[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E704]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. HIMES

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 23, 2017

  Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a globally-engaged 
and welcoming United States. Historically, hosting international 
students and scholars at our colleges and universities has been one of 
the most important ways America reinforces those values. I urge my 
colleagues and the administration to recognize the vital contribution 
international students, scholars, and their families make to the United 
States.
  The cross-cultural partnerships formed through international 
education and exchanges offer widespread benefits for the United 
States. Students and their families supported 400,000 jobs in the 2015-
2016 year, contributing nearly $33 billion to our national economy. 
Their financial and academic contributions allow universities to offer 
more advanced courses--often in STEM subjects--to American students. 
These students, the vast majority of whom do not study abroad, gain 
invaluable knowledge towards succeeding as global citizens through 
cooperation and interaction with their international peers.
  As co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on International Exchange and 
Study and as a student who studied abroad, I recognize the enormous 
benefits offered by a cross-cultural education. May is a critical month 
on the college calendar, a time when college seniors graduate and enter 
the global world while high school seniors finalize their choice on 
where to study in the fall. The new administration's immigration 
policies, specifically the Travel Ban Executive Order, harvest 
uncertainty for students making these decisions.
  Our nation's security must remain our top priority, but we must 
balance that with the need to remain open, welcoming and committed to 
driving future economic growth and opportunity. We must reassure 
international scholars who may be unsure about coming that their 
contributions are valued and that they are welcome here

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