitutional government, individual rights, market economics, religious freedom and religious tolerance, and freedom of thought and inquiry. ; and (C) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) American political thought and history The term American political thought and history means— (A) the significant constitutional, political, intellectual, economic, social, and foreign policy trends and issues that have shaped the course of American history