[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5098 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5098

 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 State.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2022

Mr. Durbin (for himself and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 State.

    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 2022''.

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) Only 10 percent of United States college students study 
        abroad before they graduate, leaving 90 percent of graduates 
        entering the workforce without the global skills, knowledge, 
        and experiences afforded by study abroad programs that will 
        position them for success in the global economy. Minority 
        students, first-generation college students, community college 
        students, and students with disabilities are also significantly 
        underrepresented in study abroad participation.
            (4) Congress authorized the establishment of the Commission 
        on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program 
        (referred to in this section as the ``Lincoln Commission'') 
        under 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 a report to 
        Congress and to the President containing 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 health, safety, and security while studying 
        abroad is, and must continue to be, a priority for institutions 
        of higher education and study abroad programs.
            (7) The COVID-19 pandemic has limited or prevented students 
        from participating in study abroad due to travel restrictions 
        and reduced budgets. In the post-pandemic world, increasing 
        access to study abroad for students at institutions of higher 
        education throughout the United States will be critical to 
        ensuring that those students gain the skills, knowledge, and 
        experiences necessary to maintain the leadership of the United 
        States in tackling global challenges, such as pandemics, and 
        succeeding in a global economy.

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.

    (a) Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.--
            (1) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations and under the authority of the Mutual 
        Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 
        et seq.), the Secretary of State shall--
                    (A) rename the Increase and Diversify Education 
                Abroad for U.S. Students Program (commonly known as 
                ``IDEAS'') as the ``Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad 
                Program'' (referred to in this section as the 
                ``Program''); and
                    (B) enhance the program in accordance with this 
                paragraph.
            (2) Objectives.--Not later than 10 years after the date of 
        enactment of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 
        2022, the Program shall strive to accomplish the following 
        objectives:
                    (A) At least 1,000,000 undergraduate students from 
                the United States are studying abroad annually.
                    (B) The demographics of study abroad participation 
                reflect the demographics of the United States 
                undergraduate population through an increase in the 
                participation rate of previously underrepresented 
                groups.
                    (C) An increasing portion of study abroad takes 
                place in nontraditional study abroad destinations, with 
                a substantial portion of such increases in developing 
                countries.
            (3) Competitive grants to institutions of higher 
        education.--In order to accomplish the objectives described in 
        paragraph (2), the Secretary of State shall award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to institutions of higher education, either 
        individually or as part of a consortium, based on applications 
        by such institutions that--
                    (A) set forth detailed plans for using grant funds 
                to further such objectives;
                    (B) include an institutional commitment to 
                expanding access to study abroad;
                    (C) include plans for evaluating progress made in 
                increasing access to study abroad;
                    (D) describe how increases in study abroad 
                participation achieved through the grant will be 
                sustained in subsequent years; and
                    (E) demonstrate that the study abroad programs have 
                established health, safety, and security guidelines and 
                procedures, informed by Department of State travel 
                advisories and other appropriate Federal agencies and 
                resources, including the Overseas Security Advisory 
                Council and the Centers for Disease Control and 
                Prevention.
            (4) Implementation of lincoln commission recommendations.--
        In administering the Program, the Secretary of State shall take 
        fully into account the recommendations of the Lincoln 
        Commission, including--
                    (A) institutions of higher education applying for 
                grants described in paragraph (3) may use Program funds 
                to support direct student costs;
                    (B) diversity shall be a defining characteristic of 
                the Program; and
                    (C) quality control shall be a defining 
                characteristic of the Program.
            (5) Consultation.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Secretary of State shall consult with representatives of 
        diverse institutions of higher education and educational policy 
        organizations and other individuals with appropriate expertise.
    (b) Annual Report.--Not later than December 31 of each year, the 
Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives that describes the implementation of the 
Program during the most recently concluded fiscal year.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the Program such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2023 and for each subsequent fiscal year.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Consortium.--The term ``consortium'' means a group 
        that--
                    (A) includes at least 1 institution of higher 
                education; and
                    (B) may include nongovernmental organizations that 
                provide and promote study abroad opportunities for 
                students.
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (3) Nontraditional study abroad destination.--The term 
        ``nontraditional study abroad destination'' means a location 
        that is determined by the Secretary of State to be a less 
        common destination for students who study abroad.
            (4) Student.--The term ``student'' means an individual 
        who--
                    (A) meets the requirements under section 484(a)(5) 
                of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1091(a)(5)); and
                    (B) is enrolled at an institution of higher 
                education located within the United States.
            (5) Study abroad.--The term ``study abroad'' means an 
        educational program of study, work, service learning, research, 
        internship, or combination of such activities that--
                    (A) is conducted outside of the United States; and
                    (B) carries academic credit.
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