I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4379 
To ensure that significantly more students graduate college with the inter-
national knowledge and experience essential for success in today’s global 
economy through the establishment of the Senator Paul Simon Study 
Abroad Program in the Department of Education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 13, 2017 
Mrs. BUSTOS (for herself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. EVANS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
GONZALEZ of Texas, and Mr. KHANNA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To ensure that significantly more students graduate college 
with the international knowledge and experience essential 
for success in today’s global economy through the estab-
lishment of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Pro-
gram in the Department of Education. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Senator Paul Simon 
Study Abroad Program Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:23 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4379.IH
H4379
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
(1) To prepare students for success in the mod-
ern global economy, opportunities for study abroad 
should be included as part of a well-rounded edu-
cation. 
(2) Study abroad programs provide students 
with unparalleled access to international knowledge, 
an unmatched opportunity to learn foreign lan-
guages, and a unique environment for developing 
cultural understanding, all of which are knowledge 
and skills needed in today’s global economy. 
(3) Less than 2 percent of all enrolled postsec-
ondary students in the United States study abroad 
for credit in any given year, and minority students, 
first generation college students, community college 
students, and students with disabilities are signifi-
cantly underrepresented in study abroad participa-
tion. 
(4) Congress authorized the establishment of 
the Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study 
Abroad Fellowship Program pursuant to section 104 
of the Miscellaneous Appropriations and Offsets Act, 
2004 (division H of Public Law 108–199). Pursuant 
to its mandate, the Lincoln Commission submitted 
to Congress and the President a report of its rec-
ommendations for greatly expanding the opportunity 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:23 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4379.IH
H4379
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
for students at institutions of higher education in 
the United States to study abroad, with special em-
phasis on studying in developing nations. 
(5) According to the Lincoln Commission, 
‘‘[e]xperience shows that leadership from adminis-
trators and faculty will drive the number of study 
abroad participants higher and improve the quality 
of programs. Such leadership is the only way that 
study abroad will become an integral part of the un-
dergraduate experience.’’. A competitive grant pro-
gram is necessary to encourage and support such 
leadership. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to ensure that significantly more students 
have access to quality study abroad opportunities; 
(2) to ensure that the diversity of students 
studying abroad reflects the diversity of students 
and institutions of higher education in the United 
States; 
(3) to encourage greater diversity in study 
abroad destinations by increasing the portion of 
study abroad that takes place in nontraditional 
study abroad destinations, especially in developing 
countries; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:23 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4379.IH
H4379
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS