Senate to vote on Simon bill!

July 23, 2008

Urge the Senate to Vote for the Simon Study Abroad Bill This Week!

Great news! Yesterday, the Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act was included in a package of bills introduced under the leadership of the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D- Nev.), in order to move priority bills expeditiously.

The package is called ‘The Advancing America's Priorities Act (S.3297) and is essentially an omnibus authorization bill that contains a group of bipartisan pieces of legislation with broad support that are otherwise being blocked in the Senate. The bill includes provisions in a variety of areas - from advancing medical research, to cracking down on child exploitation, to promoting important U.S. foreign policy goals.

This provides us with an amazing opportunity to help see Senator Simon's vision of a more globally educated American citizenry through expanded opportunity of study abroad realized.

The Advancing America's Priorities Act will need 60 votes for cloture. Cloture is the procedure used by the Senate to bring legislation to the floor by allotting time for its consideration. Once this bill passes in the Senate, it will go to the House for approval before going to the President for his signature.

We need your help! Please contact your Senators today to urge him/her to vote for cloture and passage of S. 3297, the Advancing America's Priorities Act. This could be our last opportunity to get the Simon Study Abroad bill passed this year. Our goal is to have at least 1000 letters sent to the Senate before they vote, which could be as early as this Saturday, July 26!

We need EVERYONE to lend their voice to this campaign to secure passage of S. 3297!

TAKE ACTION NOW!