The Senate Appropriations Committee released its report this week detailing legislation approved last Thursday that includes $545.25 million for State Department exchanges in fiscal year (FY) 2009. The Senate version of the bill includes a $23 million increase for exchanges over the Administration’s FY 2009 request, and a $44 million increase over current FY 2008 levels.

The Senate Appropriations Committee released its report this week detailing legislation approved last Thursday that includes $545.25 million for State Department exchanges in fiscal year (FY) 2009. The Senate version of the bill includes a $23 million increase for exchanges over the Administration’s FY 2009 request, and a $44 million increase over current FY 2008 levels.

The Senate Appropriations Committee released its report this week detailing legislation approved last Thursday that includes $545.25 million for State Department exchanges in fiscal year (FY) 2009. The Senate version of the bill includes a $23 million increase for exchanges over the Administration’s FY 2009 request, and a $44 million increase over current FY 2008 levels.

The Alliance completed visits this winter to consular posts in South America to discuss visa processing. We visited the following posts: Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima, and Quito.

The Alliance’s eighth annual Advocacy Day was held last Thursday, February 21, 2008. The event was sponsored in conjunction with the Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA), an Alliance member that has partnered with us on this event for four (non-consecutive) years. The event was held in conjunction with AIEA’s Washington conference.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today approved, by voice vote, legislation to authorize the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007. The Committee also moved the nominations of Mr. James Glassman to be Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and Ms. Goli Ameri to be Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs to the Senate Floor for confirmation.

The Senate-sponsored legislation to increase the tax deduction for families hosting exchange students gained support yesterday from Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). The bill, S. 2252, was introduced last October by Sens. Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Norm Coleman (R-MN). It is currently pending consideration by the Senate Finance Committee.

The legislation would increase the current $50 per month deduction to $200 per month, and would index the deduction to inflation for future years.

The Alliance completed visits early this year to consular posts in Asia to discuss visa processing. We visited the following posts: Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Mumbai.

Congress yesterday released its year-end package of spending bills which includes $501.347 million for the educational and cultural exchange programs of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The bill does not include FY 2008 funding for the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation, also known as the Lincoln Fellowships program, since the program has not yet been authorized by Congress.

Congress yesterday released its year-end package of spending bills which includes $501.347 million for the educational and cultural exchange programs of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The bill does not include FY 2008 funding for the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation, also known as the Lincoln Fellowships program, since the program has not yet been authorized by Congress.