Advocacy

Amid Cuts, House Recommends Level Peace Corps Funding

By Jonathan Pearson on Friday, May 11th, 2012

Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations are recommending that federal funding for Peace Corps in the fiscal year that begins this October, remain at $375 million.

The bad news is that this level of funding for Fiscal Year 2013 would likely result in a reduction in the number of volunteers and trainees in the field.  Peace Corps currently reports more than 9,000 volunteers and trainees.  However, this volume was supported in part by the $400 million appropriation Peace Corps received Fiscal Year 2010.

On the more positive side, funding for Peace Corps fared rather well, given that the House subcommittee was instructed to prepare a $48 billion funding package that was nearly $5 billion (nine percent) less than current funding.  A number of international funding progreams face sharp reductions under the House Subcommittee proposal.

The next key step in the appropriations project will come when the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations outlines its funding recommendations for Peace Corps and other international affairs programs.  Action from the Senate subcommittee is expected in the next few weeks.

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