Title: Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2019
This bill reauthorizes the Peace Corps through FY2023 and makes various changes to the Peace Corps.
Peace Corps volunteers and volunteer leaders shall receive a readjustment allowance of at least $417 for each month of satisfactory service, up from the current minimum of $125 per month. For workers compensation purposes, a Peace Corps volunteer shall be deemed to be paid at the minimum rate of a GS-11 employee on the General Schedule pay scale. Currently, volunteers are treated as minimum rate GS-7 employees for such purposes, while volunteer leaders are already treated as minimum rate GS-11 employees.
The bill provides statutory authority for existing practices making certain former Peace Corps volunteers eligible for certain types of civil service employment. The bill also extends the eligibility period in certain instances, such as when a former volunteer applied to an agency where there was a lapse in appropriations.
The bill specifies that U.S. nationals are eligible for Peace Corps employment and for related programs. (Individuals born in an outlying U.S. possession are U.S. nationals but do not automatically acquire citizenship through birth in the outlying possession.)
The bill authorizes the use of the Peace Corps name as well as the official seal and emblem on the death announcement or grave marker of a person who served in the Peace Corps.
The bill makes various changes to the structure and responsibilities of the Peace Corps National Advisory Council.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3456 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3456

  To amend the Peace Corps Act to reauthorize the Peace Corps, better 
   support current, returning, and former volunteers, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2019

 Mr. Garamendi (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, Ms. 
Shalala, Mrs. Radewagen, and Mr. Sires) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
      to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Peace Corps Act to reauthorize the Peace Corps, better 
   support current, returning, and former volunteers, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. FUNDING FOR THE PEACE CORPS; INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AGE 
              VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

    Section 3(b) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2502(b)(1)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$270,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2000, $298,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $327,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2002, and $365,000,000 for fiscal year 2003'' and 
        inserting ``$450,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
        2023'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``that fiscal year and 
        the subsequent fiscal year'' and inserting ``obligation through 
        the end of the subsequent fiscal year'';
            (3) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (e); and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) In recognition of the transformative power of internet access 
in developing countries, the Peace Corps shall be administered to give 
particular attention to those programs, projects, training, and other 
activities which leverage the internet, as appropriate, for 
development, education, and social and economic mobility and to develop 
positions for volunteers that include such programs, projects, 
training, and other activities.''.

SEC. 3. READJUSTMENT ALLOWANCES FOR VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER LEADERS.

    (a) Volunteers.--Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504) 
is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence of subsection (b), by inserting 
        ``, safety'' after ``health'';
            (2) in the first sentence of subsection (c), by striking 
        ``$125'' and inserting ``$417'';
            (3) by redesignating subsections (e) through (p) as 
        subsections (d) through (o), respectively;
            (4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, in the first 
        sentence, by striking ``subsection (f)'' and inserting 
        ``subsection (e)''; and
            (5) in subsection (m), as so redesignated--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``subsection 
                (e)'' each place it appears and inserting ``subsection 
                (d)''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``subsection 
                (1)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)''.
    (b) Volunteer Leaders.--Section 6(1) of the Peace Corps Act (22 
U.S.C. 2505(1)) is amended by striking ``$125'' and inserting ``$417''.

SEC. 4. PEACE CORPS NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    Section 12 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2511) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``conduct on-site inspections, 
                        and make examinations, of the activities of the 
                        Peace Corps in the United States and in other 
                        countries in order to'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon at the end;
                            (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
                        subparagraph (E); and
                            (iv) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 
                        the the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) make recommendations for utilizing the 
                expertise of returned Peace Corps volunteers in 
                fulfilling the goals of the Peace Corps; and'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in the first sentence--
                                            (aa) by striking 
                                        ``fifteen'' and inserting 
                                        ``seven''; and
                                            (bb) by striking 
                                        ``President, by and with the 
                                        advice and consent of the 
                                        Senate'' and inserting 
                                        ``Director of the Peace 
                                        Corps''; and
                                    (II) by striking the second 
                                sentence and inserting the following 
                                new sentence: ``At least four of such 
                                members shall be former Peace Corps 
                                volunteers, and not more than four of 
                                such members may be members of the same 
                                political party.'';
                            (ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
                        as follows:
                    ``(B) No member appointed under this paragraph may 
                be an officer or employee of the Peace Corps.'';
                            (iii) by amending subparagraph (D) to read 
                        as follows:
                    ``(D) The members of the council shall be appointed 
                to 2-year terms.''; and
                            (iv) by striking subparagraphs (E), (F), 
                        (G), (H), and (I); and
                    (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) The Director of the Peace Corps shall designate one 
        of the voting members of the Council as Chair, who shall serve 
        in such capacity for a period not to exceed two years.'';
            (3) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``At its 
                first meeting and at its first regular meeting in each 
                calendar year thereafter'' and inserting ``At its first 
                meeting each calendar year''; and
                    (B) in the second sentence, by inserting before the 
                period at the end the following: ``, and shall each 
                serve in that capacity for a period not to exceed two 
                years.'';
            (4) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``The Council'' and 
        all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 
        the following: ``The Council shall hold a regular meeting 
        during each calendar quarter at a date and time to be 
        determined by the Chair of the Council or at the call of the 
        Director of the Peace Corps.''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(k) Independence of Inspector General.--None of the activities or 
functions of the Council under subsection (b)(2) may undermine the 
independence or supersede the duties of the Inspector General of the 
Peace Corps.
    ``(l) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Council.
    ``(m) Acceptance and Use of Donations.--The Director of the Peace 
Corps may accept donations of funds, gifts, and in-kind contributions 
and use such donations without further appropriation for administrative 
expenses relating to the functions of the Council.
    ``(n) Multi-Year Agreement.--The Director of the Peace Corps may 
enter into a multi-year agreement with a nonprofit organization that 
supports current, returning, or former Peace Corps volunteers, 
authorizing such nonprofit organization to solicit donations, on behalf 
of the Peace Corps, solely to support the administrative expenses 
relating to the functions of the Council. Any agreement under this 
subsection shall require the nonprofit organization at issue to 
transfer all donated funds received under such agreement to the Peace 
Corps for use under subsection (m).''.

SEC. 5. USE OF OFFICIAL SEAL, EMBLEM, AND NAME OF THE PEACE CORPS.

    Subsection (b) of section 19 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 
2518) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the period at the 
        end the following: ``, except that the official seal or emblem 
        and the name `Peace Corps' may be used on any death 
        announcement, gravestone, plaque, or other grave marker of any 
        person who served as a volunteer or as an officer or employee 
        of the Peace Corps under such rules as may be prescribed by the 
        Director''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), in the first sentence, by inserting 
        ``or in accordance with the exception specified in paragraph 
        (1),'' before ``shall be fined''.

SEC. 6. CODIFICATION OF CERTAIN EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATING TO EXISTING 
              NONCOMPETITIVE ELIGIBILITY FEDERAL HIRING STATUS FOR 
              RETURNING VOLUNTEERS.

    The Peace Corps Act is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 26 through 28 (22 U.S.C. 
        2522, 2523, and 2501 note) as sections 27 through 29; and
            (2) by inserting after section 25 the following new 
        section:

    ``codification of certain executive order relating to existing 
    noncompetitive eligibility federal hiring status for returning 
                               volunteers

    ``Sec. 26.  (a) Executive Order 11103 (28 Fed. Reg. 3571; Apr. 10, 
1963), as amended by Executive Order 12107 (44 Fed. Reg. 1055; Dec. 28, 
1978), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this 
section, shall remain in effect and have the full force and effect of 
law, consistent with subsection (b).
    ``(b)(1) The period of eligibility for noncompetitive appointment 
to the civil service provided to an individual by operation of 
subsection (a), including any individual who is so eligible on the date 
of enactment of this section, shall be extended by the total number of 
days that, during such period--
            ``(A) a hiring freeze for civilian employees of the 
        executive branch is in effect by order of the President with 
        respect to any Executive agency at which the individual has 
        applied for employment;
            ``(B) there is a lapse in appropriations with respect to 
        any Executive agency at which the individual has applied for 
        employment; or
            ``(C) the individual is receiving disability compensation 
        under section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, based on 
        their service as a Peace Corp volunteer, retroactive to the 
        date the individual applied for such compensation.
    ``(2) For purposes of subsection (b)--
            ``(A) the term `hiring freeze' means any memorandum, 
        Executive order, or other action by the President that 
        prohibits an Executive agency from filling vacant Federal 
        civilian employee positions or creating new such positions; and
            ``(B) the term `Executive agency' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, and 
        includes the United States Postal Service and the Postal 
        Regulatory Commission, but does not include the Government 
        Accountability Office.''.

SEC. 7. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY OF 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

    (a) In General.--At least once every five years, the Director of 
the Peace Corps and the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic 
Security shall review the Memorandum of Agreement between the Bureau of 
Diplomatic Security of the Department of State and the Peace Corps 
regarding security support and protection of Peace Corps volunteers and 
staff members abroad and update such Memorandum of Agreement, as 
appropriate.
    (b) Notification.--The Director of the Peace Corps and the 
Assistance Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security shall jointly 
submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
any update to the Memorandum of Agreement under subsection (a) not 
later than 30 days before such update shall take effect.

SEC. 8. CLARIFICATION REGARDING ELIGIBILITY OF UNITED STATES NATIONALS.

    The Peace Corps Act is amended--
            (1) in section 7(a)(5) (22 U.S.C. 2506(a)(5)), by inserting 
        ``or nationals of the United States'' after ``citizens'' each 
        place such term appears;
            (2) in section 8(b) (22 U.S.C. 2507(b)), by inserting ``or 
        nationals of the United States'' after ``citizens'';
            (3) in section 10(b) (22 U.S.C. 2509(b)), by inserting ``, 
        national of the United States,'' after ``citizen'';
            (4) in section 12(g) (22 U.S.C. 2511(g), by inserting ``or 
        nationals of the United'' after ``citizens''; and
            (5) in section 27 (as redesignated pursuant to section 6 of 
        this Act)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (8) as 
                paragraphs (6) through (9), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(5) The term `national' has the meaning given such term 
        in section 101(a)(22)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
        (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)(B)).''.

SEC. 9. WORKERS COMPENSATION FOR PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``GS-7'' and 
                inserting ``GS-11''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2) (and redesignating 
                paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), 
                respectively); and
            (2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``subsection (c)(3)'' 
        and inserting ``subsection (c)(2)''.
    (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a)(1)(A) shall 
apply to any volunteer (as that term is defined in subsection (a) of 
section 8142 of title 5, United States Code) with respect to whom 
benefits under chapter 81 of such title commence, by operation of such 
section, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 10. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    The Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 7 (22 U.S.C. 2506)--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by moving paragraphs (7) and 
                (8) two ems to the left; and
                    (B) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
                (b);
            (2) in section 8A(d)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2507a(d)(2)), insert 
        ``the'' before ``information'';
            (3) in section 8C (22 U.S.C. 2507c), in the heading of 
        subsection (a), by striking ``Victims'' and inserting 
        ``Victim'';
            (4) in section 8E (22 U.S.C. 2507e)--
                    (A) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection 
                (c),,'' and inserting ``subsection (c),''; and
                    (B) in subsection (e)(1)(F), by striking ``Corp's'' 
                and inserting ``Corps''';
            (5) in section 9 (22 U.S.C. 2508), by striking ``Act 
        proceedings'' and inserting ``Act. Removal proceedings'';
            (6) in section 10 (22 U.S.C. 2509)--
                    (A) in subsection (d), by striking ``section 3709 
                of the Revised Statutes of the United States, as 
                amended, section 302 of the Federal Property and 
                Administrative Services Act of 1949'' and inserting 
                ``sections 3101(a), 3101(c), 3104, 3106, 3301(b)(2), 
                and 6101 of title 41, United States Code''; and
                    (B) in subsection (j), in the first sentence, by 
                striking the second period;
            (7) in section 15(c) (22 U.S.C. 2514(c)), in the first 
        sentence, by striking ``that Act'' and inserting ``that 
        subchapter'';
            (8) in section 23 (22 U.S.C. 2520), by striking ``Universal 
        Military Training and Service Act'' and inserting ``Military 
        Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.)''; and
            (9) in section 27 (as redesignated pursuant to section 6 of 
        this Act)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6) (as redesignated pursuant to 
                section 8 of this Act), by striking ``5(m)'' and 
                inserting ``5(n)''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (9) (as redesignated pursuant to 
                section 8 of this Act)--
                            (i) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) 
                        as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), as so 
                        redesignated, by striking ``section 5(f)'' and 
                        inserting ``section 5(e)''.
                                 <all>