 On May 10, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), along with a bipartisan coalition of Senators, introduced S. 2505, legislation that seeks to promote the national security of the United States through international educational and cultural exchange programs between the U.S. and the Islamic world. Entitled "Cultural Bridges Act of 2002," the proposed legislation has been referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for consideration.
S. 2505 would authorize $75 million above current funding levels in fiscal years 2003 through 2007 to expand the activities of the State Department's existing educational and cultural programs in the Islamic world. In addition, S. 2505 would authorize $20 million in fiscal years 2003 through 2007 for the State Department to establish a new high school student exchange program to enable competitively selected students from the Islamic world to study in the U.S
S. 2505 states that the term "Islamic world" includes the areas consisting of the West Bank and Gaza. Therefore, Palestinian students at secondary schools in the West Bank and Gaza would be eligible for the exchange program under S. 2505.
According to cosponsor Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), the Bush Administration has reviewed S. 2505 and supports its passage, pending the allocation of necessary resources.
RESPONSE:
NAAA-ADC, the government affairs affiliate of the ADC, strongly supports Senate passage of the Cultural Bridges Act of 2002 (S. 2502).
ACTION REQUESTED:
NAAA-ADC strongly supports proposed legislation to expand educational exchanges between the United States and the Islamic world and urges all ADC members and friends to actively support S. 2505, the Cultural Bridges Act of 2002. Please call, write or email your Senators and ask them to support S. 2505. If your Senators have already cosponsored the legislation, thank them and ask them to urge: (1) Senator Joseph Biden (D-Delaware), who is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to consider S. 2505, and (2) Senator Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota), who is the Senate Majority Leader, to schedule Senate floor time for S. 2505.
To contact your Senators, point your browser to: http://capwiz.com/adc/issues/alert/?alertid=231501&type=CO
TALKING POINTS
* By reaching out to youth from the Muslim world, passage of S. 2505 would be one of the most effective ways to promote American values and interests abroad. Secretary of State Powell said in August 2001, "I can think of no more valuable asset to our country than the friendship of future world leaders who have been educated here."
* S. 2505 demonstrates America's commitment to connect with the nearly 1.5 billion people who live in the Islamic world. The timing of the proposed legislation is especially critical in today's world. S. 2505 represents positive U.S. engagement with the youth of the Islamic world who represent more than 65 percent of its population.
* Educating international students in the American educational tradition is an important way to impart cross-cultural understanding and create goodwill for the U.S. throughout the world.
* S. 2505 would include youth from the West Bank and Gaza. This is an especially critical time for the United States to demonstrate its commitment to reaching out to Palestinian youth in the Occupied Territories.
COSPONSORS:
The following Senators are cosponsors to the Cultural Bridges Act of 2002 (S. 2505):
Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)
Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island)
Senator Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi)
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut)
Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois)
Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin)
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska)
Senator Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont)
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana)
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)
Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana)
Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon)
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NAAA-ADC is the government affairs affiliate of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
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