INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS.

SEC. 2401. INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out international information activities and educational and cultural exchange programs under the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Reorganization Plan Number 2 of 1977, the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994, the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act, the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act, the Board for International Broadcasting Act, the North/South Center Act of 1991, and the National Endowment for Democracy Act, and to carry out other authorities in law consistent with such purposes: (1) International information programs.—For “International Information Programs”, $427,097,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $455,246,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (2) Technology fund.—For the “Technology Fund” for the United States Information Agency, $5,050,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $5,050,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (3) Educational and cultural exchange programs.— (A) Fulbright academic exchange programs.— (i) Fulbright academic exchange programs.—There are authorized to be appropriated for the “Fulbright Academic Exchange Programs” (other than programs described in subparagraph (B)), $99,236,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $100,000,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (ii) Vietnam fulbright academic exchange programs.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under clause (i), $5,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $5,000,000 for the fiscal year 1999 are authorized to be available for the Vietnam scholarship program established by section 229 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (Public Law 102–138). (B) Other educational and cultural exchange programs.— (i) In general.—There are authorized to be appropriated for other educational and cultural exchange programs authorized by law, $100,764,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $102,500,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (ii) South pacific exchanges.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under clause (i), $500,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $500,000 for the fiscal year 1999 are authorized to be available for “South Pacific Exchanges”. (iii) East timorese scholarships.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under clause (i), $500,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $500,000 for the fiscal year 1999 are authorized to be available for “East Timorese Scholarships”. (iv) Tibetan exchanges.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under clause (i), $500,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $500,000 for the fiscal year 1999 are authorized to be available for “Educational and Cultural Exchanges with Tibet” under section 236 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236). (4) International broadcasting activities.— (A) Authorization of appropriations.—For “International Broadcasting Activities”, $340,315,000 for the fiscal year 1998, and $340,365,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (B) Allocation.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (A), the Director of the United States Information Agency and the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall seek to ensure that the amounts made available for broadcasting to nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression do not decline in proportion to the amounts made available for broadcasting to other nations. (5) Radio construction.—For “Radio Construction”, $40,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998, and $13,245,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (6) Radio free asia.—For “Radio Free Asia”, $24,100,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $22,000,000 for the fiscal year 1999, and an additional $8,000,000 in fiscal year 1998 for one-time capital costs. (7) Broadcasting to cuba.—For “Broadcasting to Cuba”, $22,095,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $22,095,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (8) Center for cultural and technical interchange between east and west.—For the “Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange between East and West”, not more than $12,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and not more than $12,500,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (9) National endowment for democracy.—For the “National Endowment for Democracy”, $30,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $31,000,000 for the fiscal year 1999. (10) Center for cultural and technical interchange between north and south.—For “Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange between North and South” not more than $1,500,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and not more than $1,750,000 for the fiscal year 1999.