III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 357 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that international education and exchange 

programs further United States national security and foreign policy priorities, enhance United States economic competitiveness, and promote mutual understanding and cooperation among nations, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 12, 2017 

Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. RUBIO, Mrs. 

SHAHEEN, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. COONS, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

WICKER, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. WARREN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. WARNER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. KING, Mr. 

CARPER, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. BROWN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. FRANKEN, and Ms. STABENOW) 

submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that international education and exchange programs further United States national security and foreign policy priorities, enhance 

United States economic competitiveness, and promote 

mutual understanding and cooperation among nations, 

and for other purposes. 

Whereas hundreds of thousands of United States secondary 

and post-secondary students, from congressional districts 

in all 50 States, study overseas each year; 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 357 ATS 

Whereas, according to the Department of State, more than 

1,000,000 international students and other international 

education and exchange participants annually help create 

mutual understanding by living, studying, and working in 

local communities throughout the United States; 

Whereas international education and exchange programs 

serve an effective and proven diplomatic function with 

countries key to United States foreign policy and national 

security priorities, encouraging goodwill towards the 

United States; 

Whereas promoting the United States as a destination for 

international students and professionals, while encouraging United States students and professionals to gain 

international experience abroad, are wise investments in 

our Nation’s economic competitiveness; 

Whereas it is imperative that United States students understand how to interact with their peers from around the 

world and operate in multicultural environments; 

Whereas it is important to diversify the pool of United States 

citizens participating in international study and exchange 

experiences, including groups that have been historically 

underrepresented in these programs; 

Whereas students and other young people are the world’s future leaders and innovators; 

Whereas there are multitudes of private, not-for-profit organized and funded exchange programs and many that are 

funded by the United States Government; 

Whereas international education and exchange programs exist 

at multiple levels of the educational spectrum, including 

high school, undergraduate, graduate, educator, citizen, 

cultural, and sports programs; 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 357 ATS 

Whereas according to an economic analysis of international 

student enrollment data and tuition data by NAFSA: Association of International Educators— 

(1) international students consistently have a positive impact on the United States economy and job creation in every State and Congressional district; 

(2) international students studying at United States 

colleges and universities contributed $32,800,000,000 to 

the United States economy and supported more than 

400,000 jobs during the 2015-16 academic year, which 

represents a 7.2 percent increase in job support and creation and a 7 percent increase in money contributed to 

the economy compared to the previous academic year; 

Whereas exchange experiences enable international visitors to 

become informal ambassadors for their home countries 

while they are in the United States and for the United 

States when they return to their home countries by sharing an appreciation for common values, counteracting 

stereotypes, and enhancing mutual respect for cultural 

differences; 

Whereas research indicates that the United States needs to 

encourage more students to graduate with expertise in 

foreign languages, cultures, and politics to fill the demands of business, government, and universities; 

Whereas international education and exchange programs are 

a particularly effective way for American students to develop foreign language capability and cultural awareness, 

which are skills that United States employers seek to remain globally competitive; and 

Whereas international education and exchange programs 

shape the views and opinions of participants, many of 

whom are or will become leaders in their communities, 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 357 ATS 

both in the United States and abroad: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes that international education and 

3 exchange programs— 

4 (A) enhance national security; 

5 (B) further United States foreign policy 

6 goals and economic competitiveness; and 

7 (C) promote mutual understanding and co8 operation among nations; 

9 (2) encourages international education and ex10 change programs to ensure that the United States 

11 maintains a broad international knowledge base; 

12 (3) supports international education and ex13 change programs as a means of strengthening for14 eign language skills and fostering a better under15 standing of the world by United States citizens, es16 pecially youth; 

17 (4) commends the American and international 

18 education and exchange participants, volunteers, 

19 educators, program alumni, host families, high 

20 schools, colleges, universities, and host communities 

21 for their involvement in such programs; and 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 357 ATS 

1 (5) celebrates the integral role international 

2 education and exchange programs play for the 

3 United States and its people. 

Æ 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with BILLS