[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.
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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
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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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