The following has been copied from the Push for Peace Corps website. Please visit this link to see the original text, or pushforpeacecorps.org for more info.
“This Thursday, amidst fierce debate over the debt ceiling, the House State and Foreign Operations subcommittee will vote on next year’s Peace Corps budget. Because of your hard work, more than a hundred Congressmen and Congresswomen signed Rep. Sam Farr’s (Colombia 64-66) Peace Corps letter to Congress, urging $440 million in FY 2012 to continue to support volunteers in the field and bolster and strengthen the volunteer force around the world on a historic anniversary. Cutting from this extremely small sum, which is less than 1% of the Foreign Affairs budget, would have no bearing on the deficit.
We need thousands of RPCVs, applicants, and their friends and family members, to immediately pick up the phones now and call the following eleven State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee Members, particularly the 7 Republican Majority members including Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth, Texas. Please write the NAME of your representative in an e-mail to rajeev@pushforpeacecorps.orgso we can keep track of advocacy and follow-up with offices. If you wish, please tell us the response you received in the body of your e-mail. If you have any questions or are unsure of whether you are a constituent, email Rajeev.
What to say when you call?
“I am a constituent calling from _____ to respectfully ask Rep. _______ to support the full $440 million for the Peace Corps in 2012. For this modest sum 10,000 mostly young Americans can serve their country around the world and help themselves by learning new languages and interacting in parts of the world seldom traveled. This funding would allow more volunteers in Indonesia, China, and Haiti and open programs in Nepal and Vietnam. At a time of deep fiscal concern, the Peace Corps is a cost-effective investment.”
Several Helpful Talking Points :
1. With these funds, 1,000 more volunteer positions would be created and Peace Corps opened in countries like Nepal and Vietnam, expanding in Haiti and Indonesia.
2. At present there are no volunteers anywhere within South Asia, where half the world’s population resides. This funding would help greatly expand volunteer numbers in Asia.
3. Cutting Peace Corps funding, which is less than 1% of the foreign operations bill won’t reduce the deficit.
The State and Foreign Operations Members to Call:
Majority
Kay Granger, TX 12 (Chair) 202-225-5071
Jerry Lewis, CA 41 202-225-5861
Frank Wolf, VA 10 202-225-5136
Tom Cole, OK 4 202-225-6165
Mario Diaz-Balart, FL 21 202-225-4211
Charlie Dent, PA 15 202-225-6411
Steve Austria, OH 7 (202) 225-4324
Minority
Nita Lowey, NY 18 (Ranking Member) 202-225-6506
Jesse Jackson, IL 2 202-225-0773
Adam Schiff, CA 29 (202) 225-4176
Steve Rothman, NJ 9 202-225-5061
