Senator Norm Coleman and Peace Corps Appropriations
Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, and a strong supporter of the President Bush's full appropriation for the Peace Corps for FY2004 of $359 million. The NPCA National Advocacy Network is asking Minnesota RPCVs to call the Senator's office and ask him to introduce an amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that would restore full funding of the President's Request for $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
Read and comment on this action alert that we have seen on several RPCV listservs from the NPCA National Advocacy Network asking Minnesota RPCVs to call Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, Chair of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, and pass on the message that you want Senator Coleman to initiate an amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that would restore full funding of the President's Request for $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
Returned Volunteers in Connecticut can help by calling Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, a Peace Corps Volunteer who served in the Dominican Republic in the 1960's, and ask him to co-sponsor the amendment with Senator Coleman.
Volunteers in other states can call your Senator now during the August recess and ask him or her to support an amendment to the Senate Foreign Operations Bill for the full $359M Peace Corps appropriation. Read the original action alert at:
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
ACTION ALERT
TO: ALL MINNESOTA RPCVs
FROM: THE NPCA, NATIONAL ADVOCACY NETWORK
RE: SEN. NORM COLEMAN AND PEACE CORPS APPROPRIATIONS
URGENT ACTION NEEDED NOW
BACKGROUND
President Bush asked Congress for $359 million for Fiscal Year 2004 (which starts 10/1/03) to run and, more importantly, expand the Peace Corps. THE PEACE CORPS RECEIVES ITS FUNDING THROUGH THE ANNUAL FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WHICH ALSO FUNDS MOST OTHER FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
The full membership of the House HAS PASSED AN FY 2004 FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL (HR 2800) , WHICH INCLUDES $314 MILLION FOR THE PEACE CORPS. THIS IS $45 MILLION BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST OF $359 MILLION FOR FY 2004.
The SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED AN FY 2004 FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL (S.1426), WHICH WOULD FUND THE PEACE CORPS AT $310 MILLION. THAT IS $49 MILLION BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST FOR FY 2004. (THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ALSO PROVIDED AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER $20 MILLION FROM THE GLOBAL AIDS INITIATIVE TO THE PEACE CORPS FOR HIV/AIDS ACTIVITIES. THE HOUSE HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE.) S.1426 has yet to be voted on by the full Senate membership, a vote that may take place in the next 5 days, by 8/1/03, after which the Senate goes on Summer Recess.
Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman is the Chair of the Senate Subcommittee in charge of the Peace Corps and a strong supporter of President Bush's full appropriation for the Peace Corps for FY2004 of $359 million. The NPCA National Advocacy Network is asking Minnesota RPCVs to call the Senator's office and ask him to introduce an amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that would restore full funding of the President's Request for $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
Word has it that Senator Coleman wants to make his mark as a Freshman Senator by restoring the full funding of $359 million for the Peace Corps. HELP HIM DO THIS!
ACTION NEEDED
Call Senator Coleman¹s office at 202-224-5641 (or fax him at 202-224-1152).
You may email him at <opinion@coleman.senate.gov> but this is not nearly as effective as a personal call or a fax. Ask to speak to the Staffer in charge of Peace Corps affairs. Tell him/her who you are and your address (they only listen to constituents). Ask them to pass on the message that you want Senator Coleman to initiate an amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that would restore full funding OF THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST FOR $359 MILLION FOR THE PEACE CORPS IN FY2004.
Suggest that Sen. Coleman could talk to Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut to launch a bipartisan amendment to this effect. SENATOR COLEMAN IS THE CHAIRMAN AND SENATOR DODD, AN RPCV, IS THE RANKING DEMOCRAT ON THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, NARCOTICS AND PEACE CORPS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
You need to act in the next 24-72 hours from the time you receive this email. If the Senate votes on the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which includes the funding for the Peace Corps, it will be by this coming Friday, August 1st.
Thank you! And please email us at advocacy@rpcv.org. Let us know what you did so we know how effective we are in mobilizing our advocacy network.
Mary Adams
Operations
763.549.6120
1.800.642.2328
madams@ccfcu.org
City-County Federal Credit Union
July 21, 2003 - Disaster ahead for FY 2004 Peace Corps Budget
Read and comment on this email from the NPCA Advocacy Listserv on July 21, 2003 that the Peace Corps is facing the strong possibility of a funding disaster in Fiscal Year 2004.
On July 16, the House Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2004 foreign operations appropriations bill that would fund the Peace Corps at $314 million. This is $45 million below the President's request of $359 million for FY2004.
On July 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2004 foreign operations appropriations bill that would fund the Peace Corps at $310 million, which is $49 million below the President's request. The Committee also provided authority to transfer $20 million from the Global AIDS Initiative to the Peace Corps for HIV/AIDS activities. That would bring the total for the Peace Corps to $330 million. This amount is still $29 million below the President's request of $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
We urge all Peace Corps alumni and friends to contact their Members of Congress today. Click the link below to get contact information for your Senators and Representative:
Addendum to the original message: The $314 million appropriation passed the House on July 24. The Senate has yet to consider the bill and will be in recess until early September. RPCVs should call their Senators and ask him or her to support an amendment to the Senate Foreign Operations Bill for the full $359M Peace Corps approriation. The stakes are still just as high now as when the original action alert was posted. If RPCVs can work together, there is still time to save President Bush's proposed budget for the Peace Corps from the House $49M in cuts. (This addendum posted August 7).
Read the story below on what you should say to your Representatives in Congress below at:
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Disaster for FY 2004 Peace Corps Budget
We are facing the strong possibility of a funding disaster for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2004. We urge all Peace Corps alumni and friends to contact their Members of Congress today.
BACKGROUND: 1) President Bush has asked Congress for $359 million to fund the Peace Corps for Fiscal Year 2004, which runs from October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004.
2) The Peace Corps receives its funding through the annual foreign operations appropriations bill. That bill also funds many other foreign assistance programs. The Appropriations Committees of both the House and the Senate have approved FY 2004 foreign operations appropriations bills at levels well below the President's request.
3) On July 16, the House Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2004 foreign operations appropriations bill that would fund the Peace Corps at $314 million. This is $45 million below the President's request of $359 million for FY2004.
***The bill now goes to the floor of the House. The full House of Representatives is scheduled to consider the bill this week. All the members of the House, including your Representative, will have a vote.
4) On July 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2004 foreign operations appropriations bill that would fund the Peace Corps at $310 million, which is $49 million below the President's request. The Committee also provided authority to transfer $20 million from the Global AIDS Initiative to the Peace Corps for HIV/AIDS activities. That would bring the total for the Peace Corps to $330 million. This amount is still $29 million below the President's request of $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
***The next step for this bill is the floor of the Senate. We expect the Senate to take up the bill soon. All members of the Senate, including your two Senators, will have a vote.
Call Now - Here is what to say
ACTION NEEDED NOW: Please phone your Representative and both of your Senators immediately. If you cannot telephone, send e-mails or faxes.
Tell them that you are a constituent and explain your connection to the Peace Corps (returned Peace Corps volunteer, former Peace Corps staff, Peace Corps parent, friend, etc.)
Say that you are aware that they are about to vote on the Fiscal Year 2004 foreign operations appropriations bill.
Ask them to support President Bush's request for $359 million for the Peace Corps in FY2004.
Say that you support the President's initiative, announced in his 2002 State of the Union speech, to double the number of Peace Corps volunteers within five years. If that goal is to be met, it is crucial to achieve full funding of the President's FY2004 budget request for the Peace Corps.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some have asked us why it is necessary to advocate for an appropriations bill when they have already contacted their Members of Congress about the Peace Corps charter bill. The two bills accomplish different purposes. The Peace Corps charter bill is an authorization bill. Authorization bills establish or continue government programs and determine policies for them. They also recommend spending levels, but these levels are not binding.
Appropriations bills provide funds for authorized programs. The Peace Corps receives its funding through the annual foreign operations appropriations bill, which also funds most other foreign assistance. More information about the appropriations process is available in the Spring 2003 NPCA Advocacy Training Manual at http://www.rpcv.org/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=735
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Legislation; Appropriations; Congress
