March 22, 2004 - U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations: House schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Special Reports: March 22, 2004: Hearings on the Peace Corps Safety and Security Act of 2003: March 22, 2004 - U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations: House schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-19-229.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.19.229) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 12:39 pm: Edit Post

House schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24

House schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24



Caption: Republican Henry Hyde (above), Chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, will preside at the hearings on Safety and Security of Peace Corps Volunteers.


Read and comment on this PCOL exclusive that the House Committee on International Relations has scheduled Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24 at:

House Committee on International Relations schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24*

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



House Committee on International Relations schedules Peace Corps Safety Hearings for Wednesday, March 24

The House Committee on International Relations has scheduled open hearings on Safety and Security of Peace Corps Volunteers for Wednesday, March 24.

The hearings will be held 2172 Rayburn House Office Building.

The hearings will begin at 1030 am and will be open to the public.

Committee Chairman Henry Hyde will preside at the hearings.

The following witnesses are scheduled to the testify at the hearings:

Mr. Jeffrey Bruce, Editor, Dayton Daily News

Mr. Jess Ford, Director, International Affairs and Trade, General Accounting Office

Mr. Walter S. Poirier, Father of missing Bolivia Peace Corps Volunteer Walter Poirier Jr.

Mr. Kevin Quigley, President of the National Peace Corps Association

Hon. Charles D. Smith, Inspector General, US Peace Corps

Hon. Gaddi H. Vasquez, Director, US Peace Corps

Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., the chairman of the House International Relations Committee, has said he wants the 1978 law that established inspector generals at most federal agencies changed to require that the president instead choose the Peace Corps' inspector general, who will then be approved by the Senate. That official also would be required to send his or her reports to Congress, which is not required now.

House officials say a more independent inspector general would better serve the interests of volunteers and keep Congress better informed about the Peace Corps operations and expansion plans.

Another idea that will be discussed at the hearings will be former Dayton Congressman and Peace Corps volunteer Tony Hall's idea for an Ombudsman for the Peace Corps, House officials said. The ombudsman would handle complaints regarding safety, medical issues, separation and access to records.

PCOL will be attending the hearings and will be reporting on the testimony.




Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

Read the series on Safety and Security here



Leave your comments on the series below.

Read comments by RPCVs here, here and here.





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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Safety and Security of Volunteers

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By nijma (dialup-67.73.136.159.dial1.chicago1.level3.net - 67.73.136.159) on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 10:42 pm: Edit Post

Where are the Democrats?

The Peace Corps has always been a bipartisan organization. It looks like the Republicans have stolen the march on the Democrats in both the House and the Senate.

We need bipartisan support on this.

By anon (66-44-5-55.s1325.apx1.lnh.md.dialup.rcn.com - 66.44.5.55) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 12:01 am: Edit Post

Where are you hiding now, Daniel? You are running from justice because you know you have now been revealed to all. You know where the missing volunteer is. You know it because you did something. You even wanted to get caught, and now you have been. Now the bully can't show his face anymore. Dangerous psychopath!

By RPCV (135.41.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net - 66.171.41.135) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 12:51 pm: Edit Post

"Stolen the march" ??? Republican senators and representatives led the call for hearings in response to the DDN articles and at the urging from RPCVs and their families. You should be happy the chairman of the international relations committee - Rep. Hyde - is presiding over the hearings. Naturally, the chairman is a republican as republicans currently have the majority in the house (the senate as well). The committees in both the house and senate, however, do indeed include democrats as well as republicans. Furthermore, these are public hearings.

PC has a long history of bipartisan support, as will be apparent in the hearings. Stop with the conspiracy theories.

Another reality check: the PC director, along with the deputy and several others at PC, are political appointees and, therefore, republicans for the most part.

Go, see for yourself how it works. And vote.

RPCV/Indep/Kerry supporter.
P.S. Anon - You're being as silly as Daniel was ...

By nijma (dsc06-chc-il-209-109-235-134.rasserver.net - 209.109.235.134) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 10:59 pm: Edit Post

I am grateful to Sen. DeWine (R-Ohio), Sen. Voinovich (R-Ohio), and Rep. Hyde (R-Illinois) for taking an interest in this issue. So, I repeat, where's the Democrats?

For some light bedtime reading, try Sen. Voinovich's 62-page "Report to the President: the Crisis in Human Capital" available online at www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/humancapital.pdf.

Don't forget that every reformation is followed by a counter-reformation. When the Republicans improve an agency, the Democrats reverse the reforms when they come into office. When the Democrats reform an agency, the Republicans reverse it. I am not the only one who believes 2004 will be a close election. I would like to see something happen that will make a difference no matter who gets into office.

If the Democrats and Republicans can't get on the same page, can they at least get in the same library?

By 2X RPCV and Staffer (64.83.42.62.res62-nova-dsl.cavtel.net - 64.83.42.62) on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 2:19 pm: Edit Post

Lay off with the politics. Saftey and security have been issues no matter which party was in power. This is not a partisan issue and the focus needs to remain on the volunteer.


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