All former living directors of the Peace Corps have joined together to send a ringing message to President Biden: Now is the time. Build Peace Corps back better than before — and over the next five years, put 10,000 Volunteers in the field.

Below is the full text of the letter.  Download a PDF of the letter here.

April 26, 2021

President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
 

Dear President Biden,

We write to you today as a bipartisan, unified group of former directors of the Peace Corps to express our full support for a revitalized Peace Corps, one that advances our nation’s critical foreign policy goal of world peace through international cooperation and service. We believe that now is the right time for the Peace Corps to build back better than it ever was before.

We therefore call on you and your administration to commit to raising the number of Peace Corps Volunteers in the field to a sustained level of 15,000 over the next decade, beginning by increasing the agency’s annual budget to $600 million by FY 2025. This funding level would support our five-year goal of 10,000 volunteers, consistent with bipartisan reauthorization legislation currently advancing in both chambers of Congress. Your support for this long overdue goal would galvanize the American peoples’ spirit of service and international engagement that the Peace Corps represents. Previous presidents, both Democrats and Republicans, have endorsed doubling the size of the Peace Corps. Now is the time to fulfill that promise.

As you are aware, more than 240,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps over the past 60 years, cumulatively serving in 142 countries and providing well over three billion hours of service to our nation and the world. Yet due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there are currently no Peace Corps Volunteers serving abroad today. Such a situation does untold damage to our strong community-based worldwide presence and the United States’ image abroad. We must send our volunteers back to the field as soon as possible, and we believe you will have strong backing to do so. There is overwhelming support from all host countries for the return of volunteers. They see the history of volunteers joining in public health campaigns to eradicate smallpox, polio, and measles as evidence that the Peace Corps can play a vital role in confronting today’s pandemic as well as the long-lasting consequences of COVID-19 in our partner nations.

There is overwhelming support from all host countries for the return of volunteers. They see the history of volunteers joining in public health campaigns to eradicate smallpox, polio, and measles as evidence that the Peace Corps can play a vital role in confronting today’s pandemic as well as the long-lasting consequences of COVID-19 in our partner nations.

Throughout our decades of bipartisan leadership of the Peace Corps, we benefitted from deep bipartisan congressional support for the agency. We served both Republican and Democratic presidents and understood, as you do, that the Peace Corps is an American innovation, not a partisan one. When Americans volunteer abroad, they are not seen as Democrats or Republicans; they are seen as Americans.

That is why we are encouraged by renewed bipartisan leadership in Congress to maintain that bipartisan tradition for the Peace Corps. New legislation, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2021 (H.R. 1456), which has been introduced by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), will advance the policy goals we seek. We call on you to fully support this legislation, as well as the anticipated Senate companion legislation, so that it can be quickly sent to your desk for your signature into law.

This bill is visionary. It creates a clear blueprint for the agency’s future, one that we all share, to ramp up volunteer numbers to meet the tremendous challenges faced by our international partners while facilitating the American peoples’ reengagement with the world.

 

This bill is visionary. It creates a clear blueprint for the agency’s future, one that we all share, to ramp up volunteer numbers to meet the tremendous challenges faced by our international partners while facilitating the American peoples’ reengagement with the world. Critical reforms are included in the bill that reflect the longstanding requests of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community. These include enhancements to the provision of health care, with special attention to women’s health and safety; mental health care; readjustment allowance; volunteer security; whistleblower protections; and post-service hiring opportunities.

The bill’s provisions demonstrate that Congress is listening to the Peace Corps community, which provided significant input into the bill, ensuring a better experience for the volunteer, agency, and host country. Your support for the bill’s vision and policy prescriptions will show the Peace Corps community that you, too, understand their needs and support their hopes for a renewed Peace Corps.

In closing: Now is the time, under your leadership, to take a bold stroke to renew the original promise of the Peace Corps expressed in 1960 by President John F. Kennedy when he called upon young Americans to dedicate themselves to the cause of peace and friendship. We honor that vision and the vigorous support that all his successors have provided. We hope that in the days ahead, you, given your longstanding support for the Peace Corps, will join them in advocating for a reimagined, reshaped, and retooled Peace Corps for a changed world.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Craw (1973–74) 
Nixon Administration

Richard Celeste (1979–81) 
Carter Administration

Elaine Chao (1991–92) 
Bush Administration

Carol Bellamy (1993–95)
Clinton Administration

Mark Gearan (1995–99)
Clinton Administration

Mark Schneider (1999–2001)
Clinton Administration

Gaddi Vasquez (2002–06)
Bush Administration

Ronald Tschetter (2006–09)
Bush Administration

Aaron Williams (2009–12)
Obama Administration

Carrie Hessler-Radelet (2014–17)
Obama Administration

Josephine (Jody) Olsen (2018–21)
Trump Administration

Download a PDF of the letter from Peace Corps Directors to President Biden here.

In a bipartisan show of support, ten former Peace Corps Directors who have served under Republican and Democratic administrations alike call on the Senate to pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act. The most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in a generation, it would bring important reforms and support for Volunteers as the agency seeks to meet the needs of a changed world.

Press Release

Today, 10 former Peace Corps Directors who served in both Republican and Democratic administrations sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), calling on them to pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (S. 4466). 

These bipartisan former Peace Corps Directors specifically asked the Senate to move the legislation, co-authored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member James Risch (R-ID), either as an amendment to the pending National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA) or independently. 

The letter was also shared with key senators who have a decision-making role in this process. They are Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chair, Foreign Relations Committee; Senator James Risch (D-ID), Ranking Member, Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Chair, Armed Services Committee; Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member, Armed Services Committee; Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chair, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee; and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. 

The legislation has already unanimously passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Its House of Representatives companion legislation (H.R. 1456), authored by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), passed the full House on September 19 with a strong bipartisan vote of 290–115. The Senate legislation currently has 15 co-sponsors, including six Republicans, and if the legislation becomes law, it will be the first full reauthorization of the Peace Corps since 1999. 

The former Directors wrote this letter now, as amendments to be considered for the FY23 NDAA are currently being vetted, with floor votes likely to occur after the midterm elections.

This is the time for this critical legislation to become law, so that the Peace Corps can remain a strong force for U.S. global leadership and strengthen connections with the world. The former directors unanimously called on the Senate to meet the moment and pass this legislation during this Congress.

The legislation will provide multiple reforms and improvements to the Peace Corps, including: 

• Authorizing agency funding through 2027.
• Increasing readjustment allowance to $375 minimum/month.
• Suspending federal student loan interest during the duration of service.
• Extending transitory health care coverage for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to two months.
• Providing greater whistleblower protections.
• Codifying two years of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
• Strengthening DEIA efforts at the Peace Corps.
• Expanding Peace Corps eligibility to include U.S. citizens who are American Samoan.
• Increasing Peace Corps Volunteers’ level of workers compensation.
• Strengthening and extending the Peace Corps’ Sexual Assault Advisory Council.

Text of the Letter from Ten Former Peace Corps Directors to Senate Leadership

View a PDF of the letter here.

October 3, 2022

The Honorable Chuck Schumer (D-NY)             
Majority Leader                                                                      
United States Senate                                              
 

The Honorable Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Minority Leader
United States Senate
 

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell: 

We write to you as a bipartisan, unified group of former Peace Corps Directors to express our full support for the swift passage of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (S. 4466). We believe that now, with Volunteers returning to the field for the first time in two years, after being withdrawn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that the Peace Corps return with a renewed sense of purpose. That is what passage of this legislation will do. 

If passed, this would be the first full reauthorization of the agency since 1999. It has been more than two decades since full reauthorization. Multiple reforms included in this bill are long overdue and urgently needed — both to solidify this core instrument of American soft power, and to ensure that the agency has the tools to meet the needs of a changed world. 

Fortunately, this Congress is well positioned to pass this legislation and move it to President Biden’s desk for his signature. The companion version in the House, H.R. 1456, passed on September 19 in a strong bipartisan vote under suspension of the Rules. That bill was co-authored by Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), with the former being the sole Returned Peace Corps Volunteer currently serving in Congress. 

In the Senate, the bill is jointly authored by the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and James Risch (R-ID). It has already been unanimously passed out of committee on a voice vote and currently has six Republican and nine Democratic cosponsors. It is a well-crafted bill that reflects strong bipartisan input and ideas. 

It is this demonstration of strong bipartisan support that gives us hope that the bill can be passed this Congressional session. Doing so would be a testament to America’s enduring bipartisan commitment to those who serve abroad on behalf of our country. As you both know, the Peace Corps was founded in 1961 with a vision of promoting American values and expertise around the world — and to then bringing back home to our communities deeper global understanding through lessons learned by our Volunteers. 

More than 240,000 of our fellow citizens have answered the call to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers, advancing our nation’s security during turbulent times overseas. We therefore ask that you do all that you can to ensure that the Senate version of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act moves forward, either as part of an existing legislative vehicle, such as the National Defense Authorization Act, or independently. With this act’s passage, we can move one step closer to having the type of Peace Corps that the American people deserve and that will ensure we work together effectively with partner nations around the world. 

Sincerely, 

Carol Bellamy (1993–95) Clinton Administration 

Richard Celeste (1979–81) Carter Administration 

Nicholas Craw (1973–74) Nixon Administration 

Mark Gearan (1995–99) Clinton Administration 

Carrie Hessler-Radelet (2014–17) Obama Administration 

Josephine (Jody) Olsen (2018–21) Trump Administration 

Mark Schneider (1999–2001) Clinton Administration 

Ronald Tschetter (2006–09) George W. Bush Administration 

Gaddi Vasquez (2002–06) George W. Bush Administration 

Aaron Williams (2009–12) Obama Administration 

READ MORE

View a PDF of the the letter from former Peace Corps Directors to Senate Leadership.

Read a summary and analysis of the Senate and House legislation.

For more information, contact:

Joel Rubin, Vice President for Global Policy and Public Affairs

  or

Steven Boyd Saum, Director of Strategic Communications
 202-934-1532

news@peacecorpsconnect.org
www.PeaceCorpsConnect.org

Everyone get ready! It's high stakes time in Congress for the Peace Corps, as we're on the cusp of achieving the Peace Corps community's three major advocacy goals.

With only days before this session of Congress ends and a new House majority takes over in January, we have the chance to achieve dramatic wins for the Peace Corps that haven't been achieved in decades.

- First, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act is being considered by the Senate after having already passed the House. If this bill becomes law, it will be the first full reauthorization of the agency since 1999, ushering in significant reforms to how the agency operates while also creating a more robust benefits package for volunteers so that the agency's work will be modernized to meet the needs of 2023 and beyond.

- Second, Carol Spahn is on the cusp of being confirmed as the next Peace Corps Director, having been approved unanimously last week by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and now on the verge of being considered for full confirmation on the Senate floor.

- Third, the Peace Corps budget is set to have its first increase in seven years, from the flat $410.5 million it's received over the past six years to a long overdue bump up to $430.5 million.

Yet while we are close to success, we're not there yet. That's because success depends upon multiple factors falling into place over the next week to 10 days, as Congress will likely adjourn no later than Friday December 23rd. These factors include a big picture success dependent upon Congressional Leadership, specifically the pending Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill moving forward into law. If it does, the agency funding increase will likely happen and the authorization legislation may have a potential vehicle to carry it over the line into law. This also means that a Senator needs to offer Ms. Spahn's nomination on the floor so that it can be considered by the full Senate.

To achieve these successes requires close coordination between us at NPCA, our grassroots advocates like you, and key Members of Congress and their Staff. We are leaving no stone unturned, having received tremendous support from the community, including past Peace Corps Directors from both parties, to get us to this point. Because of your support, we're sprinting through the finish line, engaging Congressional Leadership, the White House, and the Peace Corps agency directly to make sure that they know how important these potential wins are to both our country, and to you, the Peace Corps community, that we are so honored to represent in Washington.

Please stay tuned as we provide more updates about the status of our advocacy efforts in the closing days of the 117th Congress. If we get this done, we'll all have a lot to celebrate this holiday season!

Joel Rubin

NPCA's Vice President for Global Policy and Public Affairs

RPCV Costa Rica (1994 - 1996)

Following on big news from the Senate, let’s ensure that Congress passes the most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in a generation.
 

By Jonathan Pearson

In these times when division and discord define politics across the nation, recent months tell a different story when it comes to support for the Peace Corps. Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate have come together to bring forth meaningful bipartisan legislation.

On June 23, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022 (S. 4466). Led by Chair Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member James Risch (R-ID), the bill had six bipartisan co-sponsors out of the gate.

Additional co-sponsors joined the bill in July and August, and at time of publication they include Ben Cardin (D-MD), Todd Young (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Susan Collins (R-ME). On July 19, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the bill on a voice vote. It now awaits being taken up by the full Senate. 

“This once-in-a-generation bill implements necessary reforms to make certain the Peace Corps has what is required to meet the needs of its Volunteers around the world.”
—Senator Robert Menendez, Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

“This once-in-a-generation bill implements necessary reforms to make certain the Peace Corps has what is required to meet the needs of its Volunteers around the world,” said Sen. Menendez in July. “From including necessary student loan reforms to affirming a path to federal government employment for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, this legislation also ensures that the agency better reflects the United States’ rich diversity and talent.”

As Sen. Risch noted in a release introducing the legislation, “The 2022 Peace Corps Reauthorization bill is a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over a decade and to provide necessary reforms to improve the safety and security of Volunteers as they re-enter the field. By reauthorizing the Sexual Assault Advisory Council, mandating security briefings, improving whistleblower protections, and adding a new authority to suspend Peace Corps Volunteers without pay in the event of misbehavior, the Peace Corps will be able to better support Volunteers at home and abroad.”

“The 2022 Peace Corps Reauthorization bill is a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over a decade and to provide necessary reforms to improve the safety and security of Volunteers as they re-enter the field. By reauthorizing the Sexual Assault Advisory Council, mandating security briefings, improving whistleblower protections, and adding a new authority to suspend Peace Corps Volunteers without pay in the event of misbehavior, the Peace Corps will be able to better support Volunteers at home and abroad.”
—Senator James Risch, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The bipartisan legislation also serves as the Senate companion to H.R. 1456, introduced in March 2021 by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA); it was approved overwhelmingly by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in September 2021. Senate and House leaders will be discussing and strategizing on how to best bring this legislation before their respective chambers for a vote.

About the Legislation 

The House and Senate bills contain a broad range of improvements and reforms for the agency; for current and returned Volunteers; and for the communities where they serve. Both bills further efforts to address the health, safety, security, and well-being of Volunteers. They bolster efforts to strengthen diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. And several long-sought improvements to support RPCVs and honor their service are included. While the bills have many similarities, there are significant differences which will eventually need to be reconciled. 

Key elements that both bills have in common

Non-Competitive Eligibility: Traditionally, returning Volunteers receive one year of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) for federal employment. Both the House and Senate bills increase this to two years of NCE. 

Paid Health Insurance: Returning Volunteers currently receive one month of paid health insurance. Both bills would extend that to two months. The Senate bill also ensures Volunteers receive adequate health exams in preparing for service; care during service, including access to mental health professionals; and a path to obtain insurance through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act after service.

Protecting Volunteers Against Reprisal or Retaliation: Whistleblower protections currently extend to staff. Both bills would provide Volunteers with protections against reprisal or retaliation.

Medical Education, Guidance, and Menstrual Hygiene: Both bills provide further medical staff education and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control on malaria prophylaxis. They also strengthen access and affordability for menstrual/hygiene products for Volunteers wherever they are serving.

Returning to Service after Evacuation: Both bills seek to ensure that future Volunteers facing evacuation are afforded expedited opportunities to return to service. 
Elements found in each bill — but with key differences

Peace Corps Funding: H.R. 1456 proposes increased funding for the Peace Corps in the coming years, while S. 4466 continues to propose flat funding of $410.5 million for each of the next five years. 

Disability Pay Rates for RPCVs: Both bills propose a long needed increase in the workers compensation rates for RPCVs who are disabled due to service related injuries or illness. The House bill recommends a compensation increase of roughly $1,000/month, while the Senate bill recommends a roughly $300/month increase.

Extend the Work of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council: Both bills extend the work of the congressionally mandated Sexual Assault Advisory Council, currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2023. The House bill extends the work through 2025; the Senate bill extends the work through 2027.
 

Provisions found only in House legislation

Respect for Peace Corps Volunteers Act: This long-sought House legislation would formally allow the use of the Peace Corps symbol at gravesites and in death notices. 

Virtual Service Programs: The House bill would formally authorize the agency’s current Virtual Service Pilot program.

Domestic Service During Emergencies: The House bill would codify circumstances allowing other federal agencies to seek use of Peace Corps Volunteers during domestic emergencies, such as the partnership with FEMA community vaccination centers in 2021 to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provisions found only in Senate legislation

Student Loan Relief: The Senate bill would provide certain student loan relief for RPCVs, including suspension of interest during service and public service credit for Volunteers as part of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program run by the Department of Education. 

Suspend Agency Employees Without Pay for Misconduct: In response to the tragic killing of Rabia Issa, a mother of three in Tanzania who was struck by a vehicle driven by a Peace Corps employee in 2018, the Senate legislation gives the agency the authority to suspend an employee without pay if they are engaged in serious misconduct which could lead to removal for cause. 

This Is the Moment

Advocacy efforts by members of the Peace Corps community, including those led by National Peace Corps Association, have been instrumental in making this legislation possible. In the months following the global evacuation of Volunteers in 2020 because of COVID-19, NPCA convened a series of town halls and a global ideas summit to consider how to reimagine, reshape, and retool the Peace Corps for a changed world.

The resulting community-driven report, “Peace Corps Connect to the Future,” contains scores of recommendations for the agency and executive branch, Congress, and the wider Peace Corps community. Those recommendations range from recruitment and selection to effective programming and placement; from the health and safety of serving Volunteers to the benefits and support for returned Volunteers. The recommendations have shaped new agency initiatives and policies, and they have shaped the House and Senate legislation. In concrete terms, more than 20 recommendations contained in the report would be advanced — directly or indirectly — if a final, strong version of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act is signed into law. 

On student loans, a group of returned Volunteers has been instrumental in providing expertise and advice to legislators and their staff. And whistleblower and workers comp issues have long had leadership among RPCVs.

Now is the time for us as a community to make our voices heard. If we do, then we can be confident that just as the Peace Corps is returning to the field, so too will there be a renewed, revitalized, and reshaped Peace Corps for the next generation of Volunteers. 

The past six months have seen the steady, growing, and responsible return of Volunteers to service in communities overseas. By October 2022, the agency projects Volunteers will be serving in 30 countries. By October 2023, Volunteers are expected to be back in most of the 60 pre-pandemic countries of service. 

The very best way we can say “thank you for your service” to the newest generation of Peace Corps Volunteers is to come together and make sure the strongest possible Peace Corps Reauthorization Act is signed into law this year. And there is reason to be hopeful, as there’s strong bipartisan backing in both chambers of Congress. 

However, with congressional elections looming, the window for final passage of the legislation is narrowing. Now is the time for us as a community to make our voices heard. If we do, then we can be confident that just as the Peace Corps is returning to the field, so too will there be a renewed, revitalized, and reshaped Peace Corps for the next generation of Volunteers. 

This story appears in the Spring-Summer 2022 print edition of WorldView magazine. 

Jonathan Pearson is director of advocacy for National Peace Corps Association.

Senators Robert Menendez, Jim Risch, and colleagues have introduced Senate Bill 4466, the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022. If passed, this legislation would reauthorize the Peace Corps agency for the first time in over 20 years. Here’s the June 23 release from the U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. Read about the bill, and then ask your senator to co-sponsor this crucial legislation.

WASHINGTON –  U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today were joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) in unveiling new legislation to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over two decades. Authorizing the appropriation of over $410,000,000 per year, the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022 (S. 4466) proposes to increase Volunteers’ health care coverage, statutorily raise Volunteers’ readjustment allowance, expedite return-to-service opportunities for those impacted by COVID-19 and future comparable emergencies, and expand the agency’s Sexual Assault Advisory Council.

“I am incredibly proud to be joined by my colleagues in introducing this long overdue reauthorization of the Peace Corps. By reauthorizing the agency for the first time in over 20 years, we honor and applaud the countless Volunteers over the last six decades who have dedicated themselves to fostering peace, encouraging cultural exchange, and facilitating friendship worldwide,” Chairman Menendez said. “Today’s efforts demonstrate our bipartisan commitment to ensure the Peace Corps is both reflective of the United States’ rich diversity and talent, and that its volunteers and the broader Peace Corps community are fully supported, including through necessary student loan reforms. I look forward to working with my colleagues to hold the Peace Corps accountable and to making sure it can meet the real-time needs of those currently in the field and beyond.”

“The 2022 Peace Corps Reauthorization bill is a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over a decade and to provide necessary reforms to improve the safety and security of volunteers as they re-enter the field,” said Ranking Member Risch. “By reauthorizing the Sexual Assault Advisory Council, mandating security briefings, improving whistleblower protections, and adding a new authority to suspend Peace Corps Volunteers without pay in the event of misbehavior, the Peace Corps will be able to better support Volunteers at home and abroad.”

“The Peace Corps is one of the most impactful volunteer humanitarian forces in the world, transforming lives and forging international understanding. Its volunteers represent the best qualities of American society and reflect the diversity of the American people,” said Senator Cardin. “The Peace Corps invests time and talent in other countries, and it pays dividends back here in the United States as well. I’m proud of our bipartisan effort to continue support for the Peace Corps and will continue to work to ensure that it has the tools needed to carry out its mission safely and efficiently.”

“Our Peace Corps volunteers represent American values and serve communities throughout the world in exemplary fashion. This bill helps get them back in the field after the COVID pandemic in a safe and responsible manner,” said Senator Young.

“Peace Corps volunteers are a key part of America’s diplomacy abroad, serving to support local communities and promote our nation’s values and priorities. Countless projects centered on economic development, education and health care have been made possible by volunteers over the last six decades,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to support the Peace Corps program, which has garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, and I’ll continue to push for funding from Congress to help our volunteers grow and flourish abroad.”

“The Peace Corps plays an important role in promoting U.S. interests and international peace by sending Americans to volunteers in some of the most underserved areas around the world,” said Senator Portman. “I am pleased to support this bipartisan legislation and I hope that it can rapidly move through committee to the Senate Floor.”

The bipartisan legislation also serves as the Senate companion to H.R. 1456, which is led by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), and was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in September 2021. Among its key provisions, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022:

• Authorizes $410,500,000 to be appropriated annually for the Peace Corps for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
• Sets a statutory minimum of $375 per month for the Peace Corps Volunteer readjustment allowance, which the Peace Corps can exceed.
• Requires the Peace Corps to establish a safe return to service process for those whose service is interrupted due mandatory evacuations from catastrophic events or global emergencies like COVID-19.
• Suspends federal student loan interest during the duration of Volunteer service; allows for members of the Peace Corps to receive credit during their time of service under any income based repayment program or the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program run by the Department of Education; ensures the Peace Corps is providing access to mental health professionals for Peace Corps Volunteers.
• Extends transitory health care coverage for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) from 30 days post-service to 60 days, and provides a path through which RPCVs can obtain healthcare through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; ensures Peace Corps Volunteers receive adequate health care during their service, including health examinations preparatory to their service.
• Enumerates procedures and policy to protect Volunteers against reprisal and retaliation.
• Codifies two years of noncompetitive eligibility for RPCVs.
• Mandates the Council consider and make recommendations to strengthen Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts at the Peace Corps, including through the collection of workforce data; streamlines and diversifies the appointment and selection process for Council members.
• Expands Peace Corps eligibility to include United States citizens who are nationals of American Samoa.
• Increases Peace Corps Volunteers’ level of workers compensation from GS 7 step one to GS 7 step five.
• Extends the Sexual Assault Advisory Council until October 2027 and requires the Council to submit annual reports on their work to Congress. 
   

READ MORE

Find the text of the bill here.

TAKE ACTION

Ask your senators to co-sponsor the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022.

Write your Senators to co-sponsor the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act

U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Susan Collins circulated the annual Peace Corps funding letter, seeking a $20 million increase in agency funding. Thanks to your efforts, a record number of senators signed this year's letter.

By Jonathan Pearson

Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have concluded circulating their annual Peace Corps “Dear Colleague” letter, asking other senators to sign on and ensure robust support for the agency as Volunteers return to service overseas. The letter, addressed to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State & Foreign Operations, calls for increasing Peace Corps funding for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023) from $410.5 million to $430.5 million. 43 senators signed this year's letter, breaking the previous record of 42 signatures in 2020.

This request is in line with President Biden’s budget request for the fiscal year that begins in October 2022. “This funding will be critical as the Peace Corps resumes operations, improves volunteer security, engages in global health efforts, and broadens outreach to attract new talent,” the senators write.

“This funding will be critical as the Peace Corps resumes operations, improves volunteer security, engages in global health efforts, and broadens outreach to attract new talent.”

Read the annual Dear Colleague Peace Corps funding letter, or find the text at the bottom of this post.

In March 2022, Volunteers began returning to service overseas. At this time, Peace Corps programs are again operating in Zambia, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Namibia, with more headed overseas in the coming weeks and months. As many as 30 other nations are now in the pipeline to have Volunteers return to service this year. The Peace Corps agency has undertaken critical reforms to ensure a better and stronger Peace Corps for a changed world. But the agency needs funding to make all this possible.

Last month, in the House of Representatives, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) circulated a Peace Corps funding letter among colleagues. The House letter (which is now closed), requests $450 million for the Peace Corps in FY 2023, drew strong bipartisan support, garnering signatures of 146 lawmakers.
 

Thank Senators Who Signed This Year's Letter. 

Now that the letter is closed, write to your senators to express your thanks for signing the letter (or your disappointment if they did not).

Take Action Now

Who has signed the letter?

Here are the senators who signed this year's Feinstein-Collins Peace Corps Funding Dear Colleague Letter for Fiscal Year 2023. 

DEADLINE to sign on: 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022 (This letter is now closed)

SIGNATURES as of Wednesday, May 18, 12:00 p.m. 43 (A new record for this letter!)

Arizona: Kelly, Sinema

California: Feinstein (co-author), Padilla

Colorado: Bennet

Connecticut: Blumenthal, Murphy

Delaware: Carper

Georgia: Warnock

Hawai'i: Hirono, Schatz

Illinois: Duckworth, Durbin

Maine: Collins (co-author), King

Maryland: Cardin, Van Hollen

Massachusetts: Markey, Warren

Michigan: Peters, Stabenow

Minnesota: Klobuchar, Smith

Nevada: Cortez Masto, Rosen

New Hampshire: Hassan, Shaheen

New Jersey: Booker, Menendez

New Mexico: Lujan

New York: Gillibrand

Ohio: Brown

Oregon: Merkley, Wyden

Pennsylvania: Casey

Rhode Island: Reed, Whitehouse

Vermont: Sanders

Virginia: Kaine, Warner

Washington: Cantwell

West Virginia: Manchin

Wisconsin: Baldwin

Here’s the text of the Senate Peace Corps funding letter.

Read it below — or download the PDF.

May 17, 2022

The Honorable Chris Coons, Chairman
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Lindsey Graham, Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Coons and Ranking Member Graham,

Strong and consistent bipartisan support has built the Peace Corps into the international face of American volunteerism. Continuing that tradition, we request that you support the Fiscal Year 2023 President’s Budget Request of at least $430.5 million for the Peace Corps.

The requested amount represents less than a five percent increase over flat funding of approximately $410.5 million for the past seven years. This funding will be critical as the Peace Corps resumes operations, improves volunteer security, engages in global health efforts, and broadens outreach to attract new talent.

The United States gains immeasurably from the Peace Corps’ mission of international volunteer service. Since the Peace Corps’ inception 61 years ago, more than 241,000 Americans have served in 143 countries and provided more than three billion hours of service to our nation and the world. These ambassadors of goodwill set the conditions for prosperity, self-reliance, and stability in postings around the globe.

The Peace Corps suspended global operations during the pandemic and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries. Today, every government that had volunteer programs at the time of the evacuation has asked for volunteers to return.

The Peace Corps represents a cost-effective way to promote the United States abroad while providing tangible benefit for host communities. It supports the U.S.’s humanitarian mission and shapes the diplomatic and security environment. Peace Corps service also offers international experience to American volunteers, many of whom will become leaders here at home.

Thank you for considering our request and your enduring support for the Peace Corps.

Sincerely,

[Signatures of Senators]

Story updated May 18, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Jonathan Pearson is Director of Advocacy for National Peace Corps Association. Write him at advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org.

Last Thursday evening, the House of Representatives defeated an amendment that called for further proposed cuts to the Peace Corps' Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

The vote was 295 - 135 to defeat the amendment. 83 Republicans joined 212 Democrats to defeat the amendment.

Use this link to see how your representative voted. Then, use this link to thank your rep (or express disappointment) for their vote.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives considered the Fiscal Year 2024 State/Foreign Operations (S/FOPS) appropriations bill, with dozens of highly contentious amendments. This included a brief debate on an amendment to further cut funding for the Peace Corps.

Use this link to watch the five minute debate.

The Ogles Amendment

Among the amendments brought forth was a recommendation by freshman Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) to make an additional $14.3 million cut to Peace Corps funding for the next fiscal year. Questioning the return on investment that Peace Corps provides, Representative Ogles alleged that Congress is “prioritizing the Peace Corps over our veterans, prioritizing the Peace Corps over securing our border.”

Representative Ogles also questioned elements of Peace Corps programming and work, including climate change adaptation, gender equity, and the domestic work of Peace Corps Response Volunteers providing vaccination support during the pandemic. According to Representative Ogles, “It is clear the Peace Corps has become more of an activist organization than an organization determined to help people.” He concluded, “I want to help those around the world, but not at the expense of Americans.”

Representative Lee Responds

While Representative Ogles said his amendment was a modest cut that would bring the Peace Corps funding back to pre-pandemic levels, Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the Appropriations S/FOPS Subcommittee corrected him, noting that the bill being debated already calls for a $20 million funding cut, and that his amendment would reduce Peace Corps funding more than $14 million below pre-pandemic funding levels.

Lee stated these cuts would be “endangering the return of volunteers in the field after COVID, and the reopening of new sites, particularly in the Pacific Islands, where strong American diplomacy is sorely needed.”

Rather than questioning the investment, Representative Lee said the Peace Corps is one of the best investments in public diplomacy that we make. “What better ambassadors do we have than young American people, willing to spend two years overseas and building goodwill with people around the world.”

Saying that her fellow Democrats support our veterans and support the Peace Corps, Lee contended that Representative Ogles' remarks amounted to using military veterans as a pawn in his effort to reduce Peace Corps funding. “I’ve talked to many veterans who appreciate the Peace Corps and appreciate the work they are doing.”

Roll Call Vote

Early Thursday evening, the House voted on the Ogles Peace Corps cutting amendment. The amendment was defeated 295 - 135. 83 Republican lawmakers joined 212 Democrats to defeat the amendment. Unfortunately, 135 Republicans voted in favor of the amendment. Use this link to see how your representative voted. Then, use this link to thank your rep (or express disappointment) for their vote.

NPCA Statement

NPCA President and CEO Dan Baker issued this statement.

"We are grateful for a bipartisan rejection of the Ogles Peace Corps amendment, though we wish the margin of defeat would have been larger. The Peace Corps – like the various branches of our military – is an important component of our national service agenda. We are very proud of our Peace Corps Volunteers and staff including those military veterans who have also served as Peace Corps Volunteers.

"We continue to have great support for the Peace Corps from a broad range of lawmakers across the political spectrum. However, we are concerned that there are some signs that this support is beginning to show signs of unraveling. The divisive nature of Representative Ogles’ remarks as it relates to pitting Peace Corps Volunteers against military veterans is deeply disturbing.

"We are so proud of our current Peace Corps Volunteers and the tens of thousands of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers for the tremendous work they do to bring understanding and goodwill all around the world and here at home. Our nation desperately needs more understanding and goodwill in our civil discourse, and we urge our political leaders to lead the way forward."

Following President Biden's March 9th announcement that he is requesting $495 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2024, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) issued the annual Peace Corps Funding Dear Colleague letter.

The letter to leaders of the House Appropriations Committee – which urges support for the president's request – secured 136 signatures in less than one week. Four House Republicans (Bacon-NE, Molinaro-NY, Gonzalez-Colon-Puerto Rico, and Radewagen-American Samoa) signed onto this year's letter.

Use this link to read the final letter.

Take Action:

Review the list of signers below.

If your Rep is among those who signed, visit our NPCA Action Center to send a thank you message!

Who signed the letter?

Here are the lawmakers who signed the Garamendi Peace Corps Funding Dear Colleague Letter for Fiscal Year 2024. 

DEADLINE to sign on: 5:00 PM Monday, March 20, 2023 (THIS LETTER IS NOW CLOSED)

SIGNATURES as of Tuesday, March 21, 9:00 AM: 136

SIGNATURES needed to reach our goal: 10

Alabama: Sewell

American Samoa: Radewagen

Arizona: Gallego, Grijalva

California: Barragan, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi (Author), Huffman, Jacobs, Kamlager-Dove, Khanna, Levin, Lieu, Matsui, Napolitano, Panetta, Peters, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Swalwell, Takano, Mike Thompson, Vargas

Colorado: Crow, DeGette, Neguse

Connecticut: Courtney, Hayes, Himes, Larson

Delaware: Blunt Rochester

District of Columbia: Norton

Florida: Cherfilus-McCormick, Moskowitz, Soto, Wilson

Georgia: Bishop, Hank Johnson, McBath, David Scott, Williams

Hawai'i: Tokuda

Illinois: Budzinski, Casten, Danny Davis, Foster, Jonathan Jackson, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi

Indiana: Carson

Kansas: Davids

Maine: Golden, Pingree

Maryland: Raskin, Sarbanes

Massachusetts: Auchincloss, Keating, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Pressley, Trahan

Michigan: Dingell, Kildee, Slotkin, Stevens, Tlaib

Minnesota: Craig, Phillips

Missouri: Cleaver

Nebraska: Bacon

Nevada: Horsford, Titus

New Hampshire: Pappas

New Jersey: Andy Kim, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill

New Mexico: Stansbury

New York: Bowman, Clarke, Higgins, Jones, Molinaro, Tonko, Torres, Velazquez

Northern Marianas: Sablan

North Carolina: Adams, Manning, Nickel

Ohio: Beatty, Shontel Brown

Oregon: Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas

Pennsylvania: Boyle, Evans, Houlahan, Wild

Puerto Rico: Gonzalez-Colon

Rhode Island: Cicilline, Magaziner

Tennessee: Cohen

Texas: Allred, Castro, Crockett, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Vicente Gonzalez, Jackson Lee, Veasey

Virginia: Beyer, Connolly, McClellan, Spanberger, Wexton

Virgin Islands: Plaskett

Washington: DelBene, Jayapal, Larsen, Schrier, Strickland

Wisconsin: Moore

Jonathan Pearson is Director of Advocacy for National Peace Corps Association. Write him at advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org

The Peace Corps Reauthorization Act was the most sweeping legislation in a generation. It passed the House and was on the verge of success in the Senate when the clock ran out. Here’s why that matters.

By Jonathan Pearson, Joel Rubin, and Steven Boyd Saum

Just as Peace Corps Volunteers began returning to service overseas in 2022, legislation moved forward in Congress that was meant to bolster a renewed, revitalized, and reshaped Peace Corps. In the House, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1456) was introduced by RPCV Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA). It won a historic victory in September 2022, with two thirds of the House voting for it.

The Senate version of the legislation (S. 4466) had strong backing from Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member James Risch (R-ID). It won unanimous support from the committee in July 2022 and garnered co-sponsorship of a bipartisan group of 15 senators. But as fall wore on, midterm elections sucked up political oxygen. There were efforts to water down the bill. And as the legislative clock ran down in December, a final push to get the legislation over the line was thwarted by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who put a hold on the bill and prevented it from being passed by unanimous consent — a simple voice vote — despite strong Republican backing.

Some good news for the Peace Corps community: The Senate did confirm Carol Spahn as Peace Corps Director — by unanimous consent, we’ll note — in November. And, as part of the $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus spending package passed by Congress just before Christmas, the Peace Corps budget now has its first increase in seven years: from the flat $410.5 million that had held for the past six years to $430.5 million.

An increased budget was also part of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act. Here’s a quick recap of some other key elements in House or Senate versions — or both — that now languish:

• Increase the Volunteer readjustment allowance to $375 minimum/month
• Suspend federal student loan interest for the duration of service
• Extend transitory health care coverage for returned Volunteers
• Provide greater whistleblower protections; codify two years of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) for returned Volunteers
• Strengthen DEIA efforts; expand Peace Corps eligibility to include U.S. citizens who are American Samoan; increase workers compensation for Volunteers injured while serving
• Enable the director to suspend Peace Corps staff without pay in the event of serious misbehavior.

This chapter in Peace Corps legislation is a story of victories that were — and that might have been. This is also the time to ask: How can we use the work done so far to provide a foundation for new efforts in 2023?

VICTORY IN THE HOUSE

On Monday, September 19, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act was brought to the full House for a vote. In order to pass without possible further changes or amendments — under suspension of the rules, as the process is known — the bill needed to secure a bipartisan two-thirds majority vote. Before the voting began, several members of Congress made the case for the bill — most notably its author. Excerpts.

“I can think of no better way to honor JFK’s vision than for this Congress to pass the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act and advance the Peace Corps into the 21st century.” John Garamendi speaking on behalf of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act on September 19. C-SPAN screenshot.

John Garamendi (D-CA)

RPCV Ethiopia (1966–68) and co-author of H.R. 1456

My wife Patty and I began our careers in public service when we joined the Peace Corps as young married graduates fresh out of U.C. Berkeley. Our post was to a remote village in western Ethiopia. We taught the seventh and eighth grades and engaged in community development. Like so many Americans of every age and background, we answered JFK’s call to service … More than 240,000 Americans have served in 143 countries.

Their tasks were to assist in the economic and social development in those countries … teaching, providing medical education and health care services … creating cooperatives … building roads … When the Soviet Union collapsed, Peace Corps Volunteers were asked by 13 newly independent states to come and bring the best of America with them. Americans young and old, with every skill arrived. Since 1992, 3,552 American Peace Corps volunteers have served in Ukraine.

Prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Peace Corps Volunteers served in 61 countries … Today, the Peace Corps is diligently returning its Volunteers to this essential work … My bill, the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2021, builds upon the Sam Farr–Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 and the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011. It does make many important reforms … This current critical legislation will reinvigorate the Peace Corps, and I’m sure that its essential work can continue to shape and inspire people around the world for years to come.

In 1961, President Kennedy understood that the Peace Corps would “permit our people to exercise more fully their responsibilities in the great common cause of world peace” … I can think of no better way to honor JFK’s vision than for this Congress to pass the bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act and advance the Peace Corps into the 21st century.

Tom Malinowski (D-NJ)

Vice Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee

After 61 years of success, we think it’s time to further strengthen the Peace Corps’ global mission by providing additional resources to better the agency and to support its Volunteers. Congress last authorized the Peace Corps in 1999. For this reason, the bill is timely, provides a much needed update to benefits for Volunteers that include readjustment allowance, re-enrollment priority, transition assistance, health insurance, non-competitive eligibility for federal employment, and updated workers’ compensation …

The bill will enhance the ability of the Peace Corps to make strong and strategic investments to meet the challenges of today and continue to be a transformative force for years to come.

Ann Wagner  (R-MO)

Vice Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee

The Peace Corps faced many challenges during the pandemic, but I am pleased that Volunteers are finally returning to their important tasks overseas. As they return, Volunteers’ safety must continue to be the agency’s top priority. Tragically, the number of Volunteers reporting sexual assault during their service has risen. This is devastating, and we must continue to hold the Peace Corps accountable for maximizing the safety and welfare of our Volunteers. This bill reinforces and builds on key reforms made by Congress in 2011, including extending the mandate of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council … This bill is an important step toward exercising our oversight responsibilities and driving reforms that will protect the Peace Corps Volunteers that we all represent.

WHEN THE VOTES were tallied the evening of September 19, victory was clear: The most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in a generation passed the House 290–125. Seventy-nine Republicans joined all Democrats who were present for a show of bipartisan support.

For NPCA it was also a moment to thank, as Interim President and CEO Dan Baker did, longtime champions John Garamendi and Garret Graves — and to acknowledge the important role of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Ranking Member Mike McCaul (R-TX), as well as Vice Chairs Tom Malinowski and Ann Wagner. Their strong commitment to a reformed and revitalized Peace Corps made a difference.

BRING THE FIRST GOAL INTO THE 21st CENTURY

When the Peace Corps Act was signed into law in September 1961, it established as the First Goal for the Peace Corps:

“To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.”

To guide the work of the agency in the 21st century, the reauthorization legislation proposed updating that to:

“To partner with the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained individuals.”

SENATE CHAMPIONS

In July 2022, the Senate version of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (S. 4466) was passed unanimously by the Foreign Relations Committee. “This once-in-a-generation bill implements necessary reforms to make certain the Peace Corps has what is required to meet the needs of its Volunteers around the world,” said Chair Robert Menendez.

Ranking Member James Risch lauded “bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over a decade and to provide necessary reforms to improve the safety and security of Volunteers as they reenter the field.”

 

“This once-in-a-generation bill implements necessary reforms to make certain the Peace Corps has what is required to meet the needs of its Volunteers around the world.”

     —Robert Menendez, Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

TEN FORMER PEACE CORPS DIRECTORS CALL ON THE SENATE TO PASS THE LEGISLATION

On October 3, in a bipartisan show of support, ten former Peace Corps Directors who served under Republican and Democratic administrations alike sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), calling on them to pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (S. 4466). 

These bipartisan former Peace Corps Directors specifically asked the Senate to move the legislation, co-authored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member James Risch (R-ID), either as an amendment to the pending National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA) or independently. 

The letter was also shared with key senators who have a decision-making role in this process. They were Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chair, Foreign Relations Committee; Senator James Risch (D-ID), Ranking Member, Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Chair, Armed Services Committee; Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member, Armed Services Committee; Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chair, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee; and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. 

As the directors noted, the legislation had already unanimously passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Its House of Representatives companion legislation (H.R. 1456), authored by Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), passed the full House on September 19 with a strong bipartisan vote of. The Senate legislation had 15 co-sponsors, including six Republicans.  

The former Directors wrote this letter when they did, at a time that amendments to be considered for the FY23 NDAA were being vetted, with floor votes likely to occur after the midterm elections.

CITIZEN ADVOCATES

Advocacy efforts by members of the Peace Corps community, including those led by National Peace Corps Association, were instrumental in making the legislation possible. The Peace Corps Connect to the Future town halls, summit, and report provided a road map for the agency, Congress, and more. Focusing on the legislation, thousands of citizen advocates around the country — with guidance, tools, and encouragement from the NPCA advocacy team — organized meetings, wrote to lawmakers, submitted opinion pieces and letters to the editor, and engaged others in these efforts. Individuals sent more than 20,000 messages sent to Congress and President Biden. In a final push in December, 89 NPCA affiliate groups signed onto a letter urging the Senate to pass the legislation.

We Americans take care of our veterans, diplomats, and others who suffer harm during their overseas service, as we should. Those who served honorably in the Peace Corps deserve similar consideration.

     —David Jarmul (Nepal 1977–79, Moldova 2016–18) in the Winston-Salem Journal

We have a growing list of bipartisan co-sponsors on the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act. We’re so close to the finish line. This is why what we do right now matters.

     —Valerie Young (Tonga 2005–07), advocacy coordinator for the Maine Peace Corps Association, in a video she made for Peace Corps Connect 2022

I just finished orientation to serve in Peace Corps South Africa as an HIV community health coordinator. I truly believe in the mission of the Peace Corps—and the process and experience it gives people. Many of the questions that came up during orientation for fellow Volunteers are things included in the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act: How is the Peace Corps funded? What kind of benefits are afforded to people with the Peace Corps? How are people who served in the Peace Corps treated with dignity and respect after service?

     —Emilio Bloch, Copley, Ohio, in a video he recorded advocating for the Senate to pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act

FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE

Despite tremendous progress in the House and Senate, and hard-fought negotiations up until the closing hours of the 117th Congress in December, passage of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act in the Senate fell short. We should be celebrating the return of Volunteers to service. But through their actions — watering down the bill and blocking it — several members of Congress demonstrated a lack of respect for that service, and for the value Volunteers provide for the U.S. and partner countries around the world.

Consequences are already being felt. The congressionally established Sexual Assault Advisory Council is scheduled to expire in 2023. The director doesn’t have tools she should for dealing with staff charged with serious misconduct. There’s no expansion of non-competitive eligibility for returning Volunteers. Efforts to address equity and affordability for Volunteers in need of menstrual hygiene products have been thwarted.

Commitment from our community has contributed significantly to a revival of the Peace Corps. In 2022 it led the House to pass key legislation, and it led the Senate to approve a new director and resources to support Volunteers and strengthen programs. As we turn our attention to work in 2023 — including our annual National Days of Advocacy in March and April — we have a framework for action from which to build upon.

Jonathan Pearson is director of advocacy for NPCA. Joel Rubin led the steering committee for the Peace Corps Connect to the Future report and served as vice president for global policy and public affairs for NPCA. Steven Boyd Saum served as editor of WorldView.

The House of Representatives has just passed the most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in a generation.

Press Release
 

Washington, D.C. — National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) strongly applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1456). This bill is crucial for the future of the Peace Corps as a new generation of Volunteers returns to service. If it ultimately becomes law, it will be the first full reauthorization of the Peace Corps since 1999. More than 240,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.

The bill’s lead author is Representative John Garamendi (D-CA), the sole Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) in Congress; his co-author is Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), a longtime Peace Corps champion. Their bipartisan leadership in support of the Peace Corps is a powerful testament to the enduring backing of the American people for volunteer service abroad. The strong bipartisan vote today only affirms this backing.

NPCA Board of Directors Chair John Lee Evans said upon the passage of the legislation: “This legislation does what many in the Peace Corps community have been demanding for years. It authorizes critical agency funding; increases readjustment allowance for RPCVs; extends transitory health care coverage for RPCVs; provides greater whistleblower protections for RPCVs; increases Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) for RPCVs; strengthens DEIA efforts at the Peace Corps; expands Peace Corps eligibility to include U.S. citizens who are American Samoan; provides a modest increase for Peace Corps Volunteers’ level of workers compensation; strengthens and extends the work of the Peace Corps’ Sexual Assault Advisory Council; and authorizes Virtual Service. These are the kinds of visionary reforms that will ensure a strong Peace Corps, one that advances American goals abroad and strengthens our peoples’ connections to the world.”

“These are the kinds of visionary reforms that will ensure a strong Peace Corps, one that advances American goals abroad and strengthens our peoples’ connections to the world.”

     — John Lee Evans, NPCA Board Chair

NPCA Interim President Dan Baker also said: “Today the RPCV community stands united in gratitude for the leadership shown by the Congress in getting this bill one step closer to the President’s desk. Our longtime House champions Rep. John Garamendi and Garret Graves deserve deep applause for their vision in moving this bill forward. I’d also like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX) for their unwavering support, as well as Vice Chairs Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) for their strong commitment to a reformed and revitalized Peace Corps. This bill, which has companion legislation in the Senate moving forward, will strengthen Americans’ ability to serve around the world and the impact of Peace Corps’ efforts overall.”
 

About National Peace Corps Association

National Peace Corps Association is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to promoting and advancing the goals of the Peace Corps. NPCA is a mission-driven social impact organization that encourages and celebrates lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals. NPCA supports a united and vibrant Peace Corps community—including current and returned Peace Corps Volunteers, current and former staff, host country nationals, family, and friends—in our efforts to create a better world. 

For more information, contact:

Steven Boyd Saum, Director of Strategic Communications
    or 
Joel Rubin, Vice President for Global Policy and Public Affairs

202-934-1532

news@peacecorpsconnect.org
www.PeaceCorpsConnect.org

At last, some good news for the Peace Corps community on Public Service Loan Forgiveness

By Katie McSheffrey

Last October, the U.S. Department of Education announced an overhaul of the troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). But that initial overhaul did not include proposals to help Peace Corps Volunteers. National Peace Corps Association has covered this problem in podcasts and in WorldView magazine. Months later, those of us who have been leading the RPCVs for PSLF Relief Facebook group have some good news.

First, a bit more background. What the Secretary of Education announced in October 2021 was a limited time waiver, through which borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would not otherwise qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. This waiver expires October 31, 2022. But this waiver did not help the majority of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, whose loans were in economic hardship deferment status during their Peace Corps service. After months, advocacy efforts to fix the problem have now paid off. 

On April 19, 2022, the Department of Education announced a one-time addendum to the limited time waiver for borrowers under income-driven repayment plans, including those who are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Included in the addendum is a clarifying point that will greatly benefit many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers: “Months spent in deferment before 2013 will count under the waiver. Additionally, ED will include Economic Hardship Deferment on or after January 1, 2013. These periods of deferment will also be applied to your account in fall 2022.”

Unfortunately, periods of in-school deferment still do not count. That may affect Volunteers who participated in the Master’s International Program.

One important deadline to note: This limited time waiver will end on October 31, 2022. To take advantage of the waiver, borrowers must take steps as outlined on the Department of Education website to sign up for Public Service Loan Forgiveness prior to that date.

Working on a Permanent Fix

While this is positive news for returned Volunteers to be included in the time-limited waiver, NPCA and the RPCVs for PSLF Relief group are still working to advocate for permanent, retroactive change to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to ensure all returned Volunteers qualify. We and NPCA will keep the community up-to-date on the latest changes to the PSLF program as the Department of Education continues to update guidance for borrowers.

On July 6, 2022, the Department of Education proposed new guidelines to expand and improve targeted relief programs for student loans. These would be very beneficial to the Peace Corps community, and we would encourage advocacy work to ensure these new regulations are implemented.

For those with student loans, here’s something else important to keep in mind: The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on direct loans after a borrower has made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Borrowers do not need to have their full 120 payments by the waiver deadline, but they do need to be signed up for the program so the Department of Education can verify Peace Corps service records.

Illustration by Roman Bailey

Legislation Introduced

New legislation proposes another permanent solution. On June 1, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Simplifying and Strengthening PSLF Act, to streamline and improve the troubled federal program to help Americans pursuing careers in public service—including firefighters, teachers, Peace Corps Volunteers, police officers, and those working for nonprofits—have their student loan debt forgiven. An identical version of the bill was introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) in the House Education and Labor Committee on July 12. 

Crucially, the Senate version of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (see more on that here) also ensures that Volunteers will receive credit for their Peace Corps service in the PSLF program as well as any other loan forgiveness program. 

Presidential Action on Loan Forgiveness

In an announcement that has made headlines, President Biden on August 24  announced plans to forgive student loans for recipients of Pell Grants (up to $20,000) and other federal student loans (up to $10,000) for recipients earning less than $125,000 a year. These actions are separate from ongoing work to provide PSLF relief and other efforts to support Volunteers.

Do you have a student loan story?

Share it with President Biden and your members of Congress through the NPCA Action Center: bit.ly/npca-action-center

This story appears in the Spring-Summer 2022 edition of WorldView magazine. Story updated August 28, 2022 at 1 p.m.

Katie McSheffrey served as a Volunteer in Azerbaijan 2009–11. She is currently the chief of staff in the Office of Human Capital for the Department of the Interior. She previously served as government affairs officer and public service engagement lead with the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service and with Peace Corps Headquarters.

Today National Peace Corps Association sent a letter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee supporting Carol Spahn’s nomination to serve as the 21st Director of the Peace Corps. Here’s what we said. And here’s how you can help ensure a better and stronger Peace Corps for the future.

By Jonathan Pearson

Photo courtesy Peace Corps

In April President Biden officially nominated Carol Spahn to serve as Director of the Peace Corps. She began serving as acting director in January 2021 and has led the agency through one of the most challenging periods in Peace Corps history. In the weeks ahead, Spahn is expected to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a confirmation hearing. While we’re waiting for the date of the hearing to be announced, NPCA sent a letter to the committee supporting Spahn’s nomination.

“NPCA has been honored to work with CEO Spahn and her strong leadership team during the past 18 months,” we write. “We have full confidence in her commitment to the continued redeployment of Volunteers to the field in a responsible manner, and are confident that the next generation of Volunteers will experience a better, stronger Peace Corps prepared to meet new global challenges.”

“NPCA has been honored to work with CEO Spahn and her strong leadership team during the past 18 months,” we write. “We have full confidence in her commitment to the continued redeployment of Volunteers to the field in a responsible manner, and are confident that the next generation of Volunteers will experience a better, stronger Peace Corps prepared to meet new global challenges.” 

Read NPCA’s letter below. Then, write to your Senators and ask them to confirm Carol Spahn to lead the Peace Corps.

June 23, 2022

 

The Honorable Robert Menendez (D-NJ) 
Chairman
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-6225

 

The Honorable James Risch (R-ID)
Ranking Member
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-6225

 

Dear Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch,

We write to express National Peace Corps Association’s (NPCA) wholehearted support of the nomination of Carol Spahn to become the twenty-first Director of the Peace Corps. We urge the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to move swiftly to support this nomination and work for full Senate confirmation of Chief Executive Officer Spahn as soon as possible.

NPCA has been honored to work with CEO Spahn and her strong leadership team during the past 18 months. This has been an incredibly challenging time of planning for the Peace Corps’ future in the face of a global pandemic. During this time, we have been deeply impressed by CEO Spahn’s leadership and collaboration with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) community. We have full confidence in her commitment to the continued redeployment of Volunteers to the field (which began this past March) in a responsible manner. We are confident that her leadership, coupled with passage of significant Peace Corps reauthorization legislation before Congress, will ensure that the next generation of Volunteers will experience a better, stronger Peace Corps prepared to meet new global challenges.

Because of her leadership during arguably the most difficult period in the Peace Corps’ history, we believe President Biden was wise in putting forth this nomination. While our nation — and particularly the world — are not fully free of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is hope that the number of Peace Corps Volunteers returning to service will steadily grow through 2022 and 2023.

As CEO Spahn noted last fall during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), the work of these redeployed volunteers will include addressing the pandemic. “The pandemic has set back years of development progress and produced unprecedented challenges. It has also underscored our world’s profound interdependence and shared future. Recovery will require international cooperation not only at the government level, but also at the community level. And that is where the Peace Corps as a trusted community partner will return to service in new and time tested ways.”

CEO Spahn has also demonstrated robust leadership on key policy and management issues that are as necessary as they are challenging. Her request last fall to the Sexual Assault Advisory Council to review and update recommendations of the past five years, the public posting of that report, and her outreach to the Peace Corps community to share its concerns and proposals proves her strong commitment to the issue. It is this type of transparency, which she is guiding, that will help support survivors and lower the risks of sexual violence.

Similarly, the Peace Corps is receiving praise for its efforts to advance intercultural competence, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within its ranks. During that same HFAC hearing, Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks praised recent agency work in this regard, saying “I understand also that the Peace Corps has instituted this robust program that you've talked about in your opening statement, intercultural competence, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that you've been leading these efforts. You know, and you probably, from my examination, are ahead of a lot of other agencies”.

The issues outlined above and many more critical to the Peace Corps community were included in NPCA’s Peace Corps Connect to the Future report (November 2020), which reflected a series of community conversations and town hall meetings with more than 1,000 RPCVs about the future of the Peace Corps. We have been very pleased with the way CEO Spahn has embraced the report and its recommendations, many of which have been implemented over the past year.

Lastly, as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Romania 1994–96), former Country Director, and Chief of Operations for Peace Corps’ Southern and Eastern Africa region, we at NPCA believe that Carol Spahn possesses the background, dedication, and proven track record to move the Peace Corps forward. We respectfully request that your committee move her nomination swiftly to the full Senate for its consideration and ultimate confirmation.

 

Sincerely,

Kim Herman
Interim President & CEO
National Peace Corps Association

 

Jed Meline
Interim Chair – Board of Directors
National Peace Corps Association                                                       

MORE: Read the letter as a PDF here. 

Write Your Senators to Support the Nomination

Jonathan Pearson is the Director of Advocacy for National Peace Corps Association. Write him here.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program has also been a focus of concern for members of the Peace Corps community, because returned Volunteers were left out of reforms that were supposed to help them. Now here’s some good news.

By Katie McSheffrey

Photo by JessicaRain / Wikimedia Commons

Last October, the U.S. Department of Education announced an overhaul of the troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). But that initial overhaul, did not include proposals to help Peace Corps Volunteers. National Peace Corps Association has covered this in podcasts and WorldView magazine. Months later, those of us who have been leading the RPCVs for PSLF Relief Facebook group have some good news.

First, a bit more background. In October 2021, the Secretary of Education announced a limited time waiver, through which borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would not otherwise qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The limited time waiver expires October 31, 2022. Unfortunately this waiver did not help the majority of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, whose loans were in economic hardship deferment status during their Peace Corps service. But advocacy efforts to fix the problem have now paid off.

 

The Department of Education has announced a one-time addendum to the limited time waiver for borrowers under income-driven repayment plans, including those who are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2022.

On April 19, 2022, the Department of Education announced a one-time addendum to the limited time waiver for borrowers under income-driven repayment plans, including those who are pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Included in the one-time addendum is a clarifying point that will greatly benefit many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers: “Months spent in deferment before 2013 will count under the waiver. Additionally, ED will include Economic Hardship Deferment on or after January 1, 2013. These periods of deferment will also be applied to your account in fall 2022.” 

Unfortunately, periods of in-school deferment still do not count. That may affect Volunteers who participated in the Master’s International Program. 

One important deadline to note: This limited time waiver will end on October 31, 2022. To take advantage of the waiver, borrowers must take steps as outlined on the Department of Education website to sign up for Public Service Loan Forgiveness prior to that date.

While this is positive news for returned Volunteers to be included in the time-limited waiver, NPCA and the RPCVs for PSLF Relief Group are still working to advocate for permanent, retroactive change to the PSLF program to ensure all returned Volunteers qualify for this program, regardless of status while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Be sure to keep up-to-date on the latest changes to the PSLF program, as the Department of Education continues to update guidance for borrowers.

For those with student loans, here’s something else important to keep in mind: The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on direct loans after a borrower has made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Borrowers do not need to have their full 120 payments by the waiver deadline, but they do need to be signed up for the program so the Department of Education can verify Peace Corps service records. 

Questions? Please feel free to contact the RPCVs for PSLF Relief group on Facebook.

MORE TO THE STORY: 

READ MORE about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness limited time waiver. 

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED: On June 1, 2022, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Simplifying and Strengthening PSLF Act, to streamline and improve the troubled federal program to help Americans pursuing careers in public service — including firefighters, teachers, Peace Corps Volunteers, police officers, and those working for nonprofits — have their student loan debt forgiven.

TAKE ACTION: Share your student loan story with lawmakers by writing to President Biden and your members of Congress through NPCA's Action Center.

 

Katie McSheffrey served as a Volunteer in Azerbaijan 2009–11. She is currently the chief of staff in the Office of Human Capital for the Department of the Interior. She previously served as government affairs officer and public service engagement lead with the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service and with Peace Corps Headquarters.

Rep. John Garamendi joined Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona asking for returned Volunteers to be included in Public Service Loan Forgiveness Reforms.

By Jonathan Pearson

In early March 2022, CNN reported that the U.S. Department of Education has identified 100,000 borrowers eligible for debt cancellation from the beleaguered Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Reforms were announced to the program last October, allowing some borrowers to receive credit toward PSLF for periods of public service that would not have previously qualified. But Returned Peace Corps Volunteers were not listed among those eligible. They still aren’t.

We covered some of the problems that returned Volunteers are facing in the previous edition of WorldView. So what has happened since?

Illustration by Mark Smith

In December 2021, RPCV Rep. John Garamendi (Ethiopia 1964–66) and Maryland Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen sent a letter, signed by 17 lawmakers, urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to include RPCVs in the reforms. “We strongly support your Department’s efforts to reform, strengthen, and expand the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program,” they wrote. “We simply request that you provide for current and returned Peace Corps volunteers by creating a new waiver or expanding current waivers to allow volunteers to credit their full service overseas towards PSLF or Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness, even if their federal student loans were placed into deferment or forbearance status during their service.”

In January, the Connecticut Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, an affiliate group of NPCA, sent a letter to Secretary Cardona, who previously served as Connecticut’s education secretary. “It was unfortunate to learn that the October announcement did not include RPCVs as being eligible for the temporary waiver period,” they wrote. “We therefore request that you extend a similar waiver to allow RPCVs who served since 2007 to count their public service overseas towards PSLF credit and repayment, even if the volunteer’s loan was in deferment or forbearance status at the time of their service.”

A version of this story appears in the special 2022 Books Edition of WorldView magazine. Story updated April 30, 2022.

Jonathan Pearson is the Director of Advocacy for National Peace Corps Association. The NPCA Advocacy team will share updates as we have them. If you have a PSLF story to share, contact advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org.

In the House of Representatives, today (April 22) is the deadline for a bipartisan letter from the co-chairs of the Peace Corps Caucus seeking a $40 million increase in agency funding. Now is the time to contact your House Rep and ask them to sign this letter. 

By Jonathan Pearson

Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA) and Garret Graves (R-LA), co-chairs of the House Peace Corps Caucus, have begun circulating a Peace Corps funding letter asking other House members to sign on and ensure robust support for the agency as Volunteers return to service overseas. The letter, addressed to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State & Foreign Operations, calls for increasing Peace Corps funding for Fiscal Year 2023 from $410.5 million to $450 million. 

Read the annual Dear Colleague Peace Corps funding letter, or find the text at the bottom of this post.

Garamendi served with the Peace Corps in Ethiopia. Together with Graves, in 2021 he introduced the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act — the most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in decades. 

In March 2022, Volunteers began returning to service overseas. They will be returning to dozens of countries in the months ahead. The Peace Corps agency has undertaken critical reforms to ensure a better and stronger Peace Corps for a changed world. But the agency needs funding to make all this possible.
 

Deadline is This Friday, April 22 at 12 Noon EST. Take action now.

Urge your House Representative to sign the Garamendi-Graves Peace Corps funding letter to support strong funding for Peace Corps in a changed world. Last year, a similar letter was signed by 156 members of the House of Representatives. We need your help to reach or surpass this mark! The current deadline to sign this letter is Friday, April 22, 2022.

Take Action Now

Who has signed the letter so far?

Here are the lawmakers who have signed the Garamendi-Graves Peace Corps Funding Dear Colleague Letter for Fiscal Year 2023. 

DEADLINE to sign on: 12 Noon Friday, April 22, 2022

SIGNATURES as of Friday, April 22, 5:00 PM: 146 (THIS LETTER IS NOW CLOSED)

SIGNATURES needed to reach our goal: 10

Alabama: Sewell

American Samoa: Radewagen

Arizona: Gallego, Grijalva

California: Barragan, Bass, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi (co-author), Huffman, Khanna, Young Kim, LaMalfa, Mike Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Matsui, McNerney, Panetta, Scott Peters, Sanchez, Speier, Swalwell, Takano, Mike Thompson, Vargas

Colorado: Crow, DeGette

Connecticut: Courtney, Hayes, Himes, Larson

District of Columbia: Norton

Florida: Deutch, Soto

Georgia: Bishop, McBath, Hank Johnson, David Scott, Williams

Hawai'i: Kahele

Illinois: Bustos, Casten, Danny Davis, Rodney Davis, Foster, Chuy Garcia, Kelly, Schakowsky, Schneider

Indiana: Carson

Iowa: Axne

Kansas: Davids

Kentucky: Barr, Yarmuth

Louisiana: Graves (co-author)

Maine: Golden, Pingree

Maryland: Brown, Raskin, Sarbanes

Massachusetts: Auchincloss, Keating, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Pressley, Trahan

Michigan: Dingell, Kildee, Levin, Slotkin, Stevens

Minnesota: Craig, Phillips

Nevada: Horsford, Titus

New Hampshire: Kuster

New Jersey: Andy Kim, Malinowski, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Sires, Van Drew

New York: Clarke, Delgado, Higgins, Jones, Katko, Carolyn Maloney, Sean Patrick Maloney, Meeks, Morelle, Rice, Suozzi, Tonko, Velazquez

Northern Marianas: Sablan

North Carolina: Adams, Butterfield, Manning

Ohio: Beatty, Shontel Brown

Oregon: Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio

Pennsylvania: Boyle, Doyle, Evans, Wild

Puerto Rico: Gonzalez-Colon

Rhode Island: Cicilline, Langevin

Tennessee: Cohen

Texas: Allred, Castro, Doggett, Escobar, Vicente Gonzalez, E.B. Johnson, Jackson Lee, Veasey

Vermont: Welch

Virginia: Beyer, Connolly, Luria, McEachin, Wexton

Virgin Islands: Plaskett

Washington: DelBene, Jayapal, Larsen, Schrier, Strickland

Wisconsin: Kind, Moore

Here’s the text of the House Peace Corps funding letter.

Read it below — or download the PDF.

April 28, 2022

The Honorable Barbara Lee, Chairwoman
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives

The Honorable Hal Rogers, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives

Dear Chairwoman Lee and Ranking Member Rogers:

We respectfully request that you provide $450 million for the Peace Corps in the forthcoming “Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act” for fiscal year 2023. This funding level would allow the Peace Corps to resume in-country Volunteer activities, once safe and prudent to do so, and support the longstanding goal of deploying 10,000 volunteers worldwide. It is also consistent with the authorized funding level in the bipartisan “Peace Corps Reauthorization Act” (H.R.1456) reported favorably by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on September 30, 2021.

More Americans want to serve than the Peace Corps has the funding to absorb. The ratio of annual applications to available Volunteer positions currently stands at over 4:1. In 2013, retired General Stanley McChrystal called this gap between applicants and national service opportunities like the Peace Corps “democratic energy wasted and a generation of patriotism needlessly squandered.”

Peace Corps Volunteers serve our country in remote, challenging environments. In recent years, the Peace Corps has taken steps to improve the health and safety of its Volunteers. We believe the Peace Corps needs to do more, including fully implementing the Sam Farr Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-256). Increased funding is necessary to ensure that the Peace Corps can fulfill its commitment to the health and safety of American citizens who choose to serve. In addition, Congress must increase the federal workers’ compensation levels for Volunteers temporarily or permanently disabled because of their service abroad.

Thank you for your leadership and past efforts to provide the Peace Corps with the resources needed to support the next generation of American leaders who volunteer abroad.

Sincerely,

John Garamendi
Member of Congress

Garret Graves
Member of Congress

Story updated April 25, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern

Jonathan Pearson is Director of Advocacy for National Peace Corps Association. Write him at advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org