New Action to Congress: Protect Peace Corps and Support Evacuees
As Congress continues to develop legislation to provide emergency relief related to the coronavirus, it is imperative that the needs of Peace Corps - and its approximately 7,000 evacuated volunteers - are also taken into account. Your Action is Urgently Needed: National Peace Corps Association posted this new action which is directed at all Senators and members of the House of Representatives. The action urges financial support for Peace Corps to cover the extraordinary costs associated with the global suspension of programs. It also urges support to address the many financial, health and other support needs evacuated volunteers are facing as they come home....
Planning Underway for Days of Action Solidarity Events in Support of Peace Corps
From Miami to San Diego, calls to action will be incorporated into viewings of a new Peace Corps documentary film. In Denver and Albany, letter writing gatherings are in the works. In Portland, Oregon, advocates are making their own video to share with lawmakers about why Peace Corps is important. And, from Richmond to Austin to San Bernardino, leaders of the Peace Corps community are seeking meetings with the district offices of their elected representatives. As part of our 16th annual National Days of Action in support of the Peace Corps, community members from every corner of the country are organizing local solidarity events...
Former Directors Defend Peace Corps’ Independence
A bi-partisan group of ten former Peace Corps directors are unified in their opposition to Senate legislation that would place Peace Corps operations under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State, ending the agency’s independent status. “The independence of the Peace Corps has been carefully protected by Presidents, Secretaries of State, and Congress for the past 58 years,” said the letter addressed to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and signed by ten former directors. “Part of the reason (for this independence) is to ensure that Volunteers would not be confused with those carrying out day-to-day...
Level Peace Corps Funding Approved for FY2020
After weeks of negotiations, Congress approved and President Trump signed a $1.4 trillion federal spending bill for the current fiscal year (FY 2020) that includes level funding of $410.5 million for Peace Corps. The House of Representatives approved the spending package on December 17th, while the Senate ratified the package on December 19th. President Trump signed the legislation on December 20th, the day when a continuing resolution to keep the government operating was set to expire. “While we realize our lawmakers have many difficult decisions before them when putting together our federal budget, it is disappointing they chose to flat fund Peace Corps once...
Record Number of NPCA Affiliate Groups Sign Funding Letter to the President
With a new federal fiscal year underway and Congress yet to determine if Peace Corps funding will get an increase or continue to remain stagnant, it may seem strange to be turning any attention to the next budget cycle. But within the executive branch, staff at the Office of Management and Budget are hard at work preparing their recommendations for Congress for the 2021 Fiscal Year budget, which the president will present to Congress early next year. Since 2013, NPCA has responded by seeking the assistance of our affiliate groups to bring the voice of the Peace Corps community to the White...
Sneak Preview of Senate Spending Bill Indicates Level Peace Corps Funding
As Senate leadership struggles to bring a Fiscal Year 2020 State/Foreign Operations bill to the Senate Floor for a vote, a recently released copy of proposed funding levels strongly suggests that Peace Corps will not receive the recommended raise from Senate appropriators. The Senate's proposed funding level for the State Department and a wide range of international affairs programs totals $56.8 billion, a roughly 1.4 percent increase over current spending. Included in the proposal released late this week is a recommendation that Peace Corps funding remain at $410.5 million. Differences between House and Senate Funding Recommendations Meanwhile, the House of Representatives...
Volunteer Advocacy Coordinators Wanted
With more than fifty district office advocacy meetings being held or scheduled around the country, volunteer advocacy coordinators are playing a key a role in reaching out to district offices, recruiting local RPCV advocates, and coordinating with NPCA staff in Washington. Next week, members of the South Florida Returned Peace Corps Volunteers will be meeting with district office staff of Senator Rick Scott to discuss their reasons for opposing the senator's legislation to put an end to the independent status of the Peace Corps. The group's advocacy coordinator, Ana Ciereszko, is finalizing preparations for that meeting. In central Massachusetts, advocacy coordinator Tim...
Organize/Join District Office Meetings!
A defeated amendment to eliminate Peace Corps funding next fiscal year. Senate legislation to place Peace Corps under the Department of State. House legislation that would propose no less than $450 million for the Peace Corps, protect volunteer non-competitive eligibility (NCE) during a federal hiring freeze, increase pay for RPCVs on disability, and allow the Peace Corps logo to be used at gravesites of deceased volunteers and former staff. The 116th Congress has before it legislation that will have an impact on these and other Peace Corps-related issues. That’s why we are promoting and supporting district office meetings around the nation over the...
ACTION ALERT: Oppose Legislation Introduced to Make Peace Corps a Sub-Agency of the State Department
Keep Peace Corps Independent and Internationally Trusted Join the Peace Corps community in protecting the independent, non-political nature of the Peace Corps by opposing legislation (S.2320) introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) that would make Peace Corps subordinate to the Department of State under the direction of the Secretary of State. By safeguarding Peace Corps' status as an independent agency, we can help to ensure that it will not be used to promote short-term goals of the Secretary of State or whichever administration is occupying the White House. The international perception of the Peace Corps' independence is imperative for its continued success, which...
Raise Your Voice to Educate the 110 Members of Congress Who Voted to Eliminate Funding for the Peace Corps in 2020
Last month, the House of Representatives voted 315 - 110 to reject an amendment introduced by Congressman Mark Walker (R-NC) that would have slashed more than $19 billion from our international assistance programs, including the complete elimination of funding for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2020. More than 9,000 members of National Peace Corps Association's advocacy network took action to turn back this ill-conceived amendment. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to educate the 110 members of Congress who voted in favor. How Did Your Representative Vote? Find out here. IF YOU LIVE IN A DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTED IN...