[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.
____________________