(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 
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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 safety while studying abroad is and 
must continue to be a priority for institutions of 
higher education and study abroad programs. 
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 
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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. 
Section 741 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1138) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and 
(13) as paragraphs (13) and (14), respectively; 
and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
following: 
‘‘(12) awarding grants under the Senator Paul 
Simon Study Abroad Program described in sub-
section (g);’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) 
INSTITUTION
OF
HIGHER
EDU-
CATION.—The term ‘institution of higher edu-
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cation’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 101(a). 
‘‘(B) 
NATIONAL
OF
THE
UNITED 
STATES.—The term ‘national of the United 
States’ means a national of the United States 
or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent res-
idence (as those terms are defined in section 
101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101)). 
‘‘(C) NONTRADITIONAL
STUDY
ABROAD 
DESTINATION.—The term ‘nontraditional study 
abroad destination’ means a location that is de-
termined by the Secretary to be a less common 
destination for students who study abroad. 
‘‘(D) 
STUDENT.—The 
term 
‘student’ 
means a national of the United States who is 
enrolled at an institution of higher education lo-
cated within the United States. 
‘‘(E) STUDY
ABROAD.—The term ‘study 
abroad’ means an educational program of 
study, work, research, internship, or combina-
tion thereof that is conducted outside the 
United States and that carries academic credit. 
‘‘(2) SENATOR
PAUL
SIMON
STUDY
ABROAD 
PROGRAM.— 
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‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is estab-
lished in the Department a program to be 
called the ‘Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad 
Program’. 
‘‘(B) OBJECTIVES.—The objectives of the 
program established under subparagraph (A) 
are, that not later than 10 years after the date 
of enactment of the Senator Paul Simon Study 
Abroad Program Act of 2019— 
‘‘(i) not less than 1,000,000 under-
graduate students will study abroad annu-
ally; 
‘‘(ii) 
the 
demographics 
of 
study 
abroad participation will reflect the demo-
graphics of the United States under-
graduate population by increasing the par-
ticipation of underrepresented groups; and 
‘‘(iii) an increasing portion of study 
abroad will take place in nontraditional 
study abroad destinations, with a substan-
tial portion of such increases in developing 
countries. 
‘‘(C) COMPETITIVE
GRANTS
TO
INSTITU-
TIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—In order to ac-
complish the objectives set forth in subpara-
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graph (B), the Secretary shall award grants on 
a competitive basis to institutions of higher 
education, individually or in a consortium, 
based on applications by the institutions that— 
‘‘(i) set forth detailed plans for using 
grant funds to further such objectives; 
‘‘(ii) include an institutional commit-
ment to expanding access to study abroad; 
‘‘(iii) include plans for evaluating 
progress made in increasing access to 
study abroad; 
‘‘(iv) describe how increases in study 
abroad participation achieved through the 
grant will be sustained in subsequent 
years; and 
‘‘(v) demonstrate that the programs 
have established health and safety guide-
lines and procedures, informed by Depart-
ment of State travel advisories and other 
appropriate Federal agencies and re-
sources, including the Overseas Security 
Advisory Council, the USA Study Abroad 
Office of the Department of State, and the 
Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion. 
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‘‘(D) 
NONGOVERNMENTAL
INSTITU-
TIONS.—Consortia of institutions of higher edu-
cation applying for grants described in subpara-
graph (C) may include nongovernmental institu-
tions that provide and promote study abroad 
opportunities for students. 
‘‘(E) COMMISSION ON THE ABRAHAM LIN-
COLN
STUDY
ABROAD
FELLOWSHIP
PRO-
GRAM.—In administering the program, the Sec-
retary shall take fully into account the rec-
ommendations of the Commission on the Abra-
ham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Pro-
gram, established pursuant to section 104 of 
the Miscellaneous Appropriations and Offsets 
Act, 2004 (division H of Public Law 108–199). 
‘‘(F) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out 
this paragraph, the Secretary shall consult with 
representatives of diverse institutions of higher 
education, educational policy organizations, and 
others with appropriate expertise. 
‘‘(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than Decem-
ber 31 of each year following the date of enactment 
of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program 
Act of 2019, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
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of the Senate and the Committee on Education and 
Labor of the House of Representatives a report on 
the implementation of this subsection during the 
prior fiscal year. 
‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 2020 and each subsequent fiscal year.’’. 
Æ 
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