1.This Act may be cited as
the International Professional
Exchange Act of 2010
.
2.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.
.
3.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.
4.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate
congressional committeesThe 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)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)The
term fellowship means the vehicle through which inbound and
outbound fellows participate in the Program.
(4)The term inbound fellow means a fellow who is
coming to the United States from a Muslim-majority country.
(5)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)The term outbound fellow means a fellow who
is going to a Muslim-majority country from the United States.
(7)The
term Program means the 3-year International Professional Exchange
Pilot Program established under this Act.
5.International
professional exchange pilot program
(a)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)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)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)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)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)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.
6.Selection of
inbound fellows
(a)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)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)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.
7.
(a)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)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)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.
8.Orientation,
training, and language
(a)At the beginning of each fellowship, the
Program should include an orientation for each class of inbound fellows and
outbound fellows.
(b)The
Program should provide, and require each fellow to complete, appropriate
professional and cultural training before and during the fellowship.
(c)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.
9.Post-fellowship
activities
(a)Upon
successful completion of the fellowship, each fellow shall receive a
certificate from the Department of State certifying such completion.
(b)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 fundingThe 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.
10.
(a)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)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.
11.Authorization
of appropriationsThere 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.
December 22, 2010
Reported without amendment