[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2261 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2261

 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

                             July 12, 2023

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 2023''.

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 world 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 prevented students from 
        participating in study abroad due to travel restrictions and 
        reduced budgets. According to Open Doors 2022, published by the 
        Institute of International Education in partnership with the 
        Department of State, study abroad participation at colleges and 
        universities in the United States plummeted by 91 percent 
        during the 2020-2021 academic year. In the post-pandemic world, 
        increasing access to study abroad for students at institutions 
        of higher education across the United States is 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, especially among low-
        income students and students of color;
            (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 United States 
        institutions of higher education to expand study abroad 
        opportunities.

SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.

    (a) 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--
                    (A) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
                residence in the United States or a national of the 
                United States or (as such terms are defined in 
                paragraphs (20) and (22) of section 101(a) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a))) who is enrolled at an institution of higher 
                education located within the United States; or
                    (B) an individual who is an eligible noncitizen for 
                Federal student aid, as determined by the Secretary of 
                Education for purposes of the Federal student loan 
                program under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
            (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.
            (6) World language.--The term ``world language'' means any 
        natural language other than English, including--
                    (A) languages determined by the Secretary of State 
                to be critical to the national security interests of 
                the United States;
                    (B) classical languages;
                    (C) American sign language; and
                    (D) Native American languages.
    (b) 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 
                subsection.
            (2) Objectives.--The objectives of the Program are that not 
        later than 10 years after the date of enactment of the Senator 
        Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2023--
                    (A) not fewer than 1,000,000 undergraduate students 
                from the United States will study abroad annually;
                    (B) the demographics of study abroad participation 
                will reflect the demographics of the United States 
                undergraduate population by increasing the 
                participation rate of underrepresented groups; and
                    (C) an increasing portion of study abroad will take 
                place in nontraditional study abroad destinations, with 
                a substantial portion of such increases in developing 
                countries.
            (3) Competitive grants to institutions of higher 
        education.--
                    (A) In general.--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--
                            (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 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.
                    (B) Priority.--In awarding grants under 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary may give priority to--
                            (i) minority-serving institutions listed 
                        under section 371(a) of the Higher Education 
                        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)));
                            (ii) eligible institutions (as defined in 
                        section 312(b) of the Higher Education Act of 
                        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(b)) that qualify for the 
                        Strengthening Institutions Program of the 
                        Department of Education; and
                            (iii) institutions that offer study abroad 
                        programs with a significant world language 
                        learning component, as applicable.
            (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) shall 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.
    (c) Annual Report.--Not later than December 31 of each year, the 
Secretary of State shall submit an annual report to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives that details the implementation of the 
Program during the most recently concluded fiscal year.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the Program for 
fiscal year 2024 and for each subsequent fiscal year.
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