[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 357 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 357

  Expressing the sense of the Senate that international education and 
 exchange programs further United States national security and foreign 
policy priorities, enhance United States economic competitiveness, and 
  promote mutual understanding and cooperation among nations, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 12, 2017

  Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. 
  Shaheen, Mr. Booker, Mr. Peters, Mr. Coons, Mr. Markey, Mr. Wicker, 
  Mrs. Capito, Ms. Warren, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Warner, 
   Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Murphy, Mr. King, Mr. Carper, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
  Menendez, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Brown, Mr. Johnson, Mr. 
 Franken, and Ms. Stabenow) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate that international education and 
 exchange programs further United States national security and foreign 
policy priorities, enhance United States economic competitiveness, and 
  promote mutual understanding and cooperation among nations, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas hundreds of thousands of United States secondary and post-secondary 
        students, from congressional districts in all 50 States, study overseas 
        each year;
Whereas, according to the Department of State, more than 1,000,000 international 
        students and other international education and exchange participants 
        annually help create mutual understanding by living, studying, and 
        working in local communities throughout the United States;
Whereas international education and exchange programs serve an effective and 
        proven diplomatic function with countries key to United States foreign 
        policy and national security priorities, encouraging goodwill towards 
        the United States;
Whereas promoting the United States as a destination for international students 
        and professionals, while encouraging United States students and 
        professionals to gain international experience abroad, are wise 
        investments in our Nation's economic competitiveness;
Whereas it is imperative that United States students understand how to interact 
        with their peers from around the world and operate in multicultural 
        environments;
Whereas it is important to diversify the pool of United States citizens 
        participating in international study and exchange experiences, including 
        groups that have been historically underrepresented in these programs;
Whereas students and other young people are the world's future leaders and 
        innovators;
Whereas there are multitudes of private, not-for-profit organized and funded 
        exchange programs and many that are funded by the United States 
        Government;
Whereas international education and exchange programs exist at multiple levels 
        of the educational spectrum, including high school, undergraduate, 
        graduate, educator, citizen, cultural, and sports programs;
Whereas according to an economic analysis of international student enrollment 
        data and tuition data by NAFSA: Association of International Educators--

    (1) international students consistently have a positive impact on the 
United States economy and job creation in every State and Congressional 
district;

    (2) international students studying at United States colleges and 
universities contributed $32,800,000,000 to the United States economy and 
supported more than 400,000 jobs during the 2015-16 academic year, which 
represents a 7.2 percent increase in job support and creation and a 7 
percent increase in money contributed to the economy compared to the 
previous academic year;

Whereas exchange experiences enable international visitors to become informal 
        ambassadors for their home countries while they are in the United States 
        and for the United States when they return to their home countries by 
        sharing an appreciation for common values, counteracting stereotypes, 
        and enhancing mutual respect for cultural differences;
Whereas research indicates that the United States needs to encourage more 
        students to graduate with expertise in foreign languages, cultures, and 
        politics to fill the demands of business, government, and universities;
Whereas international education and exchange programs are a particularly 
        effective way for American students to develop foreign language 
        capability and cultural awareness, which are skills that United States 
        employers seek to remain globally competitive; and
Whereas international education and exchange programs shape the views and 
        opinions of participants, many of whom are or will become leaders in 
        their communities, both in the United States and abroad: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes that international education and exchange 
        programs--
                    (A) enhance national security;
                    (B) further United States foreign policy goals and 
                economic competitiveness; and
                    (C) promote mutual understanding and cooperation 
                among nations;
            (2) encourages international education and exchange 
        programs to ensure that the United States maintains a broad 
        international knowledge base;
            (3) supports international education and exchange programs 
        as a means of strengthening foreign language skills and 
        fostering a better understanding of the world by United States 
        citizens, especially youth;
            (4) commends the American and international education and 
        exchange participants, volunteers, educators, program alumni, 
        host families, high schools, colleges, universities, and host 
        communities for their involvement in such programs; and
            (5) celebrates the integral role international education 
        and exchange programs play for the United States and its 
        people.
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