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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§2452a Exchange Program with Countries in Transition From Totalitarianism to Democracy

Title 22 › CHAPTER 33 — MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM › § 2452a

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President may, under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, fund exchange programs with countries moving from totalitarian rule to democracy, including Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The money can pay for studies, research, teaching, and related activities for Americans abroad and for citizens of those countries working with U.S. private businesses, trade groups, unions, chambers of commerce, and government agencies. The program also can pay for visits and exchanges between the United States and those countries. The Department of State must coordinate the program. The President may move money from travel accounts of other U.S. departments and agencies (except the Department of State) into the State Department’s account, but only with approval from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The President may also accept gifts or cost-sharing to help run the program.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §2452a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authorization of activities; grants or contracts for exchanges with foreign countries
Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.] and using the authorities contained therein, the President is authorized, when the President considers that it would strengthen international cooperative relations, to provide, by grant, contract, or otherwise, for exchanges with countries that are in transition from totalitarianism to democracy, which include, but are not limited to Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania—
(1)by financing studies, research, instruction, and related activities—
(A)of or for American citizens and nationals in foreign countries; and
(B)of or for citizens and nationals of foreign countries in American private businesses, trade associations, unions, chambers of commerce, and local, State, and Federal Government agencies, located in or outside the United States; and
(2)by financing visits and interchanges between the United States and countries in transition from totalitarianism to democracy.
The program under this section shall be coordinated by the Department of State.
(b)Transfer of funds
The President is authorized to transfer to the appropriate appropriations account of the Department of State such sums as the President shall determine to be necessary out of the travel accounts of the departments and agencies of the United States, except for the Department of State, as the President shall designate. Such transfers shall be subject to the approval of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. In addition, the President is authorized to accept such gifts or cost-sharing arrangements as may be proffered to sustain the program under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 87–256, Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 527, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2451 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, and not as part of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1335(c)(1), substituted “Department of State” for “United States Information Agency” before period at end. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1335(c)(2), in first sentence, substituted “appropriate appropriations account of the Department of State” for “appropriations account of the United States Information Agency” and struck out “and the United States Information Agency” before “, as the President”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective Oct. 1, 1999, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6531 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 2452a

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110