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National Peace Corps Association > News > Advocacy > Thank Departing Peace Corps Congressional Supporters
Thank Departing Peace Corps Congressional Supporters
By Jonathan Pearson on Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Missouri Congressman Russ Carnahan, meeting with the Peace Corps community during the National Peace Corps Association’s 2011 National Day of Action. Congressman Carnahan is among a bi-partisan group of lawmakers who demonstrated support for the Peace Corps but will not return to Capitol Hill in 2013.
While the political world is focused on the race for President and the control of the U.S. Congress, a minimum of 60 members of the current Congress will not be returning due to retirement or defeat in a primary.
Many of these departing members of Congress have been strong supporters of the Peace Corps and deserve thanks from the Peace Corps community.
Among those departing lawmakers who have been the most consistent champions of key initiatives pertaining to the Peace Corps are Senator Daniel Akaka (HI), who signed most Peace Corps funding letters and regularly co-sponsored Peace Corps legislation, and Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM) who signed every funding letter between 2007 and 2012.
They were joined in the House of Representatives by lawmakers who significantly committed to taking positive action on everything from co-sponsoring Peace Corps funding legislation, to supporting Peace Corps commemorative and safety/security legislation, to supporting the issuance of a 50th anniversary Peace Corps proclamation. These leaders include Representatives Barney Frank (MA), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Dale Kildee (MI), Ed Towns (NY) and Lynn Woolsey (CA).
Another group of lawmakers were very good supporters of Peace Corps initiatives. This group of departing lawmakers includes Senator Olympia Snowe (ME), and Representatives Dennis Cardoza (CA), Russ Carnahan (MO), Norm Dicks (WA), David Dreier (CA), Charlie Gonzalez (TX), Dennis Kucinich (OH), Brad Miller (NC), Todd Platts (PA), Silvestre Reyes (TX), Mike Ross (AR) and Steve Rothman (NJ).
An additional group of departing lawmakers have provided occasional support of Peace Corps initiatives and deserve our thanks. They include Senators Kent Conrad (ND), Herb Kohl (WI), Joe Lieberman (CT) and Ben Nelson (NE). They are joined by Representatives Gary Ackerman (NY), Jason Altmire (PA), Dan Boren (OK), Dan Burton (IN), Hansen Clarke (MI), Jerry Costello (IL), Geoff Davis (KY), Bob Filner (CA), Elton Gallegly (CA), Tim Holden (PA) and Steve LaTourette (OH).
You can visit our state resources page for more details on support from these lawmakers on Peace Corps initiatives.
If you have been represented by these lawmakers, you can follow links to Senators or Congressmen/women to thank them for their public service, and their past support for the Peace Corps.
