Billions of dollars in NO-BID CONTRACTS for the military industrial complex, and a $69 million cut for the Peace Corps, on it's 50th Anniversary. This poverty of values is exactly what is bankrupting us as a nation.
I'm a Peace Corps volunteer, and I'm paid around $6.45 per day for professional disaster management work.
Read on: (excerpted from an email I received from the Peace Corps)
The House of Representatives has passed HR 1, which aims to cut $60 billion in federal spending including $69 million from Peace Corps for the current fiscal year. As the fiscal year is half over, this would have a disastrous effect on Peace Corps. It is uncertain what will happen as the bill goes to the Senate which is expected to take it up the week of February 28th. If no consensus is reached by March 4th, the government could "shut down."
President Obama has stated he would veto the funding bill if it contains the large cuts under discussion, when it reaches his desk. In fact, earlier in the week Obama proposed a $40 million increase in Peace Corps funding for fiscal year 2012. It was an odd week of very mixed news for the Peace Corps - bad from the House, great from the President.
It is no secret that this vote is intensifying an already contentious debate between Republicans and Democrats on spending. Many lawmakers and staff are being inundated with hundreds if not thousands of phone calls in opposition. The wisest course for this campaign would be for constituents to respectfully and gently ask the 8 Democratic Senators on the Foreign Operations subcommittee to support as robust funding as possible for the Peace Corps, stressing the cost-effectiveness of the program and the disastrous effect that this significant reduction would have on Peace Corps operations half way through the fiscal year, harming volunteers and programs. The phone numbers for the Senators are listed below and this is what you should say.
"My name is __ and I am a constituent calling from __. I am sure you are receiving a lot of calls from people in the state concerned about cuts proposed in the continuing resolution, and I appreciate how difficult your job is right now. I just wanted to respectfully ask Senator __ to please not cut funding for the Peace Corps. This year, the agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The $69 million reduction in funding proposed by the House, would cut 1,400 volunteer positions, denying Americans the opportunity to serve their country in peace. It would also reduce staffing and other vital support for the volunteers in the field. Appreciating how difficult the budget situation is right now, I would be grateful if Senator __ could help keep Peace Corps funding as strong as possible. Thank you so much."
Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) 202-224-4242
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI) 202-224-3934
Senator Tim Harkin (IA) 202-224-3254
Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD) 202-224-4654
Senator Richard Durbin (IL) 202-224-2152
Senator Mary Landrieu (LA) 202-224-5824
Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) 202-224-3224
Senator Sherrod Brown (OH) 202-224-2315
Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the Peace Corps. We will keep you updated as to what happens with the bill.