Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act

Bill: 113-s-120
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2013-01-23 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Area studies and international education
Asia
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Foreign aid and international relief
Higher education
Human rights
International exchange and broadcasting
Pakistan
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Student aid and college costs
Women's education
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2013-01-23
text: 
Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) education and freedom from discrimination are fundamental human rights, and (2) educational exchanges increase people-to-people ties and promote institutional linkages between this country and other countries.
 
Encourages the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue to support Pakistani education initiatives, especially those for women.
 
Directs the USAID Administrator to increase the number of scholarships available under the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program (Program) during each fiscal year from FY2013-FY2016 by 30% compared to the number of scholarships awarded during FY2012.
 
Requires all the additional scholarships to be awarded to Pakistani women. Directs the USAID Administrator to make every effort to award 50% of the other scholarships available under the Program to Pakistani women.

action_date: 2013-10-10
text: 
Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) every individual, regardless of gender, should have the opportunity to pursue an education free from the fear of discrimination; and (2) educational exchanges increase people-to-people ties and promote institutional linkages between this country and other countries.
 
Encourages the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue to support Pakistani education initiatives, especially those for women.
 
Directs the USAID Administrator to increase the number of scholarships to women under the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program (Program) during each of calendar years 2013 through 2015 over the level awarded to women in calendar year 2011. (The Program awards scholarships for university study to academically talented, financially needy Pakistani students.)
 
Requires the additional scholarships to be awarded: (1) in accordance with existing scholarship criteria, and (2) for a range of disciplines to improve the employability of graduates and to meet the needs of the scholarship recipients.
 
 Directs the USAID Administrator to make every effort to award 50% of the scholarships available under the Program to Pakistani women.
 
Directs the USAID Administrator to designate appropriate USAID officials to provide Congress with briefings on the implementation of these Program requirements.
 
Makes specified appropriations for foreign assistance to Pakistan that remain unobligated on the date of this Act's enactment available for the additional scholarships authorized by this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-10-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 217.
action_date: 2013-10-10
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2013-10-10
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2013-09-17
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2013-01-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2013-01-23
text: Introduced in Senate