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Senate Passes Amendment on Attracting Foreign Students to U.S. Universities
On October 27, the Senate unanimously approved an amendment authored by Senators Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.Mex.) to require the development of a national marketing strategy to attract international students to study in the United States. The amendment was included as part of the FY2006 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill, which the Senate approved later that same day by a vote of 94-3. The amendment contains a key provision of the “American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now” (ACTION) bill, introduced earlier this year by Senators Coleman and Bingaman, which requires the development of a national strategic marketing campaign to encourage international students to attend American institutions of higher education, and requires better cooperation among the Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy, Homeland Security, State in facilitating international student access. The text of the amendment, as reported in the Congressional Record, is as follows:
SA 2327. Mr. COLEMAN (for himself and Mr. Bingaman) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3010, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 191, line 2, strike "may be used'' and all that follows through "dissemination activities:'' on line 4 of such page and insert "may be used for program evaluation, national outreach, and information dissemination activities, and shall be used by the Secretary of Education to develop, through consultation with the Secretaries of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Energy, institutions of higher education in the United States, organizations that participate in international exchange programs, and other appropriate groups, a strategic plan for enhancing the access of foreign students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors to institutions of higher education of the United States for study and exchange activities: Provided further, That the strategic plan described in the preceding proviso shall make use of the Internet and other media resources, establish a clear division of responsibility and a mechanism of institutionalized cooperation between the Departments of Education, State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Energy, and include streamlined procedures to facilitate international exchanges of foreign students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors:''.
SA 2327. Mr. COLEMAN (for himself and Mr. Bingaman) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3010, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 191, line 2, strike "may be used'' and all that follows through "dissemination activities:'' on line 4 of such page and insert "may be used for program evaluation, national outreach, and information dissemination activities, and shall be used by the Secretary of Education to develop, through consultation with the Secretaries of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Energy, institutions of higher education in the United States, organizations that participate in international exchange programs, and other appropriate groups, a strategic plan for enhancing the access of foreign students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors to institutions of higher education of the United States for study and exchange activities: Provided further, That the strategic plan described in the preceding proviso shall make use of the Internet and other media resources, establish a clear division of responsibility and a mechanism of institutionalized cooperation between the Departments of Education, State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Energy, and include streamlined procedures to facilitate international exchanges of foreign students, scholars, scientists, and exchange visitors:''.
