John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2022
This bill establishes the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program (commonly referred to as the Fulbright Program).
The fellowship program shall honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis and advance U.S. foreign policy priorities by promoting studies, research, and international exchange in the subject of nonviolent civil rights movements around the world.
The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board shall annually select qualified individuals to serve as fellows in the fellowship program. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may determine the number of fellows for each year, with at least 25 fellows each year whenever feasible. Each fellow shall (1) work in an internship or research position with an approved organization in a country with an operational Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and (2) receive an award sufficient to cover the fellow's reasonable costs during the fellowship period and certain travel and lodging expenses related to the program.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8681 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8681
To establish the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship to fund
international internships and research placements for early- to mid-
career professionals to study nonviolent movements to establish and
protect civil rights around the world.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 5, 2022
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Ms. Mace, Mr. Carbajal, Mr.
Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Evans, and Ms. Dean)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship to fund
international internships and research placements for early- to mid-
career professionals to study nonviolent movements to establish and
protect civil rights around the world.
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 ``John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship
Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 115. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established the John Lewis Civil
Rights Fellowship Program (referred to in this section as the
`Fellowship Program') within the J. William Fulbright Educational
Exchange Program.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Fellowship Program are--
``(1) to honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis by
promoting a greater understanding of the history and tenets of
nonviolent civil rights movements; and
``(2) to promote studies, research, and international
exchange in the subject of nonviolent movements that
established and protected civil rights around the world.
``(c) Administration.--The Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (referred to in this section as the `Bureau') shall administer
the Fellowship Program in accordance with policy guidelines established
by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, in consultation with the
binational Fulbright Commissions and United States Embassies.
``(d) Selection of Fellows.--
``(1) In general.--The Board shall annually select
qualified individuals to participate in the Fellowship Program.
The Board may determine the number of fellows selected each
year, which shall be not fewer than 25 whenever feasible.
``(2) Outreach.--
``(A) In general.--The Bureau should conduct
outreach at organizations described in subparagraph
(B)--
``(i) to broaden the pool of qualified
applicants; and
``(ii) to facilitate, to the extent
practicable, diversity within each cohort of
fellows.
``(B) Organizations described.--The organizations
described in this subparagraph are--
``(i) minority serving institutions,
including historically Black colleges and
universities; and
``(ii) other appropriate institutions, as
determined by the Board.
``(C) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Diversity.--The term `diversity'
means diversity of individuals based on factors
including race, color, religion, sex,
pregnancy, gender identity, national origin,
political affiliation, sexual orientation,
marital status, disability, genetic
information, age, parental status, or military
service.
``(ii) Historically black college and
university.--The term `historically Black
college and university' has the meaning given
the term `part B institution' in section 322 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1061).
``(iii) Minority serving institution.--The
term `minority-serving institution' means an
eligible institution under section 371(a) of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q(a)).
``(e) Fellowship Orientation.--The Bureau shall organize and
administer a fellowship orientation that shall--
``(1) be held in Washington, DC, or at another location
selected by the Bureau;
``(2) include programming to honor the legacy of
Representative John Lewis; and
``(3) be held on an annual basis not later than 30 days
before the commencement of the fellowship program.
``(f) Structure.--
``(1) Work plan.--To carry out the purposes described in
subsection (b)(2)--
``(A) each fellow selected pursuant to subsection
(d) shall arrange an internship or research placement--
``(i) with a nongovernmental organization,
academic institution, or other organization
approved by the Bureau; and
``(ii) in a country with an operational
Fulbright U.S. Student Program; and
``(B) the Bureau shall, for each fellow, approve a
work plan that identifies the target objectives for the
fellow, including specific duties and responsibilities
relating to those objectives.
``(2) Conferences; presentations.--Each fellow shall--
``(A) attend the fellowship orientation described
in subsection (e);
``(B) not later than the date that is one year
after the end of the fellowship period, attend a
fellowship summit organized and administered by the
Bureau, which shall be held in Atlanta, Georgia, or at
another location of importance to the civil rights
movement in the United States and selected by the
Bureau; and
``(C) at such summit, give a presentation on
lessons learned during the period of fellowship.
``(3) Fellowship period.--Each fellowship under this
section shall continue for a period determined by the Bureau,
which shall be not shorter than 10 months whenever feasible.
``(g) Fellowship Award.--The Bureau shall provide each fellow under
this section with an allowance that is equal to the amount needed for--
``(1) the fellow's reasonable costs during the fellowship
period; and
``(2) travel and lodging expenses related to attending the
orientation and summit required under subsection (e)(2).
``(h) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
selection of the initial cohort of fellows under subsection (d), and on
an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary of State shall brief Congress
on the state of the Fellowship Program, including--
``(1) the demographics of the cohort of fellows who
completed a fellowship during the preceding 1-year period;
``(2) an analysis of the diversity of the Fellowship
Program based on the demographics of each cohort of fellows who
completed a fellowship by the date of the briefing; and
``(3) an analysis of trends relating to the diversity of
the cohorts of fellows over the course of the Fellowship
Program.''.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO THE 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'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program
established under section 115, which provides funding for
international internships and research placements for early- to
mid-career individuals from the United States to study
nonviolent civil rights movements in self-arranged placements
with universities or nongovernmental organizations in foreign
countries.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Mr. Castro (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8193-8195)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8681.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1396, proceedings on H.R. 8681 are considered vacated.
Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.R. 6967, as amended; H.R. 8163, as amended; H.R. 8510, as amended; H.R. 8681, as amended; H.R. 8875, as amended; H.R. 8956; S. 1198; and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 5641.
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Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.R. 6967, as amended; H.R. 8163, as amended; H.R. 8510, as amended; H.R. 8681, as amended; H.R. 8875, as amended; H.R. 8956; S. 1198; and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 5641. (text: CR H8193-8194)
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.