[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H5760-H5762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1145
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2000
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4528) to establish an undergraduate grant program of the
Department of State to assist students of limited financial means from
the United States to pursue studies at foreign institutions of higher
education, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4528
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 ``International Academic
Opportunity Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this Act to establish an undergraduate
grant program for students of limited financial means from
the United States to enable such students to study at
institutions of higher education in foreign countries. Such
foreign study is intended to broaden the outlook and better
prepare such students of demonstrated financial need to
assume significant roles in the increasingly global economy.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN STUDY BY
AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS OF LIMITED FINANCIAL
MEANS.
(a) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations and under the authorities of the Mutual
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, the Secretary
of State shall establish and carry out a program in each
fiscal year to award grants of up to $5,000, to individuals
who meet the requirements of subsection (b), toward the cost
of 1 academic year of undergraduate study at an institution
of higher education in a foreign country. Grants under this
Act shall be known as the ``Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholarships''.
(b) Eligibility.--An individual referred to in subsection
(a) is an individual who--
(1) is a student in good standing at an institution of
higher education in the United States (as defined in section
101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965);
(2) has been accepted for an academic year of study at an
institution of higher education outside the United States (as
defined by section 102(b) of the Higher Education Act of
1965);
(3) is receiving any need-based student assistance under
title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
(4) is a citizen or national of the United States.
(c) Application and Selection.--
(1) Grant application and selection shall be carried out
through accredited institutions of higher education in the
United States or combination of such institutions under such
procedures as are established by the Secretary of State.
(2) In considering applications for grants under this
section, priority consideration shall be given to applicants
who are receiving Federal Pell Grants under title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965.
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
The Secretary of State shall report annually to the
Congress concerning the grant program established under this
Act. Each such report shall include the following information
for the preceding year:
(1) The number of participants.
(2) The institutions of higher education in the United
States that participants attended.
(3) The institutions of higher education outside the United
States participants attended during their year of study
abroad.
(4) The areas of study of participants.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 for each
fiscal year to carry out this Act.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect October 1, 2000.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kuykendall). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
General Leave
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within
[[Page H5761]]
which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4528, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I introduced H.R. 4528, the International
Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, along with the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Hinchey) because we want to encourage undergraduate college
students to study abroad. We believe, as many others do in the
academic, exchange and business sectors, that Americans need to be
prepared to operate in an international environment and economy. This
preparation should start at a young age. It is the reason we wanted to
assist college level low-income students to study abroad.
One of the best ways to prepare young people for this global society
is to allow them to experience life outside the United States. H.R.
4528 will do that by authorizing $1.5 million to be made available to
the State Department for individual student grants of up to $5,000.
These grants are targeted to assist lower-income students who otherwise
would not be able to consider a study abroad program. These incentive
grants are to be used to cover travel or other expenses related to
studying overseas.
The intention of the bill is to work within the existing college
campus study abroad programs. These grants would allow colleges and
universities to reach out to our low-income students that may not have
been able to consider such studies because of the additional travel and
living expenses. It expands the pool of students who will benefit
personally and later professionally from internationally oriented
education.
Developed with the assistance of college administrators and exchange
experts, it is hoped that a streamlined program will encourage more
students to participate in an overseas educational program and be able
to motivate them to learn and apply a foreign language. These
experiences and skills will serve them well as they enter the
workforce. Through these grants, we want to help prepare and motivate
our young students to participate in the international arena.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey) for his
cooperation in this measure.
Accordingly, I urge support for this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4528. For many American
college students, Mr. Speaker, a year abroad can be a life-changing
experience. They are exposed when they are abroad to different
cultures, languages, educational and political systems and often emerge
from their study abroad experience with a greater appreciation of the
complex world in which we all live.
Unfortunately, many college students with few financial resources
cannot afford a semester or a year abroad. These students miss a
valuable educational opportunity, particularly if they are interested
in a career in international relations or foreign affairs.
While it is possible for students to use their Pell Grants and other
forms of financial assistance to pay for university costs overseas, the
Gilman legislation will provide a critical source of funding to cover
all of the costs associated with overseas study, including living and
travel expenses.
I commend the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) for
introducing this bill. It is a very worthwhile and appropriate piece of
legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4528.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New
York for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Gilman) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), the sponsors of
this bill, for H.R. 4528, which creates a new scholarship program to
assist low-income students' studies overseas.
As I think my colleagues know, it is now called the Benjamin A.
Gilman International Scholarships. During mark-up in our subcommittee,
through which it moved in a bipartisan manner, we were very happy to
name it after the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the
distinguished chairman of our committee.
This will help a number of low-income students who very often can get
the money for the tuition but do not have the means to get to the
country of destination. This will facilitate that. So I think it is an
excellent bill, and I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Gilman) for his leadership.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from
New York.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith), our distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on
International Operations and Human Rights, for having considered this
measure at an early date and for favorably recommending it to the House
for consideration.
Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Hinchey), one of the original authors of this bill.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, extend my
appreciation for the leadership that the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Gilman), chairman of the Committee on International Relations, is
showing with regard to the introduction of this measure. What the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is doing here, I think, is
extremely important; and the importance of it will resound for many
years, decades and longer into the future.
I also want to express my appreciation to Roger Bowen, who is the
president of the State University College at New Paltz for his interest
in international studies and promoting study abroad.
The bill of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is an extremely
important measure. Obviously, it is important for these students who
will be the primary beneficiaries in that they will have the
opportunity to travel and study in a foreign country and get all of the
benefits that flow from such an experience, benefits of interacting
with the culture that is different from their own, benefits from having
the opportunity to become more familiar with the language which is
different from their own, and also opportunities to expand their own
personal knowledge and experience.
But the beneficiaries of this bill go far beyond the individuals who
will be initially benefited. In fact, I think, Mr. Speaker, the
initiative of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) will benefit the
country as a whole.
As we find more and more that we are put in the position of being the
principal leader militarily and economically in so many places around
the world, nevertheless, at the same time, we find that so many of our
students, future leaders in this country, are unaware of foreign
cultures and inadequately versed in foreign languages. That leaves us
unable in many ways to take the kind of leadership role which we ought
to and appropriately would be taking.
The legislation of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is going
to fill that gap. More and more students who would not have the
opportunity because of their financial situation to travel and study
abroad will now be given the opportunity to do so. Their benefits will
inure to themselves, to their families and to their future. But those
benefits also will inure in a very profound and long lasting way to the
benefits of our country and the other countries around the world with
which we interact.
So I think that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is doing
something here today that is very, very important; and I hope that all
of us will fully recognize the significance of his initiative and that
we will all support it very enthusiastically.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 4528, the International Academic Opportunity Act. A bill that I
feel allows positive movement in the area of education for our country
today.
[[Page H5762]]
This bill authorizes $1.5 million dollars be given to a program that
would enable lower income students, the opportunity to travel and learn
abroad. I feel this is an excellent initiative that will serve this
country well with the reaped benefits that are produced as these
students return back to their communities here in the United States
with a moral global mind.
I have long since stated that the economic divide is a strain that
must be done away with in this country, and clearly education is a way
to achieve that goal. Especially, in the case of international
education opportunities, where all socio-economic groups are allowed to
participate. Ensuring all students the opportunity for success and
growth under our nation's academic umbrella.
This is why I am in strong support of this program that will be known
as the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. This will
be an effort to help all students afford up to a year of study abroad
by providing a grant of up to $5,000, for a year to those accepted into
a foreign college or university, that is in partnership with their home
institution. This grant will be given only to students who already
receive need-based assistance and Pell Grants to complete their
education.
I will conclude this speech of strong support with a quote I recently
read from John F. Kennedy, ``Let us think of education as the means of
developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a
private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit
for everyone and greater strength for our nation.''
These words of wisdom are a perfect guide for what we, as
representatives of the people should strive to achieve. The benefit of
our country lies in our youth. So I encourage my colleagues to support
this important legislation.
Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McHugh). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4528, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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