Protect Peace Corps from Budget Cuts

At $410 million, Peace Corps is less than 1 percent of the International Affairs Budget and Represents less than 0.01 percent of federal spending.

In face of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the United States Senate are expressing strong long-term support for the operation and eventual re-deployment of Peace Corps Volunteers.

A record 42 Senators signed an annual “Dear Colleague” letter circulated by Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) asking for robust funding for Peace Corps in the next fiscal year (FY 2021) which will commence on October 1st.

Written to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations on March 3rd, the letter refers to Peace Corps as “an iconic and vibrant part of the American identity.” You can read the full text of the Senate letter here.

Coupled with a similarly strong and bi-partisan letter circulated last month in the House of Representatives (signed by 167 members), approximately 40% of Congress signed these letters.

 

TAKING ACTION FOR A FUNDING INCREASE

While Congress considers further legislation to address the growing coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that the needs of the Peace Corps and its approximately 7,300 evacuated Volunteers are also taken into account.

Contact your Representative and urge them to financially support Peace Corps to cover the extraordinary costs associated with the global suspension of programs.

Our leaders need to hear that #PeaceCorpsMatters. Tell them how the federal investment in service is making a difference at home and abroad. To get started please register with your zip-code and E-mail share alerts specific to your representative or take matter into your own hands and contact your representative directly using one of the built in actions. Each action takes ~90 seconds to complete.