Advocacy Day 2008 Wrap Up

100 NAFSAns Advocate for International Education on Capitol Hill
On March 11 and 12, 100 NAFSA members representing 30 states advocated for study abroad and international student and scholar issues during Advocacy Day, an annual event held in Washington, DC, to garner congressional support for international education.

Timely Congressional Meetings

During their Hill meetings, NAFSAns talked about the importance of international education and made specific requests, or "asks," for their senators and representatives to support and fully fund the Simon Study Abroad Act, to cosponsor the ACTION Act, and to maintain the H1-B cap exemption for higher education in future immigration reform legislation.

Participants found that many of the 160 Hill offices they visited were already familiar with international education issues, thanks to recent legislative activity. In June 2007, the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act (H.R.1469) unanimously passed the House, while less than a month ago the Senate voted the bill favorably out of the Foreign Relations Committee. On February 14, 2008, the American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act of 2008 (S.2653) was introduced in the Senate by Senators Norm Coleman (R–Minn.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.).

While most participants met with congressional staff, several had the opportunity to discuss the importance of these bills with their respective senators and/or representatives.

Successes

In general, the Advocacy Day participants felt that their members of Congress were supportive of most issues. The House and Senate went into recess two days after the event and the list of cosponsors to the legislation has not been updated. NAFSA will keep members updated on cosponsorship and other advocacy opportunities based on the outcomes of Advocacy Day. To view current legislation NAFSA is supporting and a list of cosponsors, please visit the 'Key Bills in Congress' section of NAFSA's Take Action Center.

In the end, participants left the event feeling empowered by their advocacy experience and ready to build the ongoing relationships with their Hill offices that are essential to sustaining congressional support for international education.

For guidance on how to engage in effective advocacy, all members are encouraged to read NAFSA's Grassroots Advocacy Handbook. To receive future action alerts and updates on legislation that impacts international educational exchange for your students, scholars, and institution, join NAFSA's Advocacy Centered Team (ACT).

Many thanks go out to all the NAFSA members who participated in this year's event!