National Foreign Language Coordination Act of 2005 - Establishes the National Foreign Language Coordination Council to develop and implement a national foreign language strategy. Includes heads of certain federal agencies as members of the Council.
Establishes a National Language Director, to be appointed by the President, to: (1) chair the Council; (2) develop and oversee implementation of the strategy; (3) establish formal relationships among major stakeholders, including federal, state, and local government agencies, academia, industry, labor, and heritage communities; and (4) coordinate and lead a public information campaign.
Requires the Council to consult with states to provide for designation of state contact persons. Encourages formation of state interagency councils, or designation of state lead agencies, to coordinate with the Council and state and local agencies.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1089 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1089
To establish the National Foreign Language Coordination Council to
develop and implement a foreign language strategy, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 19, 2005
Mr. Akaka (for himself, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Dodd) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the National Foreign Language Coordination Council to
develop and implement a foreign language strategy, and for other
purposes.
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 ``National Foreign Language
Coordination Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) there is a severe shortage of qualified language
professionals, including teachers, translators, and
interpreters, especially in less commonly taught languages,
across the United States;
(2) Federal, State, and local governments need individuals
with bilingual and bicultural capabilities, including--
(A) diplomats;
(B) defense and intelligence analysts;
(C) military personnel;
(D) foreign language instructors;
(E) health professionals;
(F) medical and social services providers;
(G) court interpreters;
(H) translators; and
(I) law enforcement officers;
(3) deficiencies in the national language capabilities
have--
(A) undermined cross-cultural communication and
understanding at home and abroad;
(B) restrained social mobility;
(C) lessened national commercial competitiveness;
(D) limited the effectiveness of public diplomacy;
(E) restricted justice and government services to
sectors of society; and
(F) threatened national security;
(4) ample resources are not available to develop language
and cultural capabilities in all of the world's languages,
requiring prioritization of such resources; and
(5) a National Foreign Language Coordination Council and a
National Language Director can help to raise public awareness
and provide top-down coordination and direction.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE COORDINATION
COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the National Foreign
Language Coordination Council (referred to as the ``Council'' in this
Act), which shall be an independent establishment as defined under
section 104 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Membership.--The Council shall consist of the following members
or their designees:
(1) The National Language Director, who shall serve as the
chairperson of the Council.
(2) The Secretary of Education.
(3) The Secretary of Defense.
(4) The Secretary of State.
(5) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
(6) The Attorney General.
(7) The Director of National Intelligence.
(8) The Secretary of Labor.
(9) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
(10) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(11) The Secretary of Commerce.
(12) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(13) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(14) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(15) The Secretary of Agriculture.
(16) The heads of such other Federal agencies as the
Council considers appropriate.
(c) Responsibilities.--
(1) In general.--The Council shall be charged with--
(A) developing a national foreign language strategy
within 18 months of the date of enactment of this Act;
and
(B) overseeing the implementation of such strategy.
(2) Strategy content.--The strategy developed under
paragraph (1) shall include--
(A) identification of crucial priorities across all
sectors;
(B) identification and evaluation of Federal
foreign language programs and activities, including--
(i) recommendations on coordination;
(ii) program enhancements; and
(iii) allocation of resources so as to
maximize use of resources;
(C) needed national policies and corresponding
legislative and regulatory actions in support of, and
allocation of designated resources to, promising
programs and initiatives at all levels (Federal, State,
and local), especially in the less commonly taught
languages that are seen as critical for national
security and global competitiveness in the next 20 to
50 years;
(D) effective ways to increase public awareness of
the need for foreign language skills and career paths
in all sectors that can employ those skills, with the
objective of increasing support for foreign language
study among--
(i) Federal, State, and local leaders;
(ii) students;
(iii) parents;
(iv) elementary, secondary, and
postsecondary educational institutions; and
(v) potential employers;
(E) incentives for related educational programs,
including foreign language teacher training;
(F) coordination of cross-sector efforts, including
public-private partnerships;
(G) coordination initiatives to develop a strategic
posture for language research and recommendations for
funding for applied foreign language research into
issues of national concern;
(H) assistance for--
(i) the development of foreign language
achievement standards; and
(ii) corresponding assessments for the
elementary, secondary, and postsecondary
education levels, including the National
Assessment of Educational Progress in foreign
languages;
(I) development of--
(i) language skill-level certification
standards;
(ii) an ideal course of pre-service and
professional development study for those who
teach foreign language;
(iii) suggested graduation criteria for
foreign language studies and appropriate non-
language studies, such as--
(I) international business;
(II) national security;
(III) public administration; and
(IV) health care; and
(J) identification of and means for replicating
best practices at all levels and in all sectors,
including best practices from the international
community.
(d) Meetings.--The Council may hold such meetings, and sit and act
at such times and places, as the Council considers appropriate, but
shall meet in formal session at least 2 times a year. State and local
government agencies and other organizations (such as academic sector
institutions, foreign language-related interest groups, business
associations, industry, and heritage community organizations) shall be
invited, as appropriate, to public meetings of the Council at least
once a year.
(e) Staff.--
(1) In general.--The Director may appoint and fix the
compensation of such additional personnel as the Director
considers necessary to carry out the duties of the Council.
(2) Details from other agencies.--Upon request of the
Council, the head of any Federal agency may detail, on a
reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such agency to the
Council.
(3) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the
Council, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(f) Powers.--
(1) Delegation.--Any member or employee of the Council may,
if authorized by the Council, take any action that the Council
is authorized to take in this Act.
(2) Information.--The Council may secure directly from any
Federal agency such information the Council considers necessary
to carry out its responsibilities. Upon request of the
Director, the head of such agency shall furnish such
information to the Council.
(3) Donations.--The Council may accept, use, and dispose of
gifts or donations of services or property.
(4) Mail.--The Council may use the United States mail in
the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal
agencies.
(g) Conferences, Newsletter, and Website.--In carrying out this
Act, the Council--
(1) may arrange Federal, regional, State, and local
conferences for the purpose of developing and coordinating
effective programs and activities to improve foreign language
education;
(2) may publish a newsletter concerning Federal, State, and
local programs that are effectively meeting the foreign
language needs of the nation; and
(3) shall create and maintain a website containing
information on the Council and its activities, best practices
on language education, and other relevant information.
(h) Reports.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Council shall prepare and
transmit to the President and Congress a report that describes the
activities of the Council and the efforts of the Council to improve
foreign language education and training and impediments, including any
statutory and regulatory restrictions, to the use of each such program.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL LANGUAGE DIRECTOR.
(a) In General.--There is established a National Language Director
who shall be appointed by the President. The National Language Director
shall be a nationally recognized individual with credentials and
abilities across all of the sectors to be involved with creating and
implementing long-term solutions to achieving national foreign language
and cultural competency.
(b) Responsibilities.--The National Language Director shall--
(1) develop and oversee the implementation of a national
foreign language strategy across all sectors;
(2) establish formal relationships among the major
stakeholders in meeting the needs of the Nation for improved
capabilities in foreign languages and cultural understanding,
including Federal, State, and local government agencies,
academia, industry, labor, and heritage communities; and
(3) coordinate and lead a public information campaign that
raises awareness of public and private sector careers requiring
foreign language skills and cultural understanding, with the
objective of increasing interest in and support for the study
of foreign languages among national leaders, the business
community, local officials, parents, and individuals.
(c) Compensation.--The National Language Director shall be paid at
a rate of pay payable for a position at level V of the Executive
Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. ENCOURAGEMENT OF STATE INVOLVEMENT.
(a) State Contact Persons.--The Council shall consult with each
State to provide for the designation by each State of an individual to
serve as a State contact person for the purpose of receiving and
disseminating information and communications received from the Council.
(b) State Interagency Councils and Lead Agencies.--Each State is
encouraged to establish a State interagency council on foreign language
coordination or designate a lead agency for the State for the purpose
of assuming primary responsibility for coordinating and interacting
with the Council and State and local government agencies as necessary.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary to
carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5543-5544)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5544-5545)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8207-8210)
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