Current Legislations | U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy

Current Legislation

Page Last Updated: October 23, 2009

S. Res. 312: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on empowering and strengthening the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

S. 1716: A bill to amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

H.Res 633: Supporting the goals and ideals of the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace.

International Affairs Budget Update Only two weeks remain until the continuing resolution expires on Oct. 31, Congress has passed only three FY10 Appropriations bills. Since the Commerce-Justice-Science bill has been postponed, the Senate has only passed seven appropriations bills. The future is looking dark on the possibility that the Senate will consider the $48.7 billion FY10 State, Foreign Operations bill. What will most likely happen is the bill will be folded into a "mini-bus" measure and Congress will need to pass another continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating until the last appropriations bills are finalized and passed. H.Res 569

House

H.Res 569: Supporting the work of citizen diplomacy organizations and encouraging the convening of a Presidential Summit on Global Citizen Diplomacy. (Introduced June 19, 2009 by Rep. James Moran, VA, sent to Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Total Cosponsors: 26 (5 on foreign affairs committee)

H.R. 2985: Ambassador’s Fund for Strategic Exchanges Act of 2009 (Introduced June 19, 2009 by Rep. James Moran, VA, sent to Committee on Foreign Affairs)
-Will establish a public diplomacy international exchange program that will bring political, economic, civil society, and other leaders to the U.S. for short-term exchanges

H.R. 3328: Gandhi – King Scholarly Exchange Initiative focusing on peace and nonviolence in global conflict resolution. (Introduced July 24, 2009 by Rep. John Lewis, GA, sent to Committee on Foreign Affairs)
-Authorize an annual public diplomacy forum for scholars from the U.S. and India, where they will study the work of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and apply them to current issues
-Authorize a professional development training initiative for government employees to develop international conflict solutions based on the principles of nonviolence
-Start undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate student exchange between the U.S. and India

House Appropriations

State, Foreign Operations, and Other Programs:
Total recommended by the House committee - $48,843,000,000

Diplomatic & Consular Programs - $8,229,000,000
-Public Diplomacy programs - $519,875,000

Educational & Cultural Exchange programs - $600,000,000
-Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act – once enacted into law, both the House and Senate committees will authorize appropriations
-Special One-Time Grant - $8,000,000 – for a one-time special educational, professional, and cultural exchange programs

Peace Corps - $450,000,000

Volunteers for Prosperity – Was included in the Serve America Act, the committee is aware of the program and recommends USAID to support it and directs USAID to consult with the committee after the appropriations act is enacted.

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
The committee appropriated $1,059,016,000 ($90 million below the President’s budget) for the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Serve America Act is not fully funded or able to be fully implemented as a result of this.

Senate Appropriations

State, Foreign Operations, and Other Programs:
Total recommended by the Senate committee - $48,700,000,000

Diplomatic & Consular Programs - $8,227,000,000
-Public Diplomacy - $506,278,000

Education and Cultural Exchange Programs - $635,243,000
-Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act – once enacted into law, both the House and Senate committees will authorize appropriations
-Special One-Time Grant - $8,000,000 – for a one-time special educational, professional, and cultural exchange programs

Peace Corps - $374,440,000
-The committee stated that once the Director is nominated and confirmed, they will consider additional funding for the Peace Corps

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
The committee appropriated the Corporation for National and Community Service $1,157,000,000 and worked to fulfill the Serve America Act by authorizing the full $50 million for the Social Innovation Fund, $8 million for the Volunteer Generation Fund, and $2 million for the Non-Profit Capacity Building program.

Senate

S.1023: Travel Promotion Act (Introduced May 12, 2009, placed on Senate Calendar, #71, after floor debate June 25, 2009.
-Promote leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States
-Create a non-profit corporation charged with promoting entry policies and the U.S. as a travel destination

S.1382: Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act (Introduced June 25, 2009 by Sen. Christopher Dodd, CT, sent to Committee on Foreign Relations)
-Requires an in depth assessment of the Peace Corps program, cataloging strengths, weaknesses, and areas of much needed improvement.
-Authorizes the Peace Corps for appropriations of $450 million in 2010, $575 million in 2011, and $700 million in 2012.
-This is a supplement to the Appropriations bill currently in committee.