If President Barack Obama's 2010 budget is any indication, he is backing off of his promise to double the Peace Corps to 16,000 volunteers by 2011. The budget increases funding slightly, but its volunteer goals are notably scaled back. The budget calls for 9,000 Americans enrolled in the Peace Corps by the end of FY 2012 and 11,000 by the end of FY 2016." At that pace, Obama will not meet the terms of his promise. We're not rating this Promise Broken, though: supporters of the Peace Corps are trying to get increased funding passed through Congress, and they're optimistic that if Congress approves the funding, Obama will ultimately support a substantial increase in volunteers.
Obama's budget doesn't pump up funding for Peace Corps, but Congress might
Obama's budget doesn't pump up funding for Peace Corps, but Congress might
Updated: Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 | By Angie Drobnic Holan
If President Barack Obama's 2010 budget is any indication, he is backing off of his promise to double the Peace Corps to 16,000 volunteers by 2011.
The budget increases funding slightly, but its volunteer goals are notably scaled back. The budget calls for "9,000 Americans enrolled in the Peace Corps by the end of FY 2012 and 11,000 by the end of FY 2016." At that pace, Obama will not meet the terms of his promise.
Peace Corps members live and work in developing countries. The program's stated goals are diplomacy and providing technical expertise to host countries. Typical projects include counseling teenagers in Belize, promoting AIDS awareness in Malawi, or teaching high school chemistry in Ghana. President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order that created the Peace Corps, and it reached its highest volunteer level in 1966, with 15,000 people.
We're not rating this Promise Broken, though: supporters of the Peace Corps are trying to get increased funding passed through Congress, and they're optimistic that if Congress approves the funding, Obama will ultimately support a substantial increase in volunteers.
"We think part of the job is ours, to show there are people out there who believe this is important to our community," said Jonathan Pearson, the advocacy coordinator for the National Peace Corps Association, which is leading the effort. Pearson was a volunteer in Micronesia in 1987.
The association is not part of the official Peace Corps, but rather a nonprofit that advocates for the Peace Corps and connects its former volunteers. It launched a "More Peace Corps" campaign 18 months ago to raise awareness and build support for an expanded Peace Corps.
Obama's budget calls for $376 million in fiscal year 2010. Legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives increases that to $450 million. That amount survived an appropriations subcommittee markup on June 17, 2009. It still needs to be passed out of the House and then approved by the Senate before it would land on Obama's desk.
Pearson said the $450 million would be a "robust step forward." The Peace Corps would need about $750 million to double its size, though costs vary based on expenses.
If Congress ends up approving additional funding and Obama signs the measure, we can envision rating this Promise Kept. But Obama's budget documents flatly contradict his promise of 16,000 volunteers by 2010. Because of that, for now we're rating this promise Stalled.
Sources:
White House, fiscal year 2010 budget document for the State Department, Peace Corps, p. 868
Interview with Jonathan Pearson of the National Peace Corps Association, June 16, 2009
Congresswoman Nita Lowey, U.S. House of Representatives State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee Approves Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations Bill, June 17, 2009
More Peace Corps, President Obama releases Peace Corps number for FY 2010, May 7, 2009
Peace Corps, History: Decades of Service
Peace Corps, Congressional Budget Justification, FY 2009
