Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-2259
Sponsor: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2017-05-01 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Africa
Assault and harassment offenses
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Drug therapy
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health personnel
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical education
Mental health
Morocco
National and community service
Peace Corps
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Sex offenses
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: 

Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act

 
This bill increases the monthly pay rate for Peace Corps volunteers.
 
The Peace Corps shall provide initial medical care to a former volunteer for a service-related condition for 180 days after termination of service, which period may be extended under specified circumstances.
 
The bill grants the government jurisdiction over, and imposes penalties upon, persons who commit certain crimes outside of the United States against a volunteer.
 
The Peace Corps Act is amended to authorize the designation of a position as a critical management support position if the position requires specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace 
 Corps operations. 
 
The President shall ensure that each overseas post has appropriate medical services, including by detailing to such a post the licensed medical staff of other U.S. agencies.
 
Each volunteer applicant shall be provided with information regarding crime and health risks and volunteer satisfaction with respect to the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve.
 
The Office of Victim Advocacy in the Peace Corps headquarters is made permanent.
 
The bill: (1) expands membership of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council, (2) requires at least one council member to have mental health field expertise, and (3) extends the council through October 1, 2023. 
 
The President shall conduct annual volunteer surveys through September 30, 2023 (currently through September 30, 2018).
 
The Inspector General of the Peace Corps may hire an expert, consultant, or organization without regard to certain daily salary requirements.
 
 The Peace Corps shall periodically report to Congress on volunteer access to health care benefits.

action_date: 2018-10-09
text: 

Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018

 
This bill modifies various aspects of the Peace Corps, including changes to the provisioning of health care to volunteers, program oversight, and how it handles sexual assault allegations.
 
The President shall ensure that each Peace Corps overseas post has medical services consistent with the size and scope of the post. The bill lays out criteria for hiring medical officers and support staff, including the candidate's medical training and experience, record of performance, understanding of the local language and culture, and the ability to work in English. 
 
The Peace Corps shall evaluate the medical staff in each country to ensure that they are complying with all relevant policies and guidelines, and that the staff members are receiving the necessary continuing medical education. It shall confirm that such a review has been completed in its annual budget justification to Congress. 
 
The Peace Corps shall ensure that all medical officers serving in malaria-endemic countries receive training in recognizing the side effects of malaria medications. It shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for recommendations on malaria-preventing medication. 
 
The Peace Corps shall implement its response to the Peace Corps Inspector General's recommendations in a report about a volunteer's death in Morocco. That report found issues such as gaps in medical emergency preparedness practices and problems in oversight. The Peace Corps shall also report to Congress semiannually as to the progress of the implementation.
 
The bill authorizes the Peace Corps to provide medical benefits to a volunteer for 120 days following the end of service, if the injury was sustained while serving in the Peace Corps and proximately caused by such service. 
 
The bill relaxes appointment term restrictions for certain critical management or management support positions that require specialized technical or technical skills. For such positions, the Peace Corps may make or renew appointments for up to five years. Such appointments shall not be subject to current limits on appointment term length.
 
The Peace Corps may not open, close, significantly reduce, or suspend an office without consulting Congress at least 15 days in advance, except when the action is necessary to ameliorate a substantial security risk to Peace Corps personnel. 
 
The bill also directs the President to brief the Peace Corps Inspector General after the death of a volunteer. The briefing shall include the available facts and circumstances of the incident, subsequent Peace Corps actions, and if it is determined that further inquiry is not required, the reasoning for that conclusion. 
 
The Inspector General may independently review the death and of Peace Corps actions in response. A member of the U.S. Armed Forces or an employee of another U.S. department may be detailed to the Inspector General to assist with the review.
 
The Peace Corps shall provide each applicant with specific, aggregated, and easily accessible information and about crimes and other risks in each country that the applicant may be invited to serve. The information for each country shall include (1) an overview of past crimes against volunteers, including unreported crimes, (2) the rate of early termination of a volunteer's service, (3) information about health risks, and (4) the nature and frequency of reports of sexual harassment from volunteers. The applicant shall have the option to apply to serve in a different country. Currently, applicants receive information about crimes and risks after being invited to serve in a specific country.
 
The bill directs the Peace Corps to require each post to have designated staff responsible for serving victims of sexual assault. The Peace Corps shall also gather additional information about sexual assault, such as instances where an employee or volunteer resigns after being accused of assault but before a final determination has been made. 
 
The bill permanently authorizes the Office of Victim Advocacy to assist victims of sexual assault. It extends the authorization of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council to October 1, 2023, and gives the Council authority to conduct case reviews. 
 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-10-09
text: Became Public Law No: 115-256.
action_date: 2018-10-09
text: Became Public Law No: 115-256.
action_date: 2018-10-09
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-10-09
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-09-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-09-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-09-25
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2018-09-24
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S6280)
action_date: 2018-09-24
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S6280)
action_date: 2018-07-11
text: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 508.
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6019-6022)
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6019-6022)
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2259.
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6019-6025)
action_date: 2018-07-10
text: Mr. Poe (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2018-05-17
text: Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules,.
action_date: 2018-05-17
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2018-05-17
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-05-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3008)
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Education and the Workforce, 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.
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Education and the Workforce, 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.
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Education and the Workforce, 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.
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 115-256