[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3913 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3913

To authorize the acceptance of endowment contributions for educational 
and cultural international exchange programs of the Department of State 
      and the designation of such programs in recognition of the 
                             contributions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2000

  Mr. Leach introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the acceptance of endowment contributions for educational 
and cultural international exchange programs of the Department of State 
      and the designation of such programs in recognition of the 
                             contributions.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) It is in the national interest of the United States to 
        promote mutual understanding between the people of the United 
        States and other nations.
            (2) Among the means to be used in achieving this objective 
        are a wide range of international educational and exchange 
        programs, including the J. William Fulbright Educational 
        Exchange Program and the International Visitors Program.
            (3) United States Government financial support for 
        international cultural and scholarly exchanges has declined by 
        approximately 10 percent in recent years.
            (4) There is a long and distinguished tradition in United 
        States higher education of endowed contributions by 
        individuals, corporations, and foundations to create 
        scholarships or faculty chairs designated in recognition of the 
        contributor.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT ENDOWMENT PAYMENTS AND DESIGNATE PROGRAMS.

    Section 105(f) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2455(f)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(f)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(2) In the sole discretion of the Secretary of State, the 
        Secretary is authorized to accept contributions of funds as an 
        endowment for the purpose of longterm financial support for 
        particular educational and cultural exchange programs to carry 
        out the purposes of this Act. The Secretary is authorized to 
        designate a program in recognition of such endowment 
        contributions if the program has not been designated by law.''.
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