June 25, 2002 - list serv: What you can do to help make this bill become a law

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2002: 06 June 2002 Peace Corps Headlines: June 25, 2002 - list serv: What you can do to help make this bill become a law

By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, July 01, 2002 - 1:14 am: Edit Post

What you can do to help make this bill become a law





Read and comment on this email from Dave Hibbard which we strongly endorse on how you can help make the Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century a law at:

COALITION FOR THE PEACE CORPS CHARTER FOR THE 21ST CENTURY*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



COALITION FOR THE PEACE CORPS CHARTER FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Senate Bill # 2667,

House Bill # 4979

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP MAKE THIS BILL BECOME A LAW

1. Study the Bill so you know why you support it. Be passionate in your conviction.

2. Then, convince your 2 Senators, your Representative and President Bush that they should support it and pass it into law.

3. Call, write, and fax your 2 Senators and your Representative and ask each to cosponsor these bills.

a. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask to be connected to the office of your Senator or Representative.

b. Identify yourself by name, where you are from, and that you are calling about the new Peace Corps Legislation. Ask the Receptionist of that office (1) who is the Staffer responsible for Foreign Affairs, (2) who is the Chief of Staff, and (3) the fax number for each.

c. On the same call, ask to first speak to the Staffer responsible for Peace Corps or foreign affairs. Tell them that you want to inform your Member of Congress (MOC) about this Peace Corps bill, Senate Bill # 2667 or House Bill # 4979, and you are asking your MOC to cosponsor this bill. Tell the Staffer briefly what the bill is all about and why (as passionately as possible) you support it. If the staffer is not available, leave the same message on their voice mail, but always call them back and talk with them personally, and always let them know where they can contact you.

d. Call back to the same office, ask to speak with the Chief of Staff. Tell them about the bill, why you support it, and that you are seeking your MOC¹s cosponsorship and support for the bill (just like you did for the foreign affairs staffer). Thus a minimum of 2 people in the MOCs office will know about the bill and your request that their boss cosponsor this bill.

e. Urge each of them to personally get behind this bill and to urge their Congressperson to do the same. Tell them you will call them periodically to check on the MOC¹s support for the bill. Thank them for all the hard work they do.

4. Send both a Letter and a Fax to your 2 Senators, your Representative and to President Bush. Ask them to support the bill, always referring to it by both name and number, and briefly why you support the bill and that you are asking your MOCs to cosponsor the bill. Use letterhead paper (which you can create on your computer by typing your name and address at the top of the page) and a title, if you have one. Identify yourself as a RPCV who served when and where.

The Honorable__________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable_____________
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC

White House fax 202-456-2461

White House opinion line 202-456-1111


5. Provide to your friends, families, neighbors, and business contacts, copies of the letter which you have sent to your Congresspeople which they can sign and send in and fax in. Be generous and give them envelopes and stamps.

6. Call the President¹s opinion phone line 202-456-1111, and ask him to support the final bill which will result from Senate Bill # 2667 and House Bill # 4979.

7. Give US your name, address, phone number, email address and, very importantly, who is your Representative. If these people are on one of the House or Senate Committees which are considering this bill, they can make or kill this bill.

8. If you are willing to be the telephone contact for your District, meaning that at short notice, you will call other RPCVs in your area, asking them to telephone your Senators and Representative, please let me know.

9. Do this whole process both for the Washington DC office of your MOC and with their local office. If you can only do one, make it the DC office.

Email me at cdhibbard@indra.com for questions. Dave Hibbard, Boulder, Colorado. Roger Landrum can be reached at YSINTL@aol.com


HIGHLIGHTS: THE PEACE CORPS CHARTER FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT

1. Provides a fund of $ 10 million per year to be used by RPCVs "to develop programs and projects to promote the objectives of the Peace Corps."

(Now we would have significant, renewable funding for important programs and projects both in this country and in the countries in which we served)

2. Calls on the Peace Corps Director to more fully utilize RPCVs in opening and reopening Peace Corps countries.

3. Keeps the PC independent from the USA Freedom Corps.

4. Calls for a very carefully thought out and safe expansion of PCV numbers.

5. Calls for an expanded Crisis Corps "to utilize to the maximum extent the pool of talent from the returned Peace Corps Volunteer community."

6. Calls for the creation of 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....."

7. Calls for a " streamlined bipartisan National Peace Corps Advisory Council composed (entirely) of distinguished RPCVs" which the PC Director would be required, by law, to consult with regularly. This Council would be called on to "make recommendations for utilizing the expertise of returned Peace Corps volunteers in fulfilling the goals of the Peace Corps."

8. Includes a global infectious disease initiative.

9. Readjustment allowances would be increased from $125 to $200 per month.


The Peace Corps Bill

The Peace Corps Bill

Senator Dodd's Statement on why he introduced the bill


Other Supporters of the Bill

Former Peace Corps Director Mark Schneider
"I strongly support the fundamental purpose of the Act."

NPCA President Dane Smith
The NPCA supports the bill and intends "to work hard for its passage."

RPCV Barbara Ferris
"I speak in strong support of the Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century Act."

RPCV John Coyne
Senator Dodd, I join with other RPCVs in "thanking you for working to strengthen the Peace Corps."


Background Information on the Bill

Coverage on the Previous Draft Bill

RPCV Congressmen support Peace Corps Autonomy

Rep. Sam Farr discusses the legislation with PCOL

The Case for Peace Corps Independence

The Peace Corps Fund





Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

Senator Dodd holds Hearings on new Peace Corps LegislationThe Controversy over Lariam
Why the Peace Corps needs a Fourth GoalRPCVs start the Peace Corps Fund
The Case for Peace Corps IndependenceInterview with Sam Farr on new Peace Corps legislation
The Peace Corps and Homeland SecurityDirector Vasquez meets with RPCVs
RPCV Congressmen support Peace Corps' autonomyPeace Corps Expansion:  The Numbers Game?
When should the Peace Corps return to Afghanistan?Peace Corps Cartoons
RPCV Character on new Fox SitcomBush and JFK



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