McCollum Supports $450 Million For Peace Corps

A friend sent me the following early this Sunday morning…See, I’m not the only one awake and on the computer!

 [John: Senator McCollum released this Friday afternoon. Every little bit helps. It could be either to deflect criticism/disappointment–hey, I tried to help; to claim some of the credit– hey, I was there for the PC ; or, most likely because she is doing her bit to help grow the PC. Whatever, calls to both offices would help. So would a personal note to her DC fax 202.225.1968. Her DC Office # is 202.225.6631. Her local # is: 651.224.9191]

From McCollum’s Office, June 12, 2009

 Washington, DC – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) sent a letter to the Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations yesterday requesting the inclusion of $450 million for the Peace Corps in the upcoming mark up of the FY10 spending bill.

“As our nation works to restore our standing in the world, this $450 million investment will go a long way to realize President Obama’s vision of young Americans working side by side with the people of other nations and reinvigorate the Peace Corps for the new century by doubling its size,” Congresswoman McCollum said.

Since 1961, more than 190,000 Peace Corps volunteers have lived and worked along side people in developing countries around the world. The letter states that, “this investment in Peace Corps will support an expansion of Americans serving our country as volunteers, enable new country programs to be established, and continue the collaboration and integration of volunteers in the implementation of U.S. foreign assistance priority program areas, including basic education, agriculture and nutrition, and global health, including HIV/AIDS.”

This week, the House passed the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (H.R. 2410) which includes a new Peace Corps authorization of $450 million – the same level included in the Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2009 (H.R. 1066).