109 HR 5784 IH: Shirley A. Chisholm United U.S. House of Representatives 2006-07-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5784 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 13, 2006 Ms. Lee (for herself, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Payne, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Towns, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mr. Owens, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Berman, Mr. Engel, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Crowley, Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Stark, Mr. McGovern, and Mr. Hoyer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations A BILL To authorize assistance to the countries of the Caribbean to fund educational development and exchange programs.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Caribbean

The term Caribbean includes— (A)the member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), but does not include any country having observer status in CARICOM; (B)the member countries of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), but does not include any country having observer status in the ACS. (2)

Secretary

Except as otherwise provided, the term Secretary means the Secretary of State. (3)

Administrator

Except as otherwise provided, the term Administrator means the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. (4)

United States cooperating agencies

The term United States cooperating agencies means any nongovernmental organization having United States citizenship that is designated by the Secretary to carry out the program authorized under section 6. (5)

Secondary school

The term secondary school means a school that serves students in any of the grades 9 through 12 or equivalent grades in a foreign education system as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Education. (6)

Undergraduate

The term undergraduate means a college or university student working toward an associate-level or bachelor’s degree. (7)

Graduate

The term graduate means a student pursuing a degree beyond the bachelor’s level. (8)

Appropriate congressional committees

The term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on International Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

3.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The United States and the Caribbean have enjoyed long-standing friendly relations. (2)As an important regional partner for trade and democratic values, the Caribbean constitutes a Third Border of the United States. (3)The decrease in tourism revenue in the aftermath of the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, had an adverse affect on the Caribbean. (4)According to a 2005 World Bank Report on the Caribbean, unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, has severe implications on poverty and income distributions, as well as drug trafficking and addiction. (5)The World Bank Report also concludes that better synchronization is needed between current Caribbean curricula and the skills needed in an evolving job market and economy. (6)Many Caribbean leaders have linked the increase in crime to a decrease in economic alternatives. Consequently, United States and Caribbean leaders have highlighted the need for increased educational opportunities for Caribbean students. (7)By enhancing United States cultural and educational exchange programs in the Caribbean, regional security is improved by expanding human resources and providing opportunities that promote economic growth. (8)Many Caribbean leaders studied at the undergraduate or graduate level in the United States before returning to their respective countries to contribute towards the strengthening of democracy, the economy, or the provision of social services. (9)From 2003 through 2005, 217 Caribbean leaders participated in exchange programs with the United States that focused on good governance, combating drug trafficking, anti-corruption, and other regional issues of concern. (10)The Department of State currently administers public outreach programs that include cultural, academic, and citizen exchange initiatives in Caribbean countries through the Embassy Public Affairs Sections with support from the Office of Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. (11)In some Caribbean countries, the United States Agency for International Development coordinates the Center of Excellence for Teacher Training (CETT), a successful Presidential initiative that emphasizes teacher training as a key to the development of a competitive work force. (12)In Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors educational advisors to promote study in the United States. (13)In the 2004-2005 academic year, approximately 14,000 Caribbean students were enrolled in United States universities.

4.

Statement of purpose

The purpose of this Act is to develop two comprehensive educational initiatives targeted toward the Caribbean. The first will establish a system for United States-Caribbean educational exchange programs, and the second will develop a plan to enhance teacher training and community involvement in early education in the region.

5.

Avoidance of duplication

The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, shall consult with the Administrator and the Secretary of Education to ensure that— (1)activities under this act are not duplicative of other efforts in the Caribbean; and (2)partner institutions in the Caribbean and United States cooperating agencies are creditable.

6.

Shirley Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program

(a)

In general

To carry out the purpose of this section, the Secretary of State, acting through the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, is authorized to establish a Caribbean international exchange visitor program, to be known as the Shirley Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program, under which— (1)secondary students from the Caribbean would— (A)attend a public equivalent school in the United States; (B)participate in activities designed to promote a greater understanding of United States values and culture; and (C)have the option to live with a United States host family and experience life in a United States host community; and (2)undergraduate, graduate students, and scholars from the Caribbean would— (A)attend a private or public college or university in the United States; (B)participate in activities designed to promote a greater understanding of United States values and culture; and (C)have the option to live with a United States host family and experience life in a United States host community. (b)

Percentage requirement

Not less than 75 percent of Program participants may be from member countries of CARICOM. (c)

Collaboration

The Secretary shall collaborate with Caribbean counterparts to establish similar exchange opportunities for United States secondary, undergraduate, graduate students, and scholars. (d)

Cooperation

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall cooperate with United States cooperating agencies to develop and implement the Program. (2)

Eligibility for Federal funding

The cooperating agencies shall be eligible for Federal funds and may request assistance from other private donors to assist in the implementation of the Program. (3)

Scholarships

The cooperating agencies may offer, on a merit and need-based basis, scholarships to eligible United States and Caribbean participants.

7.

Caribbean educational development programs

The Administrator, acting through the Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, shall develop a comprehensive program that extends and expands existing primary and secondary school initiatives in the Caribbean to provide— (1)teacher training methods; and (2)increased community involvement in school activities.

8.

Public private venture

Where possible for the purposes of implementing sections 6 and 7, the Secretary, the Administrator, and cooperating agencies are authorized to solicit funding from private sources.

9.

Reporting requirements

(a)

Initial report

Not later than three months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report setting forth plans to implement sections 6 and 7. The report shall include— (1)an estimate of the number of participating students from each country; (2)an identification of United States cooperating agencies; and (3)a schedule for implementation of the Shirley Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program. (b)

Subsequent reports

The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees regular reports upon the request of such committees or their Members.

10.

Authorization of appropriations

(a)

In general

There are authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years from 2007 through 2017. (b)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that not less than $6,000,000 in additional funding above the amount that is otherwise authorized to be appropriated for educational exchange programs should be made available for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2017 to carry out this Act, as follows: (1)$4,000,000 for the Shirley Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program administered by the Department of State under section 6; and (2)$2,000,000 for Caribbean educational development programs administered by the United States Agency for International Development under section 7.