STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Quick facts

Record: Senate Floor
Section type: Legislation
Chamber: Senate
Date: May 14, 2026
Congress: 119th Congress
Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.

Linked context

People mentioned: Durbin, Richard J.
Bills and resolutions: S. 4541 (119th Congress)
Committees: Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Readable version of the official text

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Wicker):

S. 4541. A bill to ensure that significantly more students graduate college with the international knowledge and experience essential for success in today's global economy through the establishment of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program in the Department of State; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanious 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. 4541

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Senator Paul Simon Study

Abroad Program Act of 2026”.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) To prepare students for success in the modern global

economy, opportunities for study abroad should be included as

part of a well-rounded education.

(2) Study abroad programs provide students with

unparalleled access to international knowledge, an unmatched

opportunity to learn world languages, and a unique

environment for developing cultural understanding, all of

which are knowledge and skills needed in today's global

economy.

(3) Only 10 percent of United States college students study

abroad before they graduate, leaving 90 percent of graduates

entering the workforce without the global skills, knowledge,

and experiences afforded by study abroad programs that will

position them for success in the global economy. Minority

students, first-generation college students, community

college students, and students with disabilities are also

significantly underrepresented in study abroad participation.

(4) Congress authorized the establishment of the Commission

on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program

(referred to in this section as the “Lincoln Commission”)

under section 104 of the Miscellaneous Appropriations and

Offsets Act, 2004 (division H of Public Law 108-199).

Pursuant to its mandate, the Lincoln Commission submitted a

report to Congress and to the President containing its

recommendations for greatly expanding the opportunity for

students at institutions of higher education in the United

States to study abroad, with special emphasis on studying in

developing nations.

(5) According to the Lincoln Commission, “[e]xperience

shows that leadership from administrators and faculty will

drive the number of study abroad participants higher and

improve the quality of programs. Such leadership is the only

way that study abroad will become an integral part of the

undergraduate experience.” A competitive grant program is

necessary to encourage and support such leadership.

(6) Student health, safety, and security while studying

abroad is, and must continue to be, a priority for

institutions of higher education and study abroad programs.

(7) According to Open Doors 2022, published by the

Institute of International Education in partnership with the

Department of State, study abroad participation at colleges

and universities in the United States plummeted by 91 percent

during the 2020-2021 academic year. While study abroad

numbers have rebounded, according to Open Doors 2025,

participation remains 14 percent below pre-pandemic levels.

In today's global society, increasing access to study abroad

for students at institutions of higher education across the

United States is critical to ensuring that those students

gain the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to

maintain the leadership and security of the United States in

tackling global challenges that affect the people of the

United States and succeeding in a global economy.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are—

(1) to ensure that significantly more students have access

to quality study abroad opportunities, especially among low-

income students and students of color;

(2) to ensure that the diversity of students studying

abroad reflects the diversity of students and institutions of

higher education in the United States;

(3) to encourage greater diversity in study abroad

destinations by increasing the portion of study abroad that

takes place in nontraditional study abroad destinations,

especially in developing countries; and

(4) to encourage a greater commitment by United States

institutions of higher education to expand study abroad

opportunities.

SEC. 4. SENATOR PAUL SIMON STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.

(a) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) Consortium.—The term “consortium” means a group

that—

(A) includes at least 1 institution of higher education;

and

(B) may include nongovernmental organizations that provide

and promote study abroad opportunities for students.

(2) Institution of higher education.—The term

“institution of higher education” has the meaning given

such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of

1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).

(3) Nontraditional study abroad destination.—The term

“nontraditional study abroad destination” means a location

that is determined by the Secretary of State to be a less

common destination for students who study abroad.

(4) Program.—The term “Program” means the Senator Paul

Simon Study Abroad Program, as renamed pursuant to subsection

(b)(1)(A).

(5) Student.—The term “student” means—

(A) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in

the United States or a national of the United States or (as

such terms are defined in paragraphs (20) and (22) of section

101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (8

U.S.C. 1101(a))) who is enrolled at an institution of higher

education located within the United States; or

(B) an individual who is an eligible noncitizen for Federal

student aid, as determined by the Secretary of Education for

purposes of the Federal student loan program under title IV

of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).

(6) Study abroad.—The term “study abroad” means an

educational program of study, work, service learning,

research, internship, or combination of such activities

that—

(A) is conducted outside of the United States; and

(B) carries academic credit.

(7) World language.—The term “world language” means any

natural language other than English, including—

(A) languages determined by the Secretary of State to be

critical to the national security interests of the United

States;

(B) classical languages;

(D) Native American languages.

(b) Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.—

(1) Establishment.—Subject to the availability of

appropriations and under the authority of the Mutual

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451

et seq.), the Secretary of State shall—

(A) rename the IDEAS Program, or any successor program, as

the “Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program”; and

(B) enhance the Program in accordance with this section.

(2) Objectives.—The objectives of the Program are that not

later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act—

(A) not fewer than 1,000,000 undergraduate students from

the United States will study abroad annually;

(B) the demographics of study abroad participation will

reflect the demographics of the United States undergraduate

population by increasing the participation rate of

underrepresented groups; and

in nontraditional study abroad destinations, with a

substantial portion of such increases in developing

countries.

(3) Competitive grants to institutions of higher

education.—

(A) In general.—In order to accomplish the objectives

described in paragraph (2), the Secretary of State shall

award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of

higher education, either individually or as part of a

consortium, based on applications by such institutions that—

(i) set forth detailed plans for using grant funds to

further such objectives;

(ii) include an institutional commitment to expanding

access to study abroad;

(iii) include plans for evaluating progress made in

increasing access to study abroad;

(iv) describe how increases in study abroad participation

achieved through the grant will be sustained in subsequent

years; and

(v) demonstrate that the study abroad programs have

established health, safety, and security guidelines and

procedures, informed by Department of State travel advisories

and other appropriate Federal agencies and resources,

including the Overseas Security Advisory Council and the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(B) Priority.—In awarding grants under subparagraph (A),

the Secretary may give priority to—

(i) minority-serving institutions listed under section

371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.

1067q(a));

(ii) eligible institutions (as defined in section 312(b) of

the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(b)) that

qualify for the Strengthening Institutions Program of the

Department of Education; and

(iii) institutions that offer study abroad programs with a

significant world language learning component, as applicable.

(4) Implementation of lincoln commission recommendations.—

In administering the Program, the Secretary of State shall

take fully into account the recommendations of the Lincoln

Commission, including—

(A) institutions of higher education applying for grants

described in paragraph (3) shall use Program funds to support

direct student costs;

(B) diversity shall be a defining characteristic of the

Program; and

the Program.

(5) Consultation.—In carrying out this subsection, the

Secretary of State shall consult with representatives of

diverse institutions of higher education and educational

policy organizations and other individuals with appropriate

expertise.

year, the Secretary of State shall submit an annual report to

the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the

Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives

that details the implementation of the Program during the

most recently concluded fiscal year.

(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized

to be appropriated, for fiscal year 2027 and for each

subsequent fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary to

carry out the Program.

Official source

Download the official section PDF

Readable version of the official text

Linked Context

Official Record

Quick facts

Linked context

Readable version of the official text

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be

Official source