Peace Corps Funding

Congress is at work on funding levels for Peace Corps and other federal programs for Fiscal Year 2013, which begins October 1st.

Members of the the Senate and House Appropriations Committee play a very important role in determining these funding levels, and when it comes to Peace Corps, the Appropriations Subcommittees for State/Foreign Operations have the

After meeting with Massachusetts RPCVs during the 2012 National Day of Action, Congressman Bill Keating (center) added his name to a House letter requesting $400 million for the Peace Corps

most direct role in setting funding levels for Peace Corps and other international affairs programs.

Background and Updates:

President Obama has proposed $375 million for Peace Corps for Fiscal Year 2013. This is the same level of spending as the current fiscal year. However, it is 6.6 percent below the $400 million in funding Peace Corps received in Fiscal Year 2010.
In March, 128 members of the House of Representatives signed this letter asking the House State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee to support a return to $400 million in funding for the Peace Corps. Later that month, the National Peace Corps Association sent a letter also requesting $400 million.
In March, 32 Senators signed this letter asking the Senate State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee to support strong funding to support the Peace Corps.
In April, NPCA hand-delivered this Michael Gerson op-ed to the offices of all congressional appropriators as the most recent example of the important contributions Peace Corps Volunteers are making to global human development (be sure to read the last two paragraphs of the piece).
On May 9th, the House Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations, recommended level funding for Peace Corps – $375 million – admidst an international affairs spending package of approximately $48 billion, nearly $5 billion below current spending.
On May 24th, the Senate Appropriations Committee – following the lead of its State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee – recommended $400 million for the Peace Corps. $25 million above current funding, and matching agency funding levels two years ago.
Follow these links for some fast facts about the Peace Corps, and the most recent review of Peace Corps issues by the Congressional Research Service.

Take Action:

Contact your Congressional Representatives. Lawmakers on Appropriations Committees are listed below with Washington phone numbers and links to send an email message. For other lawmakers, you will find links below to both Senate and House directories.
What Do I Need to Say/Write? Contact your lawmakers, identify yourself as a constituent and (if applicable) a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Continue to voice your support for a return to $400 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2013. It is especially important to continue delivering this message to Senate appropriators. Be sure to thank Senate Appropriators for recommending $400 million for Peace Corps. With all lawmakers, express your hope that the Senate Peace Corps figure of $400 million will eventually be approved for Fiscal Year 2013. Share a thought or two about your Peace Corps experience or why – even in these challenging fiscal times – Peace Corps is so important to our nation.
Please Help Spread the Word: Pass this action along to at least five neighbors, family or friends who are also constituents of your rerpesentatives, and ask them to take similar action. Then, contact us at advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org to let us know you took action.

Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee:

Senators listed in bold and marked with an asterisk (*) serve on the State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee.

Daniel Inouye* (D-HI) Chairman 202-224-3934
Thad Cochran (R-MS) Vice Chairman 202-224-5054
Patrick Leahy* (D-VT) Chairman– State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee 202-224-4242
Lindsey Graham*(R-SC) Ranking Member– State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee 202-224-3841
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 202-224-4944
Roy Blunt* (R-MO) 202-224-5721
Sherrod Brown* (D-OH) 202-224-2315
Dan Coats* (R-IN) 202-224-5623
Susan Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523
Richard Durbin* (D-IL) 202-224-2152
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 202-224-3841
Tom Harkin* (D-IA) 202-224-3254
John Hoeven* (R-ND) 202-224-2551
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) 202-224-5922
Ron Johnson* (R-WI) 202-224-5323
Tim Johnson (D-SD) 202-224-5842
Mark Kirk* (R-IL) 202-224-2854
Herb Kohl (D-WI) 202-224-5653
Mary Landrieu* (D-LA) 202-224-5824
Frank Lautenberg* (D-NJ) 202-224-3224
Mitch McConnell* (R-KY) 202-224-2541
Barbara Milkulski* (D-MD) 202-224-4654
Jerry Moran (R-KS) 202-224-6521
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) 202-224-6665
Patty Murray (D-WA) 202-224-2621
Ben Nelson (D-NE) 202-224-6551
Mark Pryor (D-AR) 202-224-2353
Jack Reed (D-RI) 202-224-4642
Richard Shelby (R-AL) 202-224-5744
Jon Tester (D-MT) 202-224-2644

Don’t see your Senator(s) listed above? Click here for the Senate Directory.

Members of the House Appropriations Committee:

Representatives listed in bold and marked with an asterisk (*) serve on the State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee.

Harold “Hal” Rogers (R-KY) Chairman 202-225-4601
Norman “Norm” Dicks (D-WA) Ranking Minority Member 202-225-5916
Kay Granger* (R-TX) Chairwoman– State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee 202-225-5071
Nita M. Lowey* (D-NY) Ranking Member– State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee 202-225-6506
Robert Aderholt (R-AL) 202-225-4876
Rodney Alexander (R- LA) 202-225-8490
Steve Clement Austria* (R-OH) 202-225-4324
Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) 202-225-3631
Jo Bonner, Jr. (R-AL) 202-225-4931
Ken Calvert (R-CA) 202-225-1986
John Carter (R-TX) 202-225-3864
Tom Cole* (R-OK) 202-225-6165
Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) 202-225-2501
John Culberson (R-TX) 202-225-2571
Charlie Dent* (R-PA) 202-225-6411
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) 202-225-3661
Mario Diaz-Balart* (R-FL) 202-225-4211
Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) 202-225-4404
Sam Farr (D-CA) 202-225-2861
Chaka Fattah (D-PA) 202-225-4001
Jeff Flake (R-AZ) 202-225-2635
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) 202-225-5034
Tom Graves, Jr. (R-GA) 202-225-5211
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) 202-225-6335
Mike Honda (D-CA) 202-225-2631
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.* (D-IL) 202-225-0773
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) 202-225-4146
Jack Kingston (R-GA) 202-225-5831
Tom Latham (R-IA) 202-225-5476
Steven LaTourette (R-OH) 202-225-5731
Barbara Lee (D-CA) 202-225-2661
Jerry Lewis* (R-CA) 202-225-5861
Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) 202-225-2311
Betty McCollum (D-MN) 202-225-6631
Jim Moran (D- VA) 202-225-4376
John Olver (D-MA) 202-225-5335
Ed Pastor (D-AZ) 202-225-4065
David Price (D-NC) 202-225-1784
Denny Rehberg (R-MT) 202-225-3211
Steven Rothman* (D-NJ) 202-225-5061
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) 202-225-1766
Adam Schiff* (D-CA) 202-225-4176
Jose Serrano (D-NY) 202-225-4361
Mike Simpson (R-ID) 202-225-5531
Pete Visclosky (D-IN) 202-225-2461
Frank Wolf* (R-VA) 202-225-5136
Kevin Yoder (R-KS) 202-225-2865

Don’t see your Representative listed above? Click here for the House of Representatives Directory.

National Peace Corps Association