Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is urging President Bush to renew a call to expand the Peace Corps during Monday’s State of the Union Address.
Reid appeared earlier today with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at the National Press Club, to outline recommendations which they say will “take America in a New Direction.” Reid’s remarks included the following:
“President Bush could also show true leadership Monday night by announcing plans to expand our Foreign Service, our Peace Corps, and our funding for international development."
“Our team of Foreign Service officers serving throughout the entire world stands at just 7,000, or about the size of the crew of just one U.S. aircraft carrier. In 2002, President Bush pledged to double the size of the Peace Corps. Today it stands just 8,000 strong – barely larger than in 2002. The President’s promise of 15,000 remains unfulfilled."
"Why does this matter? These Foreign Service officers and Peace Corps volunteers are the patriots who spread hope across the globe, which makes America stronger.”
You can read the full remarks of Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi by
clicking here.
Equality may be the issue with expanding Peace Corps. PCVs are still employed based on the two year employment law. This limit should be changed to allow for expansion. The Foreign Service could be expanded by putting a five year (opportunity) limit on employment. This would open up the Foreign Service to more Americans.
The Peace Corps expansion has made volunteering more dangerous. Peace Corps now stays in countries that have had military coups. Fiji and Thailand are examples. Country agreements and memorandums of understanding are questionable when Peace Corps stays in country when the government that invited them effectively ceases to exist. There are also issues having agreements with military governments; like CIA torturing non US nationals in Thailand.
Kenya is an example of not evacuating properly and putting PCVs in danger. Partial evacuations based on PCVs locations also brings up ethnic and border questions in the host country. Uganda's example of opening up the entire country to PCVs seems strange next to Kenya's partial evacuation of PCVs.
PCVs need equality in employment and compensation for working in countries where FSOs are paid danger pay. FSOs can refuse to serve in countries like Iraq and use a volunteer system. PCVs need the same choices. Take the assignment or don't go. Stay in a dangerous environment or quit and go home are not options. The expansion pressure has made Peace Corps more dangerous for PCVs.
Peace Corps could also set up programs for two year degrees. More younger Americans could take advantage of Peace Corps. This could be done like the Master's programs. It could also be done through the UN and UNDP, a resource Peace Corps refuses to take advantage of.
The 50+ recruitment program and agreements with organizations like AARP, The American Association of Retired Persons, have worked out very well. These type of programs should also be applied to the younger PCVs.
President Bush mentioned that expanding in Islamic countries is a priority. Peace Corps now hires PCVs as religious professionals. This may be another way of expanding in those countries.
Peace Corps is expanding, but it is more dangerous. We need to expand in areas that are obvious and not force inequality on PCVs and stop putting them in more dangerous work.
Posted by: Dece | January 30, 2008 at 12:54 PM