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Here’s a Summary of Peace Corps COVID-19 Related Legislation

    Here’s a Summary of Peace Corps COVID-19 Related Legislation

    Congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes various legislative initiatives that fully or partially seek to support Peace Corps and the 7,300+ evacuated Volunteers. Here’s a summary of the key legislation that is currently under consideration.
     

    Support this Legislation!

    Follow this link to write your members of Congress in support of any/all of the following legislation.

    Senate Legislation
    Senate Bill 3700 (S. 3700)

    NPCA worked closely on drafting this legislation that extends the period through which evacuees could purchase Peace Corps post-service health insurance; instructs Peace Corps to reopen programs as soon as practicable and expedites redeployment of evacuees; and promotes opportunities for evacuees to secure federal employment or assist with federal pandemic response efforts.

     

    Senate Bill 3642 (S. 3642) — UNITE Act

    This legislation, developed with NPCA, outlines proposals to expand COVID-19 response programs through the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and includes Peace Corps evacuees among those listed for priority hiring; extends opportunities for evacuees to purchase post-service health insurance to six months; calls for expedited procedures to redeploy evacuees, and for Peace Corps to issue a report on its redeployment plans, including plans to redeploy evacuees.

    • Introduced by: Ed Markey (D-MA); joined by Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
    • Co-Sponsors
    • Status: Referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
    • Read the Bill Text
    • Press Release

     

    Senate Bill 3624 (S. 3624) — Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act

    This legislation would fund 750,000 national service positions over three years to support pandemic relief and recovery, and would include evacuated Returned Peace Corps Volunteers for priority placement through the program. 

    • Introduced by: Chris Coons (D-DE); joined originally by Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).
    • Co-Sponsors
    • Status: Referred to the Finance Committee.
    • Read the Bill Text
    • Press Release

     

    House of Representatives

    House Bill 6833 (H.R. 6833) — Utilizing and Supporting Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteers Act

    This legislation was drafted in close coordination with NPCA and allows evacuees the possibility to purchase post-service health insurance through the agency beyond three months should they choose; instructs the Peace Corps to coordinate expedited processes to assist the placement of evacuees in pandemic response initiatives; and instructs Peace Corps to resume overseas programs as soon as practicable, with an expedited redeployment process for evacuees.

     

    House Bill 6560 (H.R. 6560) — UNITE Act of 2020

    ​​​​​​​Working with NPCA, this legislation outlines proposals to expand COVID-19 response programs through the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and includes Peace Corps evacuees among those listed for priority hiring; extends opportunities for evacuees to purchase post-service health insurance to six months; calls for expedited procedures to redeploy evacuees, and for Peace Corps to issue a report on its redeployment plans, including plans to redeploy evacuees.

    • Introduced by: RPCV John Garamendi (D-CA); joined originally by Bobby Rush (D-IL), Debra Haaland (D-NM), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL), and Ann Kuster (D-NH).
    • Co-Sponsors
    • Status: Referred to the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.
    • Read the Bill Text
    • Press Release

     

    House Bill 6415 (H.R. 6415) — Inspire to Serve Act of 2020

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This legislation would extend Non-Competitive Eligibility for Peace Corps service to three years; proposes a pilot program through Peace Corps Response in which Response Volunteers could work remotely; involves Peace Corps leadership in a Council on Service; proposes Peace Corps, the Commission for National and Community Service, and the Department of Defense to collaborate on joint marketing and cross-promoting of various forms of service. (This bill incorporates some of the recommendations offered by the Commission on Military, National and Public Service).

    • Introduced by: Jimmy Panetta (D-CA); joined originally by Don Bacon (R-NE), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), and Jason Crow (D-CO).
    • Co-Sponsors
    • Status: Referred to the Education and Labor, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and a number of other House committees.
    • Read the Bill Text

     

    House Bill 6702 (H.R. 6702) — Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act

    This bill would fund 750,000 national service positions over three years to support pandemic relief and recovery, and includes evacuated Returned Peace Corps Volunteers for priority placement through the program. 

    • Introduced by: David Price (D-NC). Joined originally by Doris Matsui (D-CA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Kim Schirer (D-WA) and fifteen other original co-sponsors.
    • Co-Sponsors
    • Status: Referred to the Education and Labor, and Ways and Means Committees.
    • Read the Bill Text
    • Press Release

     

    TAKE ACTION

    Write your members of Congress in support of any/all of the following legislation.
     

    Write to Your Member of Congress
     May 20, 2020
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