On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. At a news briefing , WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that over the previous 2 weeks, the number of cases outside China increased 13-fold and the number of countries with cases increased threefold. 

Federal authorization for the Foreign Language Assistance Program to support K–12 language programs is terminated.

Federal funding for Title VI higher Education programs for language and international education is cut by 40 percent.

The president’s National Security Language Initiative is announced as a means to increase the number of advanced-level speakers of foreign languages in the United States, with an emphasis on critical need languages. These programs are managed by the Departments of Defense, Education, State, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The Center for Advanced Study of Language  is established at the University of Maryland, with Richard Brecht as executive director.

The Language Flagship program is established as part of the National Security Education Program to fund critical language programs at universities in the United States and overseas for the development of advanced language ability.

The national need for expertise in Arabic and other languages critical for national security is underscored by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The National Security Education Act is passed. The National Security Education Program and Boren Fellowships are created to support students in the advanced study of critical languages and the National Security Education Program (NSEP) started operation.

The first national Language Resource Centers are established under Title VI in response to the growing national need for expertise in foreign languages. These centers develop language curricula, conduct research into language instruction and learning, and provide teacher development training.

Eastern European and central Asian nations gain their independence from the Soviet Union. The fall of the Iron Curtain creates the need for fourteen new languages to be taught to American foreign service officers.