[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

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                            HON. MARK POCAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 23, 2017

  Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of international 
students, scholars, and the U.S. institutions of higher education they 
attend who have been unfairly penalized by the administration's efforts 
to limit travel to our country. I urge my colleagues and the 
administration to recognize the vital contribution international 
students, scholars, and their families make when we welcome them to 
this great country.
  International Education programs are incredibly important to the 
higher education experiences of students across the country. In 
particular, Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs enable American 
undergraduate and graduate students to develop capabilities and 
proficiencies in languages and areas of the world that greatly benefit 
national security. At its core, Title VI strengthens the international 
teaching and curricula of students, introduces students to a wider, 
diverse world, and fosters their likelihood of pursuing an 
internationally focused profession. Similarly, the Fulbright-Hays 
program is an internationally focused program that awards grants to 
individual U.S. teachers, post-doctoral students, post-doctoral 
faculty, and U.S. institutions in order to support research and 
training efforts overseas focused on non-Western languages and areas of 
studies. The Title VI and the Fulbright-Hays programs form the vital 
infrastructure of the Federal government's investment in the 
international service pipeline. The contributions these programs make 
to diplomacy and international education must be protected and 
prioritized.
  These programs broaden all students' horizons, benefit our country's 
workforce, and strengthen diplomatic ties. In turn, when we welcome 
international students to our universities, they strengthen our 
communities and enrichen discourse through diverse perspectives. The 
Trump Administration's rhetoric surrounding immigrants has been harmful 
to international students and the academic community. Following the 
Administration's proposed travel ban, many immigrant students at our 
universities have experienced tremendous uncertainty about their 
status. Additionally, schools across the country have seen their 
applicant rates of international students decline.
  At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, international students and 
scholars apply the lessons they have learned abroad to make a positive 
impact on our state's economy. The University of Wisconsin Madison is 
one of the nation's top producers of Fulbright students and scholars, 
with 21 students accepted into the prestigious program. In Wisconsin's 
2nd District, we have welcomed nearly 7,000 international students and 
their families to our area and are profoundly grateful for the 
contributions they have made. I am incredibly proud of the students and 
faculty who continue to lead in the field of international education 
and strongly encourage my colleagues to support these vital education 
programs.

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