March 3, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 42 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Pages H1450-H1452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MALALA YOUSAFZAI SCHOLARSHIP ACT

  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4508) to expand the number of scholarships available to 
Pakistani women under the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4508

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Malala Yousafzai Scholarship 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In late 2008, Malala Yousafzai began making the case 
     for access to education for women and girls despite 
     objections from the Pakistani Taliban. On October 9, 2012, 
     Malala was shot in the head by Pakistani Taliban on her way 
     home from school.
       (2) In 2013, Malala Yousafzai and her father Ziauddin 
     Yousafzai co-founded the Malala Fund. The Malala Fund works 
     to secure twelve years of free, safe, and quality education 
     for all girls. Completion of a full twelve-year cycle of 
     primary and secondary education ensures a pipeline of girls 
     able to pursue higher education.
       (3) On July 12, 2013, Malala delivered a speech before the 
     United Nations General Assembly calling for expanded access 
     to education for women and girls across the globe. She said, 
     ``[L]et us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, 
     poverty, and terrorism. Let us pick up our books and our 
     pens. They are the most powerful weapons . . . Education is 
     the only solution.''.
       (4) On October 10, 2014, Malala Yousafzai became the co-
     recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her ``struggle against 
     the suppression of children and young people and for the 
     right of all children to education''.
       (5) According to the United Nations 2016 Global Education 
     Monitoring Report, more than 130 million girls worldwide are 
     out of school. 15 million girls of primary-school age will 
     never enter a classroom. As of 2016, at least 500 million 
     adult women across the globe are illiterate.
       (6) According to the World Bank, ``Girls' education is a 
     strategic development priority. Better educated women tend to 
     be healthier, participate more in the formal labor market, 
     earn higher incomes, . . . marry at a later age, and enable 
     better health care and education for their children, should 
     they choose to become mothers. All these factors combined can 
     help lift households, communities, and nations out of 
     poverty.''.
       (7) In 2015, all United Nations Member States, including 
     the United States, adopted quality education, including 
     access to higher education, and gender equality as 
     sustainable development goals to be attained by 2030. One of 
     the education goal targets is to ``ensure equal access for 
     all women and men to affordable and quality technical, 
     vocational and tertiary education, including university''.
       (8) In January 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham 
     Clinton stated, ``We will open the doors of education to all 
     citizens, but especially to girls and women . . . We are 
     doing all of these things because we have seen that when 
     women and girls have the tools to stay healthy and the 
     opportunity to contribute to their families'' well-being, 
     they flourish and so do the people around them.
       (9) In February 2019, the White House launched the Women's 
     Global Development and Prosperity Initiative to advance 
     women's economic empowerment across the globe and reach more 
     than 100,000 women.
       (10) The World Economic Forum ranks Pakistan the second 
     lowest among all countries in the world evaluated for gender 
     equality. On educational attainment for women, Pakistan is 
     ranked the tenth lowest.
       (11) In Pakistan, the rate of higher education enrollment 
     beyond high school for girls and women is just 9 percent as 
     reported by the World Bank. The global rate is 40 percent. 
     Less than 6 percent of women 25 and older in Pakistan attain 
     a bachelor's degree or equivalent as of 2016.
       (12) Factors such as poverty, early marriage, disability, 
     ethnicity, and religion can contribute to the lack of 
     educational opportunities for women in marginalized 
     communities.
       (13) According to the World Bank, ``Higher education 
     benefits both individuals and society. Economic returns for 
     college graduates are the highest in the entire educational 
     system--an average 17 percent increase in earnings per year 
     of schooling as compared with 10 percent for primary 
     school.''.
       (14) The United States provides critical foreign assistance 
     to Pakistan's education sector to improve access to and the 
     quality of basic and higher education. Since 2010, the United 
     States Agency for International Development (referred to in 
     this Act as ``USAID'') has awarded more than 6,000 
     scholarships for young women to receive higher education in 
     Pakistan.
       (15) The Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program 
     administered by USAID awards scholarships to academically 
     talented, financially needy Pakistani students from all 
     regions, including female students from rural areas of the 
     country, to pursue bachelor's or master's degrees at 
     participating Pakistani universities.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       (a) In General.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) every individual should have the opportunity to pursue 
     a full cycle of primary, secondary, and higher education;
       (2) every individual, regardless of gender, socio-economic 
     status, ethnicity, or religion should have the opportunity to 
     pursue an education without fear of discrimination;
       (3) educational exchanges promote institutional linkages 
     between the United States and Pakistan; and
       (4) recipients of scholarships referred to in section 4 
     should commit to improving their local communities.
       (b) Continued Support for Educational Initiatives in 
     Pakistan.--Congress encourages the Department of State and 
     USAID to continue their support for initiatives led by the 
     Government of Pakistan and civil society that promote 
     education in Pakistan, especially education for women, in 
     accordance with USAID's 2018 Education Policy.

     SEC. 4. MERIT AND NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The USAID Administrator shall award at 
     least 50 percent of the number of scholarships under the 
     Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program (referred to in 
     this Act as the ``Program'') to women for each of the 
     calendar years 2020 through 2022.
       (b) Limitations.--
       (1) Criteria.--The scholarships available under subsection 
     (a) may only be awarded in accordance with other scholarship 
     eligibility criteria already established by USAID.
       (2) Academic disciplines.--Scholarships authorized under 
     subsection (a) shall be awarded for a range of disciplines to 
     improve the employability of graduates and to meet the needs 
     of the scholarship recipients.
       (3) Other scholarships.--The USAID Administrator shall make 
     every effort to award 50 percent of the scholarships 
     available under the Program to Pakistani women.
       (c) Leveraging Investment.--The USAID Administrator shall, 
     to the greatest extent practicable, consult with and leverage 
     investments by the Pakistani private sector

[[Page H1451]]

     and Pakistani diaspora communities in the United States as 
     part of USAID's greater effort to improve the quality of, 
     expand access to, and ensure sustainability of education 
     programs in Pakistan.

     SEC. 5. ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING.

       (a) In General.--The USAID Administrator shall designate 
     appropriate USAID officials to brief the appropriate 
     congressional committees, not later than 1 year after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 
     the next 3 years, on the implementation of section 4.
       (b) Contents.--The briefing described in subsection (a) 
     shall include, among other relevant information, for the most 
     recently concluded fiscal year--
       (1) the total number of scholarships that were awarded 
     through the Program, including a breakdown by gender;
       (2) the disciplines of study chosen by the scholarship 
     recipients;
       (3) the percentage of the scholarships that were awarded to 
     students seeking a bachelor's degree or a master's degree, 
     respectively;
       (4) the percentage of scholarship recipients who 
     voluntarily dropped out of school or were involuntarily 
     pushed out of the program for failure to meet program 
     requirements; and
       (5) the percentage of scholarship recipients who dropped 
     out of school due to retaliation for seeking an education, to 
     the extent that such information is available.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Rhode Island.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4508.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Rhode Island?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, when we break down the barriers holding women back, they 
lift up entire communities. Top economists back this up. The World Bank 
says that financing girls' education has the highest return on 
investment in the developing world. We know that the impact isn't just 
economic. When girls have access to education, they can inspire 
millions, empower their communities, and change the world.
  Look at Malala Yousafzai. Malala bravely put her education to use by 
blogging about the brutality of Taliban rule in her hometown and 
advocating for girls' rights to education.
  The Pakistani Taliban tried to silence her with a violent attack on 
her life. She survived, and she didn't back down. Malala's continued 
commitment to advancing women's rights and expanding access to 
education has resonated with millions of people and spurred action 
around the world.
  When we look at Malala, we see an inspiring source of strength, of 
dedication, and of bravery. We also see what women are capable of when 
they have the opportunity to go to school and use their voices. So, I 
am pleased that we are moving forward this bill named in Malala's honor 
that will strengthen the United States' investments in educational 
opportunities for Pakistani girls.
  The Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act will require that at least 50 
percent of USAID's Merit and Needs-Based Scholarships in Pakistan are 
awarded to women.
  I want to thank my colleague and friend from New York (Mr. Jeffries) 
for introducing this excellent measure. I am proud to support it, and I 
urge all my colleagues to join me in doing so.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill which reauthorizes 
a USAID Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship program named after Malala 
Yousafzai.
  Malala is a Pakistani activist who began making the case for access 
to education for women and girls in 2008 despite objections from the 
Pakistani Taliban.
  In October 2012, she was shot in the head by the Taliban in an 
assassination attempt in retaliation for her activism. Malala, just 15 
years old at the time, miraculously survived and continues to fight for 
access to education for every child.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Congressman Jeffries and Congresswoman 
Wagner, for introducing this bill and for their work on this issue.
  Specifically, this bill authorizes for 3 years a USAID Merit and 
Needs-Based Scholarship program to academically talented, financially 
needy Pakistani students to pursue a bachelor's or master's degree at 
participating Pakistani universities. At least half of the number of 
scholarships shall go to women, and the administrator shall make every 
effort to award at least half of the scholarships under the program to 
go to Pakistani women.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to, again, really speak to the importance of 
this resolution, because we have examples all over the world of where, 
when women are empowered, it lifts up an entire community; and that 
when women have a voice, they not only contribute to their own 
empowerment, their own development, and their own success, but have an 
enormous, positive impact on their local communities in the regions in 
which they live.
  It has often been said that one of the best investments we can make 
is in education, and I think Malala's story is an example of the 
transformative power of education, not only in terms of economic 
security, but in terms of building democracy and civil society.
  So this legislation will ensure that we intentionally and 
purposefully invest in young women and girls because of not only the 
impact it will have on their own lives but what it will mean to the 
communities they are a part of.
  I want to really applaud the chief sponsor of this, my friend and 
colleague, Hakeem Jeffries, the chair of the Democratic Caucus, who has 
really made this a priority in his work.
  During discussions in the Foreign Affairs Committee there was 
bipartisan recognition of the significant investment in women and 
girls; that that had to be a priority, and that it would be a tool to 
advancing economic success, to advancing educational success, and to 
really help build a civil society. These are very often regions which, 
for a very long time, women and girls were excluded from those 
opportunities.
  So this resolution will be really transformative and will really help 
to ensure that Pakistan can serve as a model for what happens when you 
actually invest in women and girls and the difference it can make in 
the societies in that country that will be an example, I think, to the 
rest of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the words of my colleague. I would add to that 
just a few thoughts. My mother grew up on a farm in Dingle, Idaho. Her 
high school class had eight people in it, and she traveled to New York 
City to get a master's degree from New York University.

  I am so pleased for the women in my life and in our community who 
have led the way, but acknowledge, Mr. Speaker, that so many people 
around the world don't have that same opportunity. For that, I applaud 
my colleagues for the work on this bill and for promoting this very 
important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very 
distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), who is the author 
of this very important piece of legislation, the Democratic Caucus 
chair, and my friend.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the distinguished 
gentleman from Rhode Island, for yielding and for his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4508, a bill to expand the 
pipeline of women and girls in Pakistan entering higher education.
  At home and abroad, women and girls face barriers to obtaining 
education, hindering their ability to fill their potential. Barriers 
include the cost of education, inadequate infrastructure, violence, 
cultural norms, and gender discrimination. As a result, today at least 
500 million women and girls across the globe struggle with literacy.
  In Pakistan, the hurdles that women and girls face when seeking 
education

[[Page H1452]]

are especially pronounced. In late 2008, Malala, whose name this bill 
is in honor of, began making the case for education for women and girls 
in Pakistan. Despite objections from the Taliban, she continued to 
advocate this cause at great personal risk.
  On October 9, 2012, Malala was on the way home when the Taliban 
ambushed her bus and shot her in the head. Remarkably, she survived. 
Instead of stopping her efforts, she continued to speak out, to stand 
up, and to step out, becoming a world-renowned figure in the fight for 
education.
  As she said before the United Nations General Assembly: ``So, let us 
wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism, 
let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful 
weapons. . . . Education is the only solution.''
  In October 2014, Malala became a corecipient of the Nobel Peace Prize 
for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people 
and for the right of all children to education.
  To this day Malala continues her work in this area.
  Still, despite all the progress that has been made, only 32 percent 
of primary school-age girls are in school in Pakistan. After primary 
and secondary school, the rate of higher education enrollment for girls 
drops down to just 9 percent. Less than 6 percent of women 25 and older 
attain a bachelor's degree or equivalent in Pakistan.
  The U.S. Agency For International Development's Merit and Needs-Based 
Scholarship program currently funds full tuition and stipends for 
financially strained Pakistani youth to complete a bachelor's or 
master's degree at partner universities across Pakistan. This 
legislation would ensure that at least half of those scholarship 
recipients go to Pakistani women. Empowering girls with access to 
education is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to 
do for Pakistan and for the global community.
  I want to thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee for their leadership. I also want to thank 
Congresswoman Ann Wagner for her tremendous leadership and for her 
partnership on this legislation to support every girl's right to an 
education.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I again want to thank my 
colleagues for their hard work to expand the number of scholarships 
available to Pakistani women under USAID's Merit and Needs-Based 
Scholarship Program.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I want to acknowledge the extraordinary work of 
USAID and their focus on education and how critical that is to the 
development of communities all across the world and, importantly, that 
we fully fund USAID's efforts, and also to recognize that this focus on 
education is a focus that continues to pay dividends.
  I particularly want to acknowledge the leadership of Chairman 
Jeffries in recognizing the particular responsibility that we have to 
invest in women and girls and what a transformative difference that 
makes in countries. Pakistan will be able to show the world the 
difference that it makes when you give women and girls an opportunity 
to realize their full potential. This act will ensure that at least 
half of those scholarships go to girls. It is a very important piece of 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4508, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________