Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Package with $448 Million for Peace Corps
By Jonathan Pearson
In a strong bipartisan vote on Thursday, July 20th, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) spending package for international affairs programs that includes $448 million for the Peace Corps — a four percent, $18 million increase over current funding for the agency.
This vote is in sharp contrast to the recommendation of the House Appropriations Committee, which, just last week, approved its version of the State/Foreign Operations (SFOPS) spending package, which included a $20 million (4.6 percent) decrease in funding for the Peace Corps.
The full House and Senate will next have to consider and vote on their largely different SFOPS bills, and then will have to come together to work out the differences.
Read more about the Senate SFOPS bill that was passed on July 20.
NPCA Response
“National Peace Corps Association congratulates SFOPS Subcommittee Chairman Chris Coons (D-DE) and Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for their tremendous leadership and show of support for the Peace Corps,” said NPCA President and CEO Dan Baker. “We also congratulate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) for this strong, bipartisan recognition of the importance of the Peace Corps and other international affairs programs.
“As we realize Congress still has many steps ahead to finish work on FY 2024 spending bills, we appreciate Senate appropriators for taking this important step in recognizing that the Peace Corps is steadily moving back to pre-pandemic strength, and is a critical component of our national service and foreign policy agenda. It is also important to recognize that in order to fully reach its potential, the Peace Corps needs an even stronger investment to return to more than 7,000 volunteers, and expand service opportunities in additional countries and regions.”
Take Action
With this recent action, our community has a real opportunity over the coming months to secure a funding increase for the Peace Corps for a second consecutive year. But with sharp divides over federal spending, this won’t be easy. That's why your ongoing advocacy is so important.
- If you have a Senator who serves on the Appropriations Committee, please write or call them with this message: "Thank you for supporting and advancing a recommendation of $448 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2024."
- Make plans to meet with your Senators or Representative during our August/September district office meeting initiative. Learn more here, and then fill out this form so we can add your plans to our tracking map.
- Alternatively, sign up to submit an op-ed or letter-to-the-editor supporting the Peace Corps.
