I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3855
To establish a program administered by the Department of State to promote
visits to the United States by youths from regions of conflict for training
in peaceful cooperation and mutual understanding.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 5, 2002
Mr. UDALL of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
To establish a program administered by the Department
of State to promote visits to the United States by youths
from regions of conflict for training in peaceful coopera-
tion and mutual understanding.
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 ‘‘Young Peacebuilders
Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows:
(1) International peace and stability are in-
creasingly threatened by a growing number of con-
flicts across and within national boundaries around
the globe.
(2) Such conflicts, caused or fueled by ethnic
and religious divisions, have fostered terrorism in
the Middle East, the Balkans, South Asia, and other
parts of the world, plaguing whole generations and
depriving humanity’s greatest resource, our youth, of
a better future.
(3) The battle against terrorism should include
actions to address both the symptoms of terror and
the terrorists themselves, as well as some of the
causes that feed cycles of violence, prejudices, fears,
and hatreds.
(4) Breaking these cycles of violence requires
an investment in new generations of young people,
whose formative years can be influenced and atti-
tudes changed through daily working partnerships.
(5) Engaging in activities together and learning
the skills of conflict resolution, communication, and
leadership can help young people envision the possi-
bilities of peaceful coexistence.
(6) United States based training programs to
teach these skills are helping equip the next genera-
tion with the tools for effective peacemaking.
(7) It is in the national interest of the United
States to promote increased participation in such
programs.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to pro-
mote international cooperation and increased mutual un-
derstanding through a United States-based training pro-
gram for youth from regions of conflict to help such young
people learn the skills of peacemaking in the diverse and
supportive environment of the United States, so that they
can return to their homelands better able to contribute
to building grassroots support for long-term peaceful coex-
istence.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM TO PROMOTE VIS-
ITS TO THE UNITED STATES BY YOUTH FROM
REGIONS OF CONFLICT FOR TRAINING IN
PEACEFUL COOPERATION AND MUTUAL UN-
DERSTANDING.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) Subject to the availability of appropriations
and under the authorities of the Mutual Educational
and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, the Secretary
of State shall establish a program to provide,
through grant, contract, or otherwise, for visits in
the United States of not more than 90 days by
youth from regions of conflict for training in peace-
ful cooperation and mutual understanding.
(2) The program established under this section
shall be known as the ‘‘Young Peacebuilders Pro-
gram’’.
(3) In developing the program, the Secretary
shall review and evaluate any similar existing pro-
grams, including those conducted by nongovern-
mental entities, and shall incorporate any aspects of
such existing programs that the Secretary deter-
mines would be advantageous as part of the program
established under this section.
(4) The program shall provide an opportunity
for participants to interact with Americans of a
similar age in order to promote mutual under-
standing.
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual shall be eligible for
participation in the program established under subsection
(a) if the individual—
(1) is a citizen or national of a country in the
Middle East, South or Central Asia, the Balkans, or
such other country as the Secretary of State, in con-
sultation with the Attorney General, determines is
appropriate; and
(2) is not more than 30 years of age;
(3) has a basic English proficiency; and
(4) meets such other criteria as the Secretary
determines are appropriate in carrying out the pur-
poses of this Act.
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
The Secretary of State shall report annually to the
Congress concerning the program established under this
Act. In addition to such other information as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate, each report shall include the
following information for the preceding year:
(1) The number of participants.
(2) The countries and regions represented by
the participants.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000
for each fiscal year to carry out this Act.
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