I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2313 
To support programs that offer instruction in Chinese language and culture, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2009 
Mrs. DAVIS of California (for herself, Mr. KIRK, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, 
and Mr. ISRAEL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To support programs that offer instruction in Chinese 
language and culture, 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 ‘‘U.S.-China Language 
Engagement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL, 
LOCAL
EDU-
CATIONAL
AGENCY, SECONDARY
SCHOOL, STATE 
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY.—The terms ‘‘elementary 
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school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘secondary 
school’’, and ‘‘State educational agency’’ have the 
meanings given such terms in section 9101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) PHYSICAL EXCHANGE.—The term ‘‘physical 
exchange’’ means an academic, professional, or cul-
tural exchange between the United States and the 
People’s Republic of China that requires inter-
national travel by one or more individuals involved 
in the exchange. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
(4) VIRTUAL
EXCHANGE.—The term ‘‘virtual 
exchange’’ means an academic, professional, or cul-
tural exchange between the United States and the 
People’s Republic of China that does not require 
international travel by one or more individuals in-
volved in the exchange. 
SEC. 3. PROGRAMS FOR CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CUL-
TURAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—From amounts appropriated 
under subsection (e), the Secretary of Education 
shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to local 
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educational agencies to carry out innovative model 
programs providing for the establishment, improve-
ment, or expansion of Chinese language and cultural 
studies instruction for elementary school and sec-
ondary school students in the schools served by such 
local educational agencies. 
(2) DURATION.—A grant under paragraph (1) 
shall be for a period of three years. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In awarding a grant under 
subsection (a) to a local educational agency, the Secretary 
shall support programs that— 
(1) demonstrate approaches that can be dis-
seminated and duplicated in other local educational 
agencies; and 
(2) may include a professional development 
component. 
(c) RESERVATION.—The Secretary may reserve not 
more than .05 percent of funds appropriated under sub-
section (e) to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs 
funded under this section. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A local educational agency 
desiring a grant under this section shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
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manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(2) SPECIAL
CONSIDERATION.—In awarding 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall give 
special consideration to applications describing pro-
grams that— 
(A) include intensive summer Chinese lan-
guage instruction programs for professional de-
velopment, with particular regard to such pro-
grams that include physical exchanges; 
(B) link speakers in the community who 
are bilingual in English and Chinese with ele-
mentary and secondary schools in order to pro-
mote two-way language learning; 
(C) promote the sequential study of Chi-
nese language for students, beginning in ele-
mentary school; 
(D) make effective use of technology, such 
as computer-assisted instruction, language lab-
oratories, or distance learning, to promote Chi-
nese language study; 
(E) promote innovative activities, such as 
Chinese language immersion, partial Chinese 
language immersion, or content-based instruc-
tion; and 
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(F) promote a comprehensive approach to 
learning Chinese, which includes programs on 
the history and culture of China. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary carry out this section 
$20,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $25,000,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2014, and 
such sums as are necessary for each succeeding fis-
cal year. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Amounts appro-
priated under this subsection are authorized to re-
main available until expended. 
SEC. 4. SCHOOL LANGUAGE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From amounts appro-
priated under subsection (e) for a fiscal year, the Sec-
retary shall award grants to local educational agencies in 
order for such agencies to acquire communications tech-
nologies or equipment to improve Chinese language in-
struction in elementary schools and secondary schools 
through computer-assisted instruction, distance learning, 
and virtual exchanges. 
(b) APPLICATION.—Each local educational agency 
desiring a grant under this section shall submit an appli-
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cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to local educational 
agencies that commit to use the grant funds to acquire 
communications technologies or equipment for the purpose 
of conducting virtual exchanges involving elementary 
school students and secondary school students served by 
the local educational agencies. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A local educational agency re-
ceiving a grant under this section shall use the grant to 
acquire communications technologies or equipment that— 
(1) may be used for collaborative ventures 
with— 
(A) foreign language and area or inter-
national studies centers supported under section 
602(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1122(a)); or 
(B) national language resource and train-
ing centers supported under section 603 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1123); and 
(2) shall be used to conduct virtual exchanges 
with schools or other educational institutions in the 
People’s Republic of China. 
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(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this sec-
tion $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 
through 2013, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, and 
such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding 
fiscal year. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Amounts appro-
priated under this subsection are authorized to re-
main available until expended. 
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING BENEFIT OF EX-
POSURE TO CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CUL-
TURE. 
It is the sense of Congress that an increase in the 
number of students who receive substantial exposure to 
Chinese language and cultural studies before graduating 
from secondary school will enhance the global economic 
competitiveness of the United States in the 21st century. 
Æ 
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