I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2699 

To establish policies and procedures in the Peace Corps to provide for the 

safety and security of volunteers from rape and sexual assault, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 29, 2011 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. POE of Texas, and Ms. 

BUERKLE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish policies and procedures in the Peace Corps 

to provide for the safety and security of volunteers from 

rape and sexual assault, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Peace Corps Volunteer 

5 Service Improvement Act of 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CONFIDENTIALITY OF REPORTS OF RAPE OR SEX7 UAL ASSAULT. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Peace Corps 

9 shall establish and maintain policies and procedures that 


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1 clearly establish a process for volunteers to make confiden2 tial reports of rape or sexual assault. 

3 (b) PENALTY.—Any Peace Corps volunteer or staff 

4 member who is responsible for maintaining confidentiality 

5 under subsection (a) and who breaches such duty shall be 

6 subject to disciplinary action, including termination, and 

7 in the case of a staff member, ineligibility for re-employ8 ment with the Peace Corps. 

9 (c) INCLUSION.—In this Act, Peace Corps volunteers 

10 includes trainees and Peace Corps staff members include 

11 any employee, contractor, expert, consultant, or Foreign 

12 Service national employed or contracted by the Peace 

13 Corps, whether in the United States or in a foreign coun14 try. 

15 SEC. 3. SAFETY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT REGARDING 

16 PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS SERVING IN 

17 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months after 

19 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 

20 Peace Corps shall consult with the Assistant Secretary of 

21 State for Diplomatic Security and enter into a memo22 randum of understanding that specifies the duties and ob23 ligations of the Peace Corps and the Bureau of Diplomatic 

24 Security of the Department of State with respect to the 

25 protection of Peace Corps volunteers and staff members 


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1 serving in foreign countries, including with respect to in2 vestigations of safety and security incidents and crimes 

3 committed against such volunteers and staff members. 

4 (b) INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW.— 

5 (1) REVIEW.—The Inspector General of the 

6 Peace Corps shall review the memorandum of under7 standing described in subsection (a) and be afforded 

8 the opportunity to recommend changes that advance 

9 the safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers be10 fore its entry into force. 

11 (2) REPORT.—The Director of the Peace Corps 

12 shall consider the recommendations of the Inspector 

13 General of the Peace Corps regarding the memo14 randum of understanding described in subsection 

15 (a). If the Director enters into such memorandum 

16 without implementing a recommendation of the In17 spector General, the Director shall submit to the In18 spector General a written explanation relating there19 to. 

20 (3) FAILURE TO MEET DEADLINE.— 

21 (A) REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT REPORT.— 

22 If, by the date that is 6 months after the date 

23 of the enactment of this section, the Director of 

24 the Peace Corps is unable to obtain agreement 

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1 matic Security and certification by the Inspec2 tor General of the Peace Corps, the Director 

3 shall submit to the committees of Congress 

4 specified in subparagraph (C) a report explain5 ing the reasons for such failure. 

6 (B) LIMITATION ON FUNDS.—If, by the 

7 date that is 9 months after the date of the en8 actment of this section, the memorandum of 

9 understanding described in subsection (a) has 

10 not entered into force, no funds available to the 

11 Peace Corps may be obligated or expended to 

12 extend to Peace Corps volunteers invitations for 

13 service or to deploy Peace Corps trainees over14 seas unless the Director of the Peace Corps cer15 tifies to the committees of Congress specified in 

16 subparagraph (C) that— 

17 (i) significant progress is being made 

18 toward finalizing such memorandum; and 

19 (ii) the Peace Corps is using best ef20 forts to provide volunteers with the train21 ing, support, and information they need to 

22 stay safe and secure. 

23 (C) COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS SPECI24 FIED.—The committees of Congress specified in 

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1 eign Affairs of the House of Representatives 

2 and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

3 Senate. 

4 SEC. 4. INDEPENDENCE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF 

5 THE PEACE CORPS. 

6 The limitations specified in section 7(a)(2)(A) of the 

7 Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2506(a)(2)(A)) on the length 

8 of appointment or assignment under section 7(a)(2) of 

9 such Act, section 7(a)(2)(B) of such Act on reappointment 

10 or reassignment of an individual whose appointment or as11 signment under section 7(a)(2) of such Act has been ter12 minated, and section 7(a)(5) of such Act on the cir13 cumstances under which an appointment or assignment 

14 under section 7(a)(2) of such Act may exceed five years 

15 shall not apply to— 

16 (1) the Inspector General of the Peace Corps; 

17 and 

18 (2) officers and employees of the Office of the 

19 Inspector General of the Peace Corps. 

20 SEC. 5. SAFETY AND SECURITY REPORTS. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Peace Corps 

22 shall annually submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

23 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

24 Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the safety 


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1 of Peace Corps volunteers. Each such report shall at a 

2 minimum include the following information: 

3 (1) The incidence of crimes, together with the 

4 number of arrests, prosecutions, and incarcerations 

5 for every country in which volunteers serve for the 

6 preceding year. 

7 (2) A three year trend analysis of the types and 

8 frequency of crimes committed against volunteers for 

9 every country in which the Peace Corps has operated 

10 for at least the three preceding years. 

11 (b) INSPECTOR GENERAL AUDIT.—Not later than 

12 two years after the date of the enactment of this section 

13 and at least once every five years thereafter (or more fre14 quently as appropriate), the Inspector General of the 

15 Peace Corps shall perform an audit of Peace Corps imple16 mentation of safety and security protocols, including the 

17 status of any Inspector General findings and recommenda18 tions from previous audits that have not been adequately 

19 remediated or implemented. 

20 SEC. 6. PORTFOLIO REVIEWS. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Peace Corps 

22 shall, at least once every three years (or more frequently 

23 as appropriate), perform a review to evaluate the alloca24 tion and delivery of resources across the countries the 

25 Peace Corps serves or is considering for service. Such 


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1 portfolio reviews shall at a minimum include the following 

2 with respect to each such country: 

3 (1) An evaluation of the country’s commitment 

4 to the Peace Corps program. 

5 (2) An analysis of the safety and security of 

6 volunteers. 

7 (3) An evaluation of the country’s need for as8 sistance. 

9 (4) An analysis of country program costs. 

10 (5) An evaluation of the effectiveness of man11 agement of each post within a country. 

12 (6) An evaluation of the country’s congruence 

13 with the Peace Corps’ mission and strategic prior14 ities. 

15 (b) REPORT.—The Director of the Peace Corps shall 

16 prepare a report on each portfolio review required under 

17 subsection (a). Each such report shall discuss performance 

18 measures and sources of data used (such as project status 

19 reports, volunteer surveys, impact studies, reports of In20 spector General of the Peace Corps, and any relevant ex21 ternal sources) in making such review’s findings and con22 clusions. The Director shall make each such report avail23 able upon request to the Chairman and Ranking Member 

24 of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep25 resentatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 


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1 the Senate in a manner consistent with the protection of 

2 classified information if determined necessary to protect 

3 sensitive information. 

Æ 


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