On February 12, congressionally appropriated funds for study abroad and international exchange programs at the Department of State were frozen by the Trump administration, affecting time-honored U.S. programs including Fulbright, Gilman, IDEAS and Critical Language Scholarship programs and severely impacting EducationUSA, a global network that promotes U.S. higher education around the world.

On March 11, the administration also terminated the staff that oversees Title VI and Fulbright-Hays international education programs at the Department of Education.

Though the funding freeze has started to thaw, future funding uncertainty and staffing cuts threaten the survival of federal international education programs that are essential to U.S. national security and the global competency of American students.

Urge Congress to preserve and fund these proven programs—for which Congress has passed laws directing the administration to implement. Please take the additional step of customizing this message with specific examples of how these programs have a positive impact on your communities and how the loss of them would damage U.S. economic strength, national security, and global influence.

Thank you for taking action at a pivotal moment in the history of international education and exchange programs. Please share this call to action widely across your networks, including students and alumni!