The House Judiciary Committee Wednesday approved legislation that would extend for five years, to June 1, 2013, the waiver of the requirement that international medical graduate students return to their home country for at least two years before applying for work permits in the U.S. The legislation, H.R. 5571, was introduced by Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). It was approved in Committee by voice vote. Companion legislation has not been introduced in the Senate.

For the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Concerning State Department Exchanges

U.S. House of Representatives
March 18, 2008

As Chair of the Board of the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange, I appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony in strong support of the budget request of $522.444 million for the educational and cultural exchange programs administered by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in FY 2009. If additional funds are available, the Alliance urges an increase to $600 million in order to deepen the public diplomacy impact of existing activities and to develop new and innovative programs. The Alliance also strongly supports the President’s request for consular resources.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not accept additional countries into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) until the agency complies with a Congressional mandate calling for a system that tracks foreign visitors, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Paul Rosenzweig told the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security last week. Rosenzweig reported that the agency has several tracking systems curr

Noting that visas for foreign students and scholars will be a “predominant theme” for the House Subcommittee on Research and Science this year, Chairman Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) stated, “All of us are committed to increasing the pipeline” of foreign students in the U.S. who “broaden and enrich” our campuses and bring different perspectives.

Members of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week commended Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the increases sought by President Bush in his fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget request for the Department of State. Rice appeared before both committees on Wednesday to present the request.

Members of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week commended Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the increases sought by President Bush in his fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget request for the Department of State. Rice appeared before both committees on Wednesday to present the request.

The Bush Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget proposal released this morning includes $522.444 million for the educational and cultural exchange programs of the U.S. Department of State, the fourth year in a row the President has proposed an increase for these programs. The budget provides a $21.097 million increase over the FY 2008 funding level for exchanges of $501.347 million.

The Bush Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget proposal released this morning includes $522.444 million for the educational and cultural exchange programs of the U.S. Department of State, the fourth year in a row the President has proposed an increase for these programs. The budget provides a $21.097 million increase over the FY 2008 funding level for exchanges of $501.347 million.

Ambassadors Marc Grossman and Thomas Pickering told Congress that U.S. embassies overseas are in need of more people with better training and resources to do the job of diplomacy.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will receive $36.3 billion in funding as part of the omnibus spending package approved by Congress last night. The bill, which funds the US-VISIT program, implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and other border security programs, has been sent to the President for signature.