IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 470 

Recognizing that international education and exchange programs further national security and foreign policy priorities, enhance economic competitiveness, and promote mutual understanding and cooperation among nations. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 24, 2017 

Mr. HIMES (for himself, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. EVANS, Mr. 

GRIJALVA, Ms. JENKINS of Kansas, Mr. KEATING, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. WELCH, and Mr. DONOVAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing that international education and exchange programs further national security and foreign policy priorities, enhance economic competitiveness, and promote 

mutual understanding and cooperation among nations. 

Whereas hundreds of thousands of secondary and higher education students study overseas each year, coming from 

congressional districts across all fifty States; 

Whereas according to the Department of State, more than 

one million 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; 


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•HRES 470 IH 

Whereas international education and exchange programs 

serve an effective and proven diplomatic function with 

countries key to foreign policy and national security priorities, encouraging goodwill toward the United States; 

Whereas promoting the United States as a destination for 

international students and professionals, while also encouraging students and professionals to gain international experience abroad, are wise investments in our 

country’s economic competitiveness; 

Whereas it is imperative that students understand how to 

interact with their colleagues from around the world and 

operate in multicultural environments; 

Whereas it is important to diversify the pool of citizens participating in international study and exchange experiences; 

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

Whereas there are multitudes of privately organized and 

funded exchange programs, while many others are funded 

by the Government; 

Whereas international education and exchange programs exist 

at multiple levels—high school, college, graduate, educator, citizen, cultural, and sport programs; 

Whereas international students consistently have a positive 

impact on the economy and job creation in every State 

and congressional district, according to economic analysis 

by NAFSA: Association of International Educators using 

international student enrollment data by the Institute of 

International Education in partnership with the Department of State and tuition data from the Department of 

Education. This analysis shows that international stuVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:37 Jul 25, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR470.IH HR470

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•HRES 470 IH 

dents studying at United States colleges and universities 

contributed $32.8 billion to the economy and supported 

more than 400,000 jobs during the 2015–16 academic 

year. This represents a 7.2-percent increase in job support and creation, and a 7-percent increase in dollars 

contributed to the economy from the previous academic 

year; 

Whereas their exchange experiences enable international visitors to become informal ambassadors both for their home 

countries while they are in the United States and for the 

United States when they return home, sharing an appreciation for common values, counteracting stereotypes, and 

enhancing 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 singularly effective way for American students to develop foreign language capability and cultural awareness, 

skills that employers seek in order 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, 

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

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes that international education and 

3 exchange programs enhance national security, sig4 nificantly further United States foreign policy goals 


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1 and economic competitiveness, and promote mutual 

2 understanding and cooperation among nations; 

3 (2) encourages international education and ex4 change programs to ensure that the United States 

5 maintains a broad international knowledge base; 

6 (3) supports international education and ex7 change programs as a means to strengthen foreign 

8 language skills and foster a better understanding of 

9 the world by United States citizens, especially youth; 

10 (4) commends the American and international 

11 education and exchange participants, volunteers, 

12 educators, program alumni, host families, high 

13 schools, institutions of higher education, and host 

14 communities for their involvement in such programs; 

15 and 

16 (5) celebrates the integral role international 

17 education and exchange programs play for the 

18 United States and its people. 

Æ 


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