March 2005
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), together with Sens. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Carl Levin (D-MI), Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI), today introduced S. 1105, the International and Foreign Language Studies Act of 2005. The introductory statements of Sens. Dodd and Kennedy appear below.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
SENATE
PAGE S5788
May 23, 2005
Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
By Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. AKAKA):
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month approved the Foreign Affairs Authorization Act for FY 2006 and 2007, which includes authorization of the President’s budget request of $430.4 million for educational and cultural exchanges. The legislation, which was recently made public, also adopts some of the key visa provisions of the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act legislation, recently introduced by Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and aimed at reversing the decline of foreign students in the U.S.
The House of Representatives Tuesday approved a resolution calling for the establishment of a “Year of Languages” in the United States to help highlight the need for increased foreign language education. The resolution, H. Res. 122, was introduced by Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), and cosponsored by Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-OH).
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month approved the Foreign Affairs Authorization Act for FY 2006 and 2007, which includes authorization of the President’s budget request of $430.4 million for educational and cultural exchanges. The legislation, which was recently made public, also adopts some of the key visa provisions of the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act legislation, recently introduced by Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and aimed at reversing the decline of foreign students in the U.S.
Seeking to reverse the decline in the number of international students studying at American colleges, universities, and high schools, Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now Act of 2005, also known as the ACTION Act of 2005, on February 17. The legislation calls for improvements in visa processing, including allowing U.S. embassies more discretion in waiving visa interviews, amending a 50-year old provision which requires consular officers to presume prospective foreign students are intending immigrants, reducing SEVIS fees for short-term visitors, and providing latitude to consular officers to issue visitor rather than student visas to some short-term English language students. The bill also sets standards for timeliness in security reviews of pending applications.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month approved the Foreign Affairs Authorization Act for FY 2006 and 2007, which includes authorization of the President’s budget request of $430.4 million for educational and cultural exchanges. The legislation, which was recently made public, also adopts some of the key visa provisions of the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act legislation, recently introduced by Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and aimed at reversing the decline of foreign students in the U.S.
The House of Representatives Tuesday approved a resolution calling for the establishment of a “Year of Languages” in the United States to help highlight the need for increased foreign language education. The resolution, H. Res. 122, was introduced by Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), and cosponsored by Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-OH).
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month approved the Foreign Affairs Authorization Act for FY 2006 and 2007, which includes authorization of the President’s budget request of $430.4 million for educational and cultural exchanges. The legislation, which was recently made public, also adopts some of the key visa provisions of the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act legislation, recently introduced by Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and aimed at reversing the decline of foreign students in the U.S.
Congress recently finalized a reorganization of the Appropriations Committee, the committee with jurisdiction over funding of federal government programs. The recent reorganization changes the structure of the Committee in both the House and Senate, and leaves a distinct configuration in each body.
“Public diplomacy is a matter of grave importance to me,” stated Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as she continued her tour of Capitol Hill yesterday to gain support for the President’s budget request for the State Department. The budget request includes $328 million for public diplomacy activities, up from $320 in FY 2005, and $430 million for exchanges funding, an increase of $74 million.
