III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 308 

Designating 2006 as the ‘‘Year of Study Abroad’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 10, 2005 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. 

AKAKA, Mr. COLEMAN, and Mr. COCHRAN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating 2006 as the ‘‘Year of Study Abroad’’. 

Whereas ensuring that the citizens of the United States are 

globally literate is the responsibility of the educational 

system of the United States; 

Whereas educating students internationally is an important 

way to share the values of the United States, to create 

goodwill for the United States around the world, to work 

toward a peaceful global society, and to increase international trade; 

Whereas, according to a 2002 American Council on Education poll, 79 percent of people in the United States 

agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, but only 1 percent of students from the United States currently study abroad 

each year; 
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•SRES 308 ATS

Whereas study abroad programs help people from the United 

States to be more informed about the world and to develop the cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending 

individuals from other countries; 

Whereas a National Geographic global literacy survey found 

that 87 percent of students in the United States between 

the ages of 18 and 24 cannot locate Iraq on a world map, 

83 percent cannot find Afghanistan, 58 percent cannot 

find Japan, and 11 percent cannot even find the United 

States; 

Whereas studying abroad exposes students from the United 

States to valuable global knowledge and cultural understanding and forms an integral part of their education; 

Whereas Congress recognized through the Higher Education 

Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) that the security, 

stability, and economic vitality of the United States in an 

increasingly complex global age depend largely upon having a globally competent citizenry and the availability of 

experts specializing in world regions, foreign languages, 

and international affairs; 

Whereas the Coalition for International Education, an ad hoc 

group of higher education organizations with interests in 

the international education programs of the Department 

of Education, and Government Accountability Office reports have found that Federal agencies, educational institutions, and corporations in the United States are suffering from a shortage of professionals with international 

knowledge and foreign language skills; 

Whereas, according to the Coalition for International Education, institutions of higher education in the United 

States are struggling to graduate enough students with 
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•SRES 308 ATS

the language skills and cultural competence necessary to 

meet the current demands of business, government, and 

educational institutions; 

Whereas a survey done by the Institute for the International 

Education of Students shows that studying abroad influences subsequent educational experiences, decisions to expand or change academic majors, and decisions to attend 

graduate school; 

Whereas substantive research literature demonstrates that 

some of the core values and skills of higher education are 

enhanced by participation in study abroad programs; 

Whereas study abroad programs not only open doors to foreign language learning, but also empower students to better understand themselves and others through a comparison of cultural values and ways of life; 

Whereas study abroad programs for students from the 

United States can provide specialized training and practical experiences not available at institutions in the 

United States; 

Whereas a blue ribbon task force of NAFSA: Association of 

International Educators, a global association of individuals dedicated to advancing international education and 

exchange, found that a national effort to promote study 

abroad programs is needed to address a serious deficit in 

global competence in the United States; 

Whereas the bipartisan, federally-appointed Commission on 

the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, 

established pursuant to section 104 of the Miscellaneous 

Appropriations and Offsets Act, 2004 (division H of the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108– 

199; 118 Stat. 435)), is scheduled to make recommenda-
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•SRES 308 ATS

tions by December 1, 2005, for a national study abroad 

program to meet this need: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates 2006 as the ‘‘Year of Study 

3 Abroad’’; 

4 (2) encourages secondary schools, institutions 

5 of higher learning, businesses, and government pro6 grams to promote and expand study abroad opportu7 nities; and 

8 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

9 to— 

10 (A) support initiatives to promote and ex11 pand study abroad opportunities; and 

12 (B) observe the ‘‘Year of Study Abroad’’ 

13 with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and 

14 other activities. 

Æ