More Peace Corps:
Bigger, Bolder, BetterOn February 13, 2009, Congressman Sam Farr (Colombia 64-66) introduced HR1066,
which calls for $450 million, $600 million, and $750 million to the
Peace Corps in 2010, 2011, and 2012. It’s a short and sweet bill that
would create a bigger, better, bolder Peace Corps.
THE MISSION
Get 218 (Currently 94 have co-sponsored the bill) out of 435 members in the House or Representatives to CO-SPONSOR it and get it passed. Click here to see how you can help!
Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
- 2/25/2009
& Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2]
- 2/13/2009
have already signed the Bill!
AND
The local RPCVHI group has sponsored a House and Senate Resolution called "SUPPORT FOR PEACE CORPS EXPANSION ACT OF 2009".
We
have been granted a hearing for 8:30 am. Monday March 23, 2009 and we need you to
EMAIL a one sentence or more stating that you support an increase in
the Peace Corps budget allowing for more PCV's and expansion of Host
Countries.
Please
email your family and friends who support Peace Corps and ask them to
do the same. It will take you only one minute to have a voice here in
Hawaii. Please send your email to the following:
Submit Written Testimony at:hustestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
Address any testimony to Rep. John Mizuno, Chair of Human Services Committee
If
any of you would like to show up in person, the hearing will be held at
the Capitol-House Committee on Human Services conference room 329, at
8:30 am this Monday.
Look forward to seeing you or hearing from you!
Kimberly Biggs
President of RPCVHIHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.R. NO.
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE RESOLUTION
SUPPORT FOR PEACE CORPS EXPANSION ACT OF 2009. WHEREAS, on March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed an Executive Order establishing the Peace Corps; and
WHEREAS, since President Kennedy established the Peace Corps, more than
195,000 volunteers, 1,274 from Hawaii, have served in 139 countries; and
WHEREAS, Peace Corps continues to be one of America's finest expressions of friendship and solidarity across the globe; and
WHEREAS, the Peace Corps is focused on grassroots, bottom-up
development, with volunteers working side-by-side with community
members in the most humble communities around the world; and
WHEREAS, Peace Corps has reported that over 20 countries requested a
Peace Corps program, and that many countries with existing programs
would welcome additional volunteers; and
WHEREAS, in Fiscal
Year 2008, Peace Corps reported its volunteers provided assistance to
more than 2.1 million people around the world, helped train nearly
160,000 service providers and assisted with nearly 600 grassroots
projects through the Peace Corps Partnership Program; and
WHEREAS, at the cost of less than $45,000 per volunteer, Peace Corps volunteers are highly cost-effective; and
WHEREAS, in so many ways, returned Peace Corps volunteers continue to
provide service and play important roles as leaders in our community;
and
WHEREAS, 13,011 Americans applied in 2008 to volunteer
their service to serve the world's poorest communities, Peace Corps is
able to provide placements for fewer than 4,000; and
WHEREAS, a
devalued dollar, increased energy prices and budget constraints would
result in 300 to 400 further reductions in volunteers with current
funding; and
WHEREAS, the grassroots MorePeaceCorps Campaign supports doubling the size of the Peace Corps; and
WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives is considering H.R.
1066, the "Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2009," to increase the 2010
fiscal year budget of Peace Corps to $450,000,000; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth
Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, supports
the MorePeaceCorps Campaign and the Congressional Peace Corps Expansion
Act of 2009; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies
of this Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii's Congressional delegation
and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Hawaii.
