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National Peace Corps Association > News > Advocacy > 115 RPCV Member Groups Sign Letter to the President
115 RPCV Member Groups Sign Letter to the President
By Jonathan Pearson on Friday, December 7th, 2012
Members of the Central Indiana Peace Corps Association (CIPCA) during a National Peace Corps Association advocacy road trip in 2010. CIPCA is one of 115 groups to sign the letter to the President
In a letter dated December 5th, representatives of 115 member groups of the Peace Corps community have written to President Obama on two key issues up for consideration in 2013.
As the President finalizes his next budget request for Congress, the letter asks for the highest level of funding possible for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2014. While the number of Peace Corps Volunteers and trainees in the field crossed the 9,000 mark under President Obama – a more than 40 year high – concerns about fiscal constraints and smaller budgets are now causing Peace Corps to project a smaller number of volunteers and trainees in the field.
The letter notes “At a time of enormous change in the world, it is ever more crucial that people across the globe understand our nation. There is no better or more enduring way than the Peace Corps to communicate American values and ideals through the engagement of Volunteers in common endeavors
(l to r) Former Congressman Tony Hall (Thailand 66-67), NPCA Board Chair Tony Barclay (Kenya 68-70 ) and NPCA Acting President Anne Baker (Fiji 84-87) delivered the RPCV Member Group letter to officials of the Office and Management and Budget on December 6th.
with people of other countries to combat poverty, promote understanding and contribute to development.”
The member group letter to the President also addresses the important decision to nominate the next Peace Corps Director. The letter outlines several key criteria, including giving strong consideration “to nominate a Director who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. A Director who served is much better positioned to understand fully the wide array of challenges and opportunities that our Peace Corps Volunteers face in the field.”
Follow this link to read the letter to the President.
“This letter marks an outstanding coming together of the Peace Corps community from around the nation in common purpose”, said National Peace Corps Association Acting President Anne Baker (Fiji 84-87). ”We applaud these groups for their leadership in bringing the world home to our elected officials.”
