National Security Education Act of 1991

The brainchild of U.S. Senator David Boren of Oklahoma, federal legislation that created the National Security Education Board, the National Security Education Program, and a trust fund in the U.S. Treasury to provide resources for scholarships, fellowships, and grants.

In December 1991, President George H.W. Bush signed the National Security Education Act, which has a three-part mission. The act leads in developing the national capacity to educate U.S. citizens to: (1) understand foreign cultures, (2) strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness, and (3) enhance international cooperation and security.

The National Security Education Board is composed of 13 members, 7 of whom are senior federal officials, and 6 of whom are senior nonfederal officials appointed by the president of the United States. The board provides program policies and direction, as well as determining the criteria for the awards and recommending critical areas that the program should address. Supporting the board is a broadly-based group of advisers composed of distinguished Americans in the field of higher education—people who have international expertise.

The overall objectives of the National Security Education Program include equipping Americans with an understanding of less commonly taught languages and cultures that will enable the nation to remain integrally involved in global issues related to U.S. national security. The act also aims to build a critical base of future leaders, both in government service and in higher education, who have cultivated international relationships with, worked with, and studied alongside experts of other countries.

Another objective of the National Security Education program is to develop a cadre of professionals who have more than the traditional knowledge of language and culture and can use this ability to help the United States make sound decisions about and deal effectively with global issues related to U.S. national security. Finally, the legislation aims to enhance institutional capacity and increase the number of faculty who can educate U.S. citizens toward achieving these goals.

Scholarships, fellowships, and grants are made to both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in educational institutions. They can include domestic as well as international components of language and training in regions deemed critical to the United States. One unique condition of the awards for this program is the requirement that within five years of earning their degrees, recipients must serve in the federal government, working in the general area of national security.