[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 747 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 747

     To establish a National Foreign Language Coordination Council.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2007

 Mr. Baird (for himself, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Holt, Mr. Moore of Kansas, 
Mr. Pomeroy, and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To establish a National Foreign Language Coordination Council.

    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 Foreign Language 
Coordination Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE COORDINATION 
              COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Executive Office of 
the President a National Foreign Language Coordination Council (in this 
section referred to as the ``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--The Council shall consist of the following members 
or their designees:
            (1) The National Language Director, who shall serve as the 
        chairperson of the Council.
            (2) The Secretary of Education.
            (3) The Secretary of Defense.
            (4) The Secretary of State.
            (5) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
            (6) The Attorney General.
            (7) The Director of National Intelligence.
            (8) The Secretary of Labor.
            (9) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
            (10) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
            (11) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (12) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
            (13) The Secretary of the Treasury.
            (14) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
            (15) The Secretary of Agriculture.
            (16) The Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank 
        of the United States.
            (17) The heads of such other Federal agencies as the 
        Council considers appropriate.
    (c) Responsibilities.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall be charged with--
                    (A) overseeing, coordinating, and implementing the 
                National Security Language Initiative;
                    (B) developing a national foreign language 
                strategy, building upon the efforts of the National 
                Security Language Initiative, within 18 months after 
                the date of the enactment of this section, in 
                consultation with--
                            (i) State and local government agencies;
                            (ii) academic sector institutions;
                            (iii) foreign language related interest 
                        groups;
                            (iv) business associations;
                            (v) industry;
                            (vi) heritage associations; and
                            (vii) other relevant stakeholders;
                    (C) conducting a survey of the status of Federal 
                agency foreign language and area expertise and agency 
                needs for such expertise; and
                    (D) monitoring the implementation of such strategy 
                through--
                            (i) application of current and recently 
                        enacted laws; and
                            (ii) the promulgation and enforcement of 
                        rules and regulations.
            (2) Strategy content.--The strategy developed under 
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) recommendations for amendments to title 5, 
                United States Code, in order to improve the ability of 
                the Federal Government to recruit and retain 
                individuals with foreign language proficiency and 
                provide foreign language training for Federal 
                employees;
                    (B) the long term goals, anticipated effect, and 
                needs of the National Security Language Initiative;
                    (C) identification of crucial priorities across all 
                sectors;
                    (D) identification and evaluation of Federal 
                foreign language programs and activities, including--
                            (i) any duplicative or overlapping programs 
                        that may impede efficiency;
                            (ii) recommendations on coordination;
                            (iii) program enhancements; and
                            (iv) allocation of resources so as to 
                        maximize use of resources;
                    (E) needed national policies and corresponding 
                legislative and regulatory actions in support of, and 
                allocation of designated resources to, promising 
                programs and initiatives at all levels (Federal, State, 
                and local), especially in the less commonly taught 
                languages that are seen as critical for national 
                security and global competitiveness during the next 20 
                to 50 years;
                    (F) effective ways to increase public awareness of 
                the need for foreign language skills and career paths 
                in all sectors that can employ those skills, with the 
                objective of increasing support for foreign language 
                study among--
                            (i) Federal, State, and local leaders;
                            (ii) students;
                            (iii) parents;
                            (iv) elementary, secondary, and 
                        postsecondary educational institutions; and
                            (v) employers;
                    (G) recommendations for incentives for related 
                educational programs, including foreign language 
                teacher training;
                    (H) coordination of cross-sector efforts, including 
                public-private partnerships;
                    (I) coordination initiatives to develop a strategic 
                posture for language research and recommendations for 
                funding for applied foreign language research into 
                issues of national concern;
                    (J) recommendations for assistance for--
                            (i) the development of foreign language 
                        achievement standards; and
                            (ii) corresponding assessments for the 
                        elementary, secondary, and postsecondary 
                        education levels, including the National 
                        Assessment of Educational Progress in foreign 
                        languages;
                    (K) recommendations for development of--
                            (i) language skill-level certification 
                        standards;
                            (ii) frameworks for pre-service and 
                        professional development study for those who 
                        teach foreign language;
                            (iii) suggested graduation criteria for 
                        foreign language studies and appropriate non-
                        language studies, such as--
                                    (I) international business;
                                    (II) national security;
                                    (III) public administration;
                                    (IV) health care;
                                    (V) engineering;
                                    (VI) law;
                                    (VII) journalism; and
                                    (VIII) sciences;
                    (L) identification of and means for replicating 
                best practices at all levels and in all sectors, 
                including best practices from the international 
                community; and
                    (M) recommendations for overcoming barriers in 
                foreign language proficiency.
            (3) National security language initiative.--The term 
        ``National Security Language Initiative'' means the 
        comprehensive national plan of the President announced on 
        January 5, 2006, and under the direction of the Secretaries of 
        State, Education, and Defense and the Director of National 
        Intelligence to expand foreign language education for national 
        security purposes in the United States.
    (d) Submission of Strategy to President and Congress.--Not later 
than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Council 
shall prepare and transmit to the President and the relevant committees 
of Congress the strategy required under subsection (c).
    (e) Meetings.--The Council may hold such meetings, and sit and act 
at such times and places, as the Council considers appropriate, but 
shall meet in formal session at least 2 times a year. State and local 
government agencies and other organizations (such as academic sector 
institutions, foreign language-related interest groups, business 
associations, industry, and heritage community organizations) shall be 
invited, as appropriate, to public meetings of the Council at least 
once a year.
    (f) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Director may--
                    (A) appoint, without regard to the provisions of 
                title 5, United States Code, governing the competitive 
                service, such personnel as the Director considers 
                necessary; and
                    (B) compensate such personnel without regard to the 
                provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 
                53 of that title.
            (2) Detail of government employees.--Upon request of the 
        Council, any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the 
        Council without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without 
        interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege
            (3) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the 
        Council, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent 
        services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
            (4) Travel expenses.--Council members and staff shall be 
        allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business 
        in the performance of services for the Council.
            (5) Security clearance.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                appropriate Federal agencies or departments shall 
                cooperate with the Council in expeditiously providing 
                to the Council members and staff appropriate security 
                clearances to the extent possible pursuant to existing 
                procedures and requirements.
                    (B) Exception.--No person shall be provided with 
                access to classified information under this section 
                without the appropriate required security clearance 
                access.
            (6) Compensation.--The rate of pay for any employee of the 
        Council (including the Director) may not exceed the rate 
        payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5316 of title 5, United States Code.
    (g) Powers.--
            (1) Delegation.--Any member or employee of the Council may, 
        if authorized by the Council, take any action that the Council 
        is authorized to take in this section.
            (2) Information.--
                    (A) Council authority to secure.--The Council may 
                secure directly from any Federal agency such 
                information, consistent with Federal privacy laws, 
                including The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 
                (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and Department of Education's General 
                Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232(h)), the 
                Council considers necessary to carry out its 
                responsibilities.
                    (B) Requirement to furnish requested information.--
                Upon request of the Director, the head of such agency 
                shall furnish such information to the Council.
            (3) Donations.--The Council may accept, use, and dispose of 
        gifts or donations of services or property.
            (4) Mail.--The Council may use the United States mail in 
        the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal 
        agencies.
    (h) Conferences, Newsletter, and Website.--In carrying out this 
section, the Council--
            (1) may arrange Federal, regional, State, and local 
        conferences for the purpose of developing and coordinating 
        effective programs and activities to improve foreign language 
        education;
            (2) may publish a newsletter concerning Federal, State, and 
        local programs that are effectively meeting the foreign 
        language needs of the nation; and
            (3) shall create and maintain a website containing 
        information on the Council and its activities, best practices 
        on language education, and other relevant information.
    (i) Annual Report.--
            (1) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Council 
        shall prepare and transmit to the President and the relevant 
        committees of Congress a report that describes--
                    (A) the activities of the Council;
                    (B) the efforts of the Council to improve foreign 
                language education and training; and
                    (C) impediments to the use of a National Foreign 
                Language program, including any statutory and 
                regulatory restrictions.
            (2) Relevant committees.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
        the relevant committees of Congress include--
                    (A) in the House of Representatives--
                            (i) the Committee on Appropriations;
                            (ii) the Committee on Armed Services;
                            (iii) the Committee on Education and Labor;
                            (iv) the Committee on Oversight and 
                        Government Reform;
                            (v) the Committee on Small Business;
                            (vi) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and
                            (vii) the Permanent Select Committee on 
                        Intelligence;
                    (B) in the Senate--
                            (i) the Committee on Appropriations;
                            (ii) the Committee on Armed Services;
                            (iii) the Committee on Health, Education, 
                        Labor, and Pensions;
                            (iv) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                        Governmental Affairs;
                            (v) the Committee on Foreign Relations; and
                            (vi) the Select Committee on Intelligence.
    (j) Establishment of a National Language Director.--
            (1) In general.--There is established a National Language 
        Director who shall be appointed by the President. The National 
        Language Director shall be a nationally recognized individual 
        with credentials and abilities across the sectors to be 
        involved with creating and implementing long-term solutions to 
        achieving national foreign language and cultural competency.
            (2) Responsibilities.--The National Language Director 
        shall--
                    (A) develop and monitor the implementation of a 
                national foreign language strategy, built upon the 
                efforts of the National Security Language Initiative, 
                across all sectors;
                    (B) establish formal relationships among the major 
                stakeholders in meeting the needs of the Nation for 
                improved capabilities in foreign languages and cultural 
                understanding, including Federal, State, and local 
                government agencies, academia, industry, labor, and 
                heritage communities; and
                    (C) coordinate and lead a public information 
                campaign that raises awareness of public and private 
                sector careers requiring foreign language skills and 
                cultural understanding, with the objective of 
                increasing interest in and support for the study of 
                foreign languages among national leaders, the business 
                community, local officials, parents, and individuals.
    (k) Encouragement of State Involvement.--
            (1) State contact persons.--The Council shall consult with 
        each State to provide for the designation by each State of an 
        individual to serve as a State contact person for the purpose 
        of receiving and disseminating information and communications 
        received from the Council.
            (2) State interagency councils and lead agencies.--Each 
        State is encouraged to establish a State interagency council on 
        foreign language coordination or designate a lead agency for 
        the State for the purpose of assuming primary responsibility 
        for coordinating and interacting with the Council and State and 
        local government agencies as necessary.
    (l) Congressional Notification.--The Council shall provide to 
Congress such information as may be requested by Congress, through 
reports, briefings, and other appropriate means.
    (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out this section.
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