United States-People's Republic of China Cultural Engagement Act

Bill: 109-s-1117
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2005-05-25 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative fees
Alien labor
Architecture
Arts, Culture, Religion
Authorization
Authors and authorship
Bilingualism
Business education
China
Chinese language
Commemorations
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cultural relations
Department of Commerce
Distance education
East Asia
Economic growth
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational exchanges
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Entertainers
Exchange of persons programs
Executive reorganization
Exports
Federal aid to education
Federal employees
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign leaders
Foreign service
Foreign students
Foreign trade promotion
Government Operations and Politics
Government officials
Graduate education
Grants-in-aid
Higher education
History
Immigration
Intellectual property
International education
Inventors
Labor and Employment
Law
Literature
Local officials
Music
Names
Negotiations
Nongovernmental organizations
Painting
Paper and paper products
Peace Corps
Poetry
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Small Business Administration
Small business
Social Welfare
Teachers
Transportation and Public Works
Travel
Treaties
Visas
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2005-05-25
text: 
United States-People's Republic of China Cultural Engagement Act - Amends the the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish grants for Chinese language and cultural studies.
 
Provides funding (including grants) for: (1) elementary, secondary, and higher education Chinese language, art, and cultural studies; (2) Asian business education center programs; (3) educational and governmental exchange programs; and (4) assistance to nongovernmental organizations that facilitate exchanges.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should negotiate for award of approved destination status to the United States in a manner consistent with U.S. laws. 
 
Authorizes: (1) establishment of two additional consulates in the People's Republic of China (PRC); and (2) an increase the number of individuals who provide visa information to persons in the PRC.
 
Provides for feasibility studies regarding: (1) expedited visa processing for scientists; and (2) numerical limitation exemption for H-1B (specialty occupations) visas.
 
Revises J (exchange visitors) visa provisions to provide for: (1) eligible program designation; and (2) inclusion of secondary exchange students from the PRC.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to assign 35 additional Commercial Service employees to the PRC.
 
Provides grants to States for export assistance and outreach to U.S. businesses in the PRC.
 
Authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to facilitate the hiring of an additional export development specialist in each of the Lead Small Business Development Centers to carry out export promotion and outreach services with respect to the PRC.
 
Establishes the United States-People's Republic of China Engagement Strategy Council.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-05-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2005-05-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5926-5927)
action_date: 2005-05-25
text: Introduced in Senate