I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9145 
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 State. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 7, 2022 
Mrs. BUSTOS (for herself, Mr. KATKO, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. RUPPERS-
BERGER, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, and 
Mr. POCAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
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 State. 
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 2022’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(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) Because only 10 percent of United States 
college students study abroad before they graduate, 
meaning that 90 percent of graduates are entering 
the workforce without the global skills, knowledge, 
and experiences afforded by study abroad programs 
that will position them for success in the global 
economy. Minority students, first generation college 
students, community college students, and students 
with disabilities are also significantly underrep-
resented in study abroad participation. 
(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, 
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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 
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. 
(6) Student health, safety, and security while 
studying abroad is and must continue to be a pri-
ority for institutions of higher education and study 
abroad programs. 
(7) The COVID–19 pandemic has limited or 
prevented students from participating in study 
abroad due to travel restrictions and reduced budg-
ets. In a post-pandemic world, increasing access to 
study abroad for students at institutions of higher 
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education across the United States will be critical to 
ensuring that those students gain the skills, knowl-
edge, and experiences necessary to maintain the 
leadership of the United States in tackling global 
challenges, like pandemics, and succeeding in a glob-
al economy. 
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 
(4) to encourage a greater commitment by in-
stitutions of higher education to expand study 
abroad opportunities. 
SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM. 
(a) SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PRO-
GRAM.— 
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(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations and under the authorities of 
the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961, as amended (Public Law 87–256; 22 
U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), the Secretary of State shall re-
name the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad 
for U.S. Student Program (commonly known as 
‘‘IDEAS’’) as the ‘‘Senator Paul Simon Study 
Abroad Program’’ (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Program’’) and enhance the Program as detailed 
below. 
(2) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the Pro-
gram established under paragraph (1) are, that not 
later than 10 years after the date of enactment of 
the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act 
of 2022— 
(A) not less than 1,000,000 undergraduate 
students from the United States will study 
abroad annually; 
(B) the demographics of study abroad par-
ticipation will reflect the demographics of the 
United States undergraduate population by in-
creasing the participation of underrepresented 
groups; and 
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