To enhance the global competitiveness of the United States by increasing the participation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and other underrepresented minorities in the international service, including private international voluntary organizations, the foreign commercial service, and the foreign service of the United States.

September 23, 2003

Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. OWENS, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. ANDREWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To enhance the global competitiveness of the United States by increasing the participation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and other underrepresented minorities in the international service, including private international voluntary organizations, the foreign commercial service, and the foreign service of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Ralph J. Bunche Scholarship Act'.

(b) REFERENCES- Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).

SEC. 2. MINORITY FOREIGN SERVICE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

(a) INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC POLICY- Section 621(a) (20 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is amended by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: `The Institute shall conduct a program to enhance the global competitiveness of the United States by increasing the participation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and other underrepresented minorities in the international service, including private international voluntary organizations, the foreign commercial service, and the foreign service of the United States.'.

(b) MATCH REQUIREMENT- Section 621(e) is amended by striking `one-half' and inserting `one-third'.

SEC. 3. RALPH J. BUNCHE SCHOLARSHIPS.

Part B of title VI is amended by inserting after section 623 (20 U.S.C. 1131a) the following new section:

`SEC. 623A. RALPH J. BUNCHE SCHOLARSHIPS.

`(a) IN GENERAL- In order to assure the participation and academic success of qualified low-income, minority, and other underrepresented students, the Institute is authorized to provide scholarships to students who demonstrate special interest in international affairs and language study, demonstrate exceptional academic ability, and show promise of continued academic excellence and ability.

`(b) AUTHORITY- The Institute may provide to eligible Institute fellows a scholarship, during each of the latter two years of undergraduate study toward the baccalaureate degree, in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each academic year during which the student is enrolled as a full-time student.

`(c) RALPH J. BUNCHE SCHOLARS- Institute fellows who receive scholarship assistance awarded for the purpose of undergraduate study under this section shall be known as `Ralph J. Bunche Scholars'. An undergraduate student who receives a Bunche Scholarship shall maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with section 484 (c), during each period of academic study for which scholarship assistance is received.

`(d) LIMITATION- Each student may receive a Bunche Scholarship up to $5,000, except that in no case shall the total amount of financial aid awarded to such student exceed such student's total cost of attendance.'.

SEC. 4. ADVANCED DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND RELATED ACADEMIC AREAS.

Section 624 (20 U.S.C. 1131b) is amended to read as follows:

`SEC. 624. ADVANCED DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND RELATED ACADEMIC AREAS.

`The Institute shall provide, in cooperation with the other members participating in the eligible recipient consortium, a program of study leading to an advanced degree in international relations, international affairs, international economics, or other academic areas related to the Institute fellow's career objectives. The advanced degree study, designed by the Institute and consistent with the fellow's career objectives, shall be reviewed and approved by the Secretary. The Institute may grant fellowships in an amount not to exceed the level of support comparable to that provided by the National Science Foundation research graduate fellowships, except such amount shall be adjusted so as not to exceed the fellow's demonstrated level of need as determined by the institution of higher education where the fellow is enrolled. A fellowship recipient shall agree to undertake full-time study and to enter the international service (including work with international voluntary organizations) or the foreign service of the United States.'.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

Section 626 (20 U.S.C. 1131d) is amended by striking `annually' and inserting `biennially'.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION; INDIRECT COST LIMITATION.

Section 628 (20 U.S.C. 1131f) is amended to read as follows:

`SEC. 628. AUTHORIZATION; INDIRECT COST LIMITATION.

`(a) AUTHORIZATION- There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2005 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years to carry out this part.

`(b) INDIRECT COST LIMITATION- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the indirect cost associated with the administration of the Institute program authorized under this part shall not exceed 18 percent.'.

END