[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 144 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6040-S6042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Wicker):
  S. 3390. A bill to ensure that significantly more students graduate 
college with the international knowledge and experience essential for 
success in today's global economy through the establishment of the 
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program in the Department of Education; 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, throughout his life, the late Senator Paul 
Simon believed that for the United States to be a true world leader, 
our country and its citizens needed to strengthen our international 
understanding. In a 1995 floor speech, he posed the question ``Can 
someone really be considered educated if, upon graduation as an 
engineer or physician or teacher or journalist or accountant or 
architect, he or she does not have the most minimal understanding of 
the rest of the world?'' At the heart of this question was his 
aspiration for our country to become more internationally aware.
  Following the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001--an event that 
is now 15 years in our past, Senator Simon shared his vision of a world 
in which peace and security is fostered through mutual understanding 
and global awareness. He believed the best way to develop this 
understanding and awareness was through fulling submerse oneself in 
another culture. Senator Simon saw that the opportunity for this 
already existed on college campuses through study abroad programs. 
Study abroad helps students make a connection with another part of the 
world and begin to develop insight into the perspectives of other 
nations. By exposing young adults to study abroad, today's students 
will become more globally aware future leaders.

[[Page S6041]]

  Unfortunately, as a country, we are falling short of achieving the 
great vision set forth by Senator Simon. Currently, less than 2 percent 
of enrolled post-secondary students in the United States study abroad. 
Furthermore, the students who do study abroad are not reflective of 
post-secondary enrollment in the United States. Minority students, 
first generation college students, and community college students are 
significantly underrepresented among those who do study abroad. These 
groups of students disproportionately lose out on the remarkable 
educational opportunities that come along with studying abroad--
engaging with other cultures, enhancing foreign language skills, and 
expanding international knowledge through firsthand experience.
  Further, the students who study abroad do so overwhelmingly in just 
one part of the world. Of all students who study abroad, 40 percent 
study in just four countries: the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and 
France. An additional 13 percent study in other European countries, 
meaning that over half of all U.S. students who study abroad do so in 
Europe. Europe has many valuable and important educational experiences 
to offer American students. But, increasing the diversity of study 
abroad destinations allows students to expand their horizons and make 
connections that will help them develop a global perspective and deeper 
understanding of the challenges we face in the 21st Century.
  In 2004, Congress took the first step towards expanding study abroad 
when it authorized the Commission on Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad 
Fellowship Program to provide recommendations to Congress and the 
President on expanding study abroad programs.
  Today, I am honored to carry on the vision laid out by Senator Simon 
as Senator Wicker and I introduce the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad 
Program Act. This legislation takes an important step towards making 
the vision of Senator Simon a reality based on the recommendations made 
by the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Commission.
  It establishes a competitive grant program for institutions of higher 
education to encourage the sustainable expansion of study abroad 
opportunities for students in the United States. Over the next 10 
years, this grant program aims to increase the overall number of 
undergraduate students studying abroad each year to one million 
students. It will place a special emphasis on increasing opportunities 
for nontraditional and minority students, so that the demographics of 
students who study abroad more closely reflect the population of 
current undergraduate students.
  This bill will also emphasize getting students to study abroad in 
nontraditional destinations particularly in developing countries. We 
need to send more students to developing nations because these are the 
places that America needs to better understand--countries in Africa, 
Asia, Latin America, South America, and the Middle East. This 
legislation takes important steps toward expanding and diversifying 
participation in study abroad.
  I am pleased that several organizations have endorsed this bill 
including the American Public and Land-grant Universities, Association 
of International Educators, Partners of the Americas, American Council 
on Education, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Forum 
on Education Abroad, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and 
Universities, and the Association of American Universities.
  In today's global society, an undergraduate education that includes a 
meaningful study abroad experience is more important than ever. 
Expanded participation in study abroad is necessary to prepare the next 
generation of Americans with the global knowledge and skills needed for 
success in an increasingly interconnected world. I thank Senator Wicker 
for standing with me in this effort and I hope my colleagues will join 
us.
  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. 3390

       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 ``Senator Paul Simon Study 
     Abroad Program Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) To prepare students for success in the modern global 
     economy, opportunities for study abroad should be included as 
     part of a well-rounded education.
       (2) Study abroad programs provide students with 
     unparalleled access to international knowledge, an unmatched 
     opportunity to learn foreign languages, and a unique 
     environment for developing cultural understanding, all of 
     which are knowledge and skills needed in today's global 
     economy.
       (3) Less than 2 percent of all enrolled postsecondary 
     students in the United States study abroad for credit in any 
     given year, and minority students, first generation college 
     students, and community college students are significantly 
     underrepresented in study abroad participation.
       (4) Congress authorized the establishment of the Commission 
     on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program 
     pursuant to section 104 of the Miscellaneous Appropriations 
     and Offsets Act, 2004 (division H of Public Law 108-199). 
     Pursuant to its mandate, the Lincoln Commission submitted to 
     Congress and the President a report of its recommendations 
     for greatly expanding the opportunity for students at 
     institutions of higher education in the United States to 
     study abroad, with special emphasis on studying in developing 
     nations.
       (5) According to the Lincoln Commission, ``[e]xperience 
     shows that leadership from administrators and faculty will 
     drive the number of study abroad participants higher and 
     improve the quality of programs. Such leadership is the only 
     way that study abroad will become an integral part of the 
     undergraduate experience.''. A competitive grant program is 
     necessary to encourage and support such leadership.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to ensure that significantly more students have access 
     to quality study abroad opportunities;
       (2) to ensure that the diversity of students studying 
     abroad reflects the diversity of students and institutions of 
     higher education in the United States;
       (3) to encourage greater diversity in study abroad 
     destinations by increasing the portion of study abroad that 
     takes place in nontraditional study abroad destinations, 
     especially in developing countries; and
       (4) to encourage a greater commitment by institutions of 
     higher education to expand study abroad opportunities.

     SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.

       Section 741 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1138) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as paragraphs 
     (13) and (14), respectively; and
       (B) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following:
       ``(12) awarding grants under the Senator Paul Simon Study 
     Abroad Program described in subsection (g);''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 101(a).
       ``(B) National of the united states.--The term `national of 
     the United States' means a national of the United States or 
     an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as those 
     terms are defined in section 101 of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)).
       ``(C) Nontraditional study abroad destination.--The term 
     `nontraditional study abroad destination' means a location 
     that is determined by the Secretary to be a less common 
     destination for students who study abroad.
       ``(D) Student.--The term `student' means a national of the 
     United States who is enrolled at an institution of higher 
     education located within the United States.
       ``(E) Study abroad.--The term `study abroad' means an 
     educational program of study, work, research, internship, or 
     combination thereof that is conducted outside the United 
     States and that carries academic credit.
       ``(2) Senator paul simon study abroad program.--
       ``(A) Establishment.--There is established in the 
     Department a program to be called the `Senator Paul Simon 
     Study Abroad Program'.
       ``(B) Objectives.--The objectives of the program 
     established under subparagraph (A) are, that not later than 
     10 years after the date of enactment of the Senator Paul 
     Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2016--
       ``(i) not less than 1,000,000 undergraduate students will 
     study abroad annually;
       ``(ii) the demographics of study abroad participation will 
     reflect the demographics of the United States undergraduate 
     population; and
       ``(iii) an increasing portion of study abroad will take 
     place in nontraditional study

[[Page S6042]]

     abroad destinations, with a substantial portion of such 
     increases in developing countries.
       ``(C) Competitive grants to institutions of higher 
     education.--In order to accomplish the objectives set forth 
     in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall award grants on a 
     competitive basis to institutions of higher education, 
     individually or in a consortium, based on applications by the 
     institutions that--
       ``(i) set forth detailed plans for using grant funds to 
     further such objectives;
       ``(ii) include an institutional commitment to expanding 
     access to study abroad;
       ``(iii) include plans for evaluating progress made in 
     increasing access to study abroad;
       ``(iv) describe how increases in study abroad participation 
     achieved through the grant will be sustained in subsequent 
     years; and
       ``(v) demonstrate that the programs have established health 
     and safety guidelines and procedures.
       ``(D) Nongovernmental institutions.--Consortia of 
     institutions of higher education applying for grants 
     described in subparagraph (C) may include nongovernmental 
     institutions that provide and promote study abroad 
     opportunities for students.
       ``(E) Commission on the abraham lincoln study abroad 
     fellowship program.--In administering the program, the 
     Secretary shall take fully into account the recommendations 
     of the 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 Public Law 108-199).
       ``(F) Consultation.--In carrying out this paragraph, the 
     Secretary shall consult with representatives of diverse 
     institutions of higher education, educational policy 
     organizations, and others with appropriate expertise.
       ``(3) Annual report.--Not later than December 31 of each 
     year following the date of enactment of the Senator Paul 
     Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2016, the Secretary shall 
     submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the 
     Workforce of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     implementation of this subsection during the prior fiscal 
     year.
       ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 
     such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017 and each 
     subsequent fiscal year.''.
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