[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 115 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 115

     To strengthen the national security through the expansion and 
     improvement of foreign language study, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 2005

   Mr. Holt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Select 
Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select) and Armed Services, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To strengthen the national security through the expansion and 
     improvement of foreign language study, and for other purposes.

    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 ``National Security Language Act''.

SEC. 2. ENCOURAGING EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION.

    Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1121 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating part D as part E;
            (2) by redesignating section 631 (20 U.S.C. 1132) as 
        section 641; and
            (3) by inserting after section 628 the following new part:

              ``PART D--EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

``SEC. 631. EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible 
        partnership' means a partnership that--
                    ``(A) shall include--
                            ``(i) a foreign language department of an 
                        institution of higher education; and
                            ``(ii) a local educational agency; and
                    ``(B) may include--
                            ``(i) another foreign language or teacher 
                        training department of an institution of higher 
                        education;
                            ``(ii) another local educational agency, or 
                        an elementary or secondary school;
                            ``(iii) a business;
                            ``(iv) a nonprofit organization of 
                        demonstrated effectiveness, including a museum;
                            ``(v) heritage or community centers for 
                        language study;
                            ``(vi) language resource centers; or
                            ``(vii) the State foreign language 
                        coordinator or State educational agency.
            ``(2) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
        need local educational agency' has the meaning given the term 
        in section 2102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6602).
            ``(3) Less-commonly taught foreign languages.--The term 
        `less-commonly taught foreign languages' includes the languages 
        of Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-
        Croatian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, and any other language 
        identified by the Secretary of Education, in consultation with 
        the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, 
        and the National Security Education Program, as a foreign 
        language critical to the national security of the United 
        States.
            ``(4) Summer workshop or institute.--The term `summer 
        workshop or institute' means a workshop or institute, conducted 
        during the summer, that--
                    ``(A) is conducted for a period of not less than 2 
                weeks;
                    ``(B) provides for a program that provides direct 
                interaction between students and faculty; and
                    ``(C) provides for follow-up training during the 
                academic year that--
                            ``(i) except as provided in clause (ii) or 
                        (iii), shall be conducted in the classroom for 
                        a period of not less than 3 days, which may or 
                        may not be consecutive;
                            ``(ii) if the program described in 
                        subparagraph (B) is for a period of not more 
                        than 2 weeks, shall be conducted for a period 
                        of more than 3 days; or
                            ``(iii) if the program is for teachers in 
                        rural school districts, may be conducted 
                        through distance education.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to improve the 
performance of students in the study of foreign languages by 
encouraging States, institutions of higher education, elementary 
schools, and secondary schools to participate in programs that--
            ``(1) upgrade the status and stature of foreign language 
        teaching by encouraging institutions of higher education to 
        assume greater responsibility for improving foreign language 
        teacher education through the establishment of a comprehensive, 
        integrated system of recruiting and advising such teachers;
            ``(2) focus on education of foreign language teachers as a 
        career-long process that should continuously stimulate 
        teachers' intellectual growth and upgrade teachers' knowledge 
        and skills;
            ``(3) bring foreign language teachers in elementary schools 
        and secondary schools together with linguists or higher 
        education foreign language professionals to increase the 
        subject matter knowledge and improve the teaching skills of 
        teachers through the use of more sophisticated resources that 
        institutions of higher education are better able to provide 
        than the schools; and
            ``(4) develop more rigorous foreign language curricula that 
        are aligned with--
                    ``(A) professionally accepted standards for 
                elementary and secondary education instruction; and
                    ``(B) the standards expected for post-secondary 
                study in foreign language.
    ``(c) Grants to Partnerships.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to enable the 
        eligible partnerships to pay the Federal share of the costs of 
        carrying out the authorized activities described in this 
        section.
            ``(2) Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        this section for a period of 5 years.
            ``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs of the 
        activities assisted under this section shall be--
                    ``(A) 75 percent of the costs for the first year 
                that an eligible partnership receives a grant payment 
                under this section;
                    ``(B) 65 percent of such costs for the second such 
                year; and
                    ``(C) 50 percent of such costs for each of the 
                third, fourth, and fifth such years.
            ``(4) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the 
        costs of carrying out the authorized activities described in 
        this section may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly 
        evaluated.
            ``(5) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships--
                    ``(A) that include high-need local educational 
                agencies; or
                    ``(B) that emphasize the teaching of the less-
                commonly taught foreign languages.
    ``(d) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership desiring a 
        grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--An application under paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) an assessment of the teacher quality and 
                professional development needs of all the schools and 
                agencies participating in the eligible partnership with 
                respect to the teaching and learning of foreign 
                languages;
                    ``(B) a description of how the activities to be 
                carried out by the eligible partnership will be based 
                on a review of relevant research, and an explanation of 
                why the activities are expected to improve student 
                performance and to strengthen the quality of foreign 
                language instruction; and
                    ``(C) a description of--
                            ``(i) how the eligible partnership will 
                        carry out the authorized activities described 
                        in subsection (e); and
                            ``(ii) the eligible partnership's 
                        evaluation and accountability plan as described 
                        in subsection (f).
    ``(e) Authorized Activities.--An eligible partnership shall use the 
grant funds provided under this section for 1 or more of the following 
activities related to elementary schools or secondary schools:
            ``(1) Creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing 
        professional development that improves the subject matter 
        knowledge of foreign language teachers.
            ``(2) Recruiting university students with foreign language 
        majors for teaching.
            ``(3) Promoting strong teaching skills for foreign language 
        teachers and teacher educators.
            ``(4) Establishing foreign language summer workshops or 
        institutes (including follow-up training) for teachers.
            ``(5) Establishing distance learning programs for foreign 
        language teachers.
            ``(6) Designing programs to prepare a teacher at a school 
        to provide professional development to other teachers at the 
        school and to assist novice teachers at such school, including 
        (if applicable) a mechanism to integrate experiences from a 
        summer workshop or institute.
            ``(7) Developing instruction materials.
    ``(f) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--Each eligible 
partnership receiving a grant under this section shall develop an 
evaluation and accountability plan for activities assisted under this 
section that includes strong performance objectives. The plan shall 
include objectives and measures for--
            ``(1) increased participation by students in advanced 
        courses in foreign language;
            ``(2) increased percentages of secondary school classes in 
        foreign language taught by teachers with academic majors in 
        foreign language, respectively; and
            ``(3) increased numbers of foreign language teachers who 
        participate in content-based professional development 
        activities.
    ``(g) Report.--Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under 
this section shall annually report to the Secretary regarding the 
eligible partnership's progress in meeting the performance objectives 
described in subsection (f).
    ``(h) Termination.--If the Secretary determines that an eligible 
partnership is not making substantial progress in meeting the 
performance objectives described in subsection (f) by the end of the 
third year of a grant under this section, the grant payments shall not 
be made for the fourth and fifth year of the grant.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this part, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $48,000,000 for fiscal year 
2006 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding 
fiscal years.''.

SEC. 3. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 
              GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to support programs 
in colleges and universities that--
            (1) encourage students to develop both--
                    (A) an understanding of science and technology; and
                    (B) foreign language proficiency; and
            (2) foster future international scientific collaboration.
    (b) Development.--The Secretary of Education shall develop a 
program for the awarding of grants to institutions of higher education 
that develop innovative programs for the teaching of foreign languages.
    (c) Regulations and Requirements.--The Secretary of Education shall 
promulgate regulations for the awarding of grants under subsection (b). 
Such regulations shall require institutions of higher education to use 
grant funds for, among other things--
            (1) the development of an on-campus cultural awareness 
        program by which students attend classes taught in the foreign 
        language and study the science and technology developments and 
        practices in a non-English speaking country;
            (2) immersion programs where students take science or 
        technology related course work in a non-English speaking 
        country; and
            (3) other programs, such as summer workshops, that 
        emphasize the intense study of a foreign language and science 
        technology.
    (d) Grant Distribution.--In distributing grants to institutions of 
higher education under this section, the Secretary of Education shall 
give priority to--
            (1) institutions that have programs focusing on curriculum 
        that combine the study of foreign languages and the study of 
        science and technology and produce graduates who have both 
        skills; and
            (2) institutions teaching the less-commonly taught 
        languages of Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, 
        Serbian-Croatian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, and any 
        language identified by the Secretary of Education, in 
        consultation with the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign 
        Service Institute, and the National Security Education Program, 
        as a critical foreign language need.
    (e) Science.--In this section, the term ``science'' means any of 
the natural and physical sciences including chemistry, biology, 
physics, and computer science. Such term does not include any of the 
social sciences.
    (f) Appropriations Authorized.--To carry out this section, there 
are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and 
such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION MARKETING CAMPAIGN.

    The Secretary of Education shall establish a foreign language 
education marketing campaign to encourage students at secondary schools 
and institutions of higher education to study foreign languages, 
particularly languages that are less commonly taught and critical to 
the national security of the United States.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL STUDY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE HERITAGE COMMUNITIES.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Education shall conduct a study to 
identify foreign language heritage communities, particularly such 
communities that include speakers of languages that are critical to the 
national security of the United States.
    (b) Foreign Language Heritage Community.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``foreign language heritage community'' means a 
community of residents or citizens of the United States--
            (1) who are native speakers of, or who have partial fluency 
        in, a foreign language; and
            (2) who should be actively recruited for employment by 
        Federal security agencies with a need for linguists.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall submit a report to the 
Congress on the results of the study conducted under this section.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL FLAGSHIP LANGUAGE INITIATIVE 
              WITHIN THE NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) National Flagship Language Initiative.--
            (1) Expansion of grant program authority.--Subsection 
        (a)(1) of section 802 of the David L. Boren National Security 
        Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1902) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (D);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (E) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(F) awarding grants to institutions of higher 
                education to carry out activities under the 
                International Flagship Language Initiative (described 
                in subsection (j)).''.
            (2) Provisions of national flagship language initiative.--
        Such section is further amended by adding at the end the 
        following new subsection:
    ``(j) International Flagship Language Initiative.--(1) Under the 
International Flagship Language Initiative, qualified institutions of 
higher education shall establish, operate, or improve foreign language 
immersion programs and activities at sites overseas designed to train 
students in programs in a range of disciplines to achieve advanced 
levels of proficiency in those foreign languages that the Secretary 
identifies as being the most critical in the interests of the national 
security of the United States.
    ``(2) For purposes of this subsection, an institution of higher 
education is deemed to be qualified if the Secretary determines that 
the institution has demonstrated expertise in the establishment and 
operation of foreign language immersion programs at sites overseas.
    ``(3) In awarding grants under subsection (a)(1)(F), the Secretary 
shall give preference to those qualified institutions of higher 
education that--
            ``(A) collaborate with established study abroad 
        professional organizations,
            ``(B) demonstrate experience in recruitment, placement, 
        programming, and assessment of students in specific countries 
        and regions of the world; and
            ``(C) demonstrate relationships with language acquisition 
        specialists.
    ``(4) An undergraduate student who has been awarded a scholarship 
under subsection (a)(1)(A) or a graduate student who has been awarded a 
fellowship under subsection (a)(1)(B) may participate in the activities 
carried out under the National Flagship Language Initiative.
    ``(5) An institution of higher education that receives a grant 
pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(F) shall give special consideration to 
applicants who are employees of the Federal Government.''.
            (3) Inapplicability of funding allocation rules.--(A) The 
        first sentence in the matter following subsection (a)(2) of 
        such section is amended by inserting ``or under paragraph 
        (1)(F) for the International Flagship Language Initiative 
        described in subsection (j)'' after ``or for the scholarship 
        program under paragraph (1)(E)''.
            (B) The second sentence in such matter is amended by 
        inserting ``and the International Flagship Language 
        Initiative'' after ``the National Flagship Language 
        Initiative''.
            (4) Board requirement.--Section 803(d)(4)(E) of such Act 
        (50 U.S.C. 1903(d)(4)(E)) is amended by inserting before the 
        period the following: ``and section 802(a)(1)(F) (relating to 
        grants for the International Flagship Language Initiative).''.
    (b) Funding.--Section 811(b) of the David L. Boren National 
Security Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1911(a)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a) Fiscal Year 2005.--''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In addition to amounts that may be made available to the 
Secretary under the Fund for a fiscal year, the Director of National 
Intelligence shall transfer to the Secretary from amounts appropriated 
for the Intelligence Community Management Account for each fiscal year, 
beginning with fiscal year 2006, $6,000,000, to carry out the grant 
program for the International Flagship Language Initiative under 
section 802(a)(1)(F).''.
    (c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
affecting any program or project carried out under the David L. Boren 
National Security Education Act of 1991 as in effect on the date that 
precedes the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. FORGIVENESS OF LOANS TO STUDENTS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
              EDUCATION.

    (a) Guaranteed Student Loans.--Part B of title IV of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 428K (20 
U.S.C. 1078-11) the following:

``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN CRITICAL FOREIGN 
              LANGUAGES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall establish 
and implement a program to cancel the obligation of loan borrowers to 
pay the principal and interest on a loan provided under this part in 
order to serve as an incentive for students to obtain a degree in a 
critical foreign language.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program, 
        through the holder of the loan, of assuming the obligation to 
        repay in accordance with subsection (c) the principal and 
        interest, not to exceed a total of $10,000, on a loan made 
        under this part for a borrower who--
                    ``(A) has obtained an undergraduate degree in a 
                critical foreign language;
                    ``(B) is employed in a full-time position--
                            ``(i) in an elementary or secondary school 
                        as a teacher of a critical foreign language; or
                            ``(ii) in an agency of the United States 
                        Government in a position that regularly 
                        requires the use of such critical foreign 
                        language;
                    ``(C) is a United States citizen, United States 
                national, permanent legal resident, or citizen of the 
                Freely Associated States; and
                    ``(D) is in repayment status on such loan and is 
                not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks 
                forgiveness of principal and interest payments.
            ``(2) Application by borrowers.--The Secretary shall, by 
        regulation, establish procedures by which borrowers shall apply 
        for loan repayment under this section.
    ``(c) Terms.--
            ``(1) Promise to complete service required for payment.--
        Any application for payment under subsection (b) shall contain 
        an agreement by the applicant that the applicant will continue 
        in a qualifying service described in subsection (b)(1)(B) for 
        not less than 5 consecutive complete years, or will, upon a 
        failure to complete such 5 years, repay the United States the 
        amount of the principal and interest repaid by the Secretary 
        under subsection (b), at a rate and schedule, and in accordance 
        with regulations, prescribed by the Secretary. Such regulations 
        may provide for waiver by the Secretary of such repayment 
        obligations upon proof of economic hardship as specified in 
        such regulations.
            ``(2) Payment in installments.--After a borrower has 
        obtained a bachelor's degree in a critical foreign language, 
        the Federal Government shall make payments under this section 
        while the borrower is in loan repayment status and continues in 
        an employment position described in subsection (b)(1)(B). The 
        Secretary shall repay a portion of a borrower's outstanding 
        loan, not to exceed a total of $10,000, in the following 
        increments:
                    ``(A) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the second year of such service;
                    ``(B) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the third year of such service;
                    ``(C) up to $2,000 or 20 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the fourth year of such service; and
                    ``(D) up to $5,000 or 50 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the fifth year of such service.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical 
        foreign language' includes the languages of Arabic, Korean, 
        Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, 
        Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the 
        Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Defense 
        Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, and the 
        National Security Education Program, as a critical foreign 
        language need.
            ``(2) Agency.--The term `agency of the United States 
        Government' means any agency, office, establishment, 
        instrumentality, or other entity of the executive, legislative, 
        or judicial branch of the Government.''.
    (b) Direct Student Loans.--Part D of title IV of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 460A. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN CRITICAL FOREIGN 
              LANGUAGES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall establish 
and implement a program to cancel the obligation of loan borrowers to 
pay the principal and interest on a loan provided under this part in 
order to serve as an incentive for students to obtain a degree in a 
critical foreign language.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        of assuming the obligation to repay in accordance with 
        subsection (c) the principal and interest, not to exceed a 
        total of $10,000, on a loan made under this part for a borrower 
        who--
                    ``(A) has obtained an undergraduate degree in a 
                critical foreign language;
                    ``(B) is employed in a full-time position--
                            ``(i) in an elementary or secondary school 
                        as a teacher of a critical foreign language; or
                            ``(ii) in an agency of the United States 
                        Government in a position that regularly 
                        requires the use of such critical foreign 
                        language;
                    ``(C) is a United States citizen, United States 
                national, permanent legal resident, or citizen of the 
                Freely Associated States; and
                    ``(D) is in repayment status on such loan and is 
                not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks 
                forgiveness of principal and interest payments.
            ``(2) Application by borrowers.--The Secretary shall, by 
        regulation, establish procedures by which borrowers shall apply 
        for loan repayment under this section.
    ``(c) Terms.--
            ``(1) Promise to complete service required for payment.--
        Any application for payment under subsection (b) shall contain 
        an agreement by the applicant that the applicant will continue 
        in a qualifying service described in subsection (b)(1)(B) for 
        not less than 5 consecutive complete years, or will, upon a 
        failure to complete such 5 years, repay the United States the 
        amount of the principal and interest repaid by the Secretary 
        under subsection (b), at a rate and schedule, and in accordance 
        with regulations, prescribed by the Secretary. Such regulations 
        may provide for waiver by the Secretary of such repayment 
        obligations upon proof of economic hardship as specified in 
        such regulations.
            ``(2) Payment in installments.--After a borrower has 
        obtained a bachelor's degree in a critical foreign language, 
        the Federal Government shall make payments under this section 
        while the borrower is in loan repayment status and continues in 
        an employment position described in subsection (b)(1)(B). The 
        Secretary shall repay a portion of a borrower's outstanding 
        loan, not to exceed a total of $10,000, in the following 
        increments:
                    ``(A) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the second year of such service;
                    ``(B) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the third year of such service;
                    ``(C) up to $2,000 or 20 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the fourth year of such service; and
                    ``(D) up to $5,000 or 50 percent of the borrower's 
                outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the 
                completion of the fifth year of such service.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical 
        foreign language' includes the languages of Arabic, Korean, 
        Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, 
        Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the 
        Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Defense 
        Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, and the 
        National Security Education Program, as a critical foreign 
        language need.
            ``(2) Agency.--The term `agency of the United States 
        Government' means any agency, office, establishment, 
        instrumentality, or other entity of the executive, legislative, 
        or judicial branch of the Government.''.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall propose 
regulations to carry out this section and submit to the appropriate 
committees of the Congress a report on how the Secretary plans to 
implement the programs under amendments made by this section and 
advertise such programs to institutions of higher education and 
potential applicants. Not later than 6 months after the date on which 
the comment period for the regulations proposed under the preceding 
sentence ends, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations to 
carry out this section.
                                 <all>