[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 10, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6019-H6025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SAM FARR AND NICK CASTLE PEACE CORPS REFORM ACT OF 2018

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2259) to amend the Peace Corps Act to expand services 
and benefits for volunteers, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2259

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Sam Farr 
     and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

                 TITLE I--PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

Sec. 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform.
Sec. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform.
Sec. 103. Peace Corps impact survey.
Sec. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees.

           TITLE II--PEACE CORPS OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Sec. 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General.
Sec. 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys.
Sec. 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing 
              overseas offices and country programs.

              TITLE III--CRIME RISK REDUCTION ENHANCEMENTS

Sec. 301. Independent review of volunteer death.
Sec. 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as 
              volunteers.
Sec. 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct.
Sec. 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy.
Sec. 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council.
Sec. 306. Definitions.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Peace Corps.
       (3) Peace corps volunteer.--The term ``Peace Corps 
     volunteer'' means an individual described in section 5(a) of 
     the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504(a)).

                 TITLE I--PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

     SEC. 101. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER MEDICAL CARE REFORM.

       (a) In General.--The Peace Corps Act is amended--
       (1) in section 5 (22 U.S.C. 2504)--
       (A) in subsection (e), in the first sentence, by striking 
     ``receive such immunization and dental care preparatory to 
     their service'' and inserting ``receive, preparatory to their 
     service, such immunization, dental care, and information on 
     prescription options and potential interactions, as necessary 
     and appropriate and in accordance with subsection (f)'';
       (B) by re-designating subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), 
     (k), (l), (m), and (n) as subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), 
     (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o);
       (C) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection--
       ``(f) The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with 
     health experts outside the Peace Corps, including experts 
     licensed in the field of mental health, and follow guidance 
     by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding 
     the prescription of medications to a volunteer.''; and
       (D) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``section, and'' and inserting ``section), and''; and
       (2) by inserting after section 5 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 5A. HEALTH CARE FOR VOLUNTEERS AT PEACE CORPS POSTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The President shall ensure that each 
     overseas post has the services of a medical office that is 
     consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace 
     Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to 
     any such post the licensed medical staff of other United 
     States departments, agencies, or establishments.
       ``(b) Hiring Criteria.--In selecting medical officers and 
     support staff for overseas Peace Corps posts, the Director of 
     the Peace Corps shall hire well-qualified and capable 
     personnel to support the effectiveness of health care for 
     Peace Corps volunteers by evaluating each candidate's--
       ``(1) medical training, experience, and accreditations or 
     other qualifications;
       ``(2) record of performance;
       ``(3) administrative capabilities;

[[Page H6020]]

       ``(4) understanding of the local language and culture;
       ``(5) ability to work in the English language;
       ``(6) interpersonal skills; and
       ``(7) such other factors that the Director determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(c) Certain Training.--The Director of the Peace Corps 
     shall ensure that each Peace Corps medical officer serving in 
     a malaria-endemic country receives training in the 
     recognition of the side effects of such medications.
       ``(d) Review and Evaluation.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Director of the Peace Corps, acting 
     through the Associate Director of the Office of Health 
     Services and the country directors, shall review and evaluate 
     the performance and health care delivery of all Peace Corps 
     medical staff, including medical officers, to--
       ``(A) ensure compliance with all relevant Peace Corps 
     policies, practices, and guidelines; and
       ``(B) ensure that medical staff complete the necessary 
     continuing medical education to maintain their skills and 
     satisfy licensing and credentialing standards, as designated 
     by the Director.
       ``(2) Report to congress.--The Director of the Peace Corps 
     shall include, in the annual Peace Corps congressional budget 
     justification, a confirmation that the review and evaluation 
     of all Peace Corps medical staff required under paragraph (1) 
     has been completed.
       ``(e) Antimalarial Drugs.--The Director of the Peace Corps 
     shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control 
     and Prevention regarding recommendations for prescribing 
     malaria prophylaxis, in order to provide the best standard of 
     care within the context of the Peace Corps environment.''.
       (b) Implementation of Recommendations by the Inspector 
     General of the Peace Corps.--
       (1) Inspector general report.--As promptly as practicable, 
     the Director shall implement the actions outlined in the 
     agency response for all open recommendations of the Inspector 
     General of the Peace Corps set forth in the report entitled 
     ``Final Program Evaluation Report: OIG Follow-up Evaluation 
     of Issues Identified in the 2010 Peace Corps/Morocco 
     Assessment of Medical Care'' (Report No. IG-16-01-E).
       (2) Semiannual reports.--
       (A) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a 
     report to the appropriate congressional committees that 
     describes the Director's strategy for implementing the 
     recommendations referred to in paragraph (1).
       (B) Subsequent reports.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     submission of the report required under subparagraph (A), and 
     semiannually thereafter, the Director shall submit a report 
     to the appropriate congressional committees that describes 
     the progress in implementing the recommendations referred to 
     in paragraph (1) until all such recommendations have been 
     implemented in accordance with the agency's response to the 
     report referred to in such paragraph.
       (3) Notification.--After the submission of each report 
     required under paragraph (2), the Inspector General of the 
     Peace Corps may notify the appropriate congressional 
     committees of any recommendations from the report referred to 
     in paragraph (1) that the Inspector General determines remain 
     unresolved.

     SEC. 102. POST-SERVICE PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER MEDICAL CARE 
                   REFORM.

       Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d)(1) The Secretary shall authorize the Director of the 
     Peace Corps to furnish medical benefits to a volunteer, who 
     is injured during the volunteer's period of service, for a 
     period of 120 days following the termination of such service 
     if the Director certifies that the volunteer's injury 
     probably meets the requirements under subsection (c)(3). The 
     Secretary may then certify vouchers for these expenses for 
     such volunteer out of the Employees' Compensation Fund.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall prescribe the form and content of 
     the certification required under paragraph (1).
       ``(3) A certification under paragraph (1) will cease to be 
     effective if the volunteer sustains compensable disability in 
     connection with volunteer service.
       ``(4) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to 
     authorize the furnishing of any medical benefit that the 
     Secretary of Labor is not otherwise authorized to reimburse 
     for former Peace Corps volunteers who receive treatment for 
     injury or disease proximately caused by their service in the 
     Peace Corps in accordance with this chapter.''.

     SEC. 103. PEACE CORPS IMPACT SURVEY.

       (a) In General.--Beginning not later than one year after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act and once every two 
     years thereafter for the following six years, the Director 
     shall conduct a survey of former Peace Corps volunteers.
       (b) Scope of Survey.--The survey required under subsection 
     (a) shall assess, with respect to each former Peace Corps 
     volunteer completing the survey, the impact of the Peace 
     Corps on the former volunteer, including the volunteer's--
       (1) well-being;
       (2) career;
       (3) civic engagement; and
       (4) commitment to public service.
       (c) Report.--The Director shall submit a report containing 
     the results of the survey conducted under subsection (a) to--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
       (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives.

     SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF POSITIONS FOR PEACE CORPS EMPLOYEES.

       Section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2506(a)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(8)(A) The Director of the Peace Corps may designate 
     Peace Corps positions as critical management or management 
     support positions that require specialized technical or 
     professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. 
     Such positions may include positions in the following fields:
       ``(i) Volunteer health services.
       ``(ii) Financial management.
       ``(iii) Information technology.
       ``(iv) Procurement.
       ``(v) Personnel.
       ``(vi) Legal services.
       ``(vii) Safety and security.
       ``(B) Subject to subparagraphs (C) and (D), with respect to 
     positions designated pursuant to subparagraph (A), the 
     Director may make or extend renewable appointments or 
     assignments under paragraph (2) notwithstanding limitations 
     under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) and 
     paragraph (5).
       ``(C) In exercising authority under subparagraph (B), the 
     Director shall ensure that all decisions regarding the 
     appointment, assignment, or extension of employees to any 
     position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) are consistent with Federal law and Peace Corps 
     policy; and
       ``(ii) are based upon operational and programmatic factors.
       ``(D) The term of any appointment or assignment to any 
     position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A) may not 
     exceed five years.''.

           TITLE II--PEACE CORPS OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

     SEC. 201. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER ACCESS TO INSPECTOR GENERAL.

       Section 8 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``he'' and inserting ``the President''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new sentences: ``As 
     part of the training provided to all volunteers under 
     subsection (a), and in coordination with the Inspector 
     General of the Peace Corps, the President shall provide all 
     volunteers with information regarding the mandate of the 
     Inspector General and the availability (including contact 
     information) of the Inspector General and the Office of 
     Victim Advocacy as a resource for volunteers. The President 
     shall ensure that volunteers receive such information at 
     least once during training that occurs prior to enrollment 
     and at least once during each significant instance of 
     training after enrollment.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) The President shall implement procedures to maintain 
     a record verifying each individual completing training 
     provided to meet each requirement in this section and 
     sections 8A, 8B, 8F, and 8G(b).''.

     SEC. 202. PUBLICATION REQUIREMENT FOR VOLUNTEER SURVEYS.

       Section 8E of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507e) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence--
       (A) by inserting ``, ensure that each such plan includes a 
     consideration of the results, with respect to each such 
     representative and the country of service of each such 
     representative, of each survey conducted under subsection 
     (c),'' after ``standards for Peace Corps representatives''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``and shall review'' and inserting ``, and 
     review''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``2018'' and 
     inserting ``2023''; and
       (B) in the third sentence, by striking ``subsection (a)'' 
     and inserting ``subsection (b)''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new sentences: ``The 
     President shall publish, on a publicly available website of 
     the Peace Corps, a report summarizing the results of each 
     survey related to volunteer satisfaction in each country in 
     which volunteers serve, and the early termination rate of 
     volunteers serving in each such country. The information 
     published shall be posted in an easily accessible place near 
     the description of the appropriate country and shall be 
     written in an easily understood manner.''.

     SEC. 203. CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS REQUIRED BEFORE OPENING 
                   OR CLOSING OVERSEAS OFFICES AND COUNTRY 
                   PROGRAMS.

       Section 10 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2509) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(k)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Director 
     of the Peace Corps may not open, close, significantly reduce, 
     or suspend a domestic or overseas office or country program 
     unless the Director has notified and consulted with the 
     appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days in 
     advance.
       ``(2) The Director of the Peace Corps may waive the 
     application of paragraph (1) for a

[[Page H6021]]

     period of not more than five days after an action described 
     in such paragraph if the Director determines such action is 
     necessary to ameliorate a substantial security risk to Peace 
     Corps volunteers or other Peace Corps personnel.
       ``(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term 
     `appropriate congressional committees' means--
       ``(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
       ``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee 
     on Appropriations of the Senate.''.

              TITLE III--CRIME RISK REDUCTION ENHANCEMENTS

     SEC. 301. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF VOLUNTEER DEATH.

       Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504), as 
     amended by section 101 of this Act, is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(p)(1) Not later than ten days after receiving 
     notification of the death of a volunteer, the President shall 
     provide a briefing to the Inspector General of the Peace 
     Corps that includes--
       ``(A)(i) the available facts and circumstances surrounding 
     the death of the volunteer, including a preliminary timeline 
     of the events immediately preceding the death of the 
     volunteer, subsequent actions taken by the Peace Corps, and 
     any information available to the Peace Corps reflecting on 
     the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer; and
       ``(ii) a description of any steps the Peace Corps plans to 
     take to inquire further into the cause or root cause of the 
     death of the volunteer, including the anticipated date of the 
     completion of such inquiry; or
       ``(B) an explanation of why the Peace Corps has determined 
     that no further inquiry into the cause or root cause of the 
     death of the volunteer is necessary, including--
       ``(i) a description of the steps the Peace Corps took to 
     determine further inquiry was not necessary; and
       ``(ii) the basis for such determination.
       ``(2) If the Peace Corps has performed or engaged another 
     entity to perform a root cause analysis or similar report 
     that describes the cause or root cause of a volunteer death, 
     the President shall provide the Inspector General of the 
     Peace Corps with--
       ``(A) a copy of all information provided to such entity at 
     the time such information is provided to such entity or used 
     by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis;
       ``(B) a copy of any report or study received from the 
     entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; 
     and
       ``(C) any supporting documentation upon which the Peace 
     Corps or such entity relied to make its determination, 
     including the volunteer's complete medical record, as soon as 
     such information is available to the Peace Corps.
       ``(3) If a volunteer dies, the Peace Corps shall take 
     reasonable measures, in accordance with local laws, to 
     preserve any information or material, in any medium or 
     format, that may be relevant to determining the cause or root 
     cause of the death of the volunteer, including personal 
     effects, medication, and other tangible items belonging to 
     the volunteer, as long as such measures do not interfere with 
     the legal procedures of the host country if the government of 
     the host country is exercising jurisdiction over the 
     investigation of such death. The Inspector General of the 
     Peace Corps shall be provided an opportunity to inspect such 
     items before their final disposition.
       ``(4) Consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 
     U.S.C. App.), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may 
     independently review the facts and circumstances surrounding 
     the death of a volunteer and the actions taken by the Peace 
     Corps in responding to such incident.
       ``(5) For the purposes of undertaking a review under this 
     section, an officer or employee of the United States or a 
     member of the Armed Forces may be detailed to the Inspector 
     General of the Peace Corps from another department of the 
     United States Government on a nonreimbursable basis, as 
     jointly agreed to by the Inspector General and the detailing 
     department, for a period not to exceed one year. This 
     paragraph may not be construed to limit or modify any other 
     source of authority for reimbursable or nonreimbursable 
     details. A nonreimbursable detail made under this section may 
     not be considered an augmentation of the appropriations of 
     the Peace Corps.
       ``(6) Upon request, the Peace Corps may make available 
     necessary funds to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps 
     for reviews conducted by the Inspector General under this 
     section. The request shall be limited to costs relating to 
     hiring, procuring, or otherwise obtaining medical-related 
     experts or expert services, and associated travel.
       ``(7) The undertaking of a review under this section may 
     not be considered a transfer of program operating 
     responsibilities to the Inspector General of the Peace 
     Corps.''.

     SEC. 302. ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES TO APPLICANTS FOR ENROLLMENT 
                   AS VOLUNTEERS.

       Section 8A of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507a(d)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
       ``(d) Information Regarding Crimes and Risks.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each applicant for enrollment as a 
     volunteer shall be provided, with respect to each country in 
     which the applicant may be invited to serve, with specific, 
     aggregated, and easily accessible information regarding 
     crimes against and risks to volunteers, including--
       ``(A) an overview of past crimes against volunteers in such 
     country, including statistics regarding unreported crime 
     collected through anonymous surveys;
       ``(B) the current early termination rate of volunteers 
     serving in such country;
       ``(C) health risks prevalent in such country;
       ``(D) the nature and frequency of sexual harassment 
     reported by volunteers serving in such country;
       ``(E) the extent and types of services provided by the 
     Peace Corps to volunteers serving in such country, including 
     access to medical care, counseling services, and assistance 
     from the Office of Victim Advocacy; and
       ``(F) the level of satisfaction reported by volunteers 
     serving in such country.
       ``(2) Option to timely decline.--Upon receiving information 
     described in paragraph (1), the applicant shall have the 
     option to change the country of consideration and identify a 
     substitute country.''; and
       (2) in subsection (f)(2)(B)(iii), by striking ``victim 
     advocates'' and inserting ``Victim's Advocates,''.

     SEC. 303. ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

       Section 8B(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507b(a)) 
     is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) by striking ``SARLs'' and inserting ``any employee of 
     the Peace Corps'';
       (B) by striking ``Victim Advocate'' and inserting 
     ``Victim's Advocate''; and
       (C) by inserting ``and require the Peace Corps to designate 
     the staff at each post who shall be responsible for providing 
     the services described in subsection (c)'' before the 
     semicolon at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (3) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(7) maintains a record documenting the resignation of any 
     employee or volunteer of the Peace Corps who resigns before a 
     determination has been made regarding an alleged violation of 
     the sexual misconduct policy or other serious policy 
     violations;
       ``(8) takes into account the record maintained under 
     paragraph (7) before such employee or volunteer is hired, 
     enrolled, or otherwise invited to work with the Peace Corps;
       ``(9) provides orientation or information regarding the 
     awareness and prevention of sexual assault and sexual 
     harassment to--
       ``(A) Peace Corps-selected host families; and
       ``(B) a designated person of authority at the volunteer's 
     initial workplace; and
       ``(10) ensures, to the extent practicable and appropriate, 
     that any assault on, or any harm or injury to, a volunteer 
     that is committed by any member of a host family or any 
     national of a host country that was assigned by the Peace 
     Corps to facilitate volunteer work is--
       ``(A) documented in an appropriate site history file and in 
     the global tracking and recording system established pursuant 
     to section 8H(c); and
       ``(B) taken into account with respect to determinations 
     regarding placements of future volunteers at such post and 
     the provision of any funds or other benefit by the Peace 
     Corps.''.

     SEC. 304. EXTENSION OF THE OFFICE OF VICTIM ADVOCACY.

       Section 8C of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507c) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``victim advocate'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``Victim's Advocate'';
       (2) by striking ``victim advocates'' each place it occurs 
     and inserting ``Victim's Advocates''; and
       (3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
       ``(e) The Director of the Peace Corps shall include the 
     head of the Office of Victim Advocacy in agency-wide 
     policymaking processes in the same manner and to the same 
     extent as the directors or associate directors of other 
     offices within the Peace Corps.''.

     SEC. 305. REFORM AND EXTENSION OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVISORY 
                   COUNCIL.

       Section 8D of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2507d) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``not less than 8 individuals selected by 
     the President, not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this section,'' and inserting ``not fewer than 8 
     and not more than 14 individuals selected by the President''; 
     and
       (B) by inserting after the first sentence the following new 
     sentence: ``At least one member should be licensed in the 
     field of mental health and have prior experience working as a 
     counselor or therapist providing mental health care to 
     survivors of sexual assault in a victim services agency or 
     organization.''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by inserting ``and implemented'' after ``sexual assault 
     policy developed''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``To 
     carry out this subsection, the Council may conduct case 
     reviews and is authorized to have access, including through 
     interviews, to current and former volunteers (to the extent 
     that such volunteers provide the Peace Corps express consent 
     to be interviewed by the Council), to volunteer surveys

[[Page H6022]]

     under section 8E, to all data collected from restricted 
     reporting, and to any other information necessary to conduct 
     case reviews, except that the Council may not have access to 
     any personally identifying information associated with such 
     surveys, data, or information.''; and
       (3) in subsection (g), by striking ``2018'' and inserting 
     ``2023''.

     SEC. 306. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 26 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2522) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), 
     (f), and (g) as paragraphs (1), (6), (2), (3), (8), (7), and 
     (5), respectively, by arranging such redesignated paragraphs 
     in numerical order, and by moving such paragraphs 2 ems to 
     the right;
       (2) in paragraph (1), as redesignated, by striking ``(1)'' 
     and inserting the following:
       ``In this Act:
       ``(1)''; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (3), as redesignated, the 
     following:
       ``(4) The term `medical officer' means a physician, nurse 
     practitioner, physician's assistant, or registered nurse with 
     the professional qualifications, expertise, and abilities 
     consistent with the needs of the Peace Corps and the post to 
     which he or she is assigned, as determined by the Director of 
     the Peace Corps.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Poe) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Royce and 
Ranking Member Engel for marking up the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace 
Corps Reform Act. This act is named after two former Peace Corps 
volunteers. Sam Farr served with us here in the United States Congress.
  I also thank Representative Kennedy from Massachusetts, who was also 
a Peace Corps volunteer several years ago, for his cosponsorship of 
this legislation to protect our Peace Corps volunteers. I call them our 
angels abroad.
  Recently, I have heard too many stories of young, eager volunteers 
who selflessly give away years of their lives to help other people in 
foreign countries, countries that many Americans have never even heard 
of, but sometimes these Peace Corps volunteers are let down by the 
organization that they gave so much to.
  Jennifer Mamola was hit by a drunk driver while serving in Uganda. 
She was at a bus stop with another volunteer, who was killed by the 
drunk driver. Jennifer had both of her legs broken.
  When she returned home, still bedridden and loaded on pain 
medication, she faced an uphill battle to get medical treatment and 
endless bureaucracy from our own government. After months of fighting 
the system, she was finally approved for medical treatment, only to 
have her case continuously reopened.
  Others tell of their struggle to receive quality medical care and 
protection while they are abroad in foreign countries.
  Sara Thompson suffered for months from terrible nightmares and 
nausea. When she turned to the Peace Corps doctors, they attributed her 
symptoms to ``not adjusting well'' in the foreign country.

                              {time}  1715

  Not until Sara conducted her own research back in the United States 
did she realize that the malaria medicine the Peace Corps had 
prescribed for her was the thing that was making her sick. Her doctors 
never recognized the symptoms. Sara still suffers from these symptoms 
and this misdiagnosis and feels that the Peace Corps abandoned her.
  Another brave volunteer told me about the sexual harassment she 
experienced while serving overseas in a foreign country. During broad 
daylight, men would grope and threaten her as she walked home from 
school. This harassment went on for months and months. When she 
reported this to the Peace Corps, the Peace Corps assured her that the 
men were just joking.
  Are you kidding me, Mr. Speaker?
  When she could no longer bear the harassment, she returned home, and 
the Peace Corps recorded her reason for leaving the Peace Corps as 
``difficulty adapting to the culture.''
  Sexual assault and harassment should never be excused as joking. It 
should never be brushed off as a cultural norm. And, Mr. Speaker, 
sexual assault is never the fault of a victim.
  As a former judge, I can tell you that it is our duty to do 
everything within our power to protect these ambassadors, these angels 
abroad.
  The Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Enhancement Act of 2018 
builds on and extends protections for our volunteers which became law 
as a result of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 
2011, which I introduced, and it 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. During the onboarding process, this bill 
requires the Peace Corps to provide information on health risks and 
crimes to volunteers up front so that they can be informed and make a 
good decision on where to serve. Sometimes Peace Corps volunteers have 
no idea about the assaults that take place in these foreign countries. 
Those days will be over.
  While they are deployed in the country, this bill requires the Peace 
Corps to make sure volunteers have access to qualified medical doctors. 
These doctors must consult with outside experts and the Center for 
Disease Control on best practices, particularly on mental health and 
malaria medications.
  We also added important provisions on protection from sexual assault 
and harassment recommended by the Office of Special Counsel in a report 
that was released by them this year.
  H.R. 2259 extends the Sexual Assault Advisory Council for an 
additional 5 years. It makes the Office of Victims Advocacy permanent. 
Both of these valuable resources for volunteers who have been assaulted 
or harassed would have expired this year.
  And finally, when volunteers return home from their service with 
illnesses and injuries that they received overseas, they should not 
have to spend months dealing with bureaucratic red tape so that they 
can get medical care. This bill will ensure that they immediately 
receive the medical care and mental healthcare that they need and 
deserve.
  Peace Corps volunteers, Mr. Speaker, are the face of our country in 
places where America's shining beacon of hope and liberty has not 
always shined so bright. They promote goodwill and a better 
understanding of the United States. This helps to ensure an enduring 
partnership with our Nation.
  But most of all, they do good things. They do good because they are 
good. They change lives every day in the local communities that they 
serve; and we, at home, must ensure we are doing all we can to minimize 
unnecessary dangers for these volunteers. The Sam Farr and Nick Castle 
Peace Corps Enhancement Act of 2018 is a crucial step.
  So I thank the Speaker for bringing this bill to the floor, and I 
urge my colleagues to support this critical bill, and the Senate to 
take it up as soon as possible.
  I also would like to thank my staffers, Oren Adaki, Patrick Megahan, 
and Luke Murry in the Majority Leader's office.
  Peace Corps volunteers, Mr. Speaker, are the best that we have in 
this country, and that is just the way it is.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
         House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and 
           Government Reform,
                                    Washington, DC, June 12, 2018.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 2259, the Sam 
     Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018. This 
     bill contains provisions within the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. As a result of 
     your having consulted with me concerning the provisions of 
     the bill that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction, I agree to 
     forgo consideration of the bill, so the bill may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor.
       The Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2259 we 
     do not waive any

[[Page H6023]]

     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or 
     similar legislation, and we will be appropriately consulted 
     and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward 
     so we may address any remaining issues within our Rule X 
     jurisdiction. Further, I request your support for the 
     appointment of conferees from the Committee on Oversight and 
     Government Reform during any House-Senate conference on this 
     or related legislation.
       Finally, I would appreciate a response confirming this 
     understanding and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters 
     on this matter be included in the bill report filed by the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs, as well as in the Congressional 
     Record during floor consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
     Trey Gowdy.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                    Washington, DC, June 12, 2018.
     Hon. Trey Gowdy,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Gowdy: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 2259, the Sam Farr and Nick 
     Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018, so that the bill may 
     proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this resolution or similar legislation in the future. I 
     would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any 
     House-Senate conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 2259 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Education and the 
           Workforce, Washington, DC, June 12, 2018.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to confirm our mutual 
     understanding with respect to H.R. 2259, the Sam Farr and 
     Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018. Thank you for 
     consulting with the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
     with regard to H.R. 2259 on those matters within my 
     committee's jurisdiction and agreeing to make improvements to 
     the legislation to address concerns.
       The Committee on Education and the Workforce will not delay 
     further consideration of this bill. However, I do so only 
     with the understanding this procedural route will not be 
     construed to prejudice my committee's jurisdictional interest 
     and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar 
     legislation and will not be considered as precedent for 
     consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my 
     committee in the future.
  I respectfully request your support for the appointment of outside 
conferees from the Committee on Education and the Workforce should this 
bill or a similar bill be considered in a conference with the Senate. I 
also request you include our exchange of letters on this matter in the 
committee report and in the Congressional Record during consideration 
of this bill on the House Floor. Thank you for your attention to these 
matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Virginia Foxx,
     Chairwoman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                    Washington, DC, June 12, 2018.
     Hon. Virginia Foxx,
     Chairwoman, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairwoman Foxx: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 2259, the Sam Farr and Nick 
     Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018, so that the bill may 
     proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this resolution or similar legislation in the future. I 
     would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any 
     House-Senate conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 2259 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. I would like to begin 
by thanking Representatives Ted Poe and Joe Kennedy for their hard work 
on this legislation. This legislation seeks to enhance the health, 
safety, and security of Peace Corps volunteers.
  Of course we, many of us, served with many of the people who went on 
to become Congressmen when they were first in the Peace Corps as well, 
and Sam Farr was one of those people, and I listened to many stories 
that Sam Farr told about the Peace Corps.
  The bill is named in honor of two past Peace Corps volunteers, again, 
Congressman Sam Farr, who served in Colombia. I have traveled with Sam 
to Colombia, and his Spanish was impeccable. He was a tireless champion 
of the Peace Corps during his service in the House.
  The bill is also named for Nick Castle, a young volunteer who was 
passionate about life and about helping other people. In 2013, while on 
assignment in rural China, Nick fell ill and didn't receive the medical 
care he needed and, tragically, died, a young man in his twenties.
  This legislation before us today would strengthen existing health and 
safety standards for our Peace Corps volunteers. It would also 
reauthorize the Sexual Assault Advisory Council that reviews reports of 
sexual assault involving volunteers, and provides the Peace Corps 
additional flexibility in retaining certain employees.
  Peace Corps volunteers represent the best of America. These selfless 
men and women live for 2 years, often in remote parts of the world, 
helping to advance critical priorities, like educating girls, 
preventing HIV and malaria, environmental conservation, improving 
agricultural methods, and community economic development.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill that will improve the lives of 
our Peace Corps volunteers currently serving in 65 countries across the 
globe. By passing this measure, we honor Sam Farr and Nick Castle and 
the 230,000 Americans who have served as Peace Corps volunteers over 
the past 57 years.
  I remember when the Peace Corps first came together, when President 
Kennedy called for a Peace Corps. It has obviously gone on for a long, 
long time, and has been one of the most successful programs that the 
United States has had.
  So I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (M Kennedy) who, as Mr. Poe mentioned before, is a former 
Peace Corps volunteer who served in the Dominican Republic.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the ranking 
member of the Committee, Mr. Engel, for his advocacy for this 
legislation, for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee, for 
the time that I spent on that committee as well, and for all of his 
support for this legislation.
  I echo the gratitude toward the chairman of the committee, Mr. Royce, 
and all that he and his staff did to usher this bill through to this 
point; of course, my colleague, Mr. Poe, and his team, for the 
leadership that they have shown on it and all that he has done in order 
to make sure that this bill has come with the broad bipartisan support 
that it has. And that, as he says, is just the way it is.
  I also want to say I would be remiss not to reference our dear 
colleague, former colleague, Sam Farr, who, if you asked him what day 
it was, would respond with a Peace Corps story. This is an act that is 
close to his heart, an organization that is close to his heart that he 
spent an awful lot of time dedicating himself to, and I am grateful for 
the recognition that he deserves, and so many others today.
  Mr. Speaker, about 15 years ago, I got off an airplane in Santo 
Domingo not knowing what to expect, and a couple of weeks later, was 
welcomed with open arms into a pretty rural community on the side of a 
highway in the Northern Dominican Republic.
  Over the course of the next two-plus years, families that I didn't 
know, in a language that I barely spoke, accepted

[[Page H6024]]

me as one of their own. They cared for me when I was sick. They would 
literally take half of the food that they had on their plate and scrape 
it off so that I had a meal to eat. Folks that were making a couple of 
dollars a day, at best, intermittent electricity, intermittent running 
water, but whatever they had they were eager to share with me.
  And my story and this is not unique. This is told over and over again 
by the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have had the 
opportunity to serve our country as Peace Corps volunteers around the 
globe. You listen to those stories, and they echo from East Timor and 
the Philippines, through Mongolia and the Far East, to sub-Saharan 
Africa, across the continent, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and 
Central America.
  Over and over again, the stories that you hear, you ask any Peace 
Corps volunteer, and they believe that they serve, not just are serving 
the greatest Nation in the world, but they are also in service in one 
of the greatest nations in the world, and every volunteer says the same 
thing.
  What you also see from those volunteers is this extraordinary 
generosity of spirit, this dedication to living out the ideals that we 
hold so dear, that we speak of in this Chamber, about reaching out to 
others and asking what we can do to help them in service, through our 
own actions, through the support of the Federal Government behind; what 
we can do, day by day, step by step to try to make our communities and 
their communities, our world, a little bit better.
  That is what the Peace Corps stands for. That is what has been 
repeated day after day, volunteer after volunteer, in hundreds of 
countries around the world at various times and through all of those 
volunteers and their experiences.
  That is why this bill today is so important, for Mr. Speaker, 
American might can be found on battlefields and military bases, but it 
is also found by that college graduate who is teaching in a small 
village in India, or a retiree who is teaching a stranger in Belize how 
to build a business.

  By passing this bill, we can allow current and future Peace Corps 
volunteers to carry out their important duty while improving their 
access to care and ensuring their safety and security at home and 
abroad. Before they even set foot on a plane, volunteers will be made 
fully informed of the risks that they will face in their country where 
they have been invited to serve.
  And once that jet lag has worn off and the nerves settle down, they 
have written their first letter home, we will guarantee that these 
volunteers have the access to well-qualified medical officers and 
support staff in Peace Corps offices overseas.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. ENGEL. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY. In addition, this bill promises to take a number of 
steps to address and combat instances of sexual assault by 
reauthorizing the Sexual Assault Advisory Council through 2023, and 
requiring the Peace Corps to provide information to host families 
regarding sexual assault prevention awareness.
  And because we recognize that tragedies can occur, and that service 
is not without risks, for any volunteer who returns home with a 
service-connected disability, this legislation will minimize 
bureaucratic delay and work to ensure that medical care is received 
without delay.
  Through their selfless and tireless work, Mr. Speaker, Peace Corps 
volunteers leave a lasting, positive impression in countries all around 
the world that can endure for generations.
  With the bipartisan passage of this bill, we are one step closer to 
protecting our volunteers serving around the world and ensuring the 
Peace Corps' influence continues to reach new heights.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Poe, Chairman Royce, and Ranking 
Member Engel for all their work on this important legislation, and I 
urge swift passage of H.R. 2259.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In closing, let me first again say that my colleague and friend, Mr. 
Poe, is eloquent as usual. I want to single out Mr. Kennedy, whose 
great uncle, President John F. Kennedy, first established the Peace 
Corps; and the Kennedy family has also, through the years, been very 
engaged in making the world a better place, so I appreciate my 
colleague from Massachusetts for speaking.
  Congressman Royce and myself have run this committee in a bipartisan 
way and, again, I think this bill is typical of good bipartisanship. It 
is a good bill for the United States.
  The Peace Corps shows people around the world America at its best. It 
shows our values. It shows our generosity. It shows our compassion. 
Since its inception in 1961, volunteers have engaged in people-to-
people diplomacy and community-based development in 141 countries on 
six continents.
  We, in Congress, must do what we can to keep our current volunteers 
healthy and safe.
  So, again, I want to thank Congressman Poe and Congressman Kennedy. I 
want to also thank Senator Corker and Senator Feinstein for the 
companion bill in the Senate.
  I would also like to especially recognize three staff members, Luke 
Murry, Oren Adaki, and Janice Kaguyutan--even though I am massacring 
her last name--for their years of work on Peace Corps issues. We 
couldn't do this without the good work that our staffs do.
  One of the things that I am very proud of on the Foreign Affairs 
Committee is the bipartisan way in which we work, and the staffs are 
responsive to everyone on the committee, not just people on their side 
of the aisle, and I think that shows in the committee, and it shows 
America at its best and its finest.

                              {time}  1730

  The Peace Corps is really important. Peace Corps issues are really 
important. The agency is undoubtedly a better agency because of the 
efforts of the people that I just mentioned.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure, I urge my colleagues to 
do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, when I travel overseas in foreign countries, I, like 
many of the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, try to meet with 
our Peace Corps volunteers. Most of those volunteers are in Third World 
countries, and I have had the honor to meet with them. They have come 
down from the mountains in Peru to meet with me and other Members.
  One thing is universally true about all of them: They love being a 
Peace Corps volunteer. They love working in that country and doing 
things in that country most of us would never do, but they do it 
because they are good, and they do good.
  And when the Peace Corps volunteers came to me first a few years ago 
about some of the things that were happening in the Peace Corps, they 
all made it clear to me that, even though these bad things happened to 
them while they served in the Peace Corps, whether it was being 
assaulted overseas, lack of medical attention by the Peace Corps, 
whatever, they all still supported the Peace Corps. They were not 
bitter about the Peace Corps. They weren't mad at the Peace Corps. Many 
of them said they would volunteer again if they could.
  They are remarkable individuals. They are the best that we have in 
this country who represent us all over the world doing good things for 
people.
  Of course it helps the United States politically, but, more 
importantly, it helps these people in these countries to have things 
that they would never be able to have without these Peace Corps 
volunteers working with them and helping to make a sanitary 
environment, helping them to market such things as guinea pigs, as I 
learned in Peru.
  They are remarkable individuals, and I want to make that very clear 
that the Peace Corps volunteers support making the Peace Corps better, 
but they support the Peace Corps most of all.
  Let me just mention this about Nick Castle. He died while he was in 
China. He died because he did not get adequate medical attention, 
medical attention that the United States was responsible for making 
sure that he got that he did not get, and because of that, he died in-
country. So this bill is

[[Page H6025]]

named after Nick Castle, and it is named after Sam Farr.
  I want to also say again how much I appreciate Joe Kennedy from 
Massachusetts being the cosponsor of this, him being a Peace Corps 
volunteer, his family being supportive of the Peace Corps. One of the 
best things the United States ever did was when John F. Kennedy 
invented the Peace Corps.
  We should continue to send our angels abroad, representing the United 
States, representing what is good, and we should support them when they 
are overseas, when they return home, and after they have even left the 
Peace Corps. Our government should work to help the Peace Corps, not 
work against the Peace Corps.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
2259, the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act.
  To serve in the United States Peace Corps is a worthy mission. The 
Peace Corps promotes cultural understanding and creates strong ties 
between volunteers and the communities they serve. I've often heard 
foreign leaders, particularly in Africa, reflect upon their own 
interactions with volunteers who taught English or helped establish a 
fishery in their village. And I've seen many returned volunteers become 
leaders in industry and government at home--including serving here in 
Congress. This bill is named after one of them, former Representative 
and returned Peace Corps volunteer Sam Farr.
  But serving in the Peace Corps also involves risk. Volunteers are 
expected to adapt to unfamiliar areas and customs. They may face 
political instability or crime. And they are exposed to countless 
infectious and tropical diseases, often without access to reliable 
care. Too often, we hear stories of Peace Corps volunteers suffering 
from debilitating illnesses that could have been prevented, falling 
victim to sexual assault without justice, or even dying. This is why 
the bill also is named for Nick Castle, a young Peace Corps volunteer 
who died while serving in China from a completely treatable illness.
  The bill before us today strengthens the transparency, accountability 
and effectiveness of the Peace Corps by enacting a number of important 
reforms. It requires disclosures that will enable aspiring volunteers 
to better understand the risk they will face before they are deployed. 
The Peace Corps is not for everyone.
  This legislation provides assurances to volunteers that qualified 
medical personnel will be accessible to them while serving overseas and 
here at home, should they experience a service-related injury or 
illness. And, importantly, it extends and expands upon a number of the 
provisions previously included in the Kate Puzey Act, which provides 
support to volunteers who have been victims of sexual assault.
  Earlier this year, the Senate unanimously passed a similar version of 
the legislation: We have been working closely with the House sponsors, 
the administration, advocacy groups and our colleagues in the Senate to 
ensure that this important legislation can be enacted without further 
delay. I would like to thank the lead sponsor in the House, Judge Poe, 
for his steadfast commitment throughout this process. I would also like 
to acknowledge the important work of the Committees on Education and 
the Workforce and Oversight and Government Reform, without whom we 
could not consider this bill today.
  I urge Members to support this bill.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 2259, the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act. This bill will 
improve the health, security and safety of Peace Corps Volunteers. Our 
Peace Corps Volunteers uphold American values and character abroad. 
They are often the first impression given to foreign nationals of 
Americans and put themselves in the most remote areas of the world 
where managing risk is a daily practice. The Sam Farr Peace Corps 
Enhancement Act will strengthen a volunteer's ability to effectively 
serve our country abroad by establishing more institutional protections 
I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation.
  The Peace Corps was created to answer that powerful call from 
President Kennedy nearly sixty years ago when he stated, ``ask not what 
your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country''. 
Whether it is the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or Conservation Corps, 
national service is a vital ingredient to a healthy and prosperous 
nation National service provides vital skills of teamwork, 
responsibility and the ability to cross cultural and economic lines in 
societies. No one understood this better than my dear friend and former 
colleague, Sam Farr who this bill is so aptly named after.
  In his twenty-three distinguished years as a Former Congressman from 
California's 17th District, Sam Farr was often known as ``Mr. Peace 
Corps''. A former Peace Corps Volunteer himself, serving in Colombia 
during the early sixties; he was a tireless advocate for the Peace 
Corps Agency. He understood the importance of the work that the Agency 
and the volunteers were doing for America in the global arena, and the 
impact it has on not just the Peace Corps Volunteers, but the 
friendships and bonds they create in the countries they serve. I urge 
my colleagues to support this important legislation and I thank 
Congressmen Joe Kennedy (D-MA) and Ted Poe (R-TX) for recognizing 
Congressman Farr, and introducing such an important and bipartisan bill 
that will truly benefit our volunteers.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2259, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________