[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 149 (Thursday, November 10, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12694-S12695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 308--DESIGNATING 2006 AS THE ``YEAR OF STUDY ABROAD''

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Craig, Mr. 
Akaka, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Cochran) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 308

       Whereas ensuring that the citizens of the United States are 
     globally literate is the responsibility of the educational 
     system of the United States;
       Whereas educating students internationally is an important 
     way to share the values of the United States, to create 
     goodwill for the United States around the world, to work 
     toward a peaceful global society, and to increase 
     international trade;
       Whereas, according to a 2002 American Council on Education 
     poll, 79 percent of people in the United States agree that 
     students

[[Page S12695]]

     should have a study abroad experience sometime during 
     college, but only 1 percent of students from the United 
     States currently study abroad each year;
       Whereas study abroad programs help people from the United 
     States to be more informed about the world and to develop the 
     cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending individuals 
     from other countries;
       Whereas a National Geographic global literacy survey found 
     that 87 percent of students in the United States between the 
     ages of 18 and 24 cannot locate Iraq on a world map, 83 
     percent cannot find Afghanistan, 58 percent cannot find 
     Japan, and 11 percent cannot even find the United States;
       Whereas studying abroad exposes students from the United 
     States to valuable global knowledge and cultural 
     understanding and forms an integral part of their education;
       Whereas Congress recognized through the Higher Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) that the security, 
     stability, and economic vitality of the United States in an 
     increasingly complex global age depend largely upon having a 
     globally competent citizenry and the availability of experts 
     specializing in world regions, foreign languages, and 
     international affairs;
       Whereas the Coalition for International Education, an ad 
     hoc group of higher education organizations with interests in 
     the international education programs of the Department of 
     Education, and Government Accountability Office reports have 
     found that Federal agencies, educational institutions, and 
     corporations in the United States are suffering from a 
     shortage of professionals with international knowledge and 
     foreign language skills;
       Whereas, according to the Coalition for International 
     Education, institutions of higher education in the United 
     States are struggling to graduate enough students with the 
     language skills and cultural competence necessary to meet the 
     current demands of business, government, and educational 
     institutions;
       Whereas a survey done by the Institute for the 
     International Education of Students shows that studying 
     abroad influences subsequent educational experiences, 
     decisions to expand or change academic majors, and decisions 
     to attend graduate school;
       Whereas substantive research literature demonstrates that 
     some of the core values and skills of higher education are 
     enhanced by participation in study abroad programs;
       Whereas study abroad programs not only open doors to 
     foreign language learning, but also empower students to 
     better understand themselves and others through a comparison 
     of cultural values and ways of life;
       Whereas study abroad programs for students from the United 
     States can provide specialized training and practical 
     experiences not available at institutions in the United 
     States;
       Whereas a blue ribbon task force of NAFSA: Association of 
     International Educators, a global association of individuals 
     dedicated to advancing international education and exchange, 
     found that a national effort to promote study abroad programs 
     is needed to address a serious deficit in global competence 
     in the United States;
       Whereas the bipartisan, federally-appointed 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 the 
     Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-199; 
     118 Stat. 435)), is scheduled to make recommendations by 
     December 1, 2005, for a national study abroad program to meet 
     this need: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates 2006 as the ``Year of Study Abroad'';
       (2) encourages secondary schools, institutions of higher 
     learning, businesses, and government programs to promote and 
     expand study abroad opportunities; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to--
       (A) support initiatives to promote and expand study abroad 
     opportunities; and
       (B) observe the ``Year of Study Abroad'' with appropriate 
     ceremonies, programs, and other activities.

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