June 17, 2004: Headlines: Peace Corps Directors - Vasquez: Congress: Legislation: Five Year Rule: PCOL Exclusive: Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: Legislation : Legislation: June 17, 2004: Headlines: Peace Corps Directors - Vasquez: Congress: Legislation: Five Year Rule: PCOL Exclusive: Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-45-115.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.45.115) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 6:46 pm: Edit Post

Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

Vasquez lobbied Congress to change the five-year rule

Documents obtained from the Peace Corps under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that in January 2003, Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez wrote letters to fifty-four members of the United States Senate and the House of Representatives asking them to support statutory language included in HR 5410 to exempt Peace Corps employees who work in safety and security from the five year rule. The language that Director Vasquez supported was incorporated in the "Consolidated Appropriations Act 2003" and passed on February 13, 2003.

Peace Corps employees receive time-limited appointments and most employees are limited to a maximum of five years (60 months) of employment with the agency. This time-limit is referred to as the "five-year rule." The five year rule was instituted by Founding Director Sargent Shirver to ensure that Peace Corps' staff remain fresh and innovative.

 Gaddi Vasquez

Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez asked members of Congress to support changes in the five-year rule.

The disclosure that Director Vasquez had lobbied Congress for changes in the five year rule came about from a Freedom of Information Act request made by PCOL on April 26, 2004 that asked for any documentation pertaining to the "Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003" that Congress passed on February 13, 2003 that includes language that allows the Director of the Peace Corps to make appointments for Peace Corps employees to serve for periods in excess of 5 years in the case of individuals whose appointment or assignment involves the safety of Peace Corps volunteers.

 Barbara Mikulski

Gaddi Vasquez wrote letters to Senators like Barbara Mikulski (above) asking for them to change the five-year rule.

The FOIA request also asked the Peace Corps to supply "any correspondence related to this amendment including who at Peace Corps asked for the modification, what Congressman put the language into the bill, and any reports or discussion as to why the change to the 5-year rule was made."

Letters sent to 54 Senators and Representatives

On June 10, 2004 the Peace Corps supplied 55 pages of documentation in response to the FOIA request. The documentation includes 54 letters signed by Director Vasquez addressed to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives Appropriations Committees. Each letter included the following phrase:


Quote:

...we strongly support the statutory language included in HR 5410 which exempts safety personnel from the five-year rule and would ask for this language to be retained in conference.




The letters from Vasquez to members of Congress that went out under the Peace Corps Director's letterhead are dated between January 24 and January 28, 2003. Congress passed the "Consolidated Appropriations Act 2003" on February 13, 2003 and included the exemption to the five year rule that Director Vasquez had asked Congress to pass.


 Vasquez letter to Senator Mikulski

Copy of one of the Letters written by Director Vasquez

The "Consolidated Appropriations Act 2003" contained seven separate appropriations bills in an Omnibus package and included the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill that contains the Peace Corps appropriation. The 500-page long bill also included the little-noticed provision to modify Section 7 of the Peace Corps Act with regard to the five year rule that PCOL first reported on in our story published February 26, 2003 Congress modifies Five Year Rule for Peace Corps.

Other Documents are still being Withheld by the Peace Corps

In their response to PCOL's Freedom of Information Act request, the Peace Corps said they were withholding another 44 pages of documents on the five year rule pursuant to U.S.C § 552 (b)(5) as Attorney Work-Product. The documents withheld consist of internal emails, memorandum and research. PCOL has submitted an appeal for the Peace Corps to release the additional documents.





Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: PCOL Exclusive

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Peace Corps Directors - Vasquez; Congress; Legislation; Five Year Rule

PCOL13836
77

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: