[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9213-S9214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM ACT OF 2006

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 455, S. 2200.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2200) to establish a United States-Poland 
     Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
bill which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
with amendments, as follows:

  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 2200

         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 ``United States-Poland 
     Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

         Congress makes the following findings:
         (1) The United States established diplomatic relations 
     with the newly-formed Polish Republic in April 1919.
         (2) The United States and Poland have enjoyed close 
     bilateral relations since 1989.
         (3) Poland became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) in March 1999.
         (4) Poland became a member of the European Union (EU) in 
     May 2004.
         (5) Poland has been a strong supporter, both 
     diplomatically and militarily, of efforts led by the United 
     States to combat global terrorism and has contributed troops 
     to the United States-led coalitions in both Afghanistan and 
     Iraq.
         (6) Poland cooperates closely with the United States on 
     such issues as democratization, nuclear proliferation, human 
     rights, regional cooperation in Eastern Europe, and reform of 
     the United Nations.
         (7) The United States and Poland seek to ensure enduring 
     ties between both governments and societies.
         (8) It is important to invest in the youth of the United 
     States and Poland in order to help ensure long-lasting ties 
     between both societies.
         (9) It is in the interest of the United States to 
     preserve a United States presence in Europe and to continue 
     to contribute to the development of transatlantic 
     relationships.
         (10) Poland for many years received international and 
     United States financial assistance and is now determined to 
     invest its own resources toward attaining its shared desire 
     with the United States to develop international cooperation.

     SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE 
                   PROGRAM.

         (a) Authority.--The [President, acting through the 
     Secretary of State and] Secretary of State, in cooperation 
     with the Government of Poland, may establish and carry out a 
     parliamentary exchange program for youth of the United States 
     and Poland.
         (b) Designation.--The youth exchange program carried out 
     under this subsection shall be known as the ``United States-
     Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program''.
         (c) Purpose.--The purpose of the youth exchange program 
     is to demonstrate to the youth of the United States and 
     Poland the benefits of friendly cooperation between the 
     United States and Poland based on common political and 
     cultural values.
         (d) Eligible Participants.--An individual is eligible for 
     participation in the youth exchange program if the 
     individual--
         (1) is a citizen or national of the United States or of 
     Poland;
         (2) is under the age of 19 years;
         (3) is a student who is enrolled and in good standing at 
     a secondary school in the United States or Poland;
         (4) has been accepted for up to one academic year of 
     study in a program of study abroad approved for credit at 
     such school; and
         (5) meets any other qualifications that the [President] 
     Secretary of State may establish for purposes of the program.
         (e) Program Elements.--Under the youth exchange program, 
     eligible participants selected for participation in the 
     program shall--
         (1) live in and attend a public secondary school in the 
     host country for a period of one academic year;
         (2) while attending public school in the host country, 
     undertake academic studies in the host country, with 
     particular emphasis on the history, constitution, and 
     political development of the host country;
         (3) be eligible, either during or after the completion of 
     such academic studies, for an internship in an appropriate 
     position in the host country; and
         (4) engage in such other activities as the President 
     considers appropriate to achieve the purpose of the program.
         [(f) Relationship to Other Authorities.--The President 
     may utilize the authorities and procedures set out in title 
     VIII of the United States Information and Educational 
     Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) to establish 
     and carry out the youth exchange program.]

     SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

         The Secretary of State shall submit to [Congress] the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
     Committee on International Relations of the House of 
     Representatives an annual report on the United States-Poland 
     Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program established under this 
     Act. Each annual report shall include--
         (1) information on the implementation of the Program 
     during the preceding year:
         (2) the number of participants in the Program during such 
     year;
         (3) the names and locations of the secondary schools in 
     the United States and Poland attended by such participants;
         (4) a description of the areas of study of such 
     participants during their participation in the Program;
         (5) a description of any internships taken by such 
     participants during their participation in the Program; and
         (6) a description of any other activities such 
     participants carried out during their participation in the 
     Program.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

         (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     for the Department of State for fiscal year 2007 such sums as 
     may be necessary to carry out the youth exchange program 
     authorized by this Act.
         (b) Availability.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
     by subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-
reported amendments be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the 
third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2200), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2200

       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 ``United States-Poland 
     Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:

[[Page S9214]]

       (1) The United States established diplomatic relations with 
     the newly-formed Polish Republic in April 1919.
       (2) The United States and Poland have enjoyed close 
     bilateral relations since 1989.
       (3) Poland became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) in March 1999.
       (4) Poland became a member of the European Union (EU) in 
     May 2004.
       (5) Poland has been a strong supporter, both diplomatically 
     and militarily, of efforts led by the United States to combat 
     global terrorism and has contributed troops to the United 
     States-led coalitions in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
       (6) Poland cooperates closely with the United States on 
     such issues as democratization, nuclear proliferation, human 
     rights, regional cooperation in Eastern Europe, and reform of 
     the United Nations.
       (7) The United States and Poland seek to ensure enduring 
     ties between both governments and societies.
       (8) It is important to invest in the youth of the United 
     States and Poland in order to help ensure long-lasting ties 
     between both societies.
       (9) It is in the interest of the United States to preserve 
     a United States presence in Europe and to continue to 
     contribute to the development of transatlantic relationships.
       (10) Poland for many years received international and 
     United States financial assistance and is now determined to 
     invest its own resources toward attaining its shared desire 
     with the United States to develop international cooperation.

     SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Authority.--The Secretary of State, in cooperation with 
     the Government of Poland, may establish and carry out a 
     parliamentary exchange program for youth of the United States 
     and Poland.
       (b) Designation.--The youth exchange program carried out 
     under this subsection shall be known as the ``United States-
     Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program''.
       (c) Purpose.--The purpose of the youth exchange program is 
     to demonstrate to the youth of the United States and Poland 
     the benefits of friendly cooperation between the United 
     States and Poland based on common political and cultural 
     values.
       (d) Eligible Participants.--An individual is eligible for 
     participation in the youth exchange program if the 
     individual--
       (1) is a citizen or national of the United States or of 
     Poland;
       (2) is under the age of 19 years;
       (3) is a student who is enrolled and in good standing at a 
     secondary school in the United States or Poland;
       (4) has been accepted for up to one academic year of study 
     in a program of study abroad approved for credit at such 
     school; and
       (5) meets any other qualifications that the Secretary of 
     State may establish for purposes of the program.
       (e) Program Elements.--Under the youth exchange program, 
     eligible participants selected for participation in the 
     program shall--
       (1) live in and attend a public secondary school in the 
     host country for a period of one academic year;
       (2) while attending public school in the host country, 
     undertake academic studies in the host country, with 
     particular emphasis on the history, constitution, and 
     political development of the host country;
       (3) be eligible, either during or after the completion of 
     such academic studies, for an internship in an appropriate 
     position in the host country; and
       (4) engage in such other activities as the President 
     considers appropriate to achieve the purpose of the program.

     SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

       The Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
     International Relations of the House of Representatives an 
     annual report on the United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth 
     Exchange Program established under this Act. Each annual 
     report shall include--
       (1) information on the implementation of the Program during 
     the preceding year:
       (2) the number of participants in the Program during such 
     year;
       (3) the names and locations of the secondary schools in the 
     United States and Poland attended by such participants;
       (4) a description of the areas of study of such 
     participants during their participation in the Program;
       (5) a description of any internships taken by such 
     participants during their participation in the Program; and
       (6) a description of any other activities such participants 
     carried out during their participation in the Program.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated for 
     the Department of State for fiscal year 2007 such sums as may 
     be necessary to carry out the youth exchange program 
     authorized by this Act.
       (b) Availability.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated by 
     subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.

                          ____________________