WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that several projects for Iowa were included in the Foreign Operations spending bill that was passed out of the Appropriations Committee today.
The bill contains “soft earmarks” for several projects at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. A soft earmark means that a dollar level for the project is not specified, but the project will be given priority consideration when an application for the funds is made.
“These are important programs that help develop mutual understanding between the United States and countries around the world,” Grassley said. “Our Universities are leading the way to giving us greater insight into other cultures.”
The bill will now move for consideration by the full Senate. It will then be reconciled with the bill from the House of Representatives. Grassley said he will continue to work with Senate appropriators throughout the process to see that funding for these projects are included in the final version of the bill. The appropriations process begins each spring and is typically completed at the end of each congressional session.
Here are the Iowa projects that received soft earmarks.
IowaState University, program to reduce poverty – The program would focus on working with key leaders in Mexico to explore how rural poverty drives illegal immigration of Mexicans into the United States. The program would also address immigration and border security concerns through a university-based, bi-national approach for long-term institutional change.
University of Iowa, the Center of Digital Communications in Development and Education –The University of Iowa's WiderNet Project has developed the eGranery Digital library, a collection of millions of digital educational documents, and delivered it to dozens of schools and clinics in developing countries. This program has already developed and delivered the eGranary Digital Library to dozens of schools and clinics in Africa, Bangladesh and the Caribbean.
Universityof Iowa, International Writing Program – The program provides direct interaction between people in the United States with people in countries around the world. In the coming year, the International Writing Program will expand its focus on writers from Islamic and Arab countries.
Universityof Iowa, Multiple Education Exchange Proposal for East Timor – The project would foster an ongoing educational program with East Timor. It would support a demonstration school, train core members of the educational community, bring small groups to the United States for training (including training to train others).
Universityof Iowa, Educational Exchanges with Universities in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia – The program would promote pedagogical, research and cultural exchanges with institutions of higher education in countries that have substantial Muslim populations or large Islamic influences on their cultures.
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