IMPROVEMENTS TO NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM.

SEC. 1078. IMPROVEMENTS TO NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) Temporary Requirement Relating to Employment.— Title VII of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1996 (Public Law 104–61; 109 Stat. 650), is amended in the paragraph under the heading “National Security Education Trust Fund” by striking out the proviso. (b) General Program Requirements.— (1) Subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(1) of section 802 of the David L. Boren National Security Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1902) is amended to read as follows: “(A) awarding scholarships to undergraduate students who— “(i) are United States citizens in order to enable such students to study, for at least one academic semester or equivalent term, in foreign countries that are critical countries (as determined under section 803(d)(4)(A)) in those languages and study areas where deficiencies exist (as identified in the assessments undertaken pursuant to section 806(d)); and “(ii) pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(A), enter into an agreement to work in a national security position or work in the field of higher education in the area of study for which the scholarship was awarded;”; and (2) Subparagraph (B) of that subsection is amended— (A) in clause (i), by inserting “relating to the national security interests of the United States” after “international fields”; and (B) in clause (ii)— (i) by striking out “subsection (b)(2)” and inserting in lieu thereof “subsection (b)(2)(B)”; and 110 STAT. 2665 (ii) by striking out “work for an agency or office of the Federal Government or in” and inserting in lieu thereof “work in a national security position or work in”. (c) Service Agreement.— (1) Subsection (b) of that section is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking out “, or of scholarships” and all that follows through “12 months or more,” and inserting in lieu thereof “or any scholarship”. (2) Paragraph (2) of that subsection is amended to read as follows: “(2) will— “(A) not later than eight years after such recipient’s completion of the study for which scholarship assistance was provided under the program, and in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary— “(i) work in a national security position for a period specified by the Secretary, which period shall be no longer than the period for which scholarship assistance was provided; or “(ii) if the recipient demonstrates to the Secretary (in accordance with such regulations) that no national security position is available, work in the field of higher education in a discipline relating to the foreign country, foreign language, area study, or international field of study for which the scholarship was awarded, for a period specified by the Secretary, which period shall be determined in accordance with clause (i); or “(B) upon completion of such recipient’s education under the program, and in accordance with such regulations— “(i) work in a national security position for a period specified by the Secretary, which period shall be not less than one and not more than three times the period for which the fellowship assistance was provided; or “(ii) if the recipient demonstrates to the Secretary (in accordance with such regulations) that no national security position is available upon the completion of the degree, work in the field of higher education in a discipline relating to the foreign country, foreign language, area study, or international field of study for which the fellowship was awarded, for a period specified by the Secretary, which period shall be established in accordance with clause (i); and”. (d) Evaluation of Progress in Language Skills.— Such section is further amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c): “(c) Evaluation of Progress in Language Skills.— The Secretary shall, through the National Security Education Program office, administer a test of the foreign language skills of each recipient of a scholarship or fellowship under this title before the commencement of the study or education for which the scholarship or fellowship is awarded and after the completion of such study or education. The purpose of these tests is to evaluate the progress made by recipients of scholarships and fellowships in developing foreign language skills as a result of assistance under this title.”. 110 STAT. 2666 (e) Functions of the National Security Education Board.— Section 803(d) of that Act (50 U.S.C. 1903(d)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting “, including an order of priority in such awards that favors individuals expressing an interest in national security issues or pursuing a career in a national security position” before the period; (2) in paragraph (4)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking out “Make recommendations” and inserting in lieu thereof “After taking into account the annual analyses of trends in language, international, and area studies under section 806(b)(1), make recommendations”; (B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting “and countries which are of importance to the national security interests of the United States” after “are studying”; and (C) in subparagraph (B), by inserting “relating to the national security interests of the United States” after “section 802(a)(1)(B)”; (3) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (8); and (4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraphs: “(5) Encourage applications for fellowships under this title from graduate students having an educational background in any academic discipline, particularly in the areas of science or technology. “(6) Provide the Secretary biennially with a list of scholarship recipients and fellowship recipients, including an assessment of their foreign area and language skills, who are available to work in a national security position. “(7) Not later than 30 days after a scholarship or fellowship recipient completes the study or education for which assistance was provided under the program, provide the Secretary with a report fully describing the foreign area and language skills obtained by the recipient as a result of the assistance.”. (f) National Security Position Defined.— (1) Section 808 of that Act (50 U.S.C. 1908) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(4) The term ‘national security position’ means a position— “(A) having national security responsibilities in a agency or office of the Federal Government that has national security responsibilities, as determined under section 802(g); and “(B) in which the individual in such position makes their foreign language skills available to such agency or office.”. (2) Section 802 of that Act (50 U.S.C. 1902), as amended by subsection (d)(1) of this section, is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(g) Determination of Agencies and Offices of the Federal Government Having National Security Responsibilities.— (1) The Secretary, in consultation with the Board, shall annually determine and develop a list identifying each agency or office of the Federal Government having national security responsibilities at which a recipient of a fellowship or scholarship under this title will be able to make the recipient’s foreign area and language skills available to such agency or office. The Secretary shall submit the first such list to the Congress and include each subsequent 110 STAT. 2667list in the annual report to the Congress, as required by section 806(b)(6). “(2) Notwithstanding section 804, funds may not be made available from the Fund to carry out this title for fiscal year 1997 until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits to the Congress the first such list required by paragraph (1)”. (3) Section 806(b) of that Act (50 U.S.C. 1906(b)) is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (5), redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7), and inserting after paragraph (5) the following new paragraph (6): “(6) the current list of agencies and offices of the Federal Government required to be developed by section 802(g); and”. (g) Report on Program.— (1) Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report assessing the improvements to the program established under the David L. Boren National Security Education Act of 1991 (50 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) that result from the amendments made by this section. (2) The report shall include an assessment of the contribution of the program, as so improved, in meeting the national security objectives of the United States.