FEDERALcongressional record

Proposed Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program

Original title: Text of Senate Amendment 6158

June 24, 2026

education foreign policy higher education study abroad federal grants national security

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The Frame

What this does

If enacted, this amendment would authorize federal funding for competitive grants to colleges to increase study abroad participation, aiming to reach one million students annually by 2036.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Institutions of higher education

Colleges and universities may apply for competitive federal grants to expand their study abroad programs.

Undergraduate students

Students may gain increased access to study abroad opportunities through expanded institutional programs.

Secretary of State

The Secretary is tasked with renaming the IDEAS program, administering competitive grants, and providing annual briefings to Congress.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 24, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Background

Mr. Durbin is a U.S. Senator representing Illinois. context
S. 4784 is the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. context

Summary

This amendment proposes the creation of the 'Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program' to increase the number of U.S. college students studying abroad to one million annually within ten years. The program would provide competitive grants to colleges and universities to expand access, improve program quality, and diversify student participation.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to receive these grants?

Institutions of higher education, either individually or as part of a , are eligible to apply for competitive grants.

What is the goal of the program?

The primary goal is to increase the number of U.S. undergraduate students studying abroad to at least 1,000,000 annually within 10 years.

Does this amendment guarantee funding?

No, the program is subject to the availability of appropriations.

Why It Matters

If enacted, this amendment would authorize federal funding for competitive grants to colleges to increase study abroad participation, aiming to reach one million students annually by 2036.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Related Legislation

congressional_record

Senate Scheduling Update for S. 4784

The Senate has agreed to delay the vote on a cloture motion for S. 4784 until after the confirmation vote for the Schwartz nomination. This procedural

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Focus on Pandemic Recovery

The amendment explicitly references the 91 percent drop in study abroad participation during the 2020-2021 academic year as a justification for the new program.

Lincoln Commission

Connected Entities

organizationCommittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives“Recipient of annual program briefings.”Map →

organizationLincoln Commission“Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program.”Map →

organizationSecretary of State“Responsible for administering the proposed program.”Map →

personMr. Durbin“Senator who submitted the amendment.”Map →

organizationCommittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate“Recipient of annual program briefings.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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