[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2619 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2619

To establish Federal grant programs to identify and address the foreign 
 language needs within the United States for the purpose of enhancing 
economic competitiveness, ensuring national security, and promoting the 
                           national interest.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 1993

 Mr. Emerson introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly 
      to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish Federal grant programs to identify and address the foreign 
 language needs within the United States for the purpose of enhancing 
economic competitiveness, ensuring national security, and promoting the 
                           national interest.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Foreign Language Economic 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Foreign language proficiency will help Americans to 
        understand other customs and cultures, conduct effective 
        foreign policy, expand international trade, ensure the 
        integrity of national defense and security, and develop a truly 
        broad-based education for all citizens.
            (2) The business community suffers from United States 
        educational deficiencies, including inadequate foreign language 
        instruction. To compete, Americans must know more about their 
        economic partners and competitors. To do business overseas, 
        Americans must understand the customer's language and customs.
            (3) Of the world's 10 most populous languages, representing 
        potential markets, 6 of them, Malay-Indonesian, Bengali, Hindi, 
        Portuguese, and some dialects of Arabic and Chinese, are not 
        widely taught in the United States.
            (4) In Europe, there are dozens of universities with 
        schools of practical interpretation and translation. In the 
        United States, very few institutions of higher education offer 
        training in translation and interpretation, and only one offers 
        an undergraduate degree program.
            (5) Most professional interpreters and translators working 
        in the United States are foreign-born or received their 
        professional training in other countries.
            (6) Only 8 percent of our universities require foreign 
        languages for admission, and only 5 percent of our college 
        graduates are fluent in any language other than English. 
        American colleges and universities must place a new emphasis on 
        improving the teaching of foreign languages, regional studies, 
        and international studies to help meet such challenges.
            (7) Many teachers lack adequate international preparation. 
        Only 5 percent of current elementary and secondary teachers 
        ever took international relations, or geography courses while 
        in school.
            (8) Fewer than 5 percent of the elementary school students 
        in this country receive foreign language instruction, and only 
        17 percent of United States public elementary schools offer any 
        form of language instruction.
            (9) As new and increased language instruction becomes 
        necessary, educators to teach these languages are becoming 
        increasingly difficult to find. 35 States are currently 
        reporting a shortage in foreign language teachers.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``institution of higher education'' has 
        meaning provided by section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965;
            (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Education;
            (3) the term ``State education agency'' has the meaning 
        provided by section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965; 
        and
            (4) the term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning 
        provided by section 1201 of such Act.

             TITLE I--FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER RECRUITMENT

SEC. 101. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to establish a grant program that 
will assist States in recruiting individuals with a demonstrated 
competence in a foreign language and providing those individuals with 
the training required to qualify those individuals to teach.

SEC. 102. PROGRAM AUTHORITY.

    (a) General Authority.--The Secretary shall, in accordance with the 
requirements of this title, establish a program to provide grants to 
State educational agencies to recruit and train qualified individuals 
as elementary and secondary school teachers.
    (b) Allotment of Funds.--The Secretary shall periodically assess 
the needs for foreign language teachers in each State. The Secretary 
shall establish by regulation, procedures based on the results of such 
assessment, for the allotment of funds provided under this title among 
those States that have submitted applications that meet the 
requirements of section 203. Such procedures shall provide that no 
State shall receive a grant of less than $500,000 or more than 
$2,000,000.

SEC. 103. GRANT APPLICATIONS.

    Any State desiring to receive a grant under this title shall submit 
to the Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and 
containing or accompanied by such information and assurances as the 
Secretary may require by regulation. Such application shall--
            (1) contain assurances that 50 percent of the funds made 
        available under the grant for each fiscal year will be used to 
        provide grants of not more than $5,000 per year to qualified 
        individuals to cover the costs of instruction required to 
        obtain certification to teach;
            (2) provide that the State educational agency will allocate 
        funds provided under the grant on the basis of the following 
        factors;
                    (A) the local educational agencies need for 
                qualified teachers of foreign languages;
                    (B) the extent to which the local educational 
                agency has established model programs to address 
                foreign language instruction in effective ways;
                    (C) the need for development of new programs to 
                recruit and train qualified foreign language teachers; 
                and
                    (D) such additional factors as the State 
                educational agency considers appropriate;
            (3) contain assurances that the State educational agency 
        will not provide funds under the grant to any institution of 
        higher education unless the institution of higher education 
        requires 2 years of foreign language instruction as a condition 
        of admission or graduation; and
            (4) specify the procedures by which the State educational 
        agency will select the institutions or organizations to provide 
        the training required for teacher certification, which may 
        include an institution of higher education, local educational 
        agency, or consortia of institutions of higher education and 
        local educational agencies.

SEC. 104. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) Definition.--For purposes of this title, an individual is 
qualified if such individual has competence in a foreign language at a 
level consistent with the standards established by the Secretary under 
subsection (b).
    (b) Selection.--In selecting individuals for receipt for assistance 
under this title, a State educational agency shall include qualified 
individuals who are--
            (1) retired or returning Government employees who served 
        abroad;
            (2) retired or returning business persons or professionals 
        who served abroad;
            (3) foreign-born nationals with a degree from a domestic or 
        overseas institution of higher education; and
            (4) individuals with a baccalaureate degree whose major or 
        minor was in a foreign language or international studies.

SEC. 105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and each of the 3 succeeding fiscal 
years.

 TITLE II--GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR TRANSLATORS 
                            AND INTERPRETERS

SEC. 201. NEEDS ASSESSMENT COUNCIL.

    (a) Program Authority.--The Department of State shall establish a 
Translation and Interpretation Needs Assessment Council.
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall be composed of the 
        following individuals or the designated representatives of such 
        individuals:
                    (A) The Secretary of State, or a designee, who 
                shall serve as the chairperson of the Board.
                    (B) The Secretary of Education.
                    (C) The Secretary of Defense.
                    (D) The Secretary of Commerce.
                    (E) The Director of the Central Intelligence 
                Agency.
                    (F) The Director of the United States Information 
                Agency.
                    (G) The Director of the National Security Council.
                    (H) 6 individuals appointed by the President, who 
                have the expertise in the fields of translation and 
                interpretation, language and linguistics, international 
                studies, business, and area studies education.
            (2) Special rule.--Individuals appointed to the Board 
        pursuant to paragraph (1)(H) shall be appointed for a period 
        not to exceed 4 years. Such individuals shall receive no 
        compensation for service on the Council, but may receive 
        reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses.
    (c) Functions.--The Council shall--
            (1) establish qualifications for students and institutions 
        of higher education desiring fellowships and grants for 
        institutional support under this title;
            (2) coordinate and determine the translation and 
        interpretation needs of the Government for the purposes of 
        economic competitiveness and cooperation, diplomacy, and 
        national security; and
            (3) after determining these needs, make grants to 
        institutions of higher education for training translation and 
        interpretation specialists and personnel.

SEC. 202. PROCEDURES FOR THE SELECTION OF GRANT AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants.--The Council shall award grants under this title to 
institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher 
education (in conjunction with nonprofit or Federal agencies, or both) 
that provide evidence that they are developing a degree or certificate 
program in translation and interpretation.
    (b) Fellowships.--The Council shall award fellowships under this 
title to individuals who are enrolled in a degree or certificate 
program and agree to enter government or public service for 2 years for 
each year of study for which a fellowship under this title is received.

SEC. 203. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Institutional Support.--Funds provided by a grant under this 
title may be used for the purposes of--
            (1) developing physical plant and interpretation 
        facilities,
            (2) instructor training,
            (3) materials,
            (4) curriculum development,
            (5) internships,
            (6) faculty development and support in translation and 
        interpretation,
            (7) certificate and degree programs, and
            (8) the development and enhancement of graduate programs.
    (b) Fellowships.--Fellowships under this title shall be awarded to 
individuals who are United States citizens or resident aliens to enable 
such students to pursue education in the United States in the areas of 
practical interpretation and translation.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994, of which no less than $10,000,000 shall be available for section 
202(a), and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1995, 1996, and 1997 to carry out the provisions of this title.

             TITLE III--LESSER KNOWN AND STUDIED LANGUAGES

SEC. 301. LESSER KNOWN AND STUDIED LANGUAGES GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS.

    Effective October 1, 1993, the Soviet-Eastern European Research and 
Training Act of 1983 (22 U.S.C. 4501) is amended by adding after 
section 809 the following new section:

``SEC. 810. LESSER KNOWN AND STUDIED LANGUAGES GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to promote the 
teaching and study of lesser known and studied languages.
    ``(b) Definition.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
`lesser known and studied languages' means languages considered 
important to the national interest, national security, and economic 
competitiveness which have less than 1,000 students engaged in study at 
institutions of higher education in the United States.
    ``(c) Program Authority.--
            ``(1) List of lesser known and studied languages.--The 
        Secretary of State, in consultation with other appropriate 
        agencies, shall develop a list of the lesser known and studied 
        languages.
            ``(2) Grants.--The Secretary of State shall award grants 
        under this section to institutions of higher education or 
        consortia of institutions of higher education (in conjunction 
        with nonprofit or Federal agencies, or both) that provide 
        evidence that they are developing programs, classes, curriculum 
        material, and faculty for study in the lesser known and studied 
        languages. No such grant may exceed $1,000,000.
            ``(3) Fellowships.--The Secretary of State shall award 
        fellowships under this section to individuals who are enrolled 
        at an accredited institution of higher education in a degree or 
        certificate program in a lesser known and studied language 
        leading to proficiency in such language. Fellowships under this 
        section shall be $5,000 for each semester of study.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) Grants.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 to carry out subsection 
        (c)(2).
            ``(2) Fellowships.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 to carry out subsection 
        (c)(3).''.

                       TITLE IV--EXPORT EDUCATION

SEC. 401. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to assist American companies to 
develop and expand into export markets by providing education and 
support services necessary for domestic businesses to succeed in 
international markets by increasing their basic knowledge of world 
markets, foreign cultures and languages.

SEC. 402. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    (a) Grants by Secretary.--The Secretary of Commerce shall, in 
accordance with this title, make grants to States to carry out the 
purpose described in section 401.
    (b) Selection of Grants.--The State shall submit to the Secretary a 
proposal indicating the qualifications of the eligible entity for 
carrying out the provisions of section 403.
    (c) Distribution of Funds by States.--Each State that receives a 
grant under this title shall determine the eligibility of an 
appropriate State-based entity according to the needs of the State's 
primary trade and economic development agency and model programs 
serving such needs or for the development of such programs.

SEC. 403. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    Funds provided under this title may be used for the purpose of, but 
are not limited to--
            (1) education, support and referral services in developing 
        marketing materials in foreign languages and appropriate to 
        other cultures,
            (2) assisting companies in trade missions,
            (3) holding seminars and classes for companies on topics 
        such as export regulations, trading techniques, working in 
        foreign cultures and foreign languages,
            (4) providing consulting services with experts to assist 
        companies in export and marketing planning, and
            (5) acting as a clearinghouse in supplying companies with 
        information and updates to assist them in identifying 
        international and trade opportunities.

SEC. 404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $12,500,000 in fiscal years 
1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 to carry out the provisions of this title.

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