• 2011.09.17: September 17, 2011: Peter Hessler writes: The value of the Peace Corps' China program  Saturday, October 08, 2011 - 11:55 am [1]

Congressman.Mike Coffman wants to end Peace Corps program in China



Coffman, R-Colo., said he was shocked during a recent visit to the country that Peace Corps volunteers are teaching English in Chinese universities, rather than serving underdeveloped rural areas. "Having the Peace Corps in China, where we have to borrow money from the Chinese to fund it, is an insult to every American taxpayer and to so many of our manufacturing workers who have lost their jobs to China," he said. Coffman is gathering congressional signatures to send a letter to President Barack Obama demanding that the government immediately suspend the Peace Corps program in China.

Congressman.Mike Coffman wants to end Peace Corps program in China

Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman wants Peace Corps out of China

By Allison Sherry
The Denver Post

Posted: 09/02/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 09/02/2011 07:13:39 PM MDT

Amanda Horvath hosts a dinner in February at her home in Denver for the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps. Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman wants to end the Peace Corps program in China. (Helen Richardson, Denver Post file)

Rep. Mike Coffman wants the Peace Corps out of China.

Coffman, R-Colo., said he was shocked during a recent visit to the country that Peace Corps volunteers are teaching English in Chinese universities, rather than serving underdeveloped rural areas.

"Having the Peace Corps in China, where we have to borrow money from the Chinese to fund it, is an insult to every American taxpayer and to so many of our manufacturing workers who have lost their jobs to China," he said.

Coffman is gathering congressional signatures to send a letter to President Barack Obama demanding that the government immediately suspend the Peace Corps program in China.

In the letter, Coffman said the U.S. government is short of money to fund its higher-education system while funding a Peace Corps program in China that defrays that country's higher-education costs.

The Peace Corps has about 140 volunteers in China, and at $2.9 million that program represents about 0.5 percent of its total budget in 2011. The Chinese government pays for the housing of the American volunteers.

"No doubt this is certainly a small amount of money given the context of our deficit, but it is symbolic of the arrogance and carelessness in how our tax dollars have been handled by Congress and the Obama administration," said Coffman, of Aurora.

The purpose of the Corps is to promote peace, friendship and a better understanding of the United States to foreign countries.

"In addition to teaching English in schools, Peace Corps volunteers in China build friendships with communities that they serve and promote a better understanding of Americans," said Peace Corps spokeswoman Janice Laurente. "Volunteers make a difference in the lives of their students while representing the best our country has to offer."

Allison Sherry: 202-662-8907 or asherry@denverpost.com

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2011; Peace Corps China; Directory of China RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for China RPCVs; Congress; Colorado

When this story was posted in September 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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