Discussion · House of Representatives
Lois Frankel Democrat
“I want to vote against this amendment. The Fulbright Program is a smart investment. It brings top students from around the world here and sends American students abroad. It creates world leaders who support American values, and other countries help pay for it.”
“Mr. Chair, the Fulbright Program is one of the most well-established and prestigious exchange programs in the world. Each year, the best and the brightest globally compete for spots to study in the United States or have American students experience and do research overseas. The proof is in the results. Fulbright alumni include--listen to this--44 heads of state, 63 Nobel Prize winners, 94 Pulitzer Prize winners, 83 MacArthur Fellows, and numerous national leaders. Each of these individuals and 450,000 more have had a life-changing experience being exposed to United States culture and values, affecting their impressions of our country for the rest of their lives. This is a smart investment. May I say, as my mother once said, this is penny-wise and pound-foolish. This is not just our investment. Mr. Chair, 89 foreign governments also contribute to sending their students to the United States with more than $90 million annually. Mr. Chair, this amendment is shortsighted, with all due respect. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Mr. Chair, the Fulbright Program is one of the most well-established and prestigious exchange programs in the world. Each year, the best and the brightest globally compete for spots to study in the United States or have American students experience and do research overseas. The proof is in the results. Fulbright alumni include--listen to this--44 heads of state, 63 Nobel Prize winners, 94 Pulitzer Prize winners, 83 MacArthur Fellows, and numerous national leaders. Each of these individuals and 450,000 more have had a life-changing experience being exposed to United States culture and values, affecting their impressions of our country for the rest of their lives. This is a smart investment. May I say, as my mother once said, this is penny-wise and pound-foolish. This is not just our investment. Mr. Chair, 89 foreign governments also contribute to sending their students to the United States with more than $90 million annually. Mr. Chair, this amendment is shortsighted, with all due respect. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.