CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

DemocratAmendment · S.Amdt. 6158· Senate(119-SAMDT-6158)

S.Amdt. 6158

Rep. Durbin
Age: 82 years
Illinois
Introduced
6/24/2026
Sponsored by
Richard Durbin
Cosponsors
None
Changes bill
119-S-4784 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
  1. Introduced
  2. Pending Consideration

What this amendment would do

SA 6158, submitted by Mr. Durbin, aims to add a new section to bill S. 4784 to establish the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program. This amendment proposes renaming the IDEAS Program (or any successor program) and enhancing it to increase the number of United States students studying abroad.

The purpose of this amendment is to:

  • Increase Access: Ensure more students, particularly those receiving Federal financial aid, can participate in quality study abroad opportunities.
  • Promote Diversity: Ensure participation reflects all types of students and institutions of higher education.
  • Expand Destinations: Increase study abroad opportunities in more destinations, specifically those recommended by the Lincoln Commission.
  • Encourage Commitment: Drive United States institutions of higher education to commit more to expanding these opportunities.

To achieve these goals, the amendment authorizes the Secretary of State to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education or consortia. These grants are intended to support direct student costs and help reach a goal of at least 1,000,000 undergraduate students studying abroad annually within 10 years.