(Sec. 5) Amends reporting requirements for the Director of the Peace Corps. Requires the Director to report to Congress at least once per year on various topics, which shall include any recommendations for improving coordination of development projects between the Peace Corps and international or host country voluntary service organizations. States that the Director should consult with the appropriate congressional committees with respect to any major new initiatives not discussed in the latest submitted annual report. Requires the Director to report to Congress on student loan forgiveness programs.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Director to report to Congress on initiatives that the Peace Corps intends to pursue with eligible countries where the presence of Peace Corps volunteers would facilitate a greater understanding that a universe exists of commonly shared human values and aspirations. Authorizes and strongly urges the Director to utilize the services of returned Peace Corps volunteers having language and cultural expertise, including those who may have served previously in countries with substantial Muslim populations, in order to open or reopen Peace Corps programs in such countries.
(Sec. 7) Requires the Director to develop a training program for all Peace Corps volunteers in the education, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases.
(Sec. 8) Amends requirements for membership on the Peace Corps Advisory Council.
(Sec. 9) Increases Peace Corps volunteer readjustment allowances from $125 to $275 a month.
(Sec. 10) Directs the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service to award grants to private nonprofit corporations for the purpose of enabling returned Peace Corps volunteers to carry out programs and projects to forward Peace Corps goals. States that such programs and projects may include: (1) educational programs; (2) partnerships with libraries; and (3) audio-visual projects. Requires corporations receiving grants to have a board of directors composed of returned Peace Corps volunteers with a background in community service, education, or health.
Sets forth grant requirements, including that the grantee give consideration to funding individual programs or projects by returned Peace Corps volunteers in amounts of not more than $100,000.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2007.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2667 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2667
To amend the Peace Corps Act to promote global acceptance of the
principles of international peace and nonviolent coexistence among
peoples of diverse cultures and systems of government, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 21, 2002
Mr. Dodd (for himself, Mr. Smith of Oregon, Mr. Kennedy, Mr.
Torricelli, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Kerry) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Peace Corps Act to promote global acceptance of the
principles of international peace and nonviolent coexistence among
peoples of diverse cultures and systems of government, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Peace Corps Charter for the 21st
Century Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Peace Corps was established in 1961 to promote
world peace and friendship through the service of American
volunteers abroad.
(2) The three goals codified in the Peace Corps Act which
have guided the Peace Corps and its volunteers over the years,
can work in concert to promote global acceptance of the
principles of international peace and nonviolent coexistence
among peoples of diverse cultures and systems of government.
(3) The Peace Corps has operated in 135 countries with
165,000 Peace Corps volunteers since its establishment.
(4) The Peace Corps has sought to fulfill three goals, as
follows: to help people in developing nations meet basic needs,
to promote understanding of America's values and ideals abroad,
and to promote an understanding of other peoples by Americans.
(5) After more than 40 years of operation, the Peace Corps
remains the world's premier international service organization
dedicated to promoting grassroots development.
(6) The Peace Corps remains committed to sending well
trained and well supported Peace Corps volunteers overseas to
promote world peace, friendship, and grassroots development.
(7) The Peace Corps is an independent agency, and therefore
no Peace Corps personnel or volunteers should have any
relationship with any United States intelligence agency or be
used to accomplish any other goal than the goals established by
the Peace Corps Act.
(8) The Crisis Corps has been an effective tool in
harnessing the skills and talents for returned Peace Corps
volunteers and should be expanded to utilize to the maximum
extent the pool of talent from the returned Peace Corps
volunteer community.
(9) The Peace Corps is currently operating with an annual
budget of $275,000,000 in 70 countries with 7,000 Peace Corps
volunteers.
(10) There is deep misunderstanding and misinformation
about American values and ideals in many parts of the world,
particularly those with substantial Muslim populations, and a
greater Peace Corps presence in such places could foster
greater understanding and tolerance of those countries.
(11) Congress has declared that the Peace Corps should be
expanded to sponsor a minimum of 10,000 Peace Corps volunteers.
(12) President George W. Bush has called for the doubling
of the number of Peace Corps volunteers in service in a fiscal
year to 15,000 volunteers in service by the end of fiscal year
2007.
(13) Any expansion of the Peace Corps shall not jeopardize
the quality of the Peace Corps volunteer experience, and
therefore can only be accomplished by an appropriate increase
in field and headquarters support staff.
(14) It would be extremely useful for the Peace Corps to
establish an office of strategic planning to evaluate existing
programs and undertake long-term planning in order to
facilitate the orderly expansion of the Peace Corps from its
current size to the stated objective of 15,000 volunteers in
the field by the end of fiscal year 2007.
(15) The Peace Corps would benefit from the advice and
council of a streamlined bipartisan National Peace Corps
Advisory Council composed of distinguished returned Peace Corps
volunteers.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on
International Relations of the House of Representatives.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Peace Corps.
(3) Peace corps volunteer.--The term ``Peace Corps
volunteer'' means a volunteer or a volunteer leader under the
Peace Corps Act.
(4) Returned peace corps volunteer.--The term ``returned
Peace Corps volunteer'' means a person who has been certified
by the Director as having served satisfactorily as a Peace
Corps volunteer.
SEC. 4. RESTATEMENT OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE PEACE CORPS.
(a) In General.--Section 2A of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2501-
1) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``As an
independent agency, all recruiting of volunteers shall be undertaken
solely by the Peace Corps.''.
(b) Details and Assignments.--Section 5(g) of the Peace Corps Act
(22 U.S.C. 2504(g)) is amended by inserting after ``Provided, That''
the following: ``such detail or assignment does not contradict the
standing of Peace Corps volunteers as being independent from foreign
policy-making and intelligence collection: Provided further, That''.
SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
(a) Consultations and Reports Concerning New Initiatives.--Section
11 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2510) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(a) Annual Reports.--'' immediately
before ``The President shall transmit''; and
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(b) Consultations and Reports on New Initiatives.--Thirty days
prior to implementing any new initiative, the Director shall consult
with the Peace Corps National Advisory Council established in section
12 and shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
and the Committee on International Relations of the House of
Representatives a report describing the objectives that such initiative
is intended to fulfill, an estimate of any costs that may be incurred
as a result of the initiative, and an estimate of any impact on
existing programs, including the impact on the safety of volunteers
under this Act''.
(b) Country Security Reports.--Section 11 of the Peace Corps Act
(22 U.S.C. 2510), as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(c) Country Security Reports.--The Director of the Peace Corps
shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
the Committee on International Relations of the House of
Representatives a report annually on the status of security procedures
in any country in which the Peace Corps operates programs or is
considering doing so. Each report shall include recommendations when
appropriate as to whether security conditions would be enhanced by
colocating volunteers with international or local nongovernmental
organizations, or with the placement of multiple volunteers in one
location.''.
(c) Report on Student Loan Forgiveness Programs.--Not later than 30
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Peace
Corps shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
and the Committee on International Relations of the House of
Representatives a report--
(1) describing the student loan forgiveness programs
currently available to Peace Corps volunteers upon completion
of their service; and
(2) comparing such programs with other Government-sponsored
student loan forgiveness programs.
SEC. 6. SPECIAL VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND PLACEMENT FOR COUNTRIES WHOSE
GOVERNMENTS ARE SEEKING TO FOSTER GREATER UNDERSTANDING
BY AND ABOUT THEIR CITIZENS.
(a) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate
congressional committees describing the initiatives that the Peace
Corps intends to pursue in order to solicit requests from eligible
countries where the presence of Peace Corps volunteers would facilitate
a greater understanding that there exists a universe of commonly shared
human values and aspirations and would dispel unfounded fears and
suspicion among peoples of diverse cultures and systems of government,
including peoples from countries with substantial Muslim populations.
Such report shall include--
(1) a description of the recruitment strategies to be
employed by the Peace Corps to recruit and train volunteers
with the appropriate language skills and interest in serving in
such countries; and
(2) a list of the countries that the Director has
determined should be priorities for special recruitment and
placement of Peace Corps volunteers.
(b) Use of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, the Director is authorized and strongly urged
to utilize the services of returned Peace Corps volunteers having
language and cultural expertise, including those returned Peace Corps
volunteers who may have served previously in countries with substantial
Muslim populations, in order to open or reopen Peace Corps programs in
such countries.
(c) Allocation of Funds.--In addition to amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Peace Corps by section 11 for the fiscal years
2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, there is authorized to be appropriated for
the Peace Corps $5,000,000 each such fiscal year solely for the
recruitment, training, and placement of Peace Corps volunteers in
countries whose governments are seeking to foster greater understanding
by and about their citizens.
SEC. 7. GLOBAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--The Director, in cooperation with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the
World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization,
local public health officials, shall develop a program of training for
all Peace Corps volunteers in the areas of education, prevention, and
treatment of infectious diseases in order to ensure that all Peace
Corps volunteers make a contribution to the global campaign against
such diseases.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) AIDS.--The term ``AIDS'' means the acquired immune
deficiency syndrome.
(2) HIV.--The term ``HIV'' means the human immunodeficiency
virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS.
(3) HIV/AIDS.--The term ``HIV/AIDS'' means, with respect to
an individual, an individual who is infected with HIV or living
with AIDS.
(4) Infectious diseases.--The term ``infectious diseases''
means HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
SEC. 8. PEACE CORPS ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Section 12 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2511; relating to the
Peace Corps National Advisory Council) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (b)(2)(D) to read as follows:
``(D) make recommendations for utilizing the
expertise of returned Peace Corps volunteers in
fulfilling the goals of the Peace Corps.'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking paragraph (1);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as
paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so redesignated)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``fifteen'' and
inserting ``seven'';
(II) by striking the second
sentence and inserting the following:
``All of the members shall be former
Peace Corps volunteers, and not more
than four shall be members of the same
political party.'';
(ii) by amending subparagraph (D) to read
as follows:
``(D) The members of the Council shall be appointed
to 2-year terms.'';
(iii) by striking subparagraphs (B), (E),
and (H); and
(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs (C),
(D), (F), (G), and (I) as subparagraphs (B),
(C), (D), (E), and (F), respectively;
(3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
``(g) Chair.--The President shall designate one of the voting
members of the Council as Chair, who shall serve in that capacity for a
period not to exceed two years.'';
(4) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
``(h) Meetings.--The Council shall hold a regular meeting during
each calendar quarter at a date and time to be determined by the Chair
of the Council.''; and
(5) by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:
``(i) Report.--Not later than July 30, 2003, and annually
thereafter, the Council shall submit a report to the President and the
Director of the Peace Corps describing how the Council has carried out
its functions under subsection (b)(2).''.
SEC. 9. READJUSTMENT ALLOWANCES.
The Peace Corps Act is amended--
(1) in section 5(c) (22 U.S.C. 2504(c)), by striking
``$125'' and inserting ``$275''; and
(2) in section 6(1) (22 U.S.C. 2505(1)), by striking
``$125'' and inserting ``$275''.
SEC. 10. PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS TO
PROMOTE THE GOALS OF THE PEACE CORPS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide support for
returned Peace Corps volunteers to develop programs and projects to
promote the objectives of the Peace Corps, as set forth in section 2 of
the Peace Corps Act.
(b) Grants to Certain Nonprofit Corporations.--
(1) Grant authority.--To carry out the purpose of this
section, and subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Director of the Corporation for National and Community Service
shall award grants on a competitive basis to private nonprofit
corporations that are established in the District of Columbia
for the purpose of serving as incubators for returned Peace
Corps volunteers seeking to use their knowledge and expertise
to undertake community-based projects to carry out the goals of
the Peace Corps Act.
(2) Eligibility for grants.--To be eligible to compete for
grants under this section, a nonprofit corporation must have a
board of directors composed of returned Peace Corps volunteers
with a background in community service, education, or health.
The director of the corporation (who may also be a board member
of the nonprofit corporation) shall also be a returned Peace
Corps volunteer with demonstrated management expertise in
operating a nonprofit corporation. The stated purpose of the
nonprofit corporation shall be to act solely as an intermediary
between the Corporation for National and Community Service and
individual returned Peace Corps volunteers seeking funding for
projects consistent with the goals of the Peace Corps. The
nonprofit corporation may act as the accountant for individual
volunteers for purposes of tax filing and audit
responsibilities.
(c) Grant Requirements.--Such grants shall be made pursuant to a
grant agreement between the Director and the nonprofit corporation that
requires that--
(1) grant funds will only be used to support programs and
projects described in subsection (a) pursuant to proposals
submitted by returned Peace Corps volunteers (either
individually or cooperatively with other returned volunteers);
(2) the nonprofit corporation give consideration to funding
individual projects or programs by returned Peace Corps
volunteers up to $100,000;
(3) not more than 20 percent of funds made available to the
nonprofit corporation will be used for the salaries, overhead,
or other administrative expenses of the nonprofit corporation;
and
(4) the nonprofit corporation will not receive grant funds
under this section for more than two years unless the
corporation has raised private funds, either in cash or in kind
for up to 40 percent of its annual budget.
(d) Funding.--Of the funds available to the Corporation for
National and Community Service for fiscal year 2003 or any fiscal year
thereafter, not to exceed $10,000,000 shall be available for each such
fiscal year to carry out the grant program established under this
section.
(e) Status of the Fund.--Nothing in this section shall be construed
to make any nonprofit corporation supported under this section an
agency or establishment of the United States Government or to make the
members of the board of directors or any officer or employee of such
corporation an officer or employee of the United States.
(f) Factors in Awarding Grants.--In determining the number of
private nonprofit corporations to award grants to in any fiscal years,
the Director should balance the number of organizations against the
overhead costs that divert resources from project funding.
(g) Congressional Oversight.--Grant recipients under this section
shall be subject to the appropriate oversight procedures of Congress.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 3(b)(1) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C.
2502(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
(2) by inserting before the period the following: ``,
$465,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $500,000,000 for fiscal year
2005, $560,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $560,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007''.
(b) Increase in Peace Corps Volunteer Strength.--Section 3(c) of
the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2502(c)) is amended by adding the
following new subsection at the end thereof:
``(d) In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated in
this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such additional
sums as may be necessary to achieve a volunteer corps of 15,000 as soon
as practicable taking into account the security of volunteers and the
effectiveness of country programs.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5902-5903)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5903-5905)
Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs. Hearings held.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 700.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S10594-10598; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S10595-10596; text as passed Senate: CR S10596-10598)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S10594-10598; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S10595-10596; text as passed Senate: CR S10596-10598)
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Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.