Advocacy Update: Amendments threatening exchanges defeated

Written By Mark Overmann

On Thursday, June 20, 2024, lawmakers introduced three amendments to the FY25 House State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) funding bill that threatened to cut funding and programming for educational and cultural exchanges (ECE).  

In response, the Alliance sent letters to the House Committee on Rules on behalf of the Alliance membership and BridgeUSA Coalition, and reached out directly to 260 House offices, encouraging Representatives to vote no on the amendments and make statements on the House floor in support of exchanges. Both Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA, 12) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY, 5) made statements against the amendments and in support of exchanges. 

The Alliance also organized a grassroots letter campaign, sending 2,456 letters to 391 Representatives encouraging them to vote against the amendments and support educational and cultural exchanges.

Thanks to the exchange community's rapid response and outreach, all three FY25 House SFOPS funding bill amendments that threatened the future of educational and cultural exchanges were defeated. 

  • Amendment 38 (#158) introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL, 21), which would have eliminated Department of State exchange program funding, was withdrawn the night of Wednesday, June 26, 2024. 

  • Amendment 1 (#83) introduced by Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK, 2), which would have reduced funding for exchanges by $20 million, to FY19 levels, was voted down 246-164 on the House floor the morning of Thursday, June 27, 2024. 

  • Amendment 13 (#15) introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ, 9) which would have prohibited funding for the TechCamp program, was voted down 254-156 on the House floor the morning of Thursday, June 27, 2024. 

Mark Overmann

Executive Director

Mark Overmann joined the Alliance as Executive Director in 2022, after having served as Assistant Director and Deputy Director from 2009-2015. Mark has nearly 20 years of experience in the NGO, association, federal, and university sectors. He excels at association management, government relations, including extensive work with the U.S. Department of State and Congress, strategic communications, and organizational development.

Mark also served as a Senior Manager at Accenture Federal Services supporting global health and diplomacy programs; Vice President of External Affairs at InterExchange; Director of College Communications at Georgetown University; and Program Associate for Communications at Global Ties U.S.

Mark has a bachelor’s in English from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s in International Communication from American University’s School of International Service. He is co-author with Sherry Mueller of Working World: Careers in International Education, Exchange, and Development (Georgetown University Press, 2008, 2014). He studied abroad during college in Angers, France, and taught English in Yanji, China, along the North Korean border.

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