[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4555 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4555
To ensure that significantly more students graduate college with the
international knowledge and experience essential for success in today's
global economy through the establishment of the Senator Paul Simon
Study Abroad Program in the Department of Education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 27, 2019
Mrs. Bustos (for herself and Mr. Katko) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that significantly more students graduate college with the
international knowledge and experience essential for success in today's
global economy through the establishment of the Senator Paul Simon
Study Abroad Program in the Department of Education.
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 ``Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad
Program Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) To prepare students for success in the modern global
economy, opportunities for study abroad should be included as
part of a well-rounded education.
(2) Study abroad programs provide students with
unparalleled access to international knowledge, an unmatched
opportunity to learn foreign languages, and a unique
environment for developing cultural understanding, all of which
are knowledge and skills needed in today's global economy.
(3) Less than 2 percent of all enrolled postsecondary
students in the United States study abroad for credit in any
given year, and minority students, first generation college
students, community college students, and students with
disabilities are significantly underrepresented in study abroad
participation.
(4) Congress authorized the establishment of the Commission
on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program pursuant
to section 104 of the Miscellaneous Appropriations and Offsets
Act, 2004 (division H of Public Law 108-199). Pursuant to its
mandate, the Lincoln Commission submitted to Congress and the
President a report of its recommendations for greatly expanding
the opportunity for students at institutions of higher
education in the United States to study abroad, with special
emphasis on studying in developing nations.
(5) According to the Lincoln Commission, ``[e]xperience
shows that leadership from administrators and faculty will
drive the number of study abroad participants higher and
improve the quality of programs. Such leadership is the only
way that study abroad will become an integral part of the
undergraduate experience.''. A competitive grant program is
necessary to encourage and support such leadership.
(6) Student safety while studying abroad is and must
continue to be a priority for institutions of higher education
and study abroad programs.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to ensure that significantly more students have access
to quality study abroad opportunities;
(2) to ensure that the diversity of students studying
abroad reflects the diversity of students and institutions of
higher education in the United States;
(3) to encourage greater diversity in study abroad
destinations by increasing the portion of study abroad that
takes place in nontraditional study abroad destinations,
especially in developing countries; and
(4) to encourage a greater commitment by institutions of
higher education to expand study abroad opportunities.
SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.
Section 741 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1138) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as
paragraphs (13) and (14), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (11) the
following:
``(12) awarding grants under the Senator Paul Simon Study
Abroad Program described in subsection (g);''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given
the term in section 101(a).
``(B) National of the united states.--The term
`national of the United States' means a national of the
United States or an alien lawfully admitted for
permanent residence (as those terms are defined in
section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101)).
``(C) Nontraditional study abroad destination.--The
term `nontraditional study abroad destination' means a
location that is determined by the Secretary to be a
less common destination for students who study abroad.
``(D) Student.--The term `student' means a national
of the United States who is enrolled at an institution
of higher education located within the United States.
``(E) Study abroad.--The term `study abroad' means
an educational program of study, work, research,
internship, or combination thereof that is conducted
outside the United States and that carries academic
credit.
``(2) Senator paul simon study abroad program.--
``(A) Establishment.--There is established in the
Department a program to be called the `Senator Paul
Simon Study Abroad Program'.
``(B) Objectives.--The objectives of the program
established under subparagraph (A) are, that not later
than 10 years after the date of enactment of the
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2019--
``(i) not less than 1,000,000 undergraduate
students will study abroad annually;
``(ii) the demographics of study abroad
participation will reflect the demographics of
the United States undergraduate population by
increasing the participation of
underrepresented groups; and
``(iii) an increasing portion of study
abroad will take place in nontraditional study
abroad destinations, with a substantial portion
of such increases in developing countries.
``(C) Competitive grants to institutions of higher
education.--In order to accomplish the objectives set
forth in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall award
grants on a competitive basis to institutions of higher
education, individually or in a consortium, based on
applications by the institutions that--
``(i) set forth detailed plans for using
grant funds to further such objectives;
``(ii) include an institutional commitment
to expanding access to study abroad;
``(iii) include plans for evaluating
progress made in increasing access to study
abroad;
``(iv) describe how increases in study
abroad participation achieved through the grant
will be sustained in subsequent years; and
``(v) demonstrate that the programs have
established health and safety guidelines and
procedures, informed by Department of State
travel advisories and other appropriate Federal
agencies and resources, including the Overseas
Security Advisory Council, the USA Study Abroad
Office of the Department of State, and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
``(D) Nongovernmental institutions.--Consortia of
institutions of higher education applying for grants
described in subparagraph (C) may include
nongovernmental institutions that provide and promote
study abroad opportunities for students.
``(E) Commission on the abraham lincoln study
abroad fellowship program.--In administering the
program, the Secretary shall take fully into account
the recommendations of the Commission on the Abraham
Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, established
pursuant to section 104 of the Miscellaneous
Appropriations and Offsets Act, 2004 (division H of
Public Law 108-199).
``(F) Consultation.--In carrying out this
paragraph, the Secretary shall consult with
representatives of diverse institutions of higher
education, educational policy organizations, and others
with appropriate expertise.
``(3) Annual report.--Not later than December 31 of each
year following the date of enactment of the Senator Paul Simon
Study Abroad Program Act of 2019, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives a report on the implementation of this
subsection during the prior fiscal year.
``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020 and each
subsequent fiscal year.''.
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