[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4528 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4528


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 12, 2000

     Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To establish an undergraduate grant program of the Department of State 
to assist students of limited financial means from the United States to 
      pursue studies at foreign institutions of higher education.

    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 ``International Academic Opportunity 
Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to establish an undergraduate grant 
program for students of limited financial means from the United States 
to enable such students to study at institutions of higher education in 
foreign countries. Such foreign study is intended to broaden the 
outlook and better prepare such students of demonstrated financial need 
to assume significant roles in the increasingly global economy.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN STUDY BY AMERICAN 
              COLLEGE STUDENTS OF LIMITED FINANCIAL MEANS.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
and under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Act of 1961, the Secretary of State shall establish and carry 
out a program in each fiscal year to award grants of up to $5,000, to 
individuals who meet the requirements of subsection (b), toward the 
cost of one academic year of undergraduate study at an institution of 
higher education in a foreign country. Grants under this Act shall be 
known as the ``Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships''.
    (b) Eligibility.--An individual referred to in subsection (a) is an 
individual who--
            (1) is a student in good standing at an institution of 
        higher education in the United States (as defined in section 
        101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965);
            (2) has been accepted for an academic year of study at an 
        institution of higher education outside the United States (as 
        defined by section 102(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965);
            (3) is receiving any need-based student assistance under 
        title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
            (4) is a citizen or national of the United States.
    (c) Application and Selection.--
            (1) Grant application and selection shall be carried out 
        through accredited institutions of higher education in the 
        United States or combination of such institutions under such 
        procedures as are established by the Secretary of State.
            (2) In considering applications for grants under this 
        section, priority consideration shall be given to applicants 
        who are receiving Federal Pell Grants under title IV of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    The Secretary of State shall report annually to the Congress 
concerning the grant program established under this Act. Each such 
report shall include the following information for the preceding year:
            (1) The number of participants.
            (2) The institutions of higher education in the United 
        States that participants attended.
            (3) The institutions of higher education outside the United 
        States participants attended during their year of study abroad.
            (4) The areas of study of participants.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 for each fiscal 
year to carry out this Act.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect October 1, 2000.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 11, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.