[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5293-S5295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. 
        Durbin):
  S. 1010. A bill to establish a National Foreign Language Coordinator 
Council; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I am pleased to reintroduce the National 
Foreign Language Coordination Act with my colleagues Senators Cochran, 
Dodd, and Durbin. Through sustained leadership and a coordinated plan 
of action, our bill aims to increase the number of individuals with 
foreign language skills and cultural understanding.
  Globalization has made the world smaller and Americans must be better 
equipped, with language skills and cultural knowledge, not only to 
survive in it, but to prosper. Whether it is: competing on the world 
market to provide goods and services, cross cultural exchanges between 
educators and business people of different countries, or allied 
military or diplomatic operations to make the world more secure and 
peaceful, all of these efforts require communication to succeed.
  It took the tragic events of 9-11 to bring attention to our shortage 
of foreign language speakers. Many of you know about the emergency call 
for linguists following the attacks. Unfortunately, this was not 
surprising. The fact that only 9.3 percent of all Americans speak both 
their native languages and another language fluently, compared with 56 
percent of people in the European Union, is cause for alarm.
  Our national security continues to be at risk without enough foreign 
language proficient individuals. Counterterrorism intelligence will go 
untranslated, or be so late as to lose its usefulness, if we do not 
have more foreign language experts. Foreign language skills are also 
vitally important to preserve the economic competitiveness of the U.S. 
Globalization forces some Americans to compete for jobs in a 
marketplace no longer limited by borders. According to the Committee 
for Economic Development, the lack of foreign language skills and 
international knowledge results in embarrassing and costly cultural 
blunders for companies. In fact, the Committee reports that American 
companies lose an estimated $2 billion a year due to inadequate 
cultural understanding.
  Many of the Federal Government's efforts to address language needs in 
the U.S. over the past 40 years have come in reaction to international 
events. We do not have a proactive policy.
  In 1958, the National Defense Education Act was passed in response to 
the Soviet Union's first space launch. We were determined to win the 
space race and make certain that the U.S. never came up short again in 
math, science, technology, or foreign languages. That act was a great 
success, but in the late 70s its foreign language programs merged into 
larger education reform measures and lost their prominence. The results 
are clear. In 1979, the President's Commission on Foreign Language and 
International Studies said that ``Americans' incompetence in foreign 
languages is nothing short of scandalous, and it is becoming worse.''
  After 9-11, Congress and the administration once again took action to 
address language shortfalls, but I fear that these efforts will prove 
to be only a band-aid and not a complete cure to the Nation's recurring 
foreign language needs. Despite the administration's efforts to 
implement new programs and policies to address our language shortfalls, 
I fear that without sustained leadership and a coordinated effort among 
all Federal agencies, state and local governments, the private sector, 
and academia, we will remain where we are today: scrambling to find 
linguists after another major international event. We must be prepared 
to avoid another 9-11 type shortage.
  Together we must commit to build and maintain language expertise and 
relationships with people from all across the world--whether or not the 
languages they speak are considered critical at the time--and to ensure 
that we have the infrastructure in place to prevent catastrophic 
events--or at least be prepared to respond to them. To this end, there 
needs to be one person in the Executive Branch who will lead the cross-
agency efforts to better understand America's language needs for the 
next 5, 15, or 20 years, and to figure out how to address those needs. 
This leadership must be comprehensive, as no one sector--Government, 
industry, or academia--has all of the needs for language and cultural 
competency, or all of the solutions.
  The Bush administration's National Security Language Initiative was a 
good first step at coordinating efforts among the Intelligence 
Directorate and the Departments of Defense, Education, and State to 
address our national security language needs. However, we must ensure 
that this effort will continue, bring in the advice of all Federal 
agencies and stakeholders, and address our economic security needs.
  The legislation we introduce today would set us on the right course 
by implementing a key recommendation of the 2004 Department of Defense, 
DOD, National Language Conference and echoed by Department of Defense 
sponsored State language roadmap summits which is to establish a 
National Foreign Language Coordination Council, chaired by a National 
Language Advisor. An integrated foreign language strategy and sustained 
leadership within the Federal Government is needed to address the lack 
of foreign language proficient speakers in government, academia and the 
private sector. Just as I have advocated the need for deputy 
secretaries for management at the Departments of Defense and Homeland 
Security to direct and sustain management leadership, I envision a 
National Language Advisor to be responsible for maintaining and leading 
a cooperative effort to strengthen our foreign language capabilities. 
Without such a coordinated strategy in the world in which we live, I 
fear that the country's national and economic security will be at 
greater risk.
  Specifically, our bill ensures that the key recommendations of the 
DOD National Language Conference be implemented by having strong 
leadership that will develop policies and programs that build the 
Nation's language and cultural understanding capability; engage 
Federal, State, and local agencies and the private sector in solutions; 
develop language skills in a wide range of critical languages; 
strengthen our education system, programs, and tools in foreign 
languages and cultures; and, integrate language training into career 
fields and increasing the number of language professionals.
  To strengthen the role of the U.S. in the world, our country must 
ensure that there are sufficient numbers of individuals who are 
proficient in languages other than English. Increasing foreign language 
skills enhances national security and economic prosperity.

[[Page S5294]]

  Mr. President, 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. 1010

       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 ``National Foreign Language 
     Coordination Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE 
                   COORDINATION COUNCIL.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Executive 
     Office of the President a National Foreign Language 
     Coordination Council (in this Act referred to as the 
     ``Council''), directed by a National Language Advisor (in 
     this Act referred to as the ``Advisor'') appointed by the 
     President.
       (b) Membership.--The Council shall consist of the following 
     members or their designees:
       (1) The Advisor, who shall serve as the chairperson of the 
     Council.
       (2) The Secretary of Education.
       (3) The Secretary of Defense.
       (4) The Secretary of State.
       (5) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
       (6) The Attorney General.
       (7) The Director of National Intelligence.
       (8) The Secretary of Labor.
       (9) The Secretary of Commerce.
       (10) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       (11) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
       (12) The heads of such other Federal agencies as the 
     Council considers appropriate.
       (c) Responsibilities.--
       (1) In general.--The Council shall be charged with--
       (A) overseeing, coordinating, and implementing continuing 
     national security and education language initiatives;
       (B) not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, developing a national foreign language strategy, 
     building upon efforts such as the National Security Language 
     Initiative, the National Language Conference, the National 
     Defense Language Roadmap, the Language Continuum of the 
     Department of State, and others, in consultation with--
       (i) State and local government agencies;
       (ii) academic sector institutions;
       (iii) foreign language related interest groups;
       (iv) business associations, including industry;
       (v) heritage associations; and
       (vi) other relevant stakeholders;
       (C) conducting a survey of the status of Federal agency 
     foreign language and area expertise and agency needs for such 
     expertise; and
       (D) monitoring the implementation of such strategy 
     through--
       (i) application of current and recently enacted laws; and
       (ii) the promulgation and enforcement of rules and 
     regulations.
       (2) Strategy content.--The strategy developed under 
     paragraph (1) shall include--
       (A) recommendations for amendments to title 5, United 
     States Code, in order to improve the ability of the Federal 
     Government to recruit and retain individuals with foreign 
     language proficiency and provide foreign language training 
     for Federal employees;
       (B) the long term goals, anticipated effect, and needs of 
     national security language initiatives;
       (C) identification of crucial priorities across all 
     sectors;
       (D) identification and evaluation of Federal foreign 
     language programs and activities, including--
       (i) any duplicative or overlapping programs that may impede 
     efficiency;
       (ii) recommendations on coordination;
       (iii) program enhancements; and
       (iv) allocation of resources so as to maximize use of 
     resources;
       (E) needed national policies and corresponding legislative 
     and regulatory actions in support of, and allocation of 
     designated resources to, promising programs and initiatives 
     at all levels (Federal, State, and local), especially in the 
     less commonly taught languages that are seen as critical for 
     national security and global competitiveness during the next 
     20 to 50 years;
       (F) effective ways to increase public awareness of the need 
     for foreign language skills and career paths in all sectors 
     that can employ those skills, with the objective of 
     increasing support for foreign language study among--
       (i) Federal, State, and local leaders;
       (ii) students;
       (iii) parents;
       (iv) elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educational 
     institutions; and
       (v) employers;
       (G) recommendations for incentives for related educational 
     programs, including foreign language teacher training;
       (H) coordination of cross-sector efforts, including public-
     private partnerships;
       (I) coordination initiatives to develop a strategic posture 
     for language research and recommendations for funding for 
     applied foreign language research into issues of national 
     concern;
       (J) identification of and means for replicating best 
     practices at all levels and in all sectors, including best 
     practices from the international community; and
       (K) recommendations for overcoming barriers in foreign 
     language proficiency.
       (d) Submission of Strategy to President and Congress.--Not 
     later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
     the Council shall prepare and submit to the President and the 
     relevant committees of Congress the strategy required under 
     subsection (c).
       (e) Meetings.--The Council may hold such meetings, and sit 
     and act at such times and places, as the Council considers 
     appropriate, but shall meet in formal session not less than 2 
     times a year. State and local government agencies and other 
     organizations (such as academic sector institutions, foreign 
     language-related interest groups, business associations, 
     industry, and heritage community organizations) shall be 
     invited, as appropriate, to public meetings of the Council at 
     least once a year.
       (f) Staff.--
       (1) In general.--The Advisor may--
       (A) appoint, without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
     United States Code, governing the competitive service, such 
     personnel as the Advisor considers necessary; and
       (B) compensate such personnel without regard to the 
     provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
     that title.
       (2) Detail of government employees.--Upon request of the 
     Council, any Federal Government employee may be detailed to 
     the Council without reimbursement, and such detail shall be 
     without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
     privilege.
       (3) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the 
     Council, the Advisor may procure temporary and intermittent 
     services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       (4) Travel expenses.--Council members and staff shall be 
     allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
     subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
     under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
     Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 
     business in the performance of services for the Council.
       (5) Security clearance.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
     appropriate Federal agencies or departments shall cooperate 
     with the Council in expeditiously providing to the Council 
     members and staff appropriate security clearances to the 
     extent possible pursuant to existing procedures and 
     requirements.
       (B) Exception.--No person shall be provided with access to 
     classified information under this section without the 
     appropriate required security clearance access.
       (6) Compensation.--The rate of pay for any employee of the 
     Council (including the Advisor) may not exceed the rate 
     payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
     5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (g) Powers.--
       (1) Delegation.--Any member or employee of the Council may, 
     if authorized by the Council, take any action that the 
     Council is authorized to take in this Act.
       (2) Information.--
       (A) Council authority to secure.--The Council may secure 
     directly from any Federal agency such information, consistent 
     with Federal privacy laws, including The Family Educational 
     Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and Department of 
     Education's General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1232(h)), the Council considers necessary to carry out its 
     responsibilities.
       (B) Requirement to furnish requested information.--Upon 
     request of the Advisor, the head of such agency shall furnish 
     such information to the Council.
       (3) Donations.--The Council may accept, use, and dispose of 
     gifts or donations of services or property.
       (4) Mail.--The Council may use the United States mail in 
     the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
     Federal agencies.
       (h) Conferences, Newsletter, and Website.--In carrying out 
     this Act, the Council--
       (1) may arrange Federal, regional, State, and local 
     conferences for the purpose of developing and coordinating 
     effective programs and activities to improve foreign language 
     education;
       (2) may publish a newsletter concerning Federal, State, and 
     local programs that are effectively meeting the foreign 
     language needs of the nation; and
       (3) shall create and maintain a website containing 
     information on the Council and its activities, best practices 
     on language education, and other relevant information.
       (i) Annual Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
     Council shall prepare and transmit to the President and the 
     relevant committees of Congress a report that describes--
       (1) the activities of the Council;
       (2) the efforts of the Council to improve foreign language 
     education and training; and
       (3) impediments to the use of a National Foreign Language 
     program, including any statutory and regulatory restrictions.
       (j) Establishment of a National Language Advisor.--
       (1) In general.--The National Language Advisor appointed by 
     the President shall be a nationally recognized individual 
     with credentials and abilities across the sectors to be 
     involved with creating and implementing long-term solutions 
     to achieving national foreign language and cultural 
     competency.
       (2) Responsibilities.--The Advisor shall--

[[Page S5295]]

       (A) develop and monitor the implementation of a national 
     foreign language strategy, built upon the efforts of the 
     National Security Language Initiative, across all sectors;
       (B) establish formal relationships among the major 
     stakeholders in meeting the needs of the Nation for improved 
     capabilities in foreign languages and cultural understanding, 
     including Federal, State, and local government agencies, 
     academia, industry, labor, and heritage communities; and
       (C) coordinate and lead a public information campaign that 
     raises awareness of public and private sector careers 
     requiring foreign language skills and cultural understanding, 
     with the objective of increasing interest in and support for 
     the study of foreign languages among national leaders, the 
     business community, local officials, parents, and 
     individuals.
       (k) Encouragement of State Involvement.--
       (1) State contact persons.--The Council shall consult with 
     each State to provide for the designation by each State of an 
     individual to serve as a State contact person for the purpose 
     of receiving and disseminating information and communications 
     received from the Council.
       (2) State interagency councils and lead agencies.--Each 
     State is encouraged to establish a State interagency council 
     on foreign language coordination or designate a lead agency 
     for the State for the purpose of assuming primary 
     responsibility for coordinating and interacting with the 
     Council and State and local government agencies as necessary.
       (l) Congressional Notification.--The Council shall provide 
     to Congress such information as may be requested by Congress, 
     through reports, briefings, and other appropriate means.
       (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out this 
     Act.

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