Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - March 27, 2007)

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Obama, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Levin, Mr. Smith, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Chambliss, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Warner, Mr. Pryor, and Mr. Kennedy):

S. 991. A bill to establish the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I have spoken many times about one of our Nation's greatest public servants, the late Senator Paul Simon. He was an honorable man who devoted his life to working for the public good.

In the months before his untimely death, Senator Simon returned to Washington to talk to his former colleagues about the need to strengthen our Nation's international understanding and our ability to remain a world leader in the 21st century. His desire to promote peace and security through mutual understanding and sensitivity to the rest of the world was borne out of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Senator Simon struggled with the question of how America could lead when so few of our citizens have the proper knowledge and understanding of the world beyond our borders. He knew that America's security, global competitiveness, and diplomatic efforts in working towards a peaceful society rest on our young people's global competence and ability to appreciate languages and cultural and social realities beyond what they may have experienced in the United States. He envisioned a United States populated by a generation of Americans with a greater knowledge and understanding of the world--a generation of our Nation's future leaders that have been abroad and have a personal connection to another part of the world.

Senator Simon's tireless efforts led to Congress's establishment of the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Commission. I was honored to serve on this bipartisan Commission, and it was a privilege for me to introduce legislation last year that brought Senator Simon's dream one step closer to reality. The bill, based on the Commission's recommendations, would have established a study abroad program for undergraduate students that would help build global awareness and international understanding.

I am once again proud to stand here today and introduce legislation that embodies Senator Simon's vision. The bill has been renamed the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act so that all future generations will remember Senator Simon's commitment to international education.

The goal of this legislation remains the same: to encourage and support the experience of studying abroad in developing countries--in countries whose people, culture, language, government, and religion might be very different from ours. This bill aims to have at least 1 million undergraduate students study abroad annually within 10 years and to expand study abroad opportunities for students who are currently underrepresented.

The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act would establish study abroad as a national priority and provide the catalyst for the education community to commit to making study abroad an institutional priority.

This legislation would create an independent public-private entity, the Senator Paul Simon Foundation, that would award grants to carry out the goal of making study abroad in high-quality programs in diverse locations around the world the routine, rather than the exception, for college students. Students who were previously unable to study abroad due to financial constraints would be eligible for grants. Grants also would provide colleges, universities and nongovernmental institutions with the financial incentive to develop programs that make it easier for college students to study abroad.

The future of our country depends on having globally literate citizens--those who are able to look at other points of view and incorporate those ideas into their thinking and manner of interacting with others. I have shared this
Paul Simon quote before, and I will do so again because it is the most poignant example of Paul's vision in his own words:

A nation cannot drift into greatness. We must dream, and we must be willing to make small sacrifices to achieve those dreams. This major national initiative can lift our vision and responsiveness to the rest of the world.

I ask my colleagues to join with me and with Senator Coleman in support of this legislation and to see to it that Senator Paul Simon's dream of building a stronger and more culturally aware nation is realized.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 991

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