[Senate Report 110-33]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                        Calendar No. 73
110th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                     110-33

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   UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM OF 2007

                                _______
                                

                 March 9, 2007.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

          Mr. Biden, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 377]

    The Committee on Foreign Relations, having under 
consideration an original bill to establisha United State-
Poland parliamentary youth exchange program, and for other 
purposes, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the 
bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose..........................................................1
 II. Committee Action.................................................2
III. Cost Estimate....................................................3
 IV. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
  V. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4

                               I. Purpose

    The purpose of the United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth 
Exchange Program is to demonstrate to the youth of the United 
States and Poland the benefits of friendly cooperation between 
the U.S. and Poland based on common political and cultural 
values. Student exchange programs do more than benefit 
individual scholars and advance human knowledge. Such programs 
expand ties between nations, improve international commerce, 
encourage cooperative solutions to global problems, prevent 
war, and give participants a chance to develop a sense of 
global service and responsibility.
    Funding a great foreign exchange program is a sign of both 
national pride and national humility. Implicit in such a 
program is the view that people from other nations view one's 
country and educational system as a beacon of knowledge--as a 
place where international scholars would want to study and 
live. But it is also an admission that a nation does not have 
all the answers--that our national understanding of the world 
is incomplete. It is an admission that we are just a part of a 
much larger world that has intellectual, scientific, and moral 
wisdom that we need to learn.
    The United States and Poland have enjoyed close bilateral 
relations since the end of the Cold War. Most recently, Poland 
has been a strong supporter of efforts led by the United States 
to combat global terrorism, and has contributed troops to and 
led coalitions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Poland also 
cooperates closely with the United States on such issues as 
democratization, human rights, regional cooperation in Eastern 
Europe, and reform of the United Nations. As a member of the 
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European 
Union (EU), Poland has demonstrated its commitment to 
democratic values and is a role model in its region.
    After receiving for many years international and U. S. 
financial assistance, Poland is now determined to invest its 
own resources toward funding a U.S.-Poland exchange program. To 
this end the Polish Foreign Minister unambiguously stated that 
Poland welcomed the opportunity to be an equal partner in 
funding important efforts.

                          II. Committee Action

    On January 24, 2007, Senator Lugar introduced S. 377, 
United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act 
of 2007. At a business meeting on March 7, 2007, by a voice 
vote, the committee ordered the bill reported favorably.

                           III. Cost Estimate

    Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the following cost estimate has been 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE


                             March 9, 2007


                                 S. 377


 United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act of 2007


  AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON 
                             MARCH 6, 2007

    S. 377 would authorize the Secretary of State to establish 
a youth exchange program with Poland and would authorize the 
appropriation in 2008 of such sums as may be necessary for that 
purpose. Based on information from the State Department about a 
similar program--the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange--CBO 
estimates the proposed program would require an appropriation 
of $5 million for 2008. (Outlays from that appropriation would 
occur over a few years.) CBO expects that continuing the 
program beyond 2008 would incur additional costs of about $5 
million a year, assuming appropriation of the estimated 
amounts. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or 
receipts.
    S. 377 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D'Monte. 
This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                  IV. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is 
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.

                       V. Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of Rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that 
there are no changes in existing law made by the bill, as 
reported.

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