On May 14th the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act was included in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA). Last year, the bill passed the House with unanimous support and enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the Senate, including that of then-senators President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, where it was one step short of passage when the legislative clock expired last fall. The Simon Act has been endorsed by more than forty higher education and international exchange organizations and by the 9/11 Comission Chairs.
The Simon Act aims to dramatically increase the number of U.S. undergraduates who study abroad in quality programs across the globe, focusing particular attention on ensuring access to study abroad across the college demographic and encouraging study abroad in the developing world. Less than 10% of U.S. undergraduates participate on educational programs abroad.
Here’s a statement from NAFSA: Association of International Educators Executive Director and CEO Marlene Johnson: “We applaud Chairman Berman for his strong support of the Simon bill and for including it in this important package. By ensuring that the critical experience of study abroad is an integral part of the 21st-century education of our college students, this unique and innovative program would revolutionize America’s capacity to understand, relate to, and lead responsibly in the world. We are encouraged by the support expressed for the Simon bill by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton when they were in the Senate.”
Want to do more? NAFSA is leading a growing movement online to make sure this legislation gets passed. Here are some ways you can help:
Here’s a statement from NAFSA: Association of International Educators Executive Director and CEO Marlene Johnson: “We applaud Chairman Berman for his strong support of the Simon bill and for including it in this important package. By ensuring that the critical experience of study abroad is an integral part of the 21st-century education of our college students, this unique and innovative program would revolutionize America’s capacity to understand, relate to, and lead responsibly in the world. We are encouraged by the support expressed for the Simon bill by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton when they were in the Senate.”
Want to do more? NAFSA is leading a growing movement online to make sure this legislation gets passed. Here are some ways you can help:
Join NAFSA on Facebook at http://www.nafsa.org/jointhemovement to find out how you can support the Simon bill.
You can learn more about the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act here.
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