A district office meeting with (r to l) Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ) yielded positive results for RPCVs Sharon Keld, Joanne Brandwood and Pete Watson. Find out more below.
We are starting to hear back from Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) around the country who are organizing community-based district office meetings with their congressional representatives this August and September.
The early returns are yielding results!
Take last week in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. Constituents Sharon Keld (Morocco 2006-08/Philippines 2009-10/Armenia 2011) and Pete Watson (Benin 1970-74), and Joanne Brandwood (Botswana 1981-83), Advocacy Coordinator for the New Jersey RPCVs met with Congressman Leonard Lance to discuss Peace Corps funding and other issues. During the meeting Congressman Lance became the first Republican in the House of Representatives to co-sponsor a resolution honoring the importance of International Service (H.CON.RES 70), and also agreed to add his name to the growing bi-partisan list of co-sponsors to the Respect for Peace Corps Volunteers Act (H.R. 1573). Additionally, Congressman Lance said he would consider joining the House Peace Corps Caucus.
The same can be said in central Tennessee. Several members of the Tennessee RPCVs came together in Nashville to meet at the district office of local Congressman Jim Cooper. Congressman Cooper was thanked by the local advocates, as he was already a member of the Peace Corps Caucus and a co-sponsor of H.R. 1573. By the close of the meeting, Congressman Cooper agreed to co-sponsor the International Service Resolution.
Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper recently met with local RPCVs.
More meetings are coming up very soon and a growing number of meetings are being sought. Currently, in 21 states across the country, nearly 30 advocates are seeking at least 48 meetings with the district offices of members of the United States Senate or House. They are sharing their Peace Corps experiences and expressing their thoughts on why the Peace Corps is one of the most cost-effective and impactful parts of our outreach to the world.
If you want to know what is going on in your area (or if you want to try and organize a meeting if none are being planned in your state), follow this link.
Our thanks to the dozens of RPCVs from every era of Peace Corps service whose important, selfless actions are reminding lawmakers during the summer recess that we need a bigger, better and respected Peace Corps!