[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8861-H8866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SHIRLEY A. CHISHOLM UNITED STATES-CARIBBEAN EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 
                                  2007

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 176) to authorize assistance to the countries of the 
Caribbean to fund educational development and exchange programs, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                                H.R. 176

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Shirley A. 
     Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 
     2007''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings and statement of purpose.
Sec. 4. Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational 
              Exchange Program.
Sec. 5. Program to provide educational development assistance for 
              CARICOM countries.
Sec. 6. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 7. Reporting requirements.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--Except as otherwise provided, the term 
     ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the United 
     States Agency for International Development.
       (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate.
       (3) CARICOM country.--The term ``CARICOM country''--
       (A) means a member country of the Caribbean Community 
     (CARICOM); but
       (B) does not include--
       (i) a country having observer status in CARICOM; or
       (ii) a country the government of which the Secretary of 
     State has determined, for purposes of section 6(j) of the 
     Export Administration Act of 1979 (as continued in effect 
     pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act), 
     section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, section 620A of 
     the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, or any other provision of 
     law, is a government that has repeatedly provided support for 
     acts of international terrorism.
       (4) Secretary.--Except as otherwise provided, the term 
     ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of State.
       (5) United states cooperating agency.--The term ``United 
     States cooperating agency'' means--
       (A) an accredited institution of higher education, 
     including, to the maximum extent practicable, an historically 
     Black college or university that is a part B institution (as 
     such term is defined in section 322(2) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2))) or an Hispanic-
     serving institution (as such term is defined in section 
     502(5) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(5)));
       (B) a higher education association;
       (C) a nongovernmental organization incorporated in the 
     United States; or
       (D) a consortium consisting of two or more such 
     institutions, associations, or nongovernmental organizations.

     SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The United States and CARICOM countries have enjoyed 
     long-standing friendly relations.
       (2) As an important regional partner for trade and 
     democratic values, the Caribbean region constitutes a ``Third 
     Border'' of the United States.
       (3) The decrease in tourism revenue in the aftermath of the 
     tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, had an 
     adverse affect on the Caribbean region.
       (4) According to a 2005 World Bank Report on the Caribbean 
     region, high rates of unemployment, particularly youth 
     unemployment, have had severe implications on poverty and 
     income distributions, as well as drug trafficking and 
     addiction.
       (5) The 2005 World Bank Report also concludes that better 
     synchronization is needed between curricula in CARICOM 
     countries and the skills needed in evolving national and 
     regional job markets and economies.
       (6) Caribbean leaders have highlighted the need for 
     increased educational opportunities for Caribbean students in 
     fields that will contribute to and support an increasingly 
     competitive regional economy.
       (7) Enhancing United States cultural and educational 
     exchange programs in CARICOM countries will expand human 
     resources, provide opportunities that promote economic 
     growth, and improve regional security.
       (8) Many Caribbean leaders studied at the undergraduate or 
     graduate level in the United States before returning to their 
     respective countries to contribute toward the strengthening 
     of democracy, the economy, or the provision of social 
     services.
       (9) From 2003 through 2005, 217 Caribbean leaders 
     participated in exchange programs with the United States that 
     focused on good governance, combating drug trafficking, anti-
     corruption, and other regional issues of concern.
       (10) The Department of State currently administers public 
     outreach programs that include cultural, academic, and 
     citizen-exchange initiatives in CARICOM countries through the 
     public affairs sections at United States embassies with 
     support from the Office of Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of 
     Western Hemisphere Affairs.
       (11) The Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher 
     Training (C-CETT), a Presidential Initiative funded by the 
     United States Agency for International Development and 
     implemented by the University of the West Indies, works to 
     improve the quality of reading instruction by training 
     classroom and student teachers in seven countries of the 
     English-speaking Caribbean.   Belize, Jamaica, Grenada, St. 
     Lucia, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad 
     and Tobago have participated in the C-

[[Page H8862]]

     CETT as a means to reducing illiteracy  in the most 
     disadvantaged urban and remote rural  areas.
       (12) In Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, 
     Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, 
     Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and 
     Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, 
     and Trinidad and Tobago, the Bureau of Educational and 
     Cultural Affairs of the Department of State sponsors 
     educational advisors to promote study in the United States.
       (13) In the 2004-2005 academic year, approximately 14,000 
     Caribbean students were enrolled in United States colleges 
     and universities.
       (14) Shirley Anita Chisholm, who served as a member of the 
     United States House of Representatives from 1968 to 1983, had 
     family roots in the Caribbean nation of Barbados, was a 
     staunch advocate for educational opportunity and access, and 
     increased support for historically Black colleges and 
     universities and other minority-serving institutions in the 
     United States.
       (b) Statement of Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to 
     establish--
       (1) an educational exchange program between the United 
     States and CARICOM countries, to be known as the ``Shirley A. 
     Chisholm United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange 
     Program'', pursuant to section 4 of this Act to assist in 
     educating promising students and scholars from CARICOM 
     countries who will invest the knowledge and experiences they 
     gain in the United States back into the community of CARICOM 
     countries; and
       (2) a program to provide educational development assistance 
     for CARICOM countries pursuant to section 5 of this Act.

     SEC. 4. SHIRLEY A. CHISHOLM UNITED STATES-CARIBBEAN 
                   EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

       (a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary of State is 
     authorized to establish an educational exchange program 
     between the United States and CARICOM countries, to be known 
     as the ``Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean 
     Educational Exchange Program,'' under which--
       (1) secondary school students from CARICOM countries will--
       (A) attend a public or private secondary school in the 
     United States;
       (B) participate in activities designed to promote a greater 
     understanding of the values and culture of the United States; 
     and
       (C) have the option to live with a United States host 
     family and experience life in a United States host community; 
     and
       (2) undergraduate students, graduate students, post-
     graduate students, and scholars from CARICOM countries will--
       (A) attend a public or private college or university, 
     including a community college, in the United States;
       (B) participate in activities designed to promote a greater 
     understanding of the values and culture of the United States; 
     and
       (C) have the option to live with a United States host 
     family and experience life in a United States host community 
     or live in an on-campus housing environment.
       (b) Elements of Program.--The program authorized under 
     subsection (a) shall meet the following requirements:
       (1) The program will offer scholarships to students and 
     scholars based on merit and need. It is the sense of Congress 
     that scholarships should be offered under the program to 
     students and scholars who evidence merit, achievement, and 
     strong potential for the studies such students and scholars 
     wish to undertake under the program and 40 percent of 
     scholarships offered under the program should be based on 
     financial need.
       (2) The program will seek to achieve gender equality in 
     granting scholarships under the program.
       (3) The program will limit participation to--
       (A) two years of study for secondary school students;
       (B) four years of study for undergraduate students;
       (C) 30 months of study for graduate students; and
       (D) one year of study for post-graduate students and 
     scholars.
       (4) For a period of time equal to the period of time of 
     participation in the program, but not to exceed 2 years, the 
     program will require participants who are students and 
     scholars described in subsection (a)(2) to--
       (A) agree to return to live in a CARICOM country and 
     maintain residence in such country, within 6 months of 
     completion of academic studies; or
       (B) agree to obtain employment that directly benefits the 
     growth, progress, and development of one or more CARICOM 
     countries and the people of such countries.
       (5) The Secretary of State shall have the discretion to 
     waive, shorten the duration, or otherwise alter the 
     requirements of paragraph (5) in limited circumstances of 
     hardship, humanitarian needs, for specific educational 
     purposes, or in furtherance of the national interests of the 
     United States.
       (c) Role of United States Cooperating Agencies.--The 
     Secretary shall consult with United States cooperating 
     agencies in developing the program authorized under 
     subsection (a) and shall make grants to United States 
     cooperating agencies in carrying out the program authorized 
     under subsection (a).
       (d) Monitoring and Evaluation of Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish and 
     implement a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness 
     and efficiency of the program authorized under subsection 
     (a). In carrying out the system, the Secretary shall evaluate 
     the program's positive or negative effects on brain drain 
     from the participating CARICOM countries and suggest ways in 
     which the program may be improved to promote the basic goal 
     of alleviating brain-drain from the participating CARICOM 
     countries.
       (2) Requirements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary shall review on a regular basis--
       (A) financial information relating to the program;
       (B) budget plans for the program;
       (C) adjustments to plans established for the program;
       (D) graduation rates of participants in the program;
       (E) the percentage of participants who are students 
     described in subsection (a)(1) who pursue higher education;
       (F) the percentage of participants who return to their home 
     country or another CARICOM country;
       (G) the types of careers pursued by participants in the 
     program and the extent to which such careers are linked to 
     the political, economic, and social development needs of 
     CARICOM countries; and
       (H) the impact of gender, country of origin, financial need 
     of students, and other relevant factors on the data collected 
     under subparagraphs (D) through (G).
       (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Secretary should seek to work with CARICOM countries to 
     establish an educational exchange program under which--
       (1) secondary school students from the United States will 
     attend a public or private equivalent school in CARICOM 
     countries; and
       (2) undergraduate students, graduate students, post-
     graduate students, and scholars from the United States will 
     attend a public or private college or university in CARICOM 
     countries.

     SEC. 5. PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 
                   FOR CARICOM COUNTRIES.

       (a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary of State, acting 
     through the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, is authorized to establish a 
     program to provide educational development assistance for 
     CARICOM countries.
       (b) Purpose of Program.--The purpose of the program 
     authorized under subsection (a) is to improve primary and 
     secondary education in CARICOM countries by enhancing teacher 
     training, strengthening curriculum and instructional 
     materials, and assisting improvements in school management 
     and public administration of education.
       (c) Elements of Program.--The program authorized under 
     subsection (a) shall extend and expand upon existing primary 
     and secondary school programs in CARICOM countries to 
     provide--
       (1) teacher-training methods and training in subject area 
     studies;
       (2) classroom and school management;
       (3) development and modernization of curriculum and 
     instructional materials;
       (4) increased community involvement in school activities; 
     and
       (5) local, regional, and national government policy 
     planning on the elements described in paragraphs (1) through 
     (4).
       (d) Role of United States Cooperating Agencies.--The 
     Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Education and 
     United States cooperating agencies in developing the program 
     authorized under subsection (a) and shall make grants to 
     United States cooperating agencies in carrying out the 
     program authorized under subsection (a).
       (e) Monitoring and Evaluation of Program.--The Secretary 
     shall establish and implement a system to monitor and 
     evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the program 
     authorized under subsection (a).
       (f) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Secretary should seek to work with CARICOM countries to 
     establish an educational development program under which 
     education in the CARICOM countries is improved and access to 
     quality education for children in CARICOM countries is 
     increased.

     SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

       (a) Funding From Private Sources and Partnerships With 
     Other Appropriate Entities.--To the maximum extent 
     practicable, the Secretary of State and the Administrator of 
     the United States Agency for International Development should 
     implement the programs authorized under sections 4 and 5 of 
     this Act through utilization of funding from private sources 
     to maximize the impact of United States funds under this Act, 
     and through partnerships with appropriate United States 
     organizations, institutions, and corporations.
       (b) Avoidance of Duplication.--The Secretary and the 
     Administrator shall consult with the Secretary of Education 
     to ensure that--
       (1) activities under the programs authorized under sections 
     4 and 5 of this Act are not duplicative of other United 
     States educational programs for CARICOM countries; and
       (2) United States cooperating agencies and partner 
     institutions in CARICOM countries are accredited by national 
     or regional accrediting bodies.
       (c) Reporting Under SEVIS.--To the extent necessary, the 
     Secretary shall provide support to United States cooperating 
     agencies that are participating in the program authorized 
     under section 4 of this Act in order to fulfill the 
     requirements for student data reporting under the Student and 
     Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

     SEC. 7. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act,

[[Page H8863]]

     the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on plans to implement the 
     programs authorized under sections 4 and 5 of this Act.
       (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by 
     subsection (a) shall include--
       (1) with respect to implementation of the program 
     authorized under section 4--
       (A) a plan for selecting participants in the program, 
     including an estimate of the number of secondary school 
     students, undergraduate students, graduate students, post-
     graduate students, and scholars from each country, by 
     educational level, who will be selected as participants in 
     the program for each fiscal year;
       (B) a timeline for selecting United States cooperating 
     agencies that will assist in implementing the program;
       (C) a financial plan that--
       (i) identifies budget plans for each educational level 
     under the program; and
       (ii) identifies plans or systems to ensure that the costs 
     to public school, college, and university education under the 
     program and the costs to private school, college, and 
     university education under the program are reasonably 
     allocated; and
       (D) a plan to provide outreach to and linkages with 
     schools, colleges and universities, and nongovernmental 
     organizations in both the United States and CARICOM countries 
     for implementation of the program; and
       (2) a plan outlining implementation of the program 
     authorized under section 5, identifying the initial countries 
     in which the program will be implemented and a timeline for 
     implementation.
       (c) Updates of Report.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees updates of the report 
     required by subsection (a) for each fiscal year for which 
     amounts are appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
     appropriations under section 8 of this Act.
       (2) Matters to be included.--Such updates shall include the 
     following:
       (A) Information on United States cooperating agencies that 
     are selected to assist in implementing the programs 
     authorized under sections 4 and 5 of this Act.
       (B) An analysis of the positive and negative impacts the 
     program authorized under section 4 will have or is having on 
     brain drain from the participating CARICOM countries.
       (C) A description of efforts made by the Secretary of 
     State, acting through the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, to implement the 
     program authorized under section 5.
       (D) A description of the programs established in each 
     CARICOM country receiving assistance under the program 
     authorized under section 5 that provides a detailed 
     explanation of the extent to which the program and the 
     assistance provided are contributing to the purpose of the 
     program described in section 5(b) in the CARICOM country.
       (E) An evaluation of additional educational development 
     goals in CARICOM countries, identifying those goals that 
     could be maximized or achieved with United States assistance 
     through the program authorized under section 5. In addition 
     to standard or necessary areas of education review, the 
     evaluation should give attention to factors affecting 
     academic achievement, attrition, and graduation rates in 
     CARICOM countries. The evaluation should suggest ways in 
     which United States assistance can maximize success factors 
     and address factors contributing to poor achievement.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       To carry out this Act, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Amounts appropriated pursuant 
     to the authorization of appropriations under this section are 
     in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.
       Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to authorize the 
     establishment of educational exchange and development 
     programs for member countries of the Caribbean Community 
     (CARICOM).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from American Samoa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from American Samoa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  I would first like to thank my colleague, the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), for introducing this important 
legislation and garnering the bipartisanship sponsors that it deserves. 
And certainly I want to thank the chairman of the Western Hemisphere 
Subcommittee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), for his tireless 
efforts in pushing forward this initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, nearly four decades ago, history was made in the voting 
booths of New York City. A young lady by the name of Shirley Chisholm 
became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives in the history of our great land. With her election, 
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm broke the ground for African Americans, 
to be sure. Congresswoman Chisholm was also the child of immigrants 
from the Caribbean area, and today she remains a great heroine for 
Caribbean Americans throughout our Nation.
  During her tenure in Congress, Congresswoman Chisholm was a staunch 
advocate for educational opportunity and access. She increased support 
for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other institutions 
in the United States that serve minorities.
  It is, therefore, entirely appropriate and fitting that the 
legislation before the House today is named after the late 
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm from the great City of New York. This 
bill establishes a new and important educational exchange program 
between the United States and our friends in the Caribbean region.
  This effort builds on a priority I have long promoted: fostering 
better educational and cultural ties between the United States and 
different regions of the world. Today's bill follows our recent 
historic passage of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act 
of 2007, a bill to vastly expand study abroad programs that 
overwhelmingly passed this House in a great example of bipartisan 
cooperation.
  The United States and nations of the Caribbean have long enjoyed 
friendly relations. As an important regional partner for trade and a 
bastion of democratic values, our friends in the Caribbean region have 
been called the ``third border'' of the United States.
  In talks with Members of Congress, Caribbean leaders have highlighted 
the need for educational opportunities for Caribbean students in fields 
that will allow them to contribute to an increasingly competitive 
regional economy. We aim to deliver on that request today.
  Enhancing our cultural and educational exchange programs in the 
Caribbean will promote economic growth, improve regional security, and 
expand opportunities for the hardworking citizens of this region. This 
educational exchange program will enable secondary school, 
undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate scholars from the Caribbean 
to attend schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. It 
will allow them to participate in activities designed to promote a 
greater understanding of the values and culture of the United States. 
And it will grant them the option either to live in the United States 
with a host family, enriching them with community and town life here, 
or to live in an on-campus housing environment.
  Mr. Speaker, the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was a great 
American leader who has inspired generations of African Americans and 
Caribbean Americans. With passage of this legislation, we honor her 
memory and ensure that a new generation of Caribbeans can play an even 
more constructive role in the political and economic developments not 
only of this region but to continue our friendly relations with this 
region.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my good friend from 
California, Ms. Barbara Lee, for her leadership in introducing this 
bill, which is intended to deepen our educational cooperation with our 
neighbors in the Caribbean.
  H.R. 176 authorizes the creation of the Shirley A. Chisholm U.S.-
Caribbean Educational Exchange Program to help provide U.S. educational 
opportunities to qualified students from the countries of the Caribbean 
community.

                              {time}  1400

  It also authorizes State and USAID to expand existing primary and 
secondary school initiatives in the Caribbean to provide programs on 
teacher training methods, school management,

[[Page H8864]]

curriculum development, and increase community involvement in school 
activities.
  Increasing the quality of educational opportunities available to our 
good neighbors in the Caribbean serves the interests of our entire 
region, and deepens the goodwill that already exists between the people 
of our countries.
  I want to thank Congresswoman Lee and Chairman Lantos for working 
with me at the committee level to incorporate language ensuring that 
state sponsors of terrorism do not receive the benefits provided under 
this bill. The committee also amended the text to authorize such sums 
as may be necessary rather than a sum certain for the new programs. 
This will help ensure that any new activities under the act will not 
disrupt those educational and exchange programs already being 
implemented in the region by the State Department and USAID.
  Again, I thank my colleagues for their cooperation in preparing this 
bill for floor consideration.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds just to 
offer my compliments to my dear friend, the senior ranking member of 
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her support 
and leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor now to give 5 minutes to my good friend 
and colleague, the prime sponsor of this legislation, the gentlelady 
from California (Ms. Lee) for her statement.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me just say today is a good day. I'm 
very delighted to be able to rise in support of H.R. 176, the Shirley 
Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2007.
  I would like to thank Congressman Faleomavaega from the American 
Samoa, the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee on Asia, the 
Pacific and the Global Environment, for yielding to me, for managing 
this bill on the floor, and for your assistance and for your 
leadership.
  Also, to our ranking member, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, thank 
you so much for your diligence and hard work and understanding and 
clarity of what we wanted to do and making sure that this was done in a 
bipartisan way. We appreciate so much your leadership.
  I am very pleased, as I said, that the House will have an opportunity 
to discuss this bill today. I want to thank everyone who has helped 
with this very important piece of legislation. I would also like to 
thank my good friend, Congressman Eliot Engel, who is the Chair of the 
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and my colleague, the distinguished 
chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Tom Lantos.
  Also, we couldn't have done with this without our staff, who have put 
in so many hours to ensure that this bill would have the most impact. 
Particularly, I would like to thank Jason Steinbaum of Mr. Engel's 
staff and Kristen Wells and Peter Quilter of Mr. Lantos' staff. And let 
me acknowledge Miguel Ayala from my office for his very, very excellent 
work on this bill, and Jamila Thompson, formerly of my staff, who 
really initially worked on this legislation as well as the designation 
of June as Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
  This legislation is so important because our neighbors in the 
Caribbean, sometimes called the ``Third Border,'' they're often 
neglected when we consider matters that affect our hemisphere. My bill 
creates an educational exchange program whereby students in the 
Caribbean, including secondary school, undergraduate, graduate, 
postgraduate students and scholars can come abroad to study at United 
States institutions of higher education. These important programs will 
not only encourage diplomacy between our Nation and those in the 
Caribbean, but it will also prepare these students to return home to 
the Caribbean with the tools and the education they need to move their 
nations forward in the 21st century.
  This legislation also encourages academic partnerships with 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-serving 
institutions, when possible, and will ensure parity between males and 
females in the program. Furthermore, both merit and financial need will 
be considered for those exchange programs which we are authorizing 
today.
  This bill also creates and provides educational development 
assistance for CARICOM nations. It will address the lack of access and 
the lack of quality education in some areas of the Caribbean by 
improving primary and secondary education through teacher training, 
strengthening curriculum, and improving administration and management 
of schools.
  This bill is named after our former colleague, my dear friend, my 
mentor, the late Congresswoman Shirley Anita Chisholm, who I dearly 
loved and learned much from and who I deeply miss. She served in 
Congress from 1969 to 1983 and was of Caribbean descent. Her mother was 
from Barbados and her father was from Guyana. She represented the 12th 
District of New York, which to this day continues to have a significant 
Caribbean-American population.
  Congresswoman Chisholm would have been so proud to know that this 
program will address the very disparities in education that the leaders 
of the CARICOM nations raised during the conference last month here in 
Washington, D.C. They met with the President, the Secretary of State, 
Speaker Pelosi, and also with our colleagues on the House Ways and 
Means Committee, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the 
Congressional Black Caucus. And during those meetings with the House 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, many Members here in our own body heard 
about the lack of opportunities for students from the Caribbean to 
study in the United States.
  It is clear to me that we need to do more to help our friends and 
neighbors in the Caribbean, and I hope this bill is just one step with 
regard to the many that we're looking at that will come forward to move 
us forward with closer ties to our regions.
  Again, I would like to thank everyone who helped me make this bill 
come to fruition. It has taken a while. It has taken a long time, 
actually. I am delighted that we, today, will be sending a very clear 
message to our friends in the Caribbean that we are truly supportive.
  You know, when you see other countries in the region providing 
scholarships for students from the Caribbean, such as Cuba, I think it 
is now up to the United States to step up to the plate and say we, too, 
can make sure that students from the Caribbean benefit from the 
wonderful educational opportunities present in the United States.
  Thank you, again, Mr. Faleomavaega.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentlelady for a most eloquent 
statement.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' 
on this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me thank the chairman of the 
subcommittee and the manager of the bill. And let me thank the 
Honorable Barbara Lee for her leadership and the ranking member for 
theirs.
  Very quickly, it is my pleasure to rise and support this legislation, 
having had the opportunity to be associated with the Honorable Shirley 
Chisholm in New York and to see her enormous and challenging 
leadership. But the crux of this bill is an answer in response to our 
friends in the Caribbean. Through CARICOM and the leaders and heads of 
State, they represent the third border of the United States. They 
provide additional security through their homeland security efforts.
  This opportunity for their skilled and talented young people to have 
an exchange program, to then go back to their own countries and provide 
the friendship, the alliance, and the security that we will need in the 
future is a key element of this legislation.
  I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I congratulate 
all those responsible for it, and again, acknowledge the leadership of 
Shirley Chisholm
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 176, 
the Shirley A. Chisholm-U.S. Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2007 
and urge my colleagues

[[Page H8865]]

to support its adoption. As an original cosponsor of this important 
bill, I want to congratulate my friend and colleague, the Honorable 
Barbara Lee for her hard work in getting the bill to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, U.S.-Caribbean educational exchanges have been on the 
forefront of multilateral discussions in recent years. Many believe 
that education exchanges are an excellent means to developing and 
protecting democratic values. And while the U.S. has not particularly 
focused on educational advancement in the Caribbean, other nations 
have. Thousands of Caribbean students participate in exchange programs 
to distant parts of the globe, yet the U.S. has no specific exchange 
program for Caribbean scholars.
  This legislation would establish in the State Department's Office of 
Public Diplomacy a U.S.-Caribbean educational exchange program for high 
school, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as scholars.
  It would also enable the U.S. Agency for International Development to 
develop a regional strategy to expand existing early education 
initiatives. And the legislation would allow both State Department and 
USAID to use public-private partnerships to implement the program.
  The State Department has repeatedly advocated educational exchanges 
as one of the best means of public diplomacy. For decades, the 
Caribbean, our ``Third Border,'' has been one of the U.S. staunchest 
allies with strong democratic traditions. We've seen how critical the 
adherence to these democratic ideals has been given how quickly the 
governments of the region were able to maintain order and rebuild in 
the wake of the recent devastating hurricane seasons. Furthermore, the 
leadership in these affected countries was cultivated right here in the 
U.S.
  In fact many of today's Caribbean leaders have received post-
secondary education in the United States, and have used their different 
fields of training to strengthen Caribbean democracy and community 
involvement. From 2003-2005, 217 Caribbean leaders participated in U.S. 
exchange programs that centered on innovative ways to fight drug 
trafficking, anticorruption and good governance policies. We should 
continue these efforts and expand them to include the future leaders of 
the Caribbean.
  As the only member in Congress whose district is in the English 
speaking Caribbean, I am well aware of the exciting possibilities that 
H.R. 176 holds.
  Mr. Speaker, our Caribbean neighbors are among the most stable 
democracies in the world and some of our oldest friends. Too often we 
take them for granted though and don't give to them as much as we 
demand from them. While it will not solve all of the problems with our 
relationship of late, H.R. 176 will serve as a meaningful gesture of 
good faith and friendship going forward. I urge my colleagues to 
support passage of H.R. 176.
  Mr. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 176; the Shirley A. 
Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act. I am proud to be a 
cosponsor of this bill.
  The Shirley A. Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act 
creates an educational exchange program to enable students from the 
countries of the Caribbean Community to come to the U.S. and study at 
an American college or university. The bill requires program 
participants to return to a Caribbean country or work for the growth, 
progress and development of the Caribbean Community after they complete 
their studies. The bill also creates a program to improve primary and 
secondary education in the Caribbean Community through teacher 
training, strengthening curriculum, and improving administration and 
management of schools.
  Many Caribbean leaders have received post-secondary education in the 
U.S. and have used their education to strengthen Caribbean democracy 
and benefit Caribbean people. For example, from 2003 through 2005, a 
total of 217 Caribbean leaders participated in U.S. exchange programs 
dealing with counter-narcotics, anticorruption and good governance 
policies. The Shirley A. Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational Exchange 
Act would expand these efforts to include future Caribbean leaders.
  It is entirely appropriate that this legislation is named after our 
former colleague, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Congresswoman 
Chisholm was of Caribbean heritage and was a strong advocate for 
quality education. She graduated from Brooklyn College in 1946, 
received a Masters in Elementary Education from the Teachers College at 
Columbia University in 1952, and went on to work as a teacher. In 1968, 
she became the first African-American woman elected to Congress, where 
she served with distinction from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, Congresswoman 
Shirley Chisholm ran for president in the Democratic primaries. As a 
Member of Congress, Shirley Chisholm served on the influential 
Education and Labor Committee and rose to be its third-highest ranking 
member.
  I urge all of my colleagues to honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm 
and support educational exchange opportunities for Caribbean students 
by voting in favor of the Shirley A. Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean 
Educational Exchange Act.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
strong support of the Shirley Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational 
Exchange Act of 2007. I would like to thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee 
and her continued commitment to the Caribbean and education. This 
legislation helps bridge the educational gap in the Caribbean by 
creating an educational exchange program for Caribbean students to 
study in the United States.
  Caribbean Nations suffer from high poverty rates, high unemployment 
rates, and low literacy rates. These conditions have left most 
Caribbean students faced with the hard choice of education or work; and 
most are forced to choose work in order to provide for themselves and 
their families. Educational exchange programs allow Caribbean students 
to provide opportunities to learn necessary skills for leadership and 
career success, explore cultural issues, and promotes dialogue of 
community and/or social relevance. Education is the building block that 
creates a sound foundation for success and develops strong democratic 
values. These exchange programs allow students to return to their 
native homes to contribute to the success of their nation.
  This bill also creates new programs to improve primary and secondary 
education through teacher training. Teacher preparedness and education 
management is vital to any education system. Providing high quality 
teachers in critical subject areas is the most important components in 
building a strong educational structure.
  Many Caribbean leaders have received education in the United States, 
and have used their education to strengthen Caribbean democracy and 
community involvement. This legislation will help to continue 
strengthen U.S.-Caribbean relations, I strongly urge my colleagues 
support in passage this bill.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 176, the 
Shirley A. Chisholm United States-Caribbean Education Exchange Program. 
I would like to pay tribute to our colleague, Barbara Lee, for 
introducing this excellent legislation and for the work of Chairman 
Lantos in moving H.R. 176 forward.
  Representative Lee and I have traveled to the Caribbean together, and 
we have seen through our site visits, including to St. George's 
University in Grenada and an education program at an orphanage in 
Haiti, the tremendous need for expanded educational cooperation between 
the United States and the Caribbean. In fact, Prime Minister Keith 
Mitchell of Grenada listed cooperation on education as among the most 
important issues for his country's citizens.
  As such, H.R. 176 creates an educational exchange program between the 
United States and CARICOM countries, called the Shirley A. Chisholm 
United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Program, and provides 
educational-related assistance for the nations in the CARICOM region. 
Education is an area in which the United States has a clear advantage--
one which we should use to help our neighbors in the Caribbean.
  As chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western 
Hemisphere, it has been a priority of mine to help promote good 
relations between the United States and CARICOM countries. Just last 
month, the Presidents and Prime Ministers of 14 Caribbean countries met 
with members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as part of the 
historic Conference on the Caribbean and discussed how we could expand 
relations. During our meeting, I told the Caribbean leaders that we 
would pass a U.S.-Caribbean Education Exchange Act soon and hold a 
hearing on deportees. With today's passage of the Caribbean education 
legislation and last week's hearing, I am proud to say that we have 
lived up to our promises.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is aptly named for Shirley Anita Chisholm, a 
former member of the United States House of Representatives from 1968 
to 1983 who had family roots in the Caribbean nation of Barbados. I am 
glad that we honor her service with this important educational exchange 
program, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 176.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 176, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

[[Page H8866]]

  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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