[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 589 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 589

   To establish a Global Service Fellowship Program and to authorize 
           Volunteers for Prosperity, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 12, 2009

Mr. Feingold (for himself, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cochran, 
and Mr. Cardin) 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 to authorize 
           Volunteers for Prosperity, 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 2009''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that a 
        critical component of our efforts to bolster national and 
        global security is to ``find common ground and common purpose 
        with other peoples'' and to invest in social development.
            (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, 
        which promotes international volunteer service by skilled 
        professionals from the United States but has never been 
        formally authorized.

SEC. 3. VOLUNTEERS FOR PROSPERITY.

    (a) Establishment.--Consistent with Executive Order 13317 (68 Fed. 
Reg. 56515), the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development shall establish the Office of Volunteers for 
Prosperity.
    (b) Purpose.--The Office of Volunteers for Prosperity shall pursue 
the objectives described in section 4(d)(2), including by--
            (1) implementing the Global Service Fellowship Program 
        established under section 4;
            (2) promoting other short and long-term international 
        volunteering opportunities;
            (3) promoting the efforts of Global Service Fellows as part 
        of the public diplomacy efforts of the United States 
        Government;
            (4) helping eligible United States sponsoring 
        organizations, as described in section 4(e)(3)(A), to recruit 
        and effectively manage skilled United States professionals for 
        volunteer assignments overseas; and
            (5) providing recognition for volunteers from the United 
        States who serve internationally, and the organizations 
        sponsoring them.

SEC. 4. GLOBAL SERVICE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development shall establish and administer a program 
to be known as the Global Service Fellowship Program (in this section 
referred to as the ``Program'').
    (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.--Fellows shall undertake their volunteer 
        opportunity in coordination with an eligible volunteer 
        sponsoring organization. Such organizations shall be registered 
        with the Administrator and shall collaborate with host country 
        organizations in developing, as appropriate, fellowships that 
        appropriately address local needs, maximize the transfer of 
        skills, and build local capacity.
            (2) Prioritization of projects.--Decisions to award 
        fellowships shall be prioritized according to humanitarian and 
        development goals of the United States Government, including 
        the following:
                    (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 
                young people in countries with significant youth 
                populations, including promoting youth service by 
                building related volunteer-sector capacity in host 
                countries.
                    (I) Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other 
                infectious diseases.
                    (J) Helping to build or provide decent housing.
                    (K) Providing disaster and humanitarian response, 
                preparedness, and reconstruction.
                    (L) Promoting cross-cultural exchange, language 
                education, conflict resolution, and peace.
                    (M) Developing global partnerships for development 
                in the areas of economic growth, microenterprise, asset 
                development, and agricultural and rural development.
                    (N) Advancing access to information technology and 
                strengthening civil society.
    (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 Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development shall determine the 
        eligibility of candidates and, in coordination with sponsoring 
        organizations, award and administer fellowships under the 
        Program.
            (3) Criteria.--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 activities consistent with the 
                        prioritized humanitarian and development goals 
                        set forth in subsection (d)(2).
                    (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 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 organizations;
                                    (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 
                                from across the United States.
    (f) Reporting Requirement.--
            (1) Notification of awards.--The Administrator of the 
        United States Agency for International Development shall 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 and shall provide intended travel 
        dates and project summaries of the fellows. Members of Congress 
        may then elect to notify the constituent of the award.
            (2) Reports.--Not later than 90 days after returning from 
        service abroad under the Program, fellows shall submit such 
        reports as the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
        International Development may require, including post-
        fellowship reports prepared for their home communities, to 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 by the sponsoring organization 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) 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 assistance 
                provided under the Program 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. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT.

    (a) Evaluation of Global Service Fellowship Program.--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 Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Development shall submit to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the Global 
Service Fellowships Program established under section 4. The report 
shall describe--
            (1) the identity and location of sponsoring organizations;
            (2) for each humanitarian or development goal 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 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. 6. REGULATIONS.

    The Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development 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 $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 
2012 for the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity and the Global Service 
Fellowship Program.
    (b) Allocation of Funds.--Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to 
subsection (a)--
            (1) not less than 90 percent of expended amounts shall be 
        used to fund Global Service Fellowships; and
            (2) not more than 10 percent of expended amounts may be 
        used for administrative expenses of the Office of Volunteers 
        for Prosperity and the Global Service Fellowship Program.
    (c) 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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