II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 3076

A bill to establish an undergraduate grant program of the Department of

State to assist students of limited financial means from the United

States to pursue studies abroad.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPTEMBER 20, 2000

Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. COLLINS, and Mr. FEINGOLD)

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the

Committee on Foreign Relations

A BILL

A bill to establish an undergraduate grant program of the

Department of State to assist students of limited financial means from the United States to pursue studies

abroad.

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 ‘‘International Academic

5 Opportunity Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

7 It is the purpose of this Act to establish an under8 graduate grant program for students of limited financial
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1 means from the United States to enable such students to

2 study abroad. Such foreign study is intended to broaden

3 the outlook and better prepare such students of dem4 onstrated financial need to assume significant roles in the

5 increasingly global economy.

6 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR FOR7 EIGN STUDY BY AMERICAN COLLEGE STU8 DENTS OF LIMITED FINANCIAL MEANS.

9 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of

10 appropriations and under the authorities of the Mutual

11 Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, the Sec12 retary of State shall establish and carry out a program

13 in each fiscal year to award grants of up to $5,000, to

14 individuals who meet the requirements of subsection (b),

15 toward the cost of up to one academic year of under16 graduate study abroad. Grants under this Act shall be

17 known as the ‘‘Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholar18 ships’’.

19 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual referred to in sub20 section (a) is an individual who—

21 (1) is a student in good standing at an institu22 tion of higher education in the United States (as de23 fined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act

24 of 1965);
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1 (2) has been accepted for up to one academic

2 year of study—

3 (A) at an institution of higher education

4 outside the United States (as defined by section

5 102(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965);

6 or

7 (B) on a program of study abroad ap8 proved for credit by the student’s home institu9 tion;

10 (3) is receiving any need-based student assist11 ance under title IV of the Higher Education Act of

12 1965; and

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

14 (c) APPLICATION AND SELECTION.—

15 (1) Grant application and selection shall be car16 ried out through accredited institutions of higher

17 education in the United States or a combination of

18 such institutions under such procedures as are es19 tablished by the Secretary of State.

20 (2) In considering applications for grants under

21 this section—

22 (A) consideration of financial need shall in23 clude the increased costs of study abroad; and

24 (B) priority consideration shall be given to

25 applicants who are receiving Federal Pell
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1 Grants under title IV of the Higher Education

2 Act of 1965.

3 SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

4 The Secretary of State shall report annually to the

5 Congress concerning the grant program established under

6 this Act. Each such report shall include the following in7 formation for the preceding year:

8 (1) The number of participants.

9 (2) The institutions of higher education in the

10 United States that participants attended.

11 (3) The institutions of higher education outside

12 the United States participants attended during their

13 year of study abroad.

14 (4) The areas of study of participants.

15 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

16 There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000

17 for each fiscal year to carry out this Act.

18 SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

19 This Act shall take effect October 1, 2000.

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