HR 6535 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 17, 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. DELAHUNT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Vietnam Education Foundation Amendments Act of 2008’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF THE FOUNDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

(a) In General- Section 204 of the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 2452 note) is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 204. ESTABLISHMENT.

‘There is established, within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State, the Vietnam Education Foundation (referred to in this title as the ‘Foundation’).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Replacement of Board of Directors With Advisory Committee- Section 205 of such Act is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 205. VIETNAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

‘(a) Establishment-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- There is established a Vietnam Education Foundation Advisory Committee (referred to in this section as the ‘Advisory Committee’), which shall provide advice to the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs regarding the Foundation’s activities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) MEMBERSHIP- The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 7 members, of whom--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) 3 shall be appointed by the Secretary;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) 1 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) 1 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) APPOINTMENT OF INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS- Members appointed to the Advisory Committee under paragraph (2) may include individuals who were members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation on the date immediately preceding the date of the enactment of the Vietnam Education Foundation Amendments Act of 2008.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Supervision- The Foundation shall be subject to the supervision and direction of the Secretary, working through the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and in consultation with the Advisory Committee established under subsection (a).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Fellowship Program- Section 206(a) of such Act is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘to study at institutions of higher education in the United States at graduate and post-graduate levels’ and inserting ‘for post-secondary studies at institutions of higher education in the United States’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (2)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking ‘may include funding to improve’ and inserting the following: ‘may include funding to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) improve’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: ‘; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) prepare the fellowship recipient for post-secondary education in any field described in paragraph (1)(A).’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) PRIORITY FOR BASIC SCIENCES- In awarding fellowships under this subsection, the Foundation shall give priority to individuals described in paragraph (1)(A) who are studying the basic sciences.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Conforming Amendments- Such Act is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in section 203--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking paragraph (1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) by inserting after paragraph (2), as redesignated, the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of State.’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in section 206(e), by striking ‘of the Board’ and inserting ‘promulgated by the Secretary’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) in section 208--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in subsection (a)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘Board’ and inserting ‘Secretary’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) by striking ‘Board’ each place it appears and inserting ‘Secretary’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘Board’ and inserting ‘Secretary’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) in section 209(b), by striking ‘Board’ and inserting ‘Secretary’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961- Section 112(a) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2460(a)) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘and’ at the end;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; and’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(10) programs administered by the Vietnam Education Foundation.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Transfer of Functions- All functions and assets of the Vietnam Education Foundation are transferred to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State. The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs may hire personnel who were employed by the Vietnam Education Foundation on the date before the date of the enactment of this Act, and such other personnel as may be necessary to support the Foundation, in accordance with part III of title 5, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. AMERICAN RESEARCH COLLEGE IN VIETNAM.

(a) Grants Authorized- The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, is authorized to award 1 or more grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), which shall be used to participate in a partnership with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to establish an American Research College in Vietnam. The purpose of the American Research College shall be to provide a high quality general education to Vietnamese undergraduate students.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Application-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Each institution of higher education desiring the grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary of State at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) COMPETITIVE BASIS- Each grant authorized under subsection (a) shall be awarded on a competitive basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Source of Grant Funds- The Secretary of State may use funds made available to the Vietnam Education Foundation under section 207(c) of the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 2452 note) for the grant awarded under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Limitation- The Secretary of State shall encourage the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to make an appropriate financial or in-kind contribution to establish and maintain the college established with grant funds awarded under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink