Title: Operation Overlord Study Abroad Program Act of 2020
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Operation Overlord Study Abroad Program Act of 2020
This bill authorizes the Department of State to establish a two-week study abroad program in Normandy, France, for eligible U.S. high school students to learn about the historical relationship between the United States and France.
The State Department may accept and use donations for program expenditures and shall use such funds before any funds appropriated by the government.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7189 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7189

 To establish a youth study abroad program in the Department of State 
   for United States secondary school students to study in Normandy, 
 France, to learn about the relationship between the United States and 
    France, the World War II military operation known as Operation 
                   Overlord, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2020

  Mr. Tipton (for himself and Ms. Sherrill) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a youth study abroad program in the Department of State 
   for United States secondary school students to study in Normandy, 
 France, to learn about the relationship between the United States and 
    France, the World War II military operation known as Operation 
                   Overlord, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Operation Overlord Study Abroad 
Program Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States and France have shared close 
        cultural, economic, social, and diplomatic relations since 1776 
        when French forces supported the American Colonies during the 
        Revolutionary War to gain freedom from Great Britain.
            (2) World War II cemented this positive relationship 
        between the United States and France.
            (3) On June 6, 1944, the United States, as a member of the 
        Allied Forces, led the military operation known as Operation 
        Overlord.
            (4) Operation Overlord consisted of a series of prolonged 
        parachute and glider landings, large naval bombardments, 
        massive air attacks, and amphibious landings on the beaches of 
        Normandy known as Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
            (5) Over 2,000,000 military service members of the Allied 
        Forces landed in France during Operation Overlord, which 
        resulted in approximately 226,000 casualties. Of those 
        casualties, approximately 153,000 were injured, and 72,000 were 
        either killed or declared missing in action.
            (6) Operation Overlord resulted in a victory for the Allied 
        Forces as they forced Nazi Germany to withdraw from Normandy 
        and move eastward toward Paris.
            (7) June 6, 2020, is the 76th anniversary of the start of 
        Operation Overlord.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States owes to the generation of Americans 
        known as the Greatest Generation an immense level of respect 
        and gratitude for risking their lives by serving in the Allied 
        Forces to defeat Nazi Germany;
            (2) it is vital that the stories of the men and women who 
        fought in Operation Overlord are not forgotten, allowing our 
        youth to remember some of the greatest acts of heroism recorded 
        in human history; and
            (3) the United States hopes to maintain strong ties with 
        the Government of France and ensure the lessons learned from 
        Operation Overlord are not forgotten.

SEC. 4. OPERATION OVERLORD ACADEMIC STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the 
Government of France, may establish in the Department of State a 2-week 
academic study abroad program (referred to in this section as the 
``study abroad program''), during either the month of July or August, 
in Normandy, France, for eligible individuals to learn about the 
historical relationship between the United States and France by--
            (1) attending a secondary school or post-secondary school 
        in France for the duration of the study abroad program with 
        academic course work emphasizing--
                    (A) the history, constitution, and political 
                development of France; and
                    (B) the relationship between the United States and 
                France during World War II, focusing on the military 
                operation known as Operation Overlord; and
            (2) visiting historical sites.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to participate in this 
        study abroad program, an individual shall--
                    (A) be a citizen of the United States between 16 to 
                18 years of age;
                    (B) be a freshman, sophomore, or junior at the time 
                such individual submits an application for 
                participation in the study abroad program;
                    (C) have an overall grade point average of at least 
                2.8 on a 4.0 scale at the time of the submission of the 
                application;
                    (D) provide at least 1 letter of recommendation 
                from a secondary school teacher who knows the 
                individual;
                    (E) agree to participate in the presentation under 
                subsection (f);
                    (F) either be enrolled in, or have completed, at 
                least one college preparatory history course; and
                    (G) satisfy any other qualifications the Secretary 
                of State determines appropriate.
            (2) Preference.--Preference for participation in the study 
        abroad program shall be given to individuals who speak the 
        French language conversationally.
    (c) Selection.--
            (1) Number of eligible individuals.--The Secretary shall 
        select not more than 100 eligible individuals for participation 
        in the study abroad program from a compiled list of eligible 
        individuals nominated by United States Senators pursuant to 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Nomination by senators.--Each United States Senator 
        shall nominate and submit to the Secretary the name of one 
        eligible individual from their State to participate in the 
        study abroad program.
    (d) Use of Funds.--Funds donated pursuant to subsection (h) and 
appropriated under subsection (i) to carry out the study abroad program 
shall be used for the following purposes:
            (1) Room and board.
            (2) Round trip international airfare, including airport 
        transfers.
            (3) Entrance fees to all sites, museums, and historic 
        attractions.
            (4) Transportation while outside of the United States.
            (5) Any tuition and academic materials required by the host 
        secondary school or post-secondary school in France.
            (6) Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, and servers.
            (7) Backpack, luggage tags, and customized name badge.
            (8) Pre-tour required readings and books.
    (e) Application.--To be eligible to participate in the study abroad 
program, an eligible individual shall submit to the Secretary of State 
an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary of State may require.
    (f) Presentation.--
            (1) In general.--As a condition on participation in the 
        study abroad program, not later than 2 months after the study 
        abroad program has concluded, each individual participating in 
        the study abroad program under this section shall present to 
        one history teacher from their school a 30-minute presentation 
        on their study abroad experience.
            (2) Verification required.--Not later than 30 days after 
        the completion of the presentation required under paragraph 
        (1), each individual participating in the study abroad program 
        under this section shall submit to the Secretary--
                    (A) a digital copy of all presentation materials 
                used by the individual for purposes of the 
                presentation; and
                    (B) a letter signed by a history teacher who 
                witnessed the presentation.
    (g) Annual Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        conclusion of the scholarship program each year, the Secretary 
        of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
        Relations of the Senate a report on the study abroad program.
            (2) Matters included.--Each report required under paragraph 
        (1) shall include information relating to the following:
                    (A) The implementation of the study abroad program.
                    (B) A financial report, including--
                            (i) the number and amount of charitable 
                        contributions to the study abroad program; and
                            (ii) a comparison of such contributions 
                        from the preceding year of the study abroad 
                        program.
                    (C) The number of participants.
                    (D) The names and locations of the secondary 
                schools and post-secondary schools in France attended 
                by the participants.
                    (E) A description of the academic curricula.
                    (F) A description of any other activities the 
                participants carried out during their participation.
    (h) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Secretary of State may 
accept and use donations to carry out the study abroad program. Amounts 
received by the Secretary of State in the form of donations shall be 
expended prior to the use of funds appropriated under subsection (i). 
The Secretary of State may reject a gift under this section when the 
rejection is in the interest of the Government.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the study 
abroad program for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
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