I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4339 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 16, 2009 Mr. Sablan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To encourage students from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to become civically engaged through local and Federal government fellowships.

1.

Short title

This Act may be referred to as the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Act.

2.

Fellowship program for students from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

(a)

Establishment of fellowship program

The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a program, to be known as the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program, to award local and Federal government fellowships to qualified students from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (b)

Fellowships

Under the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program: (1)

Types

The Secretary may award to a qualified student one or both of the following fellowships: (A)

Local government fellowship

A local government fellowship, under which the Secretary shall assign the qualified student to an internship in an agency or entity of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (B)

Federal fellowship

A Federal fellowship, under which the Secretary shall assign the qualified student to an internship in— (i)an Executive agency (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code); or (ii)the office of a Representative or Senator in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress. (2)

Fellowship term

The term of a fellowship shall be an academic semester or a summer, as designated by the Secretary. (3)

Amount of fellowship

(A)

In general

A fellow may receive either a stipend or academic credit toward graduation for participating in an internship. (B)

Stipend

The stipend for participating in an internship shall be: (i)$6,000 for participating under an academic semester fellowship. (ii)$4,000 for participating under a summer fellowship. (C)

Fiscal years after 2010

In the case of any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2010, each dollar amount in subparagraph (B) shall be such dollar amount in effect for the preceding fiscal year, increased by the sum of— (i)the percentage of the dollar amount in effect for such preceding fiscal year that is equal to the percentage (if any) by which— (I)the Consumer Price Index for the most recent calendar year ending prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, exceeds (II)the Consumer Price Index for the next previous calendar year; plus (ii)one percent of the dollar amount in effect for such previous year. (4)

Travel stipend

The Secretary may provide to a fellow a travel stipend of not more than $1,500 for each fellowship term, based on the distance of the fellow from the internship site. (c)

Qualified student

For purposes of this section, the term qualified student means a student who is— (1)a citizen of the United States; (2)domiciled in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and (3)enrolled in a degree or certificate program at an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)). (d)

Application and selection

Under the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program: (1)

In general

The Secretary shall develop and administer an application and selection process for awarding a fellowship. (2)

Priority for selection of students

(A)

Local government fellowship

In awarding a local government fellowship, the Secretary shall give priority to a qualified student who has completed a Federal fellowship. (B)

Federal fellowship

In awarding a Federal fellowship, the Secretary shall give priority to a qualified student who has completed a local government fellowship. (3)

Selection of agencies

The Secretary shall not assign a fellow to an internship in an agency or office that does not agree to provide for the fellow to engage in mandatory activities, including— (A)activities encouraging professional development; (B)job skill training; (C)networking activities; and (D)community service activities. (4)

Limitation on number of fellowships awarded to each student

A qualified student shall be awarded no more than— (A)one local government fellowship; and (B)one Federal fellowship. (e)

Reporting

The Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, a report on the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program. The report shall include information on— (1)the use of funds appropriated for the purpose of carrying out the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program; and (2)barriers to participation in the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program. (f)

Definitions

For purposes of this section: (1)

Consumer Price Index

The term Consumer Price Index means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor. (2)

Fellow

The term fellow means a student who has been awarded a fellowship under the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program. (g)

Authorization of appropriations

(1)

In general

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior, for the purpose of carrying out the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program— (A)$1,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (B)such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years beginning after fiscal year 2010. (2)

Allocation

The Secretary shall reserve for each fiscal year, to fund activities under subsection (c)(3), an amount that is not more than 10 percent and not less than 5 percent of any amount appropriated for the purpose of carrying out the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program, but in any case not less than $50,000.