[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.

                          ____________________