Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is introducing legislation to help provide Americans more opportunities to volunteer overseas and engage people around the globe. The Global Service Fellowship Program Act provides more Americans with the opportunity to volunteer overseas and strengthen our existing international education and exchange system. Feingold’s legislation reduces financial barriers by awarding fellowships that can be applied towards programmatic costs including airfare, housing, or program costs. By providing financial assistance, the Global Service Fellowship program opens the door for every American to be a participant – not just those with the resources to pay for it. Feingold’s bill also allows potential volunteers flexibility in the amount of time they serve.

“Greater investment in volunteer opportunities can help significantly in improving the image of the U.S. overseas,” said Feingold, a fourteen-year member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “People-to-people engagement is one of the United States’ most effective public diplomacy tools and, today more than ever, we need to be investing in every opportunity to improve the perception of the U.S. overseas.”

The Global Service Fellowship Program integrates members of Congress by calling on them to nominate volunteer applicants to the Department of State for consideration. Through this process, members of Congress will see firsthand the benefit international volunteering brings to their communities and the nation.

Studies have shown that, in areas where U.S. citizens have volunteered their time, money, and services, opinions of the United States have improved. For example, a 2006 report found that in Indonesia, following the devastating tsunami in 2005, American aid to tsunami victims continues to be the single biggest factor resulting in favorable opinion towards the United States. Feingold’s bill is already supported by a bipartisan group of Senators and is completely offset, so it will not increase the deficit.