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Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations
The 2009 federal fiscal year runs from October 1, 2008, through September 30, 2009.
Status: Unable to pass any of the individual appropriations bills before the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2008, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through March 6, 2009. The president signed the CR into law on September 30, 2008.
The current funding level for the State Department’s educational and cultural exchange programs is $501.347 million. The current funding level for the Department of Education's Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs is $108.983 million.
Congress included in the CR the text of the Department of Homeland Security funding bill.
The legislation appropriates $40 million for the development and implementation of a Model Ports of Entry program to help improve security and provide a more efficient and welcoming international arrival process.
It also provides the necessary resources for an 200 additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the 20 U.S. international airports that have the highest number of foreign visitors arriving annually that was included in the 9/11 legislation. As noted in the CR, these resources are intended to “provide a more efficient and welcoming international arrival process in order to facilitate and promote business and leisure travel to the U.S. while also improving security.”
Providing certain requirements are met, the CR also provides $300 million for the development of the United State Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Project (US-VISIT), which attempts to establish an electronic travel authorization system that would collect and communicate information on foreign nationals entering and exiting the United States.
The CR provides $20 million to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to help address the backlogs of security checks that are associated with pending applications and petitions. However, the legislation also states that this funding should not be made available until the Secretary of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney General submit a plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to eliminate the backlog of security checks that establishes information sharing protocols to ensure US CIS has the information it needs to carry out its mission.
The bill also provides CIS with $100 million for the E-Verify program aimed at helping U.S. employers maintain a legal workforce. This program allows employers to check government databases and verify the employment status of job applicants.
The legislation also includes $20,000 for the DHS Office of Policy to host Visa Waiver Program to hold negotiations to expand the program in Washington, D.C.
On the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the CR also directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “to ensure that additional revenues collected through higher Student and Exchange Visitor Program fees improve customer service for both students and academic institutions.” The bill reinforces that the increased revenue collected from raising SEVIS fees “is supposed to enable ICE to streamline student record-keeping, improve oversight of educational institutions, and strengthen the support available for both students and academic administrators. The Committee directs ICE to ensure this new revenue produces equivalent improvement in service provided to its academic partners by continuing its outreach work with the communities affected by increased fees and by enabling more direct access to records by students and administrators alike. In addition, the Committee directs ICE to evaluate the role of the academic liaison officers it plans to hire using this additional revenue, making sure these new officials are trained and empowered to assist academic institutions with problems that arise with SEVP.”
The bill also includes $26.8 million for the Visa Security Program, which was established to help maintain the security of the visa issuance process. The program places DHS staff at key U.S. consulates worldwide.
Department of State: Educational and Cultural Exchanges
In the Committee's recommendations, $311.311 million is included for academic programs, $167.917 million for professional and cultural exchanges, $8 million for a one-time grant program, with the remaining amounts to be left for program evaluation and support.
Of the amount included for academic exchanges, the committee recommends: $233.841 million for Fulbright, $12 million for Educational Advising and Student Services, $29 million for English Language Programs, $22 million for Regional Graduate Fellowships, and $7.2 million for the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship Program.
In addition, the Committee recommends $10 million “for programs to increase the number of U.S. students studying abroad and foreign students studying in the U.S., and to improve the capacity of educational institutions in non-traditional study abroad locations, especially developing countries, to receive additional U.S. students for quality overseas study.” Recognizing the role of institutions of higher education both in the U.S. and abroad, Senate report language states that “Institutional capacity is critical to successful expansion of American study abroad programs, and the Committee recommends the Department of State use additional resources to: 1) provide direct grants to students for study abroad; 2) replicate existing capacity in targeted regions at quality overseas educational institutions; and, 3) engage U.S. educational institutions to reduce barriers to study abroad, such as improving advising and credit systems.”
Of the amount alloted for professional and cultural exchanges, the Committee recommended: $78.777 million for the International Visitor Program, $57.377 for Citizen Exchange Programs and $24 million for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Ambassadors Program (also known as the YES Program).
In that same funding bill, the Senate also recommended $5.29 billion for the Department’s Diplomatic and Consular Affairs programs. Of that amount, $4.152 billion is provided for ongoing operations, including public diplomacy activities. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to continue to monitor implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) according to the statutory deadline of no earlier than June 1, 2009, and, as needed, to increase temporary staffing to quickly respond to increases in demand for passports or passport cards. Report language further directs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to provide quarterly briefings to the Committee on the progress of the WHTI.
Specific details are not yet available.
Department of Education: Title VI and Fulbright Hays
Of that amount, the Committee recommends that Title VI and Fulbright-Hays be funded at last year's level, $108.983 million, including $94 million for Title VI-Parts A&B, $13.4 million for Fulbright-Hays, and $1.7 million for Title VI-Part C IIPP. The President's budget request for an additional $1 million for developing new language assessment tools was not included.
Report language suggests that $93.941 be "used for domestic program activities related to international education and foreign language studies, including international business education, under title VI of the HEA." And continues to recommend that $13.372 million be used "for overseas programs authorized under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, popularly known as the Fulbright-Hays Act... Under these overseas programs, grants are provided for group and faculty research projects abroad, doctoral dissertation research abroad, and special bilateral projects. Unlike other programs authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act and administered by the Department of State, these Department of Education programs focus on training American instructors and students in order to improve foreign language and area studies education in the United States."
NAFSA Guide to the Appropriations Process (38kb
)
Read more on the President's FY 2009 request.
| Dept. of State, Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs |
Fulbright Hays Programs |
|
| Appropriations, FY 2008 | $501.347 | $108.983 |
| Emergency supplemental (Public Law 110-28), FY 2008 |
$10.0 | --- |
| President's Budget Request, FY 2009 | $522 | $108.983 |
| Senate appropriation, FY 2009 | $545.25 | $108.983 |
| House appropriation, FY 2009 | $522 | not yet available |
Status: Unable to pass any of the individual appropriations bills before the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2008, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through March 6, 2009. The president signed the CR into law on September 30, 2008.
Continuing Resolution
In order to leave the funding decisions for the remainder of the 2009 fiscal year up to the next Administration, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government though March 6, 2008. The 2009 federal fiscal year runs from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. The measure, which was signed by the President on September 30, 2008, will keep most federal programs funded at current levels until March.The current funding level for the State Department’s educational and cultural exchange programs is $501.347 million. The current funding level for the Department of Education's Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs is $108.983 million.
Congress included in the CR the text of the Department of Homeland Security funding bill.
9/11 Bill Funding
Included in that funding are resources to carry out a few of the initiatives included in the 9/11 legislation that was passed last year.The legislation appropriates $40 million for the development and implementation of a Model Ports of Entry program to help improve security and provide a more efficient and welcoming international arrival process.
It also provides the necessary resources for an 200 additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the 20 U.S. international airports that have the highest number of foreign visitors arriving annually that was included in the 9/11 legislation. As noted in the CR, these resources are intended to “provide a more efficient and welcoming international arrival process in order to facilitate and promote business and leisure travel to the U.S. while also improving security.”
Providing certain requirements are met, the CR also provides $300 million for the development of the United State Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Project (US-VISIT), which attempts to establish an electronic travel authorization system that would collect and communicate information on foreign nationals entering and exiting the United States.
Other Relevant Funding
The bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish an international registered traveler program that help to expedite the screening and processing of international travelers, including U.S. citizens and residents, who enter and exit the U.S. The program should incorporate available technologies, such as biometrics and e-passports, as well as security threat assessments and be coordinated with the US-VISIT program, other pre-screening initiatives and the Visa Waiver Program. The legislation allows for the Secretary of Homeland Security to charge a fee for this program, however states that the fee cannot exceed the aggregate costs associated with the program. It also requests that a rulemaking be initiated within 365 days of the enactment of the bill (September 20, 2008), and that phased implementation of the program, beginning with U.S. airports with the highest volume of international travelers, begin no later than two years from enactment of the bill (September 20, 2008). This was a recommendation of the Discover America Partnership (DAP), of which NAFSA was a member.The CR provides $20 million to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to help address the backlogs of security checks that are associated with pending applications and petitions. However, the legislation also states that this funding should not be made available until the Secretary of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney General submit a plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to eliminate the backlog of security checks that establishes information sharing protocols to ensure US CIS has the information it needs to carry out its mission.
The bill also provides CIS with $100 million for the E-Verify program aimed at helping U.S. employers maintain a legal workforce. This program allows employers to check government databases and verify the employment status of job applicants.
The legislation also includes $20,000 for the DHS Office of Policy to host Visa Waiver Program to hold negotiations to expand the program in Washington, D.C.
On the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the CR also directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “to ensure that additional revenues collected through higher Student and Exchange Visitor Program fees improve customer service for both students and academic institutions.” The bill reinforces that the increased revenue collected from raising SEVIS fees “is supposed to enable ICE to streamline student record-keeping, improve oversight of educational institutions, and strengthen the support available for both students and academic administrators. The Committee directs ICE to ensure this new revenue produces equivalent improvement in service provided to its academic partners by continuing its outreach work with the communities affected by increased fees and by enabling more direct access to records by students and administrators alike. In addition, the Committee directs ICE to evaluate the role of the academic liaison officers it plans to hire using this additional revenue, making sure these new officials are trained and empowered to assist academic institutions with problems that arise with SEVP.”
The bill also includes $26.8 million for the Visa Security Program, which was established to help maintain the security of the visa issuance process. The program places DHS staff at key U.S. consulates worldwide.
Department of State: Educational and Cultural Exchanges
Senate
On July 17, 2008, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up a bill that included $545.25 million for the Department of State's Educational and Cultural exchanges for FY09. This represents a $23.25 million increase over the President's request and a $44 million increase over 2008 funding levels.In the Committee's recommendations, $311.311 million is included for academic programs, $167.917 million for professional and cultural exchanges, $8 million for a one-time grant program, with the remaining amounts to be left for program evaluation and support.
Of the amount included for academic exchanges, the committee recommends: $233.841 million for Fulbright, $12 million for Educational Advising and Student Services, $29 million for English Language Programs, $22 million for Regional Graduate Fellowships, and $7.2 million for the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship Program.
In addition, the Committee recommends $10 million “for programs to increase the number of U.S. students studying abroad and foreign students studying in the U.S., and to improve the capacity of educational institutions in non-traditional study abroad locations, especially developing countries, to receive additional U.S. students for quality overseas study.” Recognizing the role of institutions of higher education both in the U.S. and abroad, Senate report language states that “Institutional capacity is critical to successful expansion of American study abroad programs, and the Committee recommends the Department of State use additional resources to: 1) provide direct grants to students for study abroad; 2) replicate existing capacity in targeted regions at quality overseas educational institutions; and, 3) engage U.S. educational institutions to reduce barriers to study abroad, such as improving advising and credit systems.”
Of the amount alloted for professional and cultural exchanges, the Committee recommended: $78.777 million for the International Visitor Program, $57.377 for Citizen Exchange Programs and $24 million for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Ambassadors Program (also known as the YES Program).
In that same funding bill, the Senate also recommended $5.29 billion for the Department’s Diplomatic and Consular Affairs programs. Of that amount, $4.152 billion is provided for ongoing operations, including public diplomacy activities. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to continue to monitor implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) according to the statutory deadline of no earlier than June 1, 2009, and, as needed, to increase temporary staffing to quickly respond to increases in demand for passports or passport cards. Report language further directs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to provide quarterly briefings to the Committee on the progress of the WHTI.
House
The House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its bill on July 16, 2008. The bill provides $522 million for exchanges, a figure representing a $21 million increase over 2008 levels and consistent with the President's budget request.Specific details are not yet available.
Department of Education: Title VI and Fulbright Hays
Senate
On June 26, 2008, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up the FY 2009 Labor/HHS/ED Appropriations bill. The bill recommends an overall increase of $3.4 billion over FY 2008 levels, and represents a $2.4 billion increase over the President's request.Of that amount, the Committee recommends that Title VI and Fulbright-Hays be funded at last year's level, $108.983 million, including $94 million for Title VI-Parts A&B, $13.4 million for Fulbright-Hays, and $1.7 million for Title VI-Part C IIPP. The President's budget request for an additional $1 million for developing new language assessment tools was not included.
Report language suggests that $93.941 be "used for domestic program activities related to international education and foreign language studies, including international business education, under title VI of the HEA." And continues to recommend that $13.372 million be used "for overseas programs authorized under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, popularly known as the Fulbright-Hays Act... Under these overseas programs, grants are provided for group and faculty research projects abroad, doctoral dissertation research abroad, and special bilateral projects. Unlike other programs authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act and administered by the Department of State, these Department of Education programs focus on training American instructors and students in order to improve foreign language and area studies education in the United States."
House
A bill was reported from Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee on June 19, 2008, but details of the bill have not yet been released, pending consideration of the bill by the full Committee.President's Budget Request
On February 4, 2008, the president announced his budget request for FY 2009, including a $522 million request for the educational and cultural exchange programs of the U.S. Department of State and $108.983 million for the Department of Education’s Title VI and Fulbright Hays programs.NAFSA Guide to the Appropriations Process (38kb
) Read more on the President's FY 2009 request.
