“To require the Secretary of State to submit a report on participation in educational and cultural exchange programs.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section expresses the sense of Congress that international educational and cultural exchange programs advance U.S. national security, diplomatic ties, and global leadership, particularly to counter similar efforts by China. It directs the Secretary of State, not later than 180 days after enactment and every five years thereafter, to submit to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations an unclassified report (with a possible classified annex) that includes (1) by-country lists of participants in the prior year in China-sponsored exchange programs and specified U.S.-sponsored programs (i.e., Fulbright Program; Young African Leaders Initiative including Mandela Washington Fellowship; Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative; Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program; Future Leaders Exchange Program; previously reported U.S. programs; and, for subsequent reports, at least 10 additional U.S. programs); (2) for each U.S. program, funding amounts, participant numbers and cohorts, countries and ages of origin, and specified percentages measuring favorable shifts in opinions of the U.S. government, citizens, culture, values, study recommendations, democratic support, U.S. networks, and program awareness; (3) an assessment of participation trends and their implications for U.S. diplomatic and strategic interests; and (4) an analysis of the programs' impacts on U.S. and Chinese diplomatic standing and strategic influence by country.