1972.01.05: January 5, 1972: Headlines: Congress: Appropriations: Blatchford: O'Donnell: New York Times: The Day the Peace Corps almost closed
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1972.01.05: January 5, 1972: Headlines: Congress: Appropriations: Blatchford: O'Donnell: New York Times: The Day the Peace Corps almost closed
The Day the Peace Corps almost closed
The Peace Corps short of funds, began shaping plans today to reduce its 8,000 member volunteer force by half and to cancel programs in as many as 15 countries. Joseph H. Blatchford, director of Action, the agency that oversees the Peace corps, ordered a halt in signing up volunteers, at least until July 1. Applications will continue to be accepted. Mr. Blatchford instructed Kevin O'Donnell, Action's assocaiae director for international affairs, to prepare plans to terminate the service of about 4,000 volunteers now on duty in 55 countries. He wants the plans carried out by mid-February so that the volunteers can be returned to the United States by the end of March.
The Day the Peace Corps almost closed
Peace Corps, Short of Funds, Plans to Halve Force of 8,000
Washington, Jan 4 - The Peace Corps short of funds, began shaping plans today to reduce its 8,000 member volunteer force by half and to cancel programs in as many as 15 countries.
Joseph H. Blatchford, director of Action, the agency that oversees the Peace corps, ordered a halt in signing up volunteers, at least until July 1. Applications will continue to be accepted.
Mr. Blatchford instructed Kevin O'Donnell, Action's associate director for international affairs, to prepare plans to terminate the service of about 4,000 volunteers now on duty in 55 countries. He wants the plans carried out by mid-February so that the volunteers can be returned to the United States by the end of March.
There now are about 7,100 volunteers on active assignments overseas and some 800 to 900 in training, most of them in foreign countries. the present strength is slightly more than half what it was during the Peace Corps' peak years in the middle nineteen-sixties.
Funds Limited by Congress
Mr. Blatchford, a former director of the Peace Corps, was appointed last fall to be director of Action, a new federal agency that includes the Peace Corps and its domestic counterpart, Volunteers in Service to America.
His directives today were a result, it is understood, of Congress's refusal to appropriate the $82 million requested by President Nixon for the Peace Corps. Instead, it cut funds to a level that one agency source described as "just one step above putting us out of business altogether."
In the last hour before it adjourned Dec. 17, Congress adopted a continuing resolution that would give the Peace corps a budget of $72 million.
The resolution, which expires Feb. 22, was necessary because the Senate had not acted on the appropriation bill passed by the House. Both houses passed an authorization bill to give the corps $77.2 million, but the House appropriated only $68 million.
The corps hopes tat when Congress reconvenes in two weeks, the Senate will approve the full $77.2 million, and that a conference committee will accept that figure.
Until that happens or unless some concrete assurances are given that the additional funds will be appropriated, the corps must take steps to reduce its personnel and program, one agency official said. "There is a point of no return when we must use the money we have to bring these people back to the United States," he explained.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Peace Corps Annual Report: 1972; Congress; Congress; Appropriations; Joe Blatchford; Kevin O'Donnell
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Story Source: New York Times
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Appropriations; Blatchford; O'Donnell
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