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[DOCID: f:h3855ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3855

   To establish a program administered by the Department of State to 
promote visits to the United States by youths from regions of conflict 
     for training in peaceful cooperation and mutual understanding.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2002

Mr. Udall of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred 
              to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish a program administered by the Department of State to 
promote visits to the United States by youths from regions of conflict 
     for training in peaceful cooperation and mutual understanding.

    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 ``Young Peacebuilders Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
            (1) International peace and stability are increasingly 
        threatened by a growing number of conflicts across and within 
        national boundaries around the globe.
            (2) Such conflicts, caused or fueled by ethnic and 
        religious divisions, have fostered terrorism in the Middle 
        East, the Balkans, South Asia, and other parts of the world, 
        plaguing whole generations and depriving humanity's greatest 
        resource, our youth, of a better future.
            (3) The battle against terrorism should include actions to 
        address both the symptoms of terror and the terrorists 
        themselves, as well as some of the causes that feed cycles of 
        violence, prejudices, fears, and hatreds.
            (4) Breaking these cycles of violence requires an 
        investment in new generations of young people, whose formative 
        years can be influenced and attitudes changed through daily 
        working partnerships.
            (5) Engaging in activities together and learning the skills 
        of conflict resolution, communication, and leadership can help 
        young people envision the possibilities of peaceful 
        coexistence.
            (6) United States based training programs to teach these 
        skills are helping equip the next generation with the tools for 
        effective peacemaking.
            (7) It is in the national interest of the United States to 
        promote increased participation in such programs.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to promote 
international cooperation and increased mutual understanding through a 
United States-based training program for youth from regions of conflict 
to help such young people learn the skills of peacemaking in the 
diverse and supportive environment of the United States, so that they 
can return to their homelands better able to contribute to building 
grassroots support for long-term peaceful coexistence.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM TO PROMOTE VISITS TO THE UNITED STATES 
              BY YOUTH FROM REGIONS OF CONFLICT FOR TRAINING IN 
              PEACEFUL COOPERATION AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) Subject to the availability of appropriations and under 
        the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange 
        Act of 1961, the Secretary of State shall establish a program 
        to provide, through grant, contract, or otherwise, for visits 
        in the United States of not more than 90 days by youth from 
        regions of conflict for training in peaceful cooperation and 
        mutual understanding.
            (2) The program established under this section shall be 
        known as the ``Young Peacebuilders Program''.
            (3) In developing the program, the Secretary shall review 
        and evaluate any similar existing programs, including those 
        conducted by nongovernmental entities, and shall incorporate 
        any aspects of such existing programs that the Secretary 
        determines would be advantageous as part of the program 
        established under this section.
            (4) The program shall provide an opportunity for 
        participants to interact with Americans of a similar age in 
        order to promote mutual understanding.
    (b) Eligibility.--An individual shall be eligible for participation 
in the program established under subsection (a) if the individual--
            (1) is a citizen or national of a country in the Middle 
        East, South or Central Asia, the Balkans, or such other country 
        as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney 
        General, determines is appropriate; and
            (2) is not more than 30 years of age;
            (3) has a basic English proficiency; and
            (4) meets such other criteria as the Secretary determines 
        are appropriate in carrying out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    The Secretary of State shall report annually to the Congress 
concerning the program established under this Act. In addition to such 
other information as the Secretary considers appropriate, each report 
shall include the following information for the preceding year:
            (1) The number of participants.
            (2) The countries and regions represented by the 
        participants.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each fiscal 
year to carry out this Act.
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