Vietnam Education Foundation Amendments Act of 2008 - Establishes the Vietnam Education Foundation within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State. (Under current law the Foundation is an independent establishment of the executive branch.)
Establishes the Vietnam Education Foundation Advisory Committee in lieu of the current Board of Directors.
Gives fellowship priority to basic science studies.
Authorizes the Secretary of State, through the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, to award grants to institutions of higher education for a partnership with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to establish an undergraduate American Research College in Vietnam.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6535 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6535
To amend the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 17, 2008
Mr. Delahunt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000.
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 ``Vietnam Education Foundation
Amendments Act of 2008''.
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:
``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').''.
(b) Replacement of Board of Directors With Advisory Committee.--
Section 205 of such Act is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 205. VIETNAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
``(a) Establishment.--
``(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.
``(2) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed
of 7 members, of whom--
``(A) 3 shall be appointed by the Secretary;
``(B) 1 shall be appointed by the majority leader
of the Senate;
``(C) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader
of the Senate;
``(D) 1 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives; and
``(E) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader
of the House of Representatives.
``(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.
``(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).''.
(c) Fellowship Program.--Section 206(a) of such Act is amended--
(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'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``may include funding to improve''
and inserting the following: ``may include funding to--
``(A) improve''; and
(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting
the following: ``; and
``(B) prepare the fellowship recipient for post-
secondary education in any field described in paragraph
(1)(A).''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(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.''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--Such Act is amended--
(1) in section 203--
(A) by striking paragraph (1);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as
paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (2), as
redesignated, the following:
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of State.'';
(2) in section 206(e), by striking ``of the Board'' and
inserting ``promulgated by the Secretary'';
(3) in section 208--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Board'' and inserting ``Secretary''; and
(ii) by striking ``Board'' each place it
appears and inserting ``Secretary''; and
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ``Board'' and
inserting ``Secretary''; and
(4) in section 209(b), by striking ``Board'' and inserting
``Secretary''.
(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--
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) programs administered by the Vietnam Education
Foundation.''.
(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.
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.
(b) Application.--
(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.
(2) Competitive basis.--Each grant authorized under
subsection (a) shall be awarded on a competitive basis.
(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.
(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.
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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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