Garamendi’s Peace Corps Reauthorization Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), applauded the passage of his bipartisan "Peace Corps Reauthorization Act" (H.R.1456) in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 290 to 125. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

Garamendi is a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Ethiopia 1966-1968) and co-chair of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus.

The "Peace Corps Reauthorization Act" (H.R.1456) would provide additional federal funding and resources to advance the Peace Corps' mission around the world and better support current, returning, and former Peace Corps volunteers.

"This week, we will celebrate the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's signing of the Peace Corps Act into law on September 22, 1961. Today, to commemorate this occasion, my legislation to re-authorize the Peace Corps for the first time in over two decades has passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote," Garamendi said (D-CA).

"My wife Patti and I owe so much to our service in the Peace Corps. We joined as graduates fresh out of U.C. Berkeley and served in a small village in western Ethiopia. We taught 7^th and 8^th graders and engaged in community development. Like so many Americans of every age and background, we answered JFK's call to service. It is a call we still heed to this day in our lives," Garamendi continued.

"Over the 60 years since the first volunteers arrived in Liberia, more than 240,000 Peace Corps volunteers have answered JFK's call service in 142 countries to assist in their economic and social development," Garamendi continued.

"When the Soviet Union collapsed, Peace Corps volunteers were asked by 13 newly formed independent states to bring the best of America with them. Americans, young and old, with every skill arrived. Since 1992, 3,419 volunteers have served in Ukraine," Garamendi continued.

"Peace Corps volunteers support agriculture production, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and much more. They achieve this while also augmenting America's image abroad," Garamendi continued.

"My ‘Peace Corps Reauthorization Act' provides the resources necessary for the redeployment of Peace Corps volunteers, expands benefits and protections for volunteers, and promotes global peace and cooperation by fulfilling the Pace Corps' three goals:

1. To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served.
3. To help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans," Garamendi continued.

"I applaud Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Risch (R-ID) for introducing companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. Now that the legislation has passed the House of Representatives, I will work tirelessly to ensure it passes the Senate and becomes law," Garamendi concluded.

The "Peace Corps Reauthorization Act" (H.R.1456):

• Authorizes $430.5 million in annual funding by fiscal years 2023 and 2024 for the Peace Corps to support the goal of deploying 10,0000 volunteers worldwide. This is an increase over the flat $410 million funding level provided by Congress in recent years.
• Expedites re-enrollment of volunteers whose service ended involuntarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and allows volunteers to resume in-country service.
• Directs the Peace Corps to provide benefits (readjustment allowance, health insurance, noncompetitive eligibility status for federal hiring) to volunteers whose service ended involuntarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Guarantees 2 months of health insurance coverage for returned volunteers paid by the Peace Corps, with the option to renew for an additional month at individual expense.
• Requires the Peace Corps to outline various public and private health insurance coverage options to returned volunteers, including for returned volunteers under the age of 25 with coverage on their parent's health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
• Includes the "Menstrual Equity in the Peace Corps Act" sponsored by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) since 2020, to provide feminine hygiene products to volunteers at no cost.
• Extends whistleblower and anti-retaliatory protections to Peace Corps volunteers, including protections against reprisals by any Peace Corps employee, volunteer supervisor, or outside contractor.
• Includes the "Respect for Peace Corps Volunteers Act" sponsored by Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) since 2013, to allow former volunteers to display on the Peace Corps emblem on their gravestones.
• Extends Peace Corps volunteers' 12-month hiring preference for most federal job openings during any federal hiring freeze, government shutdown, public health emergency, or while a volunteer receives federal worker's compensation benefits for any injury during their Peace Corps service.
• Directs the Peace Corps and U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security to update plans and protocols for Peace Corps volunteer security support and protection in foreign countries.
• Increases the federal workers' compensation rate for all Peace Corps volunteers injured or disabled during their service.

Congressman Garamendi's bipartisan bill builds upon the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-256) and the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-57). The bill also builds upon legislation sponsored by former Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA), who served in the Peace Corps in Colombia from 1964-1966.

Congress last reauthorized the Peace Corps in 1999 (Public Law 106-30), which expired at the end of fiscal year 2003.

The bill's original cosponsors include Representative Garret Graves (R-LA)—co-chair of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus with Congressman Garamendi—and Representatives Grace Meng (D-NY), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Ed Case (D-HI), and Albio Sires (D-NJ). The bill is endorsed by the National Peace Corps Association, the National Whistleblower Center, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).