[Senate Report 111-383]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 727
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-383
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INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 2010
_______
December 22, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Kerry, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 3688]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill S. 3688, to establish an international
professional exchange program, and for other purposes, reports
favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................2
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................4
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the International Professional Exchange Act
of 2010 is to establish a two-way professional exchange program
between the United States and select Muslim-majority countries
to promote career development and cross-cultural understanding
for young to mid-career professionals. In so doing, this bill
seeks to address some of the long-term challenges facing the
global economy by sharing professional expertise and building
civil society capacity in the United States and in Muslim-
majority countries, including minority populations in those
countries. This legislation also promotes international
cooperation and peace by improving mutual understanding,
changing perceptions and strengthening people-to-people ties
between Americans and people in Muslim-majority countries.
II. COMMITTEE ACTION
Senator Kerry introduced S. 3688 on August 2, 2010. By
voice vote on December 14, 2010, the committee ordered that S.
3688 be reported favorably without amendment.
III. DISCUSSION
Numerous studies have cited the important role of language
skills and cultural awareness in building a nation's security
and its ability to compete in the global marketplace.
International exchange programs are a proven way of promoting
these skills and building bridges between societies. Existing
U.S. Government-funded programs, such as the Fulbright Program,
have helped thousands of Americans study around the world, and
have helped thousands of foreigners study and learn in the
United States. Today, over 300,000 people call themselves
``Fulbrighters,'' including 40 Nobel Prize winners and 20 heads
of state. This legislation builds upon the success of these
academic exchanges and creates an exchange program for young
professionals.
Outreach and engagement with Muslim communities globally
has arguably never been more important. President Obama spoke
in Cairo in June 2009 of a ``new beginning between the United
States and Muslims around the world'' and, in 2010, he
emphasized the importance of ``deepen[ing] ties between
business leaders, foundations, and entrepreneurs in the United
States and Muslim communities around the world.''
Demographic shifts and growing populations are creating
economic strains with profound consequences for the world. This
legislation seeks to address some of these challenges by
building capacity in the work force, strengthening civil
society, and improving ties between the United States and
Muslim-majority countries through a two-way exchange of
professional fellows.
Specifically, this act authorizes the Secretary of State to
establish a three-year pilot program to help build professional
capacity and contribute skills and know-how to local
communities through a reciprocal exchange of fellows. The act
establishes a pilot program to see how best to design a
successful two-way exchange of young professionals with the
intent that these best practices can then be applied in future
legislation to authorize a professional exchange program.
Though the program is designed for exchanges between the United
States and select Muslim-majority countries, the program does
not exclude non-Muslims from participating in the exchange.
Fellowships will last between three and six months,
including time for relevant orientation, training, community
service, and cultural and professional immersion. It is
expected that the majority of a fellow's time will be spent in
a position that complements a fellow's professional background
and builds relevant professional skill sets. Community service
is also a key component of this fellowship in order to expose
participants to issues important to the local community,
highlight the role of civic engagement, and in some cases,
provide an opportunity to learn about different faiths. This
legislation intends for the Americans going abroad as fellows
to be placed in a professional capacity with local companies,
local governments, and civil society organizations to the
extent possible to best learn about the local culture and be
immersed as fully as possible in that new society.
All fellows will be between 21 and 40 years of age and will
be selected from a variety of professional backgrounds with a
preference for individuals who work in the public sector,
including teachers, urban/city planners, public health workers,
and public administrators; or civil society, including
journalists, faith-based leaders, interfaith leaders, and
employees of nonprofit organizations. By targeting these
professionals, it is the intent of this legislation to help
bolster the workforce around the world and contribute to
economic growth.
The Secretary of State will select between 4 and 7 Muslim-
majority countries from which the initial group of inbound
fellows will be selected, and these countries will be chosen
based on geographic criteria so that the program includes a
diverse set of participants and countries. All participants in
the two-way exchange should have demonstrated leadership in
their communities, have relevant professional and language
qualifications, and should be prepared for cultural immersion.
For the recruitment of fellows from Muslim-majority countries,
the Secretary should build upon existing programs to engage
Muslim communities, and also reach out to graduates of English
learning programs and request the assistance of both the
private and public sector in identifying a diverse pool of
candidates.
The fellowship program will begin with an orientation for
each class of fellows to include appropriate cultural and
professional training, but this fellowship is not intended to
teach fellows professional competency in the working language
of the country in which fellows are placed. Fellows should have
a working-level knowledge of the language necessary for the job
before the placement is made. If necessary, the program can
provide refresher language training.
Graduates of the fellowship will receive a certificate from
the Department of State upon completion of the program, and are
encouraged to meet and build relationships with former fellows
and remain linked with the program through an active alumni
network that the Department of State will help support through
communications technology and other networking opportunities.
This legislation strongly encourages the Secretary of State
to form public-private partnerships to support program costs
and goals. This support can take the form of in-kind
contributions, financial assistance for travel and
administrative costs, job placement and recruitment assistance
from the private sector, private foundations, foreign
governments and other interested parties.
The Secretary of State is required to submit a report at
regular intervals (15 months, 27 months, and 39 months after
enactment) during the course of this three-year pilot program
to describe the administration and outcomes of the program.
These reports will be used by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Senate
and House Appropriations Committees to judge the success and
progress of this program and consider its continuation after
the three-year pilot period.
This legislation authorizes such sums as may be necessary
for fiscal year 2011-2014.
IV. COST ESTIMATE
Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the Standing Rules of the
Senate requires that committee reports on bills or joint
resolutions contain a cost estimate for such legislation. In
the interest of filing the report prior to the close of the
111th Congress, the committee notes that it has yet to receive
the Congressional Budget Office estimate.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there
are no changes to existing legislation as a result of this
legislation.