I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6232 
To establish a scholarship program in the Department of State for Haitian 
students whose studies were interrupted as a result of the January 
12, 2010, earthquake, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, 
Ms. NORTON, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, and Ms. 
CLARKE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To establish a scholarship program in the Department of 
State for Haitian students whose studies were inter-
rupted as a result of the January 12, 2010, earthquake, 
and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Haitian Educational 
Empowerment Act of 2010’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(1) Haiti is the poorest country in the Western 
Hemisphere. 
(2) Eighty percent of the population lives below 
the poverty line and approximately 45 percent of the 
population is illiterate. 
(3) On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude 
earthquake struck the country of Haiti. 
(4) The earthquake caused massive devastation 
across Haiti, destroying government buildings, hos-
pitals, schools, and vital aid offices including the 
headquarters of the United Nations mission to 
Haiti. 
(5) An estimated 3,000,000 people have been 
directly affected by the earthquake in Haiti, nearly 
one-third of the country’s population, and many are 
currently at risk of long-term displacement and vul-
nerability. 
(6) Many universities suffered significant struc-
tural damage, including the State University of 
Haiti, the nation’s main public university, which had 
80 percent of its buildings destroyed. 
(7) The earthquake claimed the lives of many 
students and several prominent academics. 
(8) Before the earthquake, at least 85 percent 
of Haitians with a university degree left the island. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(9) A more highly educated population is vital 
to Haiti’s long-term development. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR 
CERTAIN HAITIAN STUDENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—From the amounts appropriated 
to carry out this section, the Secretary of State, acting 
through the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational 
and Cultural Affairs, shall establish a scholarship program 
for Haitian students whose studies were interrupted as a 
result of the January 12, 2010, earthquake. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a scholar-
ship under this section, a Haitian undergraduate or grad-
uate student shall— 
(1) have been enrolled as a full-time student in 
a Haitian university at the time of the January 12, 
2010, earthquake; and 
(2) submit to the Assistant Secretary of State 
for Educational and Cultural Affairs an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Assistant Secretary may require. 
(c) DURATION.—A scholarship under this section 
shall be awarded to a Haitian student for 1 academic year 
and may be renewed in accordance with subsection (d). 
(d) RENEWAL.— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A scholarship awarded 
under this section may be renewed for an additional 
academic year upon demonstration to the Secretary 
of State of satisfactory academic achievement in the 
prior academic year. 
(2) 
MAXIMUM
RENEWALS.—A 
scholarship 
awarded under this section may not be renewed for 
more than 6 academic years. 
(e) PREFERENCE.—Preference in the awarding of 
scholarships shall be given to the following categories of 
Haitian students: 
(1) Haitian students who are studying subjects 
of importance to Haiti’s long-term social, economic, 
or political development. 
(2) Haitian students who were enrolled in pro-
grams that were forced to cease operations as a re-
sult of the January 12, 2010, earthquake. 
(f) RETURN.—Upon completion of an undergraduate 
or graduate degree at an institution of higher education, 
a Haitian student who has received a scholarship under 
this section shall return to Haiti. 
(g) SCHOLARSHIP DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘scholarship’’ means an amount awarded to a Hai-
tian student under this section that shall only be used to 
pay costs related to the tuition and fees at the institution 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
of higher education in which the student is enrolled as a 
full-time student. 
(h) SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT.—A scholarship awarded 
to a Haitian student under this section may not exceed 
an amount equal to the total costs related to the tuition 
and fees for 1 academic year at an institution of higher 
education in which the student is enrolled as a full-time 
student. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS TO UNITED STATES COLLEGES AND UNI-
VERSITIES. 
The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant 
Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
may make grants to institutions of higher education that 
have enrolled a significant number of Haitian students 
who have been enrolled as full-time students in a Haitian 
university at the time of the January 12, 2010, earth-
quake. Such grants shall be used to provide social and 
educational support services to such students. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) FEES.—The term ‘‘fees’’ means— 
(A) fees normally assessed a full-time stu-
dent, as determined by an institution of higher 
education, including— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(i) costs for the rental or purchase of 
any equipment, materials, or supplies re-
quired of all students in the same course 
of study; and 
(ii) an allowance for room and board 
at the institution; and 
(B) travel expenses to the institution from 
Haiti and, upon the completion of a degree at 
such institution, from the institution to Haiti. 
(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:35 Oct 05, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6232.IH
H6232
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS