I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4588 
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 
JULY 12, 2023 
Mr. SCHNEIDER (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee 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 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
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(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 world languages, 
and a unique environment for developing cultural 
understanding, all of which are knowledge and skills 
needed in today’s global economy. 
(3) Only 10 percent of United States college 
students study abroad before they graduate, leaving 
90 percent of graduates entering the workforce with-
out the global skills, knowledge, and experiences af-
forded by study abroad programs that will position 
them for success in the global economy. Minority 
students, first-generation college students, commu-
nity college students, and students with disabilities 
are also significantly underrepresented in study 
abroad participation. 
(4) Congress authorized the establishment of 
the Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study 
Abroad Fellowship Program (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Lincoln Commission’’) under section 
104 of the Miscellaneous Appropriations and Offsets 
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Act, 2004 (division H of Public Law 108–199). Pur-
suant to its mandate, the Lincoln Commission sub-
mitted a report to Congress and to the President 
containing its recommendations for greatly expand-
ing the opportunity for students at institutions of 
higher education in the United States to study 
abroad, with special emphasis on studying in devel-
oping 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 prevented stu-
dents from participating in study abroad due to 
travel restrictions and reduced budgets. According to 
Open Doors 2022, published by the Institute of 
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International Education in partnership with the De-
partment of State, study abroad participation at col-
leges and universities in the United States plum-
meted by 91 percent during the 2020–2021 aca-
demic year. In the post-pandemic world, increasing 
access to study abroad for students at institutions of 
higher education across the United States is critical 
to ensuring that those students gain the skills, 
knowledge, and experiences necessary to maintain 
the leadership of the United States in tackling global 
challenges, such as pandemics, and succeeding in a 
global economy. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to ensure that significantly more students 
have access to quality study abroad opportunities, 
especially among low-income students and students 
of color; 
(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 
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study abroad destinations, especially in developing 
countries; and 
(4) to encourage a greater commitment by 
United States institutions of higher education to ex-
pand study abroad opportunities. 
SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CONSORTIUM.—The term ‘‘consortium’’ 
means a group that— 
(A) includes at least 1 institution of higher 
education; and 
(B) may include nongovernmental organi-
zations that provide and promote study abroad 
opportunities for students. 
(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(3) NONTRADITIONAL STUDY ABROAD DESTINA-
TION.—The term ‘‘nontraditional study abroad des-
tination’’ means a location that is determined by the 
Secretary of State to be a less common destination 
for students who study abroad. 
(4) STUDENT.—The term ‘‘student’’ means— 
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(A) an alien lawfully admitted for perma-
nent residence in the United States or a na-
tional of the United States or (as such terms 
are defined in paragraphs (20) and (22) of sec-
tion 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act of 1965 (8 U.S.C. 1101(a))) who is en-
rolled at an institution of higher education lo-
cated within the United States; or 
(B) an individual who is an eligible noncit-
izen for Federal student aid, as determined by 
the Secretary of Education for purposes of the 
Federal student loan program under title IV of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1070 et seq.). 
(5) STUDY ABROAD.—The term ‘‘study abroad’’ 
means an educational program of study, work, serv-
ice learning, research, internship, or combination of 
such activities that— 
(A) is conducted outside of the United 
States; and 
(B) carries academic credit. 
(6) WORLD LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘world lan-
guage’’ means any natural language other than 
English, including— 
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(A) languages determined by the Secretary 
of State to be critical to the national security 
interests of the United States; 
(B) classical languages; 
(C) American sign language; and 
(D) Native American languages. 
(b) SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations and under the authority of 
the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), the Secretary of 
State shall— 
(A) rename the Increase and Diversify 
Education Abroad for U.S. Students Program 
(commonly known as ‘‘IDEAS’’) as the ‘‘Sen-
ator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program’’ (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Program’’); and 
(B) enhance the program in accordance 
with this subsection. 
(2) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the Pro-
gram are that not later than 10 years after the date 
of enactment of the Senator Paul Simon Study 
Abroad Program Act of 2023— 
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