IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 849 

Recognizing the 16th anniversary of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) 

program, a program funded by the Government of the United States 

to provide an opportunity for high school students from the countries 

of the former Soviet Union to study and live in the United States 

in order to promote democratic values and institutions in Eurasia, and 

supporting the mission, goals, and accomplishments of the FLEX program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 20, 2009 

Ms. KAPTUR submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 16th anniversary of the Future Leaders 

Exchange (FLEX) program, a program funded by the 

Government of the United States to provide an opportunity for high school students from the countries of 

the former Soviet Union to study and live in the United 

States in order to promote democratic values and institutions in Eurasia, and supporting the mission, goals, and 

accomplishments of the FLEX program. 

Whereas the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program is 

a program funded by the Department of State and the 

United States Agency for International Development to 

provide an opportunity for high school students from the 


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•HRES 849 IH 

countries of the former Soviet Union to spend one academic year attending schools and living with host families 

throughout the United States in order to promote democratic values and institutions in Eurasia; 

Whereas since its inception in 1992, more than 14,000 high 

school students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 

Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine have participated 

in the FLEX program; 

Whereas the FLEX program affords talented and motivated 

high school students from Eurasia the opportunity to 

study abroad, an opportunity in which they may otherwise be unable to partake; 

Whereas by participating in the FLEX program, students receive a first-hand experience with democracy and civil society; 

Whereas many students who participate in the FLEX program return to their home countries with the knowledge 

and tools necessary to promote democracy and civil society among their peers; 

Whereas, as a result of their participation in the FLEX program and alumni associations, many alumni of the 

FLEX program have joined or established nongovernmental organizations that foster social, economic, and political development in their home cities and regions; and 

Whereas the FLEX program and its alumni have directly 

contributed to the spread of democracy and civil society 

in post-Soviet Eurasia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 849 IH 

1 (1) recognizes the 16th anniversary of the Fu2 ture Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program; 

3 (2) supports the mission, goals, and accomplish4 ments of the FLEX program; 

5 (3) commends the FLEX program for its dedi6 cation to democracy and to the role that young peo7 ple play in the development of democracy; 

8 (4) acknowledges the positive changes that 

9 many alumni of the FLEX program have made in 

10 their home countries as a result of their experiences 

11 in the United States; and 

12 (5) encourages the FLEX program to continue 

13 to provide the invaluable opportunity for high school 

14 students from Eurasia to study abroad in order to 

15 learn the benefits of democratic values. 

Æ 


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