S. HRG. 106–878 EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND THE NATIONAL INTEREST HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SEPTEMBER 14, 2000 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 69–748 CC WASHINGTON : 2001 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS JESSE HELMS, North Carolina, Chairman RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware CHUCK HAGEL, Nebraska PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut ROD GRAMS, Minnesota JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri BARBARA BOXER, California BILL FRIST, Tennessee ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, Rhode Island STEPHEN E. BIEGUN, Staff Director EDWIN K. HALL, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS ROD GRAMS, Minnesota, Chairman JESSE HELMS, North Carolina BARBARA BOXER, California SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts BILL FRIST, Tennessee RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin (II) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 CONTENTS Page Bader, Hon. William B., Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC .................................. 2 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 5 Responses to additional questions submitted for the record ........................ 8 Byrne, Carol Engebretson, Executive Director, Minnesota International Cen- ter, Minneapolis, MN ........................................................................................... 33 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 36 Denton, James S., Executive Director, Freedom House, Washington, DC ......... 19 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 24 Johnson, Marlene M., Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange, Washington, DC ................................................................................................... 27 Prepared statement and additional material submitted for the record ....... 45 Mueller, Sherry L., Executive Director, National Council for International Visitors, Washington, DC .................................................................................... 31 (III) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND THE NATIONAL INTEREST WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2000 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS, COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:07 a.m. in room SD–419, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Rod Grams pre- siding. Present: Senators Grams and Sarbanes. Senator GRAMS. Good morning. I would like to bring this hearing to order. Thank you all very much for being here this morning. I am looking forward to the testimony of our witnesses and also, of course, to your answers. Good morning, Assistant Secretary Bader. I want to thank you all, and all of our witnesses, as I mentioned, on the second panel for attending this hearing on Exchange Programs and the National Interest. I hope that you are going to forgive me if I extend a spe- cial welcome to my fellow Minnesotans this morning, that is Carol Byrne and Marlene Johnson, who will be testifying before this com- mittee as well this morning. So welcome. It is an appropriate time to evaluate how exchanges are working, now that a year has passed since the U.S. Information Agency [USIA] was consolidated into the State Department. Moreover, a full decade after the end of the cold war, I think it is an appro- priate time to assess how closely exchanges are tied to U.S. na- tional interest and foreign policy goals. I supported the reorganization of our foreign policy bureaucracy in order to provide a more coherent framework to advance the na- tional interest and to ensure respect for American leadership abroad. National prestige is reinforced and enhanced when we op- erate with a coherent, concise, and understandable foreign policy, and I am convinced that by being under State Department control ultimately the role of exchanges has the potential to be enhanced by having exchanges regarded as part of a comprehensive package of tools to respond to foreign policy challenges. Now, that being said, concerns remain. Exchanges tend to be un- dervalued by the executive branch. I had to fight to modify Presi- dent Clinton’s reorganization plan so the exchange functions were not combined with information activities into a single bureau, and it is unclear whether there is adequate support for exchanges with- in the State Department to ensure the exchange budgets will not be reduced when pitted against other priorities. (1) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 2 We know that international exchange and training programs serve to complement and strengthen traditional diplomacy. These programs are inexpensive, cost effective, and a way to assist in building democratic institutions and promoting American values throughout the world. So if everyone agrees that these benefits exist, why then is sup- port for exchanges in question? Well, I will be blunt: because in the world of politics there is always pressure to sacrifice programs, like exchanges, which yield long-term benefits for activities that will reap only short-term gains. Let me also say this: Exchanges I believe do make a difference. I’m convinced that a major reason why Minnesota is so outward looking and so engaged in the international arena is because of the active participation in national exchanges of so many of our univer- sities and private voluntary organizations. The best way to combat harmful isolationist sentiments is to directly involve thousands of American citizens each year in exchange programs at the grass- roots level, and the best way to promote democracy and freedom abroad is to use our Nation’s greatest asset, and that is our people, to advance our goals. I want to underscore that point. Exchanges are not just for in- creasing understanding. They are first and foremost for promoting America’s national interest. Now, if we are going to do that effec- tively, I think we need to take a critical look at the programs cur- rently being funded and look for creative ways to improve their performance. I have enjoyed working with Sherry Mueller of the National Council for International Visitors [NCIV] and Carol Byrne of the Minnesota International Center to find a way that the Sister Cities Program could be enhanced through a partnership with the Na- tional Visitors Program. I will introduce a proposal to fund the Grassroots Exchange and Training Program in the next State De- partment authorization bill. So once again, I just wanted to take time this morning to thank you for agreeing to testify today. I look forward to exploring ways to strengthen and enhance our international exchange programs. So again, welcome to all our guests. Dr. Bader, I would like to give you the floor for your opening statement. STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM B. BADER, ASSISTANT SEC- RETARY, BUREAU FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AF- FAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, DC Dr. BADER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the sub- committee, and thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for that very powerful and important statement. The role of this committee, and you, in ensuring that the consolidation worked as far as the ex- change program, was essential. I am very pleased to accept the committee’s invitation to participate in today’s hearing on the over- sight of the educational and cultural exchange programs. Just on a personal note, I must say I am very pleased and de- lighted to be back here at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a place I spent many years, and feel very good about that and that time. I am also extremely pleased that today’s hearing has such wonderful and distinguished representatives of the private vol- VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:08 Feb 07, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 69748 SFRELA2 PsN: SFRELA2 3 untary organizations. They are in my view, and I know it is widely shared, the very heart of what we are in exchange programs, and certainly they are the voice. Slightly less than 2 years ago, Mr. Chairman, it was my great honor to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the President’s nominee to serve as Associate Director of the Bu- reau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. On that occasion I ex- pressed my deep belief in the importance of exchanges based on prior experience in the government and the private sector, and in- deed based on my own experience as a Fulbrighter. The past 22 months