[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 16 (Friday, February 10, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1072-S1073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI:
  S. 2274. A bill to establish a language arts facility for Homeland 
Security personnel and law enforcement officers; to the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Foreign 
Language Training Act of 2006, a bill that I believe is necessary for 
the success of our Department of Homeland Security personnel and other 
Federal agents.
  As you may know, our Department of Defense employees receive foreign 
language education and training at the Defense Language Institute 
Foreign Language Center. This school has provided training for American 
forces involved in arms control treaty verification, the war on drugs, 
and Operation Desert Storm.
  I believe the Department of Defense's success can provide guidance 
for Department of Homeland Security personnel and Federal law 
enforcement agents who need foreign language skills. The Foreign 
Language Training Act of 2006 provides for such guidance by creating a 
facility similar to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language 
Center for these Federal employees.
  My bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security and other Federal 
agency leaders to identify employees who need foreign language 
education and plan for the provision of such education. To fully 
utilize existing Federal assets, the Foreign Language Training Act 
requires this training to take place at the Federal Law Enforcement 
Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico. FLETC is already planning to 
increase its language training capabilities and construct new language 
arts facilities in Artesia to accommodate the increased number of 
border patrol trainees being sent there, so it makes sense for other 
DHS employees and Federal agents to utilize this facility as well.

[[Page S1073]]

  Mr. President, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center 
has prepared our soldiers for World War II, the Cold War, the Korean 
War, and the Vietman conflict. It continues to provide such training 
today. I believe that similar training is necessary for the men and 
women securing our homeland, and the Foreign Language Training Act of 
2006 provides for such education.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2274

       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 ``Foreign Language Training 
     Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``executive agency'' has the same meaning as 
     in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, except that 
     the term does not include the Department of Defense;
       (2) the term ``law enforcement officer'' has the same 
     meaning as in section 8331 of title 5, United States Code; 
     and
       (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security.

     SEC. 3. LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM AND FACILITY.

       (a) Program Expansion.--The Secretary shall expand the 
     language arts program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training 
     Center in Artesia, New Mexico, to provide training for the 
     Department of Homeland Security personnel and law enforcement 
     officers identified under section 4.
       (b) Facility.--The Secretary is authorized to construct a 
     language arts facility at the Federal Law Enforcement 
     Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico.

     SEC. 4. TRAINING REQUIREMENT.

       (a) Homeland Security.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) identify any employee of the Department of Homeland 
     Security for whom foreign language education is necessary; 
     and
       (2) require foreign language education for any employee 
     identified under paragraph (1).
       (b) Law Enforcement.--The head of each executive agency 
     shall--
       (1) identify any law enforcement officer employed by such 
     executive agency for whom foreign language education is 
     necessary; and
       (2) require foreign language education for any law 
     enforcement officer identified under paragraph (1).
       (c) Training.--Foreign language education for any 
     individual identified under subsection (a)(1) or (b)(1) shall 
     be provided at the language arts facility authorized under 
     section 3(b).

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.
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