[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3688 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3688

 To establish an international professional exchange program, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 2, 2010

   Mr. Kerry introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish an international professional exchange 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 ``International Professional Exchange 
Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to the National Research Council's 2007 
        report titled ``International Education and Foreign Languages: 
        Keys to Securing America's Future'', ``knowledge of foreign 
        languages and cultures is increasingly critical for the 
        nation's security and its ability to compete in the global 
        marketplace. Language skills and cultural expertise are needed 
        for federal service, for business, for such professions as law, 
        health care, and social work, and for an informed citizenry.''.
            (2) Exchange programs play an important role in learning 
        about foreign cultures and languages and building bridges 
        between societies. Our Nation benefits from having people from 
        all over the world study, work, and travel in the United 
        States.
            (3) The Fulbright Programs are widely recognized and 
        prestigious international exchange programs, with approximately 
        294,000 ``Fulbrighters'' from more than 155 countries 
        participating in the academic exchange program since its 
        inception more than 60 years ago.
            (4) In his June 4, 2009, speech in Cairo, Egypt, President 
        Barack Obama stated--
                    (A) ``I have come here to seek a new beginning 
                between the United States and Muslims around the world; 
                one based on mutual interest and mutual respect.'';
                    (B) in discussing economic development and 
                opportunity, ``we will expand exchange programs'' and 
                ``we will create a new corps of business volunteers to 
                partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority 
                countries''; and
                    (C) ``Indeed, faith should bring us together. That 
                is why we are forging service projects in America that 
                bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews.'' and 
                ``Around the world, we can turn dialogue into 
                Interfaith service, so bridges between peoples lead to 
                action.''.
            (5) During the 2010 Presidential Summit on 
        Entrepreneurship, President Obama emphasized the importance of 
        partnering with global Muslim communities ``to expand economic 
        prosperity . . . and to deepen ties between business leaders, 
        foundations, and entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim 
        communities around the world.''.
            (6) In her November 2009 speech at the ``Forum for the 
        Future'' in Marrakech, Morocco, Secretary of State Clinton 
        stated ``It is results, not rhetoric, that matter in the end. 
        Economic empowerment, education, healthcare, access to energy 
        and to credit, these are the basics that all communities need 
        to thrive. . . . We know that true progress comes from within a 
        society and cannot be imposed from the outside, and we know 
        that change does not happen overnight. So we will not focus our 
        energies on one-time projects, but we will seek to work with 
        all of you in government and in civil society to try to build 
        local capacity and empower local organizations and individuals 
        to create sustainable change.''.
            (7) On January 28, 2010, Farah Pandith, Special 
        Representative to Muslim Communities for the Department of 
        State, stated, ``by working together in true partnership with 
        Muslims around the world, we can build new relationships and 
        partnerships that inspire and promote peace, prosperity, 
        dignity, and hope.''.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish a pilot program--
            (1) to help build professional capacity and contribute 
        professional skills to local communities through a two-way 
        exchange of fellows;
            (2) to address some of the long-term economic challenges 
        facing the global economy by sharing and building professional 
        expertise and building civil society capacity in the United 
        States and in Muslim-majority countries, including minority 
        populations in those countries;
            (3) to promote cross-cultural understanding between the 
        people of the United States and the people in Muslim-majority 
        countries, including minority populations in those countries;
            (4) to improve mutual understanding, change perceptions, 
        and strengthen the people-to-people ties which unite Americans 
        with people in Muslim-majority countries, including minority 
        populations in those countries; and
            (5) to promote international cooperation and peace.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Fellow.--The term ``fellow'' means a college-educated 
        professional who--
                    (A) is between 21 and 40 years of age; and
                    (B) has been selected to participate in the 
                Program.
            (3) Fellowship.--The term ``fellowship'' means the vehicle 
        through which inbound and outbound fellows participate in the 
        Program.
            (4) Inbound fellow.--The term ``inbound fellow'' means a 
        fellow who is coming to the United States from a Muslim-
        majority country.
            (5) Muslim-majority country.--The term ``Muslim-majority 
        country'' means--
                    (A) a country that is a Member State of the 
                Organization of the Islamic Conference; and
                    (B) the Republic of Kosovo.
            (6) Outbound fellow.--The term ``outbound fellow'' means a 
        fellow who is going to a Muslim-majority country from the 
        United States.
            (7) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the 3-year 
        International Professional Exchange Pilot Program established 
        under this Act.

SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of State is authorized to 
establish a 3-year international professional exchange pilot program 
for--
            (1) young professionals in the United States to live and 
        work in a Muslim-majority country; and
            (2) young professionals in Muslim-majority countries to 
        live and work in the United States.
    (b) Fellowship Duration.--The fellowships under the Program should 
last between 3 and 6 months, during which--
            (1) time should be allocated for professional training, 
        community service, and cultural immersion activities, including 
        site visits and domestic travel; and
            (2) the majority of time should be spent in a professional 
        job setting that complements the fellow's professional 
        background and builds relevant professional skill sets.
    (c) Community Service.--Each fellow shall be required to complete 
at least 40 hours of community service in the local community in which 
the fellow is placed to gain a better appreciation for--
            (1) issues surrounding the local community;
            (2) the importance of civic engagement; and
            (3) in some cases, interfaith service, which involves 
        service activities and projects for the common good that draw 
        participants from more than 1 faith tradition, denomination, 
        spiritual movement, or religion and often include secular 
        participants and organizations.
    (d) Placement.--Each fellow shall be placed in a professional 
environment that complements his or her professional training and 
experience. To the extent possible, outbound fellowship placement 
selections should target local companies and businesses in addition to 
placement opportunities with local governments and civil society 
organizations.
    (e) Travel Expenses; Stipend.--The Program shall cover all relevant 
travel, administrative, and health care costs for each fellow that are 
directly related to his or her participation in the Program. Each 
fellow shall receive a stipend in an amount equal to the estimated 
costs to be incurred for housing, meals, and local transportation 
costs. Fellows shall not be paid a salary by the Program for their 
fellowship. To the extent available and consistent with local law, 
fellows may accept a stipend from the local company or organization 
connected to their fellowship.
    (f) Technology.--In administering the Program, the Secretary of 
State is encouraged to support and utilize communications technology to 
train fellows and provide networking opportunities for fellows, 
including--
            (1) simultaneous orientations;
            (2) online educational and cultural trainings, including 
        refresher language training;
            (3) classroom exchanges;
            (4) online networks of fellows; and
            (5) platforms for sharing experiences and creating alumni 
        networks.

SEC. 6. SELECTION OF INBOUND FELLOWS.

    (a) Country of Origin.--The selection of inbound fellows shall 
reflect geographic diversity to the extent possible. The Secretary of 
State shall select not fewer than 4 and not more than 7 Muslim-majority 
countries from which the initial group of inbound fellows may be 
selected. In making such selections, the Secretary shall select at 
least 1 country from each of the following geographic regions:
            (1) Middle East and North Africa.
            (2) Central Asia and South Asia.
            (3) Southeast Asia.
    (b) Recruitment.--In recruiting inbound fellows for the Program, 
the Secretary should--
            (1) build upon existing programs to engage Muslim 
        communities, including efforts by the Department of State 
        through the Office of the Special Representative to Muslim 
        Communities and the Office of the Special Envoy to the 
        Organization of the Islamic Conference;
            (2) reach out to graduates of English learning programs, 
        such as the English Access Microscholarship Program;
            (3) work with local Chambers of Commerce and leading 
        private sector industries to identify potential candidates;
            (4) engage with public service networks and leading public 
        service and nonprofit organizations;
            (5) use online networking and media tools to reach 
        potential fellows; and
            (6) use other creative outlets to reach a broad and diverse 
        candidate pool.
    (c) Selection Process.--In selecting inbound fellows for the 
Program, the Secretary should--
            (1) give preference to candidates who--
                    (A) have relevant professional and language 
                qualifications;
                    (B) are prepared for cultural immersion; and
                    (C) have demonstrated leadership in their 
                communities;
            (2) take into account the gender and geographic diversity 
        of the candidates;
            (3) conduct in-person interviews with all of the finalists 
        to test their character and personal commitment to the goals of 
        the Program; and
            (4) select fellows from a variety of professional 
        backgrounds with a preference for individuals who work in--
                    (A) the public sector, including teachers, urban/
                city planners, public health workers, and public 
                administrators; or
                    (B) civil society, including journalists, faith-
                based leaders, interfaith leaders, and those working in 
                nonprofit organizations.

SEC. 7. OUTBOUND FELLOWS.

    (a) Country of Placement.--The placement of outbound fellows shall 
reflect geographic diversity to the extent possible. The Secretary of 
State shall select not fewer than 4 and not more than 7 Muslim-majority 
countries to which the initial group of outbound fellows may be placed. 
This group of countries does not need to be the same group of countries 
from which inbound fellows are selected. In making such selection, at 
least 1 country should be selected from each of the following 
geographic regions:
            (1) Middle East and North Africa.
            (2) Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
    (b) Recruitment.--In recruiting outbound fellows for the Program, 
the Secretary should identify a large selection of potential candidates 
by working closely with--
            (1) Federal and State government agencies;
            (2) United States academic institutions, particularly 
        graduate schools;
            (3) public and private sector professional networks;
            (4) private businesses; and
            (5) nongovernmental organizations.
    (c) Selection Process.--In selecting outbound fellows for the 
Program, the Secretary should--
            (1) identify candidates who--
                    (A) have relevant professional and language 
                qualifications;
                    (B) are prepared for cultural immersion; and
                    (C) have demonstrated leadership in their 
                communities;
            (2) take into account the gender and geographic diversity 
        of the candidates;
            (3) conduct in-person interviews with all of the finalists 
        to test their character and personal commitment to the goals of 
        the Program; and
            (4) select fellows from a variety of professional 
        backgrounds, with a preference for individuals who work in--
                    (A) the public sector, including teachers, urban/
                city planners, public health workers, and public 
                administrators; and
                    (B) civil society, including journalists, faith-
                based leaders, interfaith leaders, and those working in 
                nonprofit organizations.

SEC. 8. ORIENTATION, TRAINING, AND LANGUAGE.

    (a) Orientation.--At the beginning of each fellowship, the Program 
should include an orientation for each class of inbound fellows and 
outbound fellows.
    (b) Training.--The Program should provide, and require each fellow 
to complete, appropriate professional and cultural training before and 
during the fellowship.
    (c) Language.--The Program is not intended to teach fellows 
professional competency in the working language of the country in which 
fellows are placed. Fellows should possess a working level knowledge of 
the language needed for professional placement before the placement is 
made. The Program shall provide refresher language training for 
fellowship placement, as needed.

SEC. 9. POST-FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Certificate.--Upon successful completion of the fellowship, 
each fellow shall receive a certificate from the Department of State 
certifying such completion.
    (b) Alumni Networks.--The Program should include an alumni 
component that encourages former fellows to meet and build 
relationships and provides an opportunity for former fellows--
            (1) to remain linked to the Program and the network of 
        colleagues they met through the Program;
            (2) to share experiences with current and former fellows 
        and participating professional organizations;
            (3) to build international professional networks;
            (4) to recruit candidates for future fellowships;
            (5) to identify placement opportunities for future fellows; 
        and
            (6) to raise funds in support of alumni activities and 
        future fellows.
    (c) Public-Private Partnership Funding.--The Secretary of State is 
strongly encouraged to defray the costs of the Program through public-
private partnerships that seek in-kind contributions, financial 
assistance for travel and administrative costs, job placement, and 
recruitment assistance from--
            (1) the private sector, including private foundations;
            (2) foreign governments; and
            (3) other interested parties.

SEC. 10. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 15 months, 27 months, and 39 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 
shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that 
describes the administration and outcomes of the Program.
    (b) Contents.--The reports submitted under subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) the administrative costs of the Program;
            (2) recommendations for improving cost-sharing;
            (3) the country selection process for the Program;
            (4) the qualifications, overhead, and achievements of any 
        partners involved in the implementation of the Program;
            (5) the program models used by grantees to promote cross-
        learning;
            (6) recruitment practices and outcomes;
            (7) the number of candidates per country;
            (8) selection criteria used to choose fellows, including 
        issues that arose during selection and recommendations for 
        improved selection;
            (9) the placement process, including issues that arose 
        during selection and recommendations for improved placement;
            (10) the training offered, including recommendations for 
        improved training;
            (11) the alumni networks created, including recommendations 
        for improving alumni activity; and
            (12) other recommendations for improving the administration 
        and funding of the overall program.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 
2014, which shall be expended to carry out the Program in accordance 
with this Act.
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