I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6232 

To establish a scholarship program in the Department of State for Haitian 

students whose studies were interrupted as a result of the January 

12, 2010, earthquake, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, 

Ms. NORTON, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, and Ms. 

CLARKE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish a scholarship program in the Department of 

State for Haitian students whose studies were interrupted as a result of the January 12, 2010, earthquake, 

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 ‘‘Haitian Educational 

5 Empowerment Act of 2010’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Haiti is the poorest country in the Western 

2 Hemisphere. 

3 (2) Eighty percent of the population lives below 

4 the poverty line and approximately 45 percent of the 

5 population is illiterate. 

6 (3) On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude 

7 earthquake struck the country of Haiti. 

8 (4) The earthquake caused massive devastation 

9 across Haiti, destroying government buildings, hos10 pitals, schools, and vital aid offices including the 

11 headquarters of the United Nations mission to 

12 Haiti. 

13 (5) An estimated 3,000,000 people have been 

14 directly affected by the earthquake in Haiti, nearly 

15 one-third of the country’s population, and many are 

16 currently at risk of long-term displacement and vul17 nerability. 

18 (6) Many universities suffered significant struc19 tural damage, including the State University of 

20 Haiti, the nation’s main public university, which had 

21 80 percent of its buildings destroyed. 

22 (7) The earthquake claimed the lives of many 

23 students and several prominent academics. 

24 (8) Before the earthquake, at least 85 percent 

25 of Haitians with a university degree left the island. 


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1 (9) A more highly educated population is vital 

2 to Haiti’s long-term development. 

3 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR 

4 CERTAIN HAITIAN STUDENTS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—From the amounts appropriated 

6 to carry out this section, the Secretary of State, acting 

7 through the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational 

8 and Cultural Affairs, shall establish a scholarship program 

9 for Haitian students whose studies were interrupted as a 

10 result of the January 12, 2010, earthquake. 

11 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a scholar12 ship under this section, a Haitian undergraduate or grad13 uate student shall— 

14 (1) have been enrolled as a full-time student in 

15 a Haitian university at the time of the January 12, 

16 2010, earthquake; and 

17 (2) submit to the Assistant Secretary of State 

18 for Educational and Cultural Affairs an application 

19 at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

20 information as the Assistant Secretary may require. 

21 (c) DURATION.—A scholarship under this section 

22 shall be awarded to a Haitian student for 1 academic year 

23 and may be renewed in accordance with subsection (d). 

24 (d) RENEWAL.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—A scholarship awarded 

2 under this section may be renewed for an additional 

3 academic year upon demonstration to the Secretary 

4 of State of satisfactory academic achievement in the 

5 prior academic year. 

6 (2) MAXIMUM RENEWALS.—A scholarship 

7 awarded under this section may not be renewed for 

8 more than 6 academic years. 

9 (e) PREFERENCE.—Preference in the awarding of 

10 scholarships shall be given to the following categories of 

11 Haitian students: 

12 (1) Haitian students who are studying subjects 

13 of importance to Haiti’s long-term social, economic, 

14 or political development. 

15 (2) Haitian students who were enrolled in pro16 grams that were forced to cease operations as a re17 sult of the January 12, 2010, earthquake. 

18 (f) RETURN.—Upon completion of an undergraduate 

19 or graduate degree at an institution of higher education, 

20 a Haitian student who has received a scholarship under 

21 this section shall return to Haiti. 

22 (g) SCHOLARSHIP DEFINED.—In this section, the 

23 term ‘‘scholarship’’ means an amount awarded to a Hai24 tian student under this section that shall only be used to 

25 pay costs related to the tuition and fees at the institution 


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1 of higher education in which the student is enrolled as a 

2 full-time student. 

3 (h) SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT.—A scholarship awarded 

4 to a Haitian student under this section may not exceed 

5 an amount equal to the total costs related to the tuition 

6 and fees for 1 academic year at an institution of higher 

7 education in which the student is enrolled as a full-time 

8 student. 

9 SEC. 4. GRANTS TO UNITED STATES COLLEGES AND UNI10 VERSITIES. 

11 The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant 

12 Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

13 may make grants to institutions of higher education that 

14 have enrolled a significant number of Haitian students 

15 who have been enrolled as full-time students in a Haitian 

16 university at the time of the January 12, 2010, earth17 quake. Such grants shall be used to provide social and 

18 educational support services to such students. 

19 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

20 For purposes of this Act: 

21 (1) FEES.—The term ‘‘fees’’ means— 

22 (A) fees normally assessed a full-time stu23 dent, as determined by an institution of higher 

24 education, including— 


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1 (i) costs for the rental or purchase of 

2 any equipment, materials, or supplies re3 quired of all students in the same course 

4 of study; and 

5 (ii) an allowance for room and board 

6 at the institution; and 

7 (B) travel expenses to the institution from 

8 Haiti and, upon the completion of a degree at 

9 such institution, from the institution to Haiti. 

10 (2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

11 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

12 meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher 

13 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

Æ 


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