A resolution supporting continued United States and Taiwan cooperation in education.

Bill: 118-sres-363
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2023-09-26
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-09-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S4684)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-09-26
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution supports the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, an educational exchange program between the United States and Taiwan. The resolution also encourages U.S. educational institutions to partner with Taiwan for Mandarin instruction and teacher exchange programs.</p> <p></p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 363 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2023 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Markey ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Supporting continued United States and Taiwan cooperation in education.

Whereas Mandarin is the second most spoken language in the world with more than 1,000,000,000 speakers; Whereas Mandarin is a critical language that is essential to United States national security and prosperity, as identified by the Department of State Critical Language Scholarship Program; Whereas learning a foreign language benefits students academically and improves critical thinking, communication, and knowledge of different cultures; Whereas the internet has made it easier for companies to serve a global market and employers report favoring candidates who can speak a foreign language; Whereas, in December 2020, the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, a two-way educational exchange between the two countries, was created— (1) to expand opportunities for students from the United States to learn Mandarin from Taiwanese teachers; (2) to promote United States educators choosing Taiwan as a destination to teach English; and (3) to deepen educational cooperation between the United States and Taiwan; Whereas the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative coincides with widespread closures of Confucius Institutes in the United States and around the world; Whereas there continues to be high student demand for studies relating to Mandarin language, culture, and history delivered in a censorship and coercion-free environment; and Whereas, due to continuing political, economic, and security challenges, there is a need for continued access to the Mandarin language and expertise in Taiwan affairs: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) supports the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative; and (2) encourages— (A) institutions of higher education to continue partnering with Taiwan in order to meet the demand for Mandarin instruction and learning programs; (B) schools, school districts, and State and local educational agencies to host teacher exchange programs, such as those offered by the Department of State Teachers of Critical Language Program; and (C) United States teachers to choose Taiwan as a destination to learn Mandarin and to teach English, particularly through the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program.