HR 1469 RFS1S 
(8) Study abroad has proven to be a very effec-
tive means of imparting international and foreign- 
language competency to students. 
(9) In any given year, only approximately one 
percent of all students enrolled in United States in-
stitutions of higher education study abroad. 
(10) Less than 10 percent of the students who 
graduate from United States institutions of higher 
education with bachelors degrees have studied 
abroad. 
(11) Far more study abroad must take place in 
developing countries. Ninety-five percent of the 
world’s population growth over the next 50 years 
will occur outside of Europe. Yet in the academic 
year 2004–2005, 60 percent of United States stu-
dents studying abroad studied in Europe, and 45 
percent studied in four countries—the United King-
dom, Italy, Spain, and France—according to the In-
stitute of International Education. 
(12) The Final Report of the National Commis-
sion on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States 
(The 9/11 Commission Report) recommended that 
the United States increase support for ‘‘scholarship, 
exchange, and library programs’’. The 9/11 Public 
Discourse Project, successor to the 9/11 Commis-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:13 Jul 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1469.RFS
H1469
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
HR 1469 RFS1S 
sion, noted in its November 14, 2005, status report 
that this recommendation was ‘‘unfulfilled,’’ and 
stated that ‘‘The U.S. should increase support for 
scholarship and exchange programs, our most power-
ful tool to shape attitudes over the course of a gen-
eration.’’. In its December 5, 2005, Final Report on 
the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, the 9/11 
Public Discourse Project gave the government a 
grade of ‘‘D’’ for its implementation of this rec-
ommendation. 
(13) Investing in a national study abroad pro-
gram would help turn a grade of ‘‘D’’ into an ‘‘A’’ 
by equipping United States students to communicate 
United States values and way of life through the 
unique dialogue that takes place among citizens 
from around the world when individuals study 
abroad. 
(14) An enhanced national study abroad pro-
gram could help further the goals of other United 
States Government initiatives to promote edu-
cational, social, and political reform and the status 
of women in developing and reforming societies 
around the world, such as the Middle East Partner-
ship Initiative. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:13 Jul 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1469.RFS
H1469
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
HR 1469 RFS1S 
(15) To complement such worthwhile Federal 
programs and initiatives as the Benjamin A. Gilman 
International Scholarship Program, the National Se-
curity Education Program, and the National Secu-
rity Language Initiative, a broad-based under-
graduate study abroad program is needed that will 
make many more study abroad opportunities acces-
sible to all undergraduate students, regardless of 
their field of study, ethnicity, socio-economic status, 
or gender. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to significantly enhance the global competi-
tiveness and international knowledge base of the 
United States by ensuring that more United States 
students have the opportunity to acquire foreign lan-
guage skills and international knowledge through 
significantly expanded study abroad; 
(2) to enhance the foreign policy capacity of the 
United States by significantly expanding and diversi-
fying the talent pool of individuals with non-tradi-
tional foreign language skills and cultural knowledge 
in the United States who are available for recruit-
ment by United States foreign affairs agencies, leg-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:13 Jul 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1469.RFS
H1469
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
HR 1469 RFS1S 
islative branch agencies, and nongovernmental orga-
nizations involved in foreign affairs activities; 
(3) to ensure that an increasing portion of 
study abroad by United States students will take 
place in nontraditional study abroad destinations 
such as the People’s Republic of China, countries of 
the Middle East region, and developing countries; 
and 
(4) to create greater cultural understanding of 
the United States by exposing foreign students and 
their families to United States students in countries 
that have not traditionally hosted large numbers of 
United States students. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:13 Jul 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1469.RFS
H1469
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS
HR 1469 RFS1S 
(2) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 
Board of Directors of the Foundation established 
pursuant to section 5(d). 
(3) CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER.—The term 
‘‘Chief Executive Officer’’ means the chief executive 
officer of the Foundation appointed pursuant to sec-
tion 5(c). 
(4) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ 
means the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foun-
dation established by section 5(a). 
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(6) NONTRADITIONAL STUDY ABROAD DESTINA-
TION.—The term ‘‘nontraditional study abroad des-
tination’’ means a location that is determined by the 
Foundation to be a less common destination for 
United States students who study abroad. 
(7) STUDY ABROAD.—The term ‘‘study abroad’’ 
means an educational program of study, work, re-
search, internship, or combination thereof that is 
conducted outside the United States and that carries 
academic credit toward fulfilling the participating 
student’s degree requirements. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:13 Jul 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1469.RFS
H1469
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with BILLS