I 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4823 

To establish a United States-Poland parliamentary youth exchange program, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2006 

Mr. VISCLOSKY (for himself and Mr. EMANUEL) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

A BILL 

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) The United States established diplomatic 

9 relations with the newly-formed Polish Republic in 

10 April 1919. 


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1 (2) The United States and Poland have enjoyed 

2 close bilateral relations since 1989. 

3 (3) Poland became a member of the North At4 lantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in March 1999. 

5 (4) Poland became a member of the European 

6 Union (EU) in May 2004. 

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

8 diplomatically and militarily, of efforts led by the 

9 United States to combat global terrorism and has 

10 contributed troops to the United States-led coalitions 

11 in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

12 (6) Poland cooperates closely with the United 

13 States on such issues as democratization, nuclear 

14 proliferation, human rights, regional cooperation in 

15 Eastern Europe, and reform of the United Nations. 

16 (7) The United States and Poland seek to en17 sure enduring ties between both governments and 

18 societies. 

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

20 United States and Poland in order to help ensure 

21 long-lasting ties between both societies. 

22 (9) It is in the interest of the United States to 

23 preserve a United States presence in Europe and to 

24 continue to contribute to the development of trans25 atlantic relationships. 


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1 (10) Poland for many years received inter2 national and United States financial assistance and 

3 is now determined to invest its own resources toward 

4 attaining its shared desire with the United States to 

5 develop international cooperation. 

6 SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-POLAND PARLIAMENTARY YOUTH 

7 EXCHANGE PROGRAM. 

8 (a) AUTHORITY.—The President, acting through the 

9 Secretary of State and in cooperation with the Govern10 ment of Poland, may establish and carry out a parliamen11 tary exchange program for youth of the United States and 

12 Poland. 

13 (b) DESIGNATION.—The youth exchange program 

14 carried out under this subsection shall be known as the 

15 ‘‘United States-Poland Parliamentary Youth Exchange 

16 Program’’. 

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

18 program is to demonstrate to the youth of the United 

19 States and Poland the benefits of friendly cooperation be20 tween the United States and Poland based on common po21 litical and cultural values. 

22 (d) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS.—An individual is eligi23 ble for participation in the youth exchange program if the 

24 individual— 


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

2 or of Poland; 

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

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

5 standing at a secondary school in the United States 

6 or Poland; 

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

8 year of study in a program of study abroad approved 

9 for credit at such school; and 

10 (5) meets any other qualifications that the 

11 President may establish for purposes of the pro12 gram. 

13 (e) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—Under the youth ex14 change program, eligible participants selected for partici15 pation in the program shall— 

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

17 in the host country for a period of one academic 

18 year; 

19 (2) while attending public school in the host 

20 country, undertake academic studies in the host 

21 country, with particular emphasis on the history, 

22 constitution, and political development of the host 

23 country; 


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1 (3) be eligible, either during or after the com2 pletion of such academic studies, for an internship 

3 in an appropriate position in the host country; and 

4 (4) engage in such other activities as the Presi5 dent considers appropriate to achieve the purpose of 

6 the program. 

7 (f) RELATIONSHIPTO OTHER AUTHORITIES.—The 

8 President may utilize the authorities and procedures set 

9 out in title VIII of the United States Information and 

10 Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1471 et 

11 seq.) to establish and carry out the youth exchange pro12 gram. 

13 SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

14 The Secretary of State shall submit to Congress an 

15 annual report on the United States-Poland Parliamentary 

16 Youth Exchange Program established under this Act. 

17 Each annual report shall include— 

18 (1) information on the implementation of the 

19 Program during the preceding year: 

20 (2) the number of participants in the Program 

21 during such year; 

22 (3) the names and locations of the secondary 

23 schools in the United States and Poland attended by 

24 such participants; 


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

2 participants during their participation in the Pro3 gram; 

4 (5) a description of any internships taken by 

5 such participants during their participation in the 

6 Program; and 

7 (6) a description of any other activities such 

8 participants carried out during their participation in 

9 the Program. 

10 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro12 priated for the Department of State for fiscal year 2007 

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

14 exchange program authorized by this Act. 

15 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts authorized to be appro16 priated by subsection (a) shall remain available until ex17 pended. 

Æ 


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