I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5784 
To authorize assistance to the countries of the Caribbean to fund educational 
development and exchange programs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 13, 2006 
Ms. LEE (for herself, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 
PAYNE, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. 
TOWNS, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. OWENS, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. 
HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. 
WYNN, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. 
WEXLER, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of California, Mr. 
FRANK of Massachusetts, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. JONES 
of Ohio, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. STARK, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. 
HOYER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on International Relations 
A BILL 
To authorize assistance to the countries of the Caribbean 
to fund educational development and exchange programs. 
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 ‘‘Shirley A. Chisholm 
United States-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 
2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CARIBBEAN.—The term ‘‘Caribbean’’ in-
cludes— 
(A) the member countries of the Caribbean 
Community (CARICOM), but does not include 
any 
country 
having 
observer 
status 
in 
CARICOM; 
(B) the member countries of the Associa-
tion of Caribbean States (ACS), but does not 
include any country having observer status in 
the ACS. 
(2) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, 
the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of State. 
(3) ADMINISTRATOR.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided, the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International 
Development. 
(4) UNITED
STATES
COOPERATING
AGEN-
CIES.—The term ‘‘United States cooperating agen-
cies’’ means any nongovernmental organization hav-
ing United States citizenship that is designated by 
the Secretary to carry out the program authorized 
under section 6. 
(5) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ means a school that serves students 
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in any of the grades 9 through 12 or equivalent 
grades in a foreign education system as determined 
by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Education. 
(6) 
UNDERGRADUATE.—The 
term 
‘‘under-
graduate’’ means a college or university student 
working toward an associate-level or bachelor’s de-
gree. 
(7) GRADUATE.—The term ‘‘graduate’’ means a 
student pursuing a degree beyond the bachelor’s 
level. 
(8) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on International Re-
lations and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropria-
tions of the Senate. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States and the Caribbean have 
enjoyed long-standing friendly relations. 
(2) As an important regional partner for trade 
and democratic values, the Caribbean constitutes a 
‘‘Third Border’’ of the United States. 
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(3) The decrease in tourism revenue in the 
aftermath of the tragic terrorist attacks on Sep-
tember 11, 2001, had an adverse affect on the Car-
ibbean. 
(4) According to a 2005 World Bank Report on 
the Caribbean, unemployment, particularly youth 
unemployment, has severe implications on poverty 
and income distributions, as well as drug trafficking 
and addiction. 
(5) The World Bank Report also concludes that 
better synchronization is needed between current 
Caribbean curricula and the skills needed in an 
evolving job market and economy. 
(6) Many Caribbean leaders have linked the in-
crease in crime to a decrease in economic alter-
natives. Consequently, United States and Caribbean 
leaders have highlighted the need for increased edu-
cational opportunities for Caribbean students. 
(7) By enhancing United States cultural and 
educational exchange programs in the Caribbean, re-
gional security is improved by expanding human re-
sources and providing opportunities that promote 
economic growth. 
(8) Many Caribbean leaders studied at the un-
dergraduate or graduate level in the United States 
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before returning to their respective countries to con-
tribute towards the strengthening of democracy, the 
economy, or the provision of social services. 
(9) From 2003 through 2005, 217 Caribbean 
leaders participated in exchange programs with the 
United States that focused on good governance, 
combating drug trafficking, anti-corruption, and 
other regional issues of concern. 
(10) The Department of State currently admin-
isters public outreach programs that include cul-
tural, academic, and citizen exchange initiatives in 
Caribbean countries through the Embassy Public Af-
fairs Sections with support from the Office of Public 
Diplomacy in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere 
Affairs. 
(11) In some Caribbean countries, the United 
States Agency for International Development coordi-
nates the Center of Excellence for Teacher Training 
(CETT), a successful Presidential initiative that em-
phasizes teacher training as a key to the develop-
ment of a competitive work force. 
(12) In Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the 
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, 
the Dominican Republic, Dominica, Grenada, Guy-
ana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. 
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