On May 20, 2009, the House Foreign Relations Committee passed H.R. 2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal year 2010-2011. The Simon Study Abroad Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. The legislation is expected to go to the House floor for a vote as early as the first week of June.
The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act is a bill that will dramatically increase study abroad opportunities for U.S. students. Last year, the bill passed the House with unanimous support and enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the Senate, including that of former senators President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, where it was one step short of passage when the legislative clock expired last fall.
This bill gives us a historic and unprecedented opportunity to actively support a national initiative to change the face of study abroad – to ensure that an international learning experience can be part of every U.S. college student’s education; and to encourage many more students to study in less traditional destinations.
This bill, if passed, would create a foundation focused on promoting greater opportunity in study abroad for U.S. college students. The foundation will encourage and enable students from all backgrounds to study abroad and gain valuable international experience all around the world.
We support this legislation because we believe our country needs many more college graduates with the skills and understanding that come from a learning experience abroad: Language skills. Cross-cultural awareness. A sense of global citizenship.
In the U.S. Senate, the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2009 (S. 473), is sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D – Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R – Miss.). It was introduced on February 25, 2009 and has garnered 32 co-sponsors to date. **Encourage your Senator to cosponsor the bill: http://www.nafsa.org/Suppo
This page was created by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. As the world's leading international education association, we have long advanced the belief that international educational exchanges are a primary means of achieving a stronger foundation for communication, collaboration, and friendship with the rest of the world.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a 501 (c) (3) nonpartisan organization promoting international education and providing professional development opportunities to the field.
No comments:
Post a Comment