HR 9603
Less Bureaucracy, Better International Education Oversight Act
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Bill overview
This bill, the Less Bureaucracy, Better International Education Oversight Act, proposes to transfer all programs and functions currently managed by the Department of Education related to international and foreign language education, including Fulbright-Hays fellowships, to the Department of State. It also repeals a specific part of the Higher Education Act. The bill aims to streamline international education oversight by consolidating these responsibilities under a single federal agency, with oversight from the Office of Management and Budget to ensure no net increase in personnel and to address any necessary function determinations.
Key provisions
- Transfers international education programs (including Title VI and Fulbright-Hays) from the Department of Education to the Department of State.
- Repeals Part C of Title VI of the Higher Education Act.
- Authorizes the Secretary of State to exercise existing authorities previously held by the Secretary of Education.
- Requires the Office of Management and Budget to ensure no net increase in federal employees due to the transfer.
- Establishes procedures for determining transferred functions and making incidental dispositions of assets and personnel.
- Directs references in existing laws to be interpreted as referring to the Department of State.
- Preserves existing legal documents, orders, and proceedings related to transferred functions.
- Authorizes the Secretary of State to utilize Department of Education resources for a transitional period.
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 9603
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To ensure the Department of State will manage all international education and foreign language studies programs under Title VI of the Higher Education Act, as well as all Fulbright-Hays fellowships and scholarships, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Less Bureaucracy, Better International Education Oversight Act
.
Part C of title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) is repealed.
Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary of State may, for purposes of performing the function, exercise all authorities under any other provision of law that were available with respect to the performance of that function to the Secretary of Education immediately before the effective date of the transfer of the function under this Act.
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed, used, held, arising from, available to, or to be made available in connection with the functions transferred under this Act, subject to section 1531 of title 31, United States Code, shall be transferred to the Secretary of State. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purposes for which the funds were originally authorized and appropriated.
On the effective date of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall certify compliance with this Act, including the requirement under subsection (a), to the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
Except as otherwise expressly prohibited by law or otherwise provided in this Act, the Secretary of State may delegate any of the functions so transferred to such officers and employees of the Department of State as the Secretary may designate, and may authorize successive redelegations of such functions as may be necessary or appropriate. No delegation of functions under this section or under any other provision of this Act shall relieve the Secretary of State of responsibility for the administration of the function.
With regard to functions transferred under section 2, a reference in any other Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of or relating to—
the Secretary of Education shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary of State; and
the Department of Education shall be deemed to refer to the Department of State.
All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements, certificates, licenses, and privileges—
that have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective by the President, any Federal agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the performance of any function that is transferred by this Act, and
that are in effect on the effective date of such transfer (or become effective after such date pursuant to their terms as in effect on such effective date),
shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by the President, the Secretary of State, any other authorized official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or operation of law.
This Act shall not affect any proceedings or any application for any benefits, service, license, permit, certificate, or financial assistance pending on the effective date of this Act before the Department of Education (with respect to functions transferred by this Act). Such proceedings and applications shall continue, orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this Act had not been enacted, and orders issued in any such proceeding shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding could have been discontinued or modified if this Act had not been enacted.
Except as provided in subsection (e)—
this Act shall not affect suits commenced before the effective date of this Act; and
in all such suits, proceeding shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered in the same manner and with the same effect as if this Act had not been enacted.
No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or against the Department of Education (with respect to the functions transferred by this Act), or by or against any individual in the official capacity of such individual as an officer or employee of the Department of Education (with regard to functions transferred by this Act), shall abate by reason of the enactment of this Act.
Except as otherwise provided by this Act, any statutory requirements relating to notice, hearings, action upon the record, or administrative or judicial review that apply to any function transferred by this Act shall apply to the exercise of such function by the Secretary of State, and other officers of the agency, to which such function is transferred by this Act.
Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State is authorized to use, for such period of time as may reasonably be needed to facilitate the orderly implementation of this Act—
the services of officers, employees, and other personnel of the Department of Education with regard to functions transferred under this Act;
assets of the Department of Education with regard to such functions; and
funds appropriated to such functions.
For purposes of this Act, the term function includes any duty, obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege, activity, or program; and