# 119-s-4541: Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2026

119-s-4541, Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-25).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4541
- As of: 2026-07-25
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4541
- Congress: 119
- Title: Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-14
- Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-25

## Summary

**Expand access to study abroad for U.S. undergraduates.** This bill would rename the IDEAS Program the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program and create a competitive grant program to boost diversity, world-language learning, and study abroad to nontraditional destinations. - Students: Would set a 10-year objective of 1 million U.S. undergraduates studying abroad annually and prioritize low-income students, students of color, first-generation and community college students, and students with disabilities. - Institutions: Would award competitive grants to colleges or consortia that commit to expanding access and measuring progress, with priority for minority-serving institutions and schools eligible for the Strengthening Institutions Program. Grantees must follow health, safety, and security guidance and submit annual reports to the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees. - Destinations and languages: Would encourage a shift toward nontraditional and developing-country destinations and support study of world languages, including critical, indigenous, and American Sign Language. The program requires implementing Lincoln Commission recommendations and directing funds to reduce direct student costs.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] (R-MS), 2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More study-abroad help for students: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would rename and expand the IDEAS Program as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program. The State Department would run competitive grants to colleges or consortia to expand undergraduate study abroad. Grants would be used to support direct student costs like program fees, tra…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2296: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-4784: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
- 119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-4541 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4541)

## Related
- [119-s-2296: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2296)
- [119-s-4784: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4784)
- [119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3597)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4504)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4541 (as of 2026-07-25).