[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 678 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 678
To strengthen the national security through the expansion and
improvement of foreign language study, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2007
Mr. Holt (for himself, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Wolf, Mr.
Payne, Mrs. Myrick, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Wu, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr.
Davis of Illinois, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Klein of
Florida, Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Mr. Kind, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Larson of
Connecticut, Ms. Harman, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Hare, Mr.
Ackerman, Mr. Berman, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Fattah,
Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Israel, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms.
Zoe Lofgren of California, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr.
McGovern, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Moran of
Virginia, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Olver, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr.
Ruppersberger, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Snyder, Mr.
Weiner, and Ms. Giffords) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to
the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select) and Armed
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To strengthen the national security through the expansion and
improvement of foreign language study, and for other purposes.
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 ``National Security Language Act''.
SEC. 2. ENCOURAGING EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION.
Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1121 et
seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating part D as part E;
(2) by redesignating section 631 (20 U.S.C. 1132) as
section 641; and
(3) by inserting after section 628 the following new part:
``PART D--EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION
``SEC. 631. EARLY FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible
partnership' means a partnership that--
``(A) shall include--
``(i) a foreign language department of an
institution of higher education; and
``(ii) a local educational agency; and
``(B) may include--
``(i) another foreign language or teacher
training department of an institution of higher
education;
``(ii) another local educational agency, or
an elementary or secondary school;
``(iii) a business;
``(iv) a nonprofit organization of
demonstrated effectiveness, including a museum;
``(v) heritage or community centers for
language study;
``(vi) language resource centers; or
``(vii) the State foreign language
coordinator or State educational agency.
``(2) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
need local educational agency' has the meaning given the term
in section 2102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6602).
``(3) Less-commonly taught foreign languages.--The term
`less-commonly taught foreign languages' includes the languages
of Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-
Croatian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, and any other language
identified by the Secretary of Education, in consultation with
the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute,
and the National Security Education Program, as a foreign
language critical to the national security of the United
States.
``(4) Summer workshop or institute.--The term `summer
workshop or institute' means a workshop or institute, conducted
during the summer, that--
``(A) is conducted for a period of not less than 2
weeks;
``(B) provides for a program that provides direct
interaction between students and faculty; and
``(C) provides for follow-up training during the
academic year that--
``(i) except as provided in clause (ii) or
(iii), shall be conducted in the classroom for
a period of not less than 3 days, which may or
may not be consecutive;
``(ii) if the program described in
subparagraph (B) is for a period of not more
than 2 weeks, shall be conducted for a period
of more than 3 days; or
``(iii) if the program is for teachers in
rural school districts, may be conducted
through distance education.
``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to improve the
performance of students in the study of foreign languages by
encouraging States, institutions of higher education, elementary
schools, and secondary schools to participate in programs that--
``(1) upgrade the status and stature of foreign language
teaching by encouraging institutions of higher education to
assume greater responsibility for improving foreign language
teacher education through the establishment of a comprehensive,
integrated system of recruiting and advising such teachers;
``(2) focus on education of foreign language teachers as a
career-long process that should continuously stimulate
teachers' intellectual growth and upgrade teachers' knowledge
and skills;
``(3) bring foreign language teachers in elementary schools
and secondary schools together with linguists or higher
education foreign language professionals to increase the
subject matter knowledge and improve the teaching skills of
teachers through the use of more sophisticated resources that
institutions of higher education are better able to provide
than the schools; and
``(4) develop more rigorous foreign language curricula that
are aligned with--
``(A) professionally accepted standards for
elementary and secondary education instruction; and
``(B) the standards expected for post-secondary
study in foreign language.
``(c) Grants to Partnerships.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to enable the
eligible partnerships to pay the Federal share of the costs of
carrying out the authorized activities described in this
section.
``(2) Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under
this section for a period of 5 years.
``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
activities assisted under this section shall be--
``(A) 75 percent of the costs for the first year
that an eligible partnership receives a grant payment
under this section;
``(B) 65 percent of such costs for the second such
year; and
``(C) 50 percent of such costs for each of the
third, fourth, and fifth such years.
``(4) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the
costs of carrying out the authorized activities described in
this section may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly
evaluated.
``(5) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships--
``(A) that include high-need local educational
agencies; or
``(B) that emphasize the teaching of the less-
commonly taught foreign languages.
``(d) Applications.--
``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership desiring a
grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Contents.--An application under paragraph (1) shall
include--
``(A) an assessment of the teacher quality and
professional development needs of all the schools and
agencies participating in the eligible partnership with
respect to the teaching and learning of foreign
languages;
``(B) a description of how the activities to be
carried out by the eligible partnership will be based
on a review of relevant research, and an explanation of
why the activities are expected to improve student
performance and to strengthen the quality of foreign
language instruction; and
``(C) a description of--
``(i) how the eligible partnership will
carry out the authorized activities described
in subsection (e); and
``(ii) the eligible partnership's
evaluation and accountability plan as described
in subsection (f).
``(e) Authorized Activities.--An eligible partnership shall use the
grant funds provided under this section for 1 or more of the following
activities related to elementary schools or secondary schools:
``(1) Creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing
professional development that improves the subject matter
knowledge of foreign language teachers.
``(2) Recruiting university students with foreign language
majors for teaching.
``(3) Promoting strong teaching skills for foreign language
teachers and teacher educators.
``(4) Establishing foreign language summer workshops or
institutes (including follow-up training) for teachers.
``(5) Establishing distance learning programs for foreign
language teachers.
``(6) Designing programs to prepare a teacher at a school
to provide professional development to other teachers at the
school and to assist novice teachers at such school, including
(if applicable) a mechanism to integrate experiences from a
summer workshop or institute.
``(7) Developing instruction materials.
``(f) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--Each eligible
partnership receiving a grant under this section shall develop an
evaluation and accountability plan for activities assisted under this
section that includes strong performance objectives. The plan shall
include objectives and measures for--
``(1) increased participation by students in advanced
courses in foreign language;
``(2) increased percentages of secondary school classes in
foreign language taught by teachers with academic majors in
foreign language, respectively; and
``(3) increased numbers of foreign language teachers who
participate in content-based professional development
activities.
``(g) Report.--Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under
this section shall annually report to the Secretary regarding the
eligible partnership's progress in meeting the performance objectives
described in subsection (f).
``(h) Termination.--If the Secretary determines that an eligible
partnership is not making substantial progress in meeting the
performance objectives described in subsection (f) by the end of the
third year of a grant under this section, the grant payments shall not
be made for the fourth and fifth year of the grant.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this part,
there are authorized to be appropriated $48,000,000 for fiscal year
2008 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding
fiscal years.''.
SEC. 3. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION
GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to support programs
in colleges and universities that--
(1) encourage students to develop--
(A) an understanding of science and technology; and
(B) foreign language proficiency; and
(2) foster future international scientific collaboration.
(b) Development.--The Secretary of Education shall develop a
program for the awarding of grants to institutions of higher education
that develop innovative programs for the teaching of foreign languages.
(c) Regulations and Requirements.--The Secretary of Education shall
promulgate regulations for the awarding of grants under subsection (b).
Such regulations shall require institutions of higher education to use
grant funds for, among other things--
(1) the development of an on-campus cultural awareness
program by which students attend classes taught in the foreign
language and study the science and technology developments and
practices in a non-English speaking country;
(2) immersion programs where students take science or
technology related course work in a non-English speaking
country; and
(3) other programs, such as summer workshops, that
emphasize the intense study of a foreign language and science
technology.
(d) Grant Distribution.--In distributing grants to institutions of
higher education under this section, the Secretary of Education shall
give priority to--
(1) institutions that have programs focusing on curricula
that combine the study of foreign languages and the study of
science and technology and produce graduates who have both
skills; and
(2) institutions teaching the less-commonly taught
languages of Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi,
Serbian-Croatian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, and any
language identified by the Secretary of Education, in
consultation with the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign
Service Institute, and the National Security Education Program,
as a critical foreign language need.
(e) Science.--In this section, the term ``science'' means any of
the natural and physical sciences including chemistry, biology,
physics, and computer science. Such term does not include any of the
social sciences.
(f) Appropriations Authorized.--To carry out this section, there
are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and
such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
The Secretary of Education shall establish a foreign language
education marketing campaign to encourage students at secondary schools
and institutions of higher education to study foreign languages,
particularly languages that are less commonly taught and critical to
the national security of the United States.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL STUDY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE HERITAGE COMMUNITIES.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Education shall conduct a study to
identify foreign language heritage communities, particularly such
communities that include speakers of languages that are critical to the
national security of the United States.
(b) Foreign Language Heritage Community.--For purposes of this
section, the term ``foreign language heritage community'' means a
community of residents or citizens of the United States--
(1) who are native speakers of, or who have partial fluency
in, a foreign language; and
(2) who should be actively recruited for employment by
Federal security agencies with a need for linguists.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall submit a report to the
Congress on the results of the study conducted under this section.
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL FLAGSHIP LANGUAGE INITIATIVE
WITHIN THE NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM.
(a) National Flagship Language Initiative.--
(1) Expansion of grant program authority.--Subsection (a)
of section 802 of the David L. Boren National Security
Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1902(a)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``in subsection (i)); and''
at the end of subparagraph (D) and inserting
``in subsection (j));'';
(ii) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (E) and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(F) awarding grants to institutions of higher
education to carry out activities under the
International Flagship Language Initiative (described
in subsection (k)).''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``described in
subsection (i)'' and inserting ``described in
subsection (j)''.
(2) Provisions of international flagship language
initiative.--Section 802 of such Act is further amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(k) International Flagship Language Initiative.--(1) Under the
International Flagship Language Initiative, qualified institutions of
higher education shall establish, operate, or improve foreign language
immersion programs and activities at sites overseas designed to train
students in programs in a range of disciplines to achieve advanced
levels of proficiency in those foreign languages that the Secretary
identifies as being the most critical in the interests of the national
security of the United States.
``(2) For purposes of this subsection, an institution of higher
education is deemed to be qualified if the Secretary determines that
the institution has demonstrated expertise in the establishment and
operation of foreign language immersion programs at sites overseas.
``(3) In awarding grants under subsection (a)(1)(F), the Secretary
shall give preference to those qualified institutions of higher
education that--
``(A) collaborate with established study abroad
professional organizations;
``(B) demonstrate experience in recruitment, placement,
programming, and assessment of students in specific countries
and regions of the world; and
``(C) demonstrate relationships with language acquisition
specialists.
``(4) An undergraduate student who has been awarded a scholarship
under subsection (a)(1)(A) or a graduate student who has been awarded a
fellowship under subsection (a)(1)(B) may participate in the activities
carried out under the International Flagship Language Initiative.
``(5) An institution of higher education that receives a grant
pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(F) shall give special consideration to
applicants who are employees of the Federal Government.''.
(3) Inapplicability of funding allocation rules.--(A) The
first sentence in the matter following subsection (a)(2) of
such section is amended by inserting ``or under paragraph
(1)(F) for the International Flagship Language Initiative
described in subsection (k)'' after ``or for the scholarship
program under paragraph (1)(E)''.
(B) The second sentence in such matter is amended by
inserting ``and the International Flagship Language
Initiative'' after ``the National Flagship Language
Initiative''.
(4) Board requirement.--Section 803(d)(4)(E) of such Act
(50 U.S.C. 1903(d)(4)(E)) is amended by inserting before the
period the following: ``and section 802(a)(1)(F) (relating to
grants for the International Flagship Language Initiative).''.
(b) Funding.--Section 811(b) of the David L. Boren National
Security Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1911(a)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a) Fiscal Year 2005.--'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) In addition to amounts that may be made available to the
Secretary under the Fund for a fiscal year, the Director of National
Intelligence shall transfer to the Secretary from amounts appropriated
for the Intelligence Community Management Account for each fiscal year,
beginning with fiscal year 2008, $6,000,000, to carry out the grant
program for the International Flagship Language Initiative under
section 802(a)(1)(F).''.
(c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as
affecting any program or project carried out under the David L. Boren
National Security Education Act of 1991 as in effect on the date that
precedes the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. FORGIVENESS OF LOANS TO STUDENTS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
(a) Guaranteed Student Loans.--Part B of title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 428K (20
U.S.C. 1078-11) the following:
``SEC. 428L. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN CRITICAL FOREIGN
LANGUAGES.
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall establish
and implement a program to cancel the obligation of loan borrowers to
pay the principal and interest on a loan provided under this part in
order to serve as an incentive for students to obtain a degree in a
critical foreign language.
``(b) Program Authorized.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program,
through the holder of the loan, of assuming the obligation to
repay in accordance with subsection (c) the principal and
interest, not to exceed a total of $10,000, on a loan made
under this part for a borrower who--
``(A) has obtained an undergraduate degree in a
critical foreign language;
``(B) is employed in a full-time position--
``(i) in an elementary or secondary school
as a teacher of a critical foreign language; or
``(ii) in an agency of the United States
Government in a position that regularly
requires the use of such critical foreign
language;
``(C) is a United States citizen, United States
national, permanent legal resident, or citizen of the
Freely Associated States; and
``(D) is in repayment status on such loan and is
not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks
forgiveness of principal and interest payments.
``(2) Application by borrowers.--The Secretary shall, by
regulation, establish procedures by which borrowers shall apply
for loan repayment under this section.
``(c) Terms.--
``(1) Promise to complete service required for payment.--
Any application for payment under subsection (b) shall contain
an agreement by the applicant that the applicant will continue
in a qualifying service described in subsection (b)(1)(B) for
not less than 5 consecutive complete years, or will, upon a
failure to complete such 5 years, repay the United States the
amount of the principal and interest repaid by the Secretary
under subsection (b), at a rate and schedule, and in accordance
with regulations, prescribed by the Secretary. Such regulations
may provide for waiver by the Secretary of such repayment
obligations upon proof of economic hardship as specified in
such regulations.
``(2) Payment in installments.--After a borrower has
obtained a bachelor's degree in a critical foreign language,
the Federal Government shall make payments under this section
while the borrower is in loan repayment status and continues in
an employment position described in subsection (b)(1)(B). The
Secretary shall repay a portion of a borrower's outstanding
loan, not to exceed a total of $10,000, in the following
increments:
``(A) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the second year of such service;
``(B) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the third year of such service;
``(C) up to $2,000 or 20 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the fourth year of such service; and
``(D) up to $5,000 or 50 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the fifth year of such service.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical
foreign language' includes the languages of Arabic, Korean,
Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian,
Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the
Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Defense
Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, and the
National Security Education Program, as a critical foreign
language need.
``(2) Agency.--The term `agency of the United States
Government' means any agency, office, establishment,
instrumentality, or other entity of the executive, legislative,
or judicial branch of the Government.''.
(b) Direct Student Loans.--Part D of title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``SEC. 460A. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN CRITICAL FOREIGN
LANGUAGES.
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall establish
and implement a program to cancel the obligation of loan borrowers to
pay the principal and interest on a loan provided under this part in
order to serve as an incentive for students to obtain a degree in a
critical foreign language.
``(b) Program Authorized.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
of assuming the obligation to repay in accordance with
subsection (c) the principal and interest, not to exceed a
total of $10,000, on a loan made under this part for a borrower
who--
``(A) has obtained an undergraduate degree in a
critical foreign language;
``(B) is employed in a full-time position--
``(i) in an elementary or secondary school
as a teacher of a critical foreign language; or
``(ii) in an agency of the United States
Government in a position that regularly
requires the use of such critical foreign
language;
``(C) is a United States citizen, United States
national, permanent legal resident, or citizen of the
Freely Associated States; and
``(D) is in repayment status on such loan and is
not in default on a loan for which the borrower seeks
forgiveness of principal and interest payments.
``(2) Application by borrowers.--The Secretary shall, by
regulation, establish procedures by which borrowers shall apply
for loan repayment under this section.
``(c) Terms.--
``(1) Promise to complete service required for payment.--
Any application for payment under subsection (b) shall contain
an agreement by the applicant that the applicant will continue
in a qualifying service described in subsection (b)(1)(B) for
not less than 5 consecutive complete years, or will, upon a
failure to complete such 5 years, repay the United States the
amount of the principal and interest repaid by the Secretary
under subsection (b), at a rate and schedule, and in accordance
with regulations, prescribed by the Secretary. Such regulations
may provide for waiver by the Secretary of such repayment
obligations upon proof of economic hardship as specified in
such regulations.
``(2) Payment in installments.--After a borrower has
obtained a bachelor's degree in a critical foreign language,
the Federal Government shall make payments under this section
while the borrower is in loan repayment status and continues in
an employment position described in subsection (b)(1)(B). The
Secretary shall repay a portion of a borrower's outstanding
loan, not to exceed a total of $10,000, in the following
increments:
``(A) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the second year of such service;
``(B) up to $1,500 or 15 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the third year of such service;
``(C) up to $2,000 or 20 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the fourth year of such service; and
``(D) up to $5,000 or 50 percent of the borrower's
outstanding loan balance, whichever is less, at the
completion of the fifth year of such service.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Critical foreign language.--The term `critical
foreign language' includes the languages of Arabic, Korean,
Japanese, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian,
Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the
Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Defense
Language Institute, the Foreign Service Institute, and the
National Security Education Program, as a critical foreign
language need.
``(2) Agency.--The term `agency of the United States
Government' means any agency, office, establishment,
instrumentality, or other entity of the executive, legislative,
or judicial branch of the Government.''.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall propose
regulations to carry out this section and submit to the appropriate
committees of the Congress a report on how the Secretary plans to
implement the programs under amendments made by this section and
advertise such programs to institutions of higher education and
potential applicants. Not later than 6 months after the date on which
the comment period for the regulations proposed under the preceding
sentence ends, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations to
carry out this section.
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