[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E711]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS FOR THE UNITED STATES

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 2017

  Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. 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. We all need to recognize the vital 
contributions that international students, scholars and their families 
make when we welcome them to this great country.
  Welcoming international students and scholars strengthens our 
diplomatic ties with countries across the globe and increases our 
national security.
  International students and scholars who have spent time in the United 
States become informal ambassadors when they return home, sharing an 
appreciation for common values, counteracting stereotypes about the 
U.S., and enhancing respect for cultural differences.
  Likewise, the ability to perform and compete globally is a vital 
component of a 21st century education. While less than 2 percent of 
U.S. students study abroad each year, having international students on 
our campuses can better prepare U.S. students to succeed as global 
citizens.
  International students also contribute to the economic well-being of 
the United States. According to NAFSA: Association of International 
Educators, international students and their families supported 400,000 
jobs and contributed nearly $33 billion to the U.S. economy during the 
2015 to 2016 academic year.
  In my district, during the 2015 to 2016 academic year, 12,249 
international students and their families contributed $359.7 million, 
supporting 5,967 jobs.
  May is a critical month on the college calendar. It is the 
traditional end of the academic year, when graduation ceremonies take 
place across the country. But it is also a time when prospective 
students make their final choice on where they plan to study in the 
fall.
  Actions taken by this administration, most significantly the Travel 
Ban Executive Order, have generated a great deal of uncertainty within 
U.S. colleges and universities. Many currently enrolled international 
students may choose not to travel home at the end of the academic year, 
for fear they might not be allowed to return in the fall.
  Unsurprisingly, for prospective students, nearly 40 percent of higher 
education institutions reported application declines for the first time 
in many years.
  Moreover, the anti-immigrant rhetoric and uncertainty created by our 
broken immigration system make the United States less attractive to the 
students and scholars who we want to contribute to our campuses and 
communities.
  To ensure our nation's security, economic well-being, and academic 
leadership, we must remain an open and welcoming United States. So, to 
the international students and scholars who may be unsure about coming, 
I say: Your contributions are valued and you are welcome here.

                          ____________________