I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1636 

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

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 21, 2007 

Mr. VISCLOSKY (for himself, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. 

EMANUEL, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HIGGINS, and Mr. LIPINSKI) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

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 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) The United States established diplomatic 

2 relations with the newly-formed Polish Republic in 

3 April 1919. 

4 (2) The United States and Poland have enjoyed 

5 close bilateral relations since 1989. 

6 (3) Poland became a member of the North At7 lantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in March 1999. 

8 (4) Poland became a member of the European 

9 Union (EU) in May 2004. 

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

11 diplomatically and militarily, of efforts led by the 

12 United States to combat global terrorism and has 

13 contributed troops to the United States-led coalitions 

14 in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

15 (6) Poland cooperates closely with the United 

16 States on such issues as democratization, nuclear 

17 proliferation, human rights, regional cooperation in 

18 Eastern Europe, and reform of the United Nations. 

19 (7) The United States and Poland seek to en20 sure enduring ties between both governments and 

21 societies. 

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

23 United States and Poland in order to help ensure 

24 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 Affairs of the House of Representatives and 

12 the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate an an13 nual report on the United States-Poland Parliamentary 

14 Youth Exchange Program established under this Act. 

15 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 to the Secretary of State for fiscal year 2008 such 

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

11 program authorized by this Act. 

12 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts authorized to be appro13 priated under subsection (a) are authorized to remain 

14 available until expended. 

Æ 


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