[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 81 (Thursday, May 17, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E673-E674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PROTECTING OUR ANGELS ABROAD

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 17, 2018

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Representative Kennedy and I 
introduced the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act to protect our 
Peace Corps volunteers, our angels abroad.
  This bill builds on and extends protections for volunteers that 
became law as the result of the Kate Puzey Act which I introduced and 
finally became law in 2011. H.R. 2259 protects volunteers at every 
stage of their service with the Peace Corps: the onboarding process, 
their time in country, and when they return home.
  Before they make a decision regarding where to serve, many potential 
volunteers are not fully aware of critical information like health 
risks and crime rates in various countries. This bill requires the 
Peace Corps to provide this information to volunteers upfront so that 
they can make an informed decision regarding where to serve.
  While they are deployed in country, the bill requires that the Peace 
Corps ensures volunteers have access to qualified medical doctors. 
These doctors must consult with outside experts and the Center for 
Disease Control (CDC) on best practices, particularly on mental health 
and malaria medications that can

[[Page E674]]

have serious long-term side effects. We also added important provisions 
on protection from sexual assault and harassment recommended by the 
Office of Special Counsel report released earlier this year.
  When volunteers return home from their service with debilitating 
injuries and illnesses, they should not have to spend months dealing 
with bureaucratic red tape at the Department of Labor before receiving 
care. This bill will ensure they immediately receive the care they need 
and deserve.
  These common sense changes will make a big difference in ensuring the 
safety and security of our volunteers. But this bill is just a first 
step in protecting our volunteers.
  I fought long and hard for a provision that unfortunately did not 
make it into the legislation that passed out of the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee today: to increase the disability payment provided to 
disabled returned volunteers so they can make ends meet. This important 
provision enjoyed broad support from Peace Corps volunteer groups, 
including Health Justice for Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps 
Association. I hope that this provision will one day become law. 
However, until then, the improvements in this bill are essential and 
valuable for our angels abroad.
  A crucial provision that did make it in here was the extension of the 
authorization of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council for an additional 
5 years. The Council was initially authorized by the Kate Puzey Act and 
serves to advise the Peace Corps on agency wide sexual assault policy. 
Without this important bill, the council's authority would lapse this 
year.
  Peace Corps volunteers selflessly sacrifice years of their lives to 
help people they have never even met. Often in some of the most 
desolate, even dangerous, places of the world. They are the face of our 
country in places where America's shining beacon of hope and liberty 
may not always shine so bright. Their service to our country should not 
turn into a nightmare that ruins, or even ends their lives.
  As a former judge, I can tell you that it is our duty to do 
everything within our power to protect our angels abroad. It's time to 
stand up and take action for our volunteers. They are some of the very 
best we have.
  And that's just the way it is.

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