109TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2200

AN ACT

To establish a United States-Poland parliamentary youth

exchange program, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-Poland

5 Parliamentary Youth Exchange Program Act of 2006’’.
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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

2 Congress makes the following findings:

3 (1) The United States established diplomatic

4 relations with the newly-formed Polish Republic in

5 April 1919.

6 (2) The United States and Poland have enjoyed

7 close bilateral relations since 1989.

8 (3) Poland became a member of the North At9 lantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in March 1999.

10 (4) Poland became a member of the European

11 Union (EU) in May 2004.

12 (5) Poland has been a strong supporter, both

13 diplomatically and militarily, of efforts led by the

14 United States to combat global terrorism and has

15 contributed troops to the United States-led coalitions

16 in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

17 (6) Poland cooperates closely with the United

18 States on such issues as democratization, nuclear

19 proliferation, human rights, regional cooperation in

20 Eastern Europe, and reform of the United Nations.

21 (7) The United States and Poland seek to en22 sure enduring ties between both governments and

23 societies.

24 (8) It is important to invest in the youth of the

25 United States and Poland in order to help ensure

26 long-lasting ties between both societies.
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1 (9) It is in the interest of the United States to

2 preserve a United States presence in Europe and to

3 continue to contribute to the development of trans4 atlantic relationships.

5 (10) Poland for many years received inter6 national and United States financial assistance and

7 is now determined to invest its own resources toward

8 attaining its shared desire with the United States to

9 develop international cooperation.

10 SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH

11 EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

12 (a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of State, in coopera13 tion with the Government of Poland, may establish and

14 carry out a parliamentary exchange program for youth of

15 the United States and Poland.

16 (b) DESIGNATION.—The youth exchange program

17 carried out under this subsection shall be known as the

18 ‘‘United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange

19 Program’’.

20 (c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the youth exchange

21 program is to demonstrate to the youth of the United

22 States and Poland the benefits of friendly cooperation be23 tween the United States and Poland based on common po24 litical and cultural values.
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1 (d) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS.—An individual is eligi2 ble for participation in the youth exchange program if the

3 individual—

4 (1) is a citizen or national of the United States

5 or of Poland;

6 (2) is under the age of 19 years;

7 (3) is a student who is enrolled and in good

8 standing at a secondary school in the United States

9 or Poland;

10 (4) has been accepted for up to one academic

11 year of study in a program of study abroad approved

12 for credit at such school; and

13 (5) meets any other qualifications that the Sec14 retary of State may establish for purposes of the

15 program.

16 (e) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—Under the youth ex17 change program, eligible participants selected for partici18 pation in the program shall—

19 (1) live in and attend a public secondary school

20 in the host country for a period of one academic

21 year;

22 (2) while attending public school in the host

23 country, undertake academic studies in the host

24 country, with particular emphasis on the history,
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1 constitution, and political development of the host

2 country;

3 (3) be eligible, either during or after the com4 pletion of such academic studies, for an internship

5 in an appropriate position in the host country; and

6 (4) engage in such other activities as the Presi7 dent considers appropriate to achieve the purpose of

8 the program.

9 SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

10 The Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee

11 on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee

12 on International Relations of the House of Representa13 tives an annual report on the United States-Poland Par14 liamentary Youth Exchange Program established under

15 this Act. Each annual report shall include—

16 (1) information on the implementation of the

17 Program during the preceding year:

18 (2) the number of participants in the Program

19 during such year;

20 (3) the names and locations of the secondary

21 schools in the United States and Poland attended by

22 such participants;

23 (4) a description of the areas of study of such

24 participants during their participation in the Pro25 gram;
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1 (5) a description of any internships taken by

2 such participants during their participation in the

3 Program; and

4 (6) a description of any other activities such

5 participants carried out during their participation in

6 the Program.

7 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro9 priated for the Department of State for fiscal year 2007

10 such sums as may be necessary to carry out the youth

11 exchange program authorized by this Act.

12 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts authorized to be appro13 priated by subsection (a) shall remain available until ex14 pended.

Passed the Senate September 7 (legislative day, September 6), 2006.

Attest:

Secretary.
109TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2200

AN ACT

To establish a United States-Poland parliamentary

youth exchange program, and for other purposes.