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From https://www.languagemagazine.com/2019/07/30/house-boosts-language-funding-in-defense-bill/

House Boosts Language Funding in Defense Bill
July 30, 2019

Last month, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to include the World Language Advancement and Readiness Act (WLARA) as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2020. However, the NDAA was passed in the House without a single Republican vote, marking the first time in history that the annual defense spending bill has not received bipartisan support. Hopefully, the amendment will be added to the Senate version of the bill during committee reconciliation this summer.

...The WLARA seeks to expand language learning at the elementary and secondary levels. The amendment would create a grant program to increase and improve world language education in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools and in local education agencies (LEAs), which would have to provide matching funds unless they could not afford them. At least 75% of funds are earmarked for elementary schools and the same percentage for languages deemed critical to national security.

...Representative David Price (D-North Carolina), who introduced the amendment, commented, “The U.S. is lagging behind other nations in language proficiency, which threatens our ability to succeed in global military and diplomatic missions.”
Representative Don Young (R-Alaska), an early supporter and original sponsor of WLARA in the House, added, “The World Language Advancement and Readiness Act helps America keep pace with other developed nations by providing the language education our students need to secure good jobs, achieve success in global marketplaces, and successfully navigate multilingual business environments.

Read the full article at https://www.languagemagazine.com/2019/07/30/house-boosts-language-funding-in-defense-bill/