[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2609 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2609

    To establish a Global Service Fellowship Program, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             February 7 (legislative day, February 6), 2008

  Mr. Feingold (for himself, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Casey, Mr. Cochran, Mr. 
  Kerry, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Voinovich) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To establish a Global Service Fellowship Program, 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 ``Global Service Fellowship Program 
Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that a 
        critical component of the war on terror is changing opinions 
        and minds.
            (2) Polling data from Terror Free Tomorrow indicates that 
        nearly 60 percent of the people of Indonesia and 75 percent of 
        the people of Pakistan held more favorable views of the United 
        States following humanitarian assistance after their tsunami 
        and earthquake tragedies, respectively, and these changes in 
        perception of the United States were sustained beyond the 
        initial period of aid and service.
            (3) International volunteering opportunities are effective 
        means of addressing critical human needs, building bridges 
        across cultures, and promoting mutual understanding.
            (4) Current volunteer programs, such as the Peace Corps, 
        remain an important part of Federal efforts to promote 
        volunteer service and provide related programming.
            (5) Financial limitations are a common obstacle to 
        volunteering overseas, and awarding financial fellowships would 
        reduce barriers for many individuals otherwise unable to afford 
        travel overseas.
            (6) Allowing flexibility in the duration of volunteering 
        opportunities would reduce another barrier to volunteering.
            (7) A global service fellowship program would provide 
        funding and programmatic flexibility for volunteers of all 
        backgrounds, ages, and geographical locations.
            (8) Eligible organizations willing to participate in the 
        fellowship program as sponsoring organizations would be in a 
        better position to recruit volunteers for their programs 
        overseas.
            (9) The United States Agency for International Development 
        has taken important steps towards encouraging this kind of a 
        program through the creation of Volunteers for Prosperity.

SEC. 3. GLOBAL SERVICE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of State, in conjunction with the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall establish a program to be known as the Global 
Service Fellowship Program (in this section referred to as the 
``Program''), which will be administered by the United States Agency 
for International Development.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Program is to fund fellowships to 
promote international volunteering opportunities as a means of building 
bridges across cultures, addressing critical human needs, and promoting 
mutual understanding.
    (c) Fellowships.--Grants awarded under the Program shall be used to 
fund fellowships as follows:
            (1) Fellowships lasting 90 days or less in duration may be 
        funded at levels of up to $2,500.
            (2) Fellowships lasting between 91 days and 180 days may be 
        funded at levels up to $5,000.
            (3) Fellowships lasting between 181 days and one year may 
        be funded at levels up to $7,500.
    (d) Coordination With Sponsoring Organizations.--
            (1) In general.--Fellowships funded under the Program shall 
        be coordinated and supervised by participating volunteer 
        sponsoring organizations. The sponsoring organizations shall be 
        registered with the Secretary of State and shall collaborate 
        with host country organizations in developing programs that 
        appropriately address local needs for the transfer of volunteer 
        skills, capacity building, and cross-cultural service 
        organizations.
            (2) Prioritization of projects.--Sponsoring organizations 
        shall recommend and prioritize fellowship projects based on one 
        or more of the following objectives:
                    (A) Eradication of extreme poverty in conjunction 
                with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
                    (B) Achievement of universal primary education.
                    (C) Promotion of gender equality and the 
                empowerment of women and families.
                    (D) Reducing child mortality and improving maternal 
                health.
                    (E) Providing medical and dental health care and 
                prevention.
                    (F) Providing assistance for the elderly, orphans, 
                people with disabilities, and refugees.
                    (G) Promoting environmental sustainability.
                    (H) Providing economic and social opportunities for 
                youth in countries with growing cohorts of young 
                people.
                    (I) Promoting youth service by building related 
                volunteer-sector capacity in host countries.
                    (J) Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other 
                infectious diseases.
                    (K) Helping to build or provide decent housing.
                    (L) Providing disaster and humanitarian response, 
                preparedness, and reconstruction.
                    (M) Promoting cross-cultural exchange, conflict 
                resolution, and peace.
                    (N) Developing global partnerships for development 
                in the areas of economic growth, microenterprise, asset 
                development, and agricultural and rural development.
                    (O) Advancing access to information technology and 
                strengthening civil society.
                    (P) Carrying out additional activities in impact 
                areas designated by the Secretary of State and the 
                Administrator of the United States Agency for 
                International Development in accordance with the 
                purposes of this Act.
    (e) Application Process.--
            (1) Submission and review of applications.--Applicants 
        shall submit applications for fellowships under the Program to 
        the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development.
            (2) Selection.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
        with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
        International Development, shall determine the eligibility of 
        candidates and, in consultation with sponsoring organizations, 
        award and administer fellowships under the Program.
            (3) Criteria.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with 
        the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development, shall develop and publish criteria for fellowships 
        in accordance with the following guidelines:
                    (A) Sponsoring organizations.--Applicants for 
                Global Service Fellowships must be registered with 
                qualified sponsoring organizations such as--
                            (i) nongovernmental organizations based in 
                        the United States that sponsor international 
                        volunteer service;
                            (ii) faith-based organizations engaged in 
                        the delivery of nonsectarian services;
                            (iii) universities and colleges operating 
                        international service learning and volunteer 
                        service programs; and
                            (iv) nongovernmental organizations based in 
                        the United States that collaborate with local 
                        or national host government agencies or 
                        nongovernmental organizations in promoting 
                        volunteer capacity and national and community 
                        service in impact areas designated by the 
                        Secretary of State and the Administrator of the 
                        United States Agency for International 
                        Development under subsection (d)(2)(P).
                    (B) Applicants.--Applicants shall be selected for 
                Global Service Fellowships as follows:
                            (i) Applicants shall have clearly defined 
                        and structured goals for their proposed 
                        fellowships, including a plan for assessing and 
                        monitoring progress toward such goals with 
                        sponsoring organizations and a basis for 
                        follow-up and review by the Secretary of State, 
                        in conjunction with the Administrator of the 
                        United States Agency for International 
                        Development.
                            (ii) Priority should be given to--
                                    (I) applicants from households with 
                                an income that is less than 200 percent 
                                of the poverty level established 
                                pursuant to current census figures;
                                    (II) applicants who have 
                                demonstrated prior community service 
                                experience;
                                    (III) applicants with skills and 
                                experience suited to the specific needs 
                                of host countries;
                                    (IV) applicants who demonstrate a 
                                clear plan to communicate their 
                                volunteer experiences to their 
                                community upon their return; and
                                    (V) applicants whose physical 
                                residence would ensure a diverse 
                                geographical distribution of awardees 
                                across the United States.
    (f) Reporting Requirement.--
            (1) Notification of awards.--The Secretary of State and the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development shall jointly notify Members of Congress of the 
        decision to award a fellowship to their constituents at least 2 
        business days prior to notification to the awardee. Members of 
        Congress may choose to notify the constituent of the award upon 
        receiving such notification.
            (2) Project summaries.--Individuals receiving Global 
        Service Fellowships shall notify their Members of Congress of 
        their intended travel dates and provide project summaries prior 
        to their departures.
            (3) Reports.--Not later than 90 days after returning from 
        their Global Service Fellowships, fellows shall submit such 
        reports as the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development, may require, including post-fellowship reports 
        prepared for their home communities, to the Secretary of State, 
        the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development, and their congressional representatives.
    (g) Eligible Costs.--
            (1) In general.--Funds awarded under this section may be 
        used to cover the following costs associated with Global 
        Service Fellowships:
                    (A) Airfare, accommodations, and transportation 
                within the host country.
                    (B) Fees assessed by sponsoring organizations to 
                defray international service program costs and 
                administrative costs.
                    (C) Subsistence allowance in accordance with local 
                market conditions.
                    (D) Program materials and tools used for service-
                related purposes.
                    (E) Seed funding for local service projects.
                    (F) Language and cultural training and other costs 
                associated with pre-service project orientation.
            (2) Tuition not covered.--Funds awarded under this section 
        may not be used for tuition costs.
    (h) Nondiscrimination Requirements.--
            (1) Selection of applicants.--The selection of applicants 
        under subsection (e) shall be without regard to race, religion, 
        color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, sexual 
        orientation, or disability.
            (2) Sponsoring organizations.--
                    (A) In general.--A sponsoring organization shall 
                not discriminate against a Global Service Fellowship 
                Program participant or applicant, a beneficiary of any 
                project in which a Global Service Fellow participates, 
                or, except as provided in subparagraph (B), an employee 
                of the organization who is paid with Program funds on 
                the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, 
                sex, age, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or 
                disability.
                    (B) Limited exception for employees of sponsoring 
                organizations employed at time of awarding of funds.--
                The prohibition under subparagraph (A) on 
                discrimination on the basis of religion shall not apply 
                to the employment, with assistance provided under this 
                Program, of any employee who was employed with the 
                sponsoring organization on the date that the funds were 
                awarded.

SEC. 4. EVALUATION AND REPORT.

    (a) Evaluation of Global Service Fellowship Program.--The Secretary 
of State, in conjunction with the Administrator of the United States 
Agency for International Development, shall establish and implement an 
evaluation process for determining the effectiveness of the Global 
Service Fellowship Program.
    (b) Report.--Not later than March 31, 2011, the Secretary of State, 
in conjunction with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development, shall submit to Congress a report on the 
Global Service Fellowships Program established under section 3. The 
report shall describe--
            (1) the identity and location of sponsoring organizations;
            (2) for each impact issue areas identified by sponsoring 
        organizations, the number of volunteer opportunities and the 
        number of related Global Service Fellowships that have been 
        funded;
            (3) the number of local volunteers recruited or engaged 
        with Global Service Fellows and their sponsoring organizations 
        or local host organizations;
            (4) the locations of volunteer services;
            (5) the effectiveness of such services based upon findings 
        of the evaluation process; and
            (6) the total numbers of applications for Global Service 
        Fellowships that have been received and accepted to the 
        Program.

SEC. 5. FELLOWSHIPS EXCLUDED FROM GROSS INCOME.

    (a) In General.--Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle 
A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to items specifically 
excluded from gross income) is amended by inserting after section 139A 
the following new section:

``SEC. 139B. GLOBAL SERVICE FELLOWSHIPS.

    ``Gross income does not include amounts received under the Global 
Service Fellowship Program (within the meaning of section 3 of the 
Global Service Fellowship Program Act of 2008).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such part is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
139A the following new item:

``Sec. 139B. Global Services Fellowships.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 6. REGULATIONS.

    The Secretary of State shall prescribe regulations to carry out the 
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of State $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 
2011 for purposes of establishing and implementing the Global Service 
Fellowship Program.
    (b) Offset.--In order to provide an offset for amounts appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (a), the Internal Revenue Service shall deposit 
in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts all of the fees it receives 
for services.
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