Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-2259
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2017-05-01
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
Latest action: action_date: 2018-10-09
text: Became Public Law No: 115-256.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-05-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act</strong></p> <p>This bill increases the monthly pay rate for Peace Corps volunteers.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The bill grants the government jurisdiction over, and imposes penalties upon, persons who commit certain crimes outside of the United States against a volunteer.</p> <p>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 <ich shall > Corps operations. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The Office of Victim Advocacy in the Peace Corps headquarters is made permanent.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>The President shall conduct annual volunteer surveys through September 30, 2023 (currently through September 30, 2018).</p> <p>The Inspector General of the Peace Corps may hire an expert, consultant, or organization without regard to certain daily salary requirements.</p> <p> The Peace Corps shall periodically report to Congress on volunteer access to health care benefits.</p>

action_date: 2018-10-09
action_desc: Public Law
text: <p><b>Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018</b></p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. <br> </p> <p><br> </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2259 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 1, 2017 Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself and Mr. Kennedy ) introduced the following bill; which was 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 A BILL To amend the Peace Corps Act to expand services and benefits for volunteers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act . 2. Provisions for current and former volunteers of the peace corps (a) Enhanced compensation benefits (1) In general Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (A) in subsection (c)— (i) in paragraph (1), by striking GS–7 and inserting GS–11 ; and (ii) by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) (1) The Director of the Peace Corps shall provide the initial furnishing of medical and other benefits under section 8103(b) of this title to any former volunteer for the 180-day period beginning on the date of termination of the service of such volunteer, to the extent that the Director determines that such benefits are given with respect to an injury that is probably compensable under this section (as such term is defined for purposes of section 8103(b)). The provision of such benefits may be authorized directly or by the certification of vouchers, in accordance with section 8103(b). (2) A volunteer may not be provided medical or other benefits pursuant to paragraph (1) unless the injury with respect to which such benefits would be provided was proximately caused by the employment of such volunteer under subsection (c)(2). (3) Notwithstanding the 180-day limitation period under paragraph (1), a volunteer may receive medical or other benefits provided pursuant to such paragraph with respect to an injury until the date on which the Secretary of Labor makes a final determination with respect to compensation for such injury under this section, if the volunteer applied for such compensation before the last day of such limitation period. (4) The Director shall consult with health experts outside the Peace Corps, including experts licensed in the field of mental health, in order to provide the best standard of care. (5) The provisions of section 8116(c) of this title regarding liability shall apply with respect to benefits provided to a former volunteer under this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply with respect to benefits provided to an employee of the United States. . (2) Applicability The amendments made by paragraph (1)(A) shall apply with respect to any compensation paid pursuant to section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Health care for volunteers; criminal liability for acts against volunteers Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (e), by striking receive such immunization and dental care preparatory to their service and inserting receive, preparatory to their service, such immunization and dental care, and (in accordance with subsection (o)) such trial prescriptions ; (2) in subsection (h), by striking section, and and inserting section), and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsections: (o) The Director of the Peace Corps may only prescribe mefloquine to a volunteer, including as a trial prescription to a volunteer who chooses to use such medication before departing the United States to a post, on an individual basis and in accordance with relevant recommendations or guidelines issued by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, after counseling such volunteer about the benefits, risks, and side effects of each available medication for the prophylaxis of malaria. The Director shall monitor the volunteer during the course of such prescription for the development of any side effects (or determine that the volunteer has been so monitored), evaluate the volunteer at the completion of such course for evidence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (or determine that the volunteer has been so evaluated), and report to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs any such side effects or symptoms. A volunteer may only switch to the use of mefloquine from another drug for the prophylaxis of malaria while serving at a post if another medication for the prophylaxis of malaria is simultaneously provided to such volunteer in a manner that ensures continuous protection against malaria. (p) It is the policy of the United States to recognize the importance of Peace Corps volunteers and the core function that such volunteers play within the agency. The President should therefore prioritize the provision of health care services and necessary safety and security support for all volunteers. (q) (1) Whoever engages in conduct outside the United States against a volunteer that would constitute an offense under any section listed in paragraph (2) if the conduct had been engaged in within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18, United States Code) shall be punished as provided for that offense. (2) The sections listed in this paragraph are sections 113, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1117 (to the extent that such section applies to section 1111), 1201, 2241, 2242, 2244, and 2261A of title 18, United States Code. (3) For purposes of this subsection, paragraph (9)(B) (regarding residences in foreign countries) of section 7 of title 18, United States Code, shall include the residences used by volunteers in foreign countries and the land appurtenant or ancillary thereto, irrespective of ownership. . 3. Provisions regarding employees of the peace corps Section 7 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2506 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (5), by inserting or paragraph (8) after paragraph (6) ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (8) (A) The Director of the Peace Corps may designate a position as a critical management position or a critical management support position if the position requires specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations, such as positions that involve volunteer health services, financial management, information technology, procurement, personnel, legal services, or safety or security. (B) Notwithstanding any limitation set forth in paragraph (2) and subject to subparagraph (C), an appointment or assignment to a critical management position or a critical management support position designated under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and any extension of such appointment or assignment shall be for a term of not more than five years. (C) The Director shall ensure that any decision regarding an appointment, assignment, or extension of such appointment or assignment to a critical management position or a critical management support position shall be consistent with Peace Corps policies and based on operational and programmatic factors. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) (1) (A) The President shall ensure that each overseas post has the services of a medical office that is consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to any such post the licensed medical staff of other United States departments, agencies, or establishments. (B) An individual may be hired as a Peace Corps Medical Officer after consideration of the following criteria: (i) Medical training, experience, accreditations, and other qualifications. (ii) Administrative capabilities. (iii) Understanding of the local language and culture. (iv) Ability to work in the English language. (v) Interpersonal skills. (vi) Record of performance. (vii) Any other factors the Director of the Peace Corps determines appropriate. (2) The Director of the Peace Corps shall ensure that each Peace Corps Medical Officer serving in a malaria-endemic country receives training in the recognition of the side effects caused by the use of mefloquine and the data supporting the patient information handouts required by the Food and Drug Administration regarding mefloquine, including the potential capacity of the drug to cause permanent neuropsychiatric effects. . 4. Monitoring training records Section 8 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new sentences: As a part of such training, the President, in coordination with the Inspector General of the Peace Corps, shall provide each volunteer with information regarding the mandate of the Inspector General and the availability (including contact information) of the Inspector General as a resource for volunteers. The President shall provide such information at least once during training that occurs prior to enrollment and at least once during each significant instance of training after enrollment. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) The President shall implement procedures to maintain a written record verifying the attendance of each individual completing training provided to meet each requirement in this section and sections 8A, 8B, 8F, and 8G(b). . 5. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers Section 8A of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507a ) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) Information regarding crimes and risks Each applicant for enrollment as a volunteer shall be provided, with respect to the country in which the applicant has been invited to serve, with information regarding crimes against and risks to volunteers, including an overview of past crimes against volunteers in such country, the current early termination rate of volunteers serving in such country, any health risks prevalent in such country, and the level of satisfaction reported by volunteers serving in such country. Upon receiving such information, the applicant shall have the option to timely decline the invitation without retaliation and with priority to be invited to serve in a different country. ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)(B), in clause (iii), by striking victim advocates and inserting Victim’s Advocates, . 6. Reporting requirements with respect to victims of sexual assault Paragraph (3) of section 8B(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507b(a) ) is amended— (1) by striking SARLs and inserting any employee of the Peace Corps ; and (2) by striking Victim Advocate and inserting Victim’s Advocate . 7. Office of victim advocacy Section 8C of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507c ) is amended— (1) by striking victim advocate in each place it appears and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; (2) by striking victim advocates in each place it appears and inserting Victim’s Advocates ; and (3) by striking subsection (e). 8. Reform and extension of the sexual assault advisory council Section 8D of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507d ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking not less than 8 individuals and inserting not fewer than 8 and not more than 14 individuals ; (B) by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: At least one member shall also be licensed in the field of mental health. ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new sentence: There shall be no limit to the number of terms an individual may serve as a member of the Council. ; (2) in subsection (c)— (A) by inserting and the implementation of such policy after section 8B ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: To carry out the functions in this subsection, the Council shall conduct case reviews and shall have access, including through interviews or visits, to volunteers and staff in the field, to volunteer surveys under section 8E, to all data collected from restricted reporting, and to any other information necessary to conduct case reviews, except that the Council may not have access to any personally identifying information associated with such surveys or data. ; and (3) in subsection (g), by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 . 9. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys Section 8E of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507e ) is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) in the first sentence, by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 ; (B) in the third sentence, by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (b) ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new sentences: The President shall publish on a publicly available website of the Peace Corps the results of each survey related to volunteer satisfaction in each country in which volunteers serve, and the early termination rate of volunteers serving in each such country. The information published shall be posted in an easily accessible place near the description of the appropriate country and shall be written in an easily understood manner. . 10. Experts and consultants for the inspector general Section 13 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2512 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking Section and inserting section ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) An expert, consultant, or organization thereof employed pursuant to subsection (a) by the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may be compensated without regard to the daily equivalent of the highest rate payable under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code. . 11. Report and survey on volunteer access to health care benefits (a) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for four years, the Director of the Peace Corps shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report including each of the following: (1) The number of Peace Corps volunteers who returned to the United States in the prior year and whom the Director assisted in resolving difficulties in securing health care benefits through the Department of Labor (including difficulties in receiving health care services or reimbursement for such services). (2) The date on which the Director was contacted by each such volunteer to request such assistance. (3) If such difficulties were successfully resolved by the Director, the date of each such resolution. (4) The average period of time that such resolution was pending, with respect to requests for such assistance in the prior year. (5) The rate of satisfaction of such returned volunteers with the quality of such assistance. (b) Survey (1) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report including the results of the survey described in paragraph (2) . (2) Scope of survey The survey described in this paragraph is an annual survey, provided to each former Peace Corps volunteer who accessed post-service health care provided by the Peace Corps, that assesses, with respect to such volunteers, each of the following: (A) The level of awareness of the existence of the Federal Employees’ Compensation program and knowledge of the specific health care benefits associated with Peace Corps service that are available under the program. (B) The level of awareness of the application requirements of the program, including eligibility requirements and the documentation that the Department of Labor requires before making a decision regarding benefits under the program. (C) The level of satisfaction with the program, including the timeliness of processing applications and providing reimbursement for health and other benefits. (D) The average time taken by the Secretary of Labor— (i) to review and to approve or deny an application for benefits under the program; and (ii) to provide a reimbursement for submitted medical claims. (E) The ability to access medical providers using the benefits provided by the program. (3) Paperwork reduction act exemption The collection of data for purposes of a report submitted under paragraph (1) is not subject to the requirements of subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Paperwork Reduction Act ). (c) Appropriate congressional committees In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 2259 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Peace Corps Act to expand services and benefits for volunteers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. Title I—Peace Corps Volunteer Support Sec. 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 103. Peace Corps impact survey. Sec. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees. Title II—Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability Sec. 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General. Sec. 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys. Sec. 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs. Title III—Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements Sec. 301. Independent review of volunteer death. Sec. 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers. Sec. 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct. Sec. 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy. Sec. 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Sec. 306. Definitions. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Peace Corps. (3) Peace corps volunteer The term Peace Corps volunteer means an individual described in section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504(a) ). I Peace Corps Volunteer Support 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform (a) In general The Peace Corps Act is amended— (1) in section 5 ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 )— (A) in subsection (e), in the first sentence, by striking receive such immunization and dental care preparatory to their service and inserting receive, preparatory to their service, such immunization, dental care, and information on prescription options and potential interactions, as necessary and appropriate and in accordance with subsection (f) ; (B) by re-designating subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), and (n) as subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o); (C) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection— (f) The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with health experts outside the Peace Corps, including experts licensed in the field of mental health, and follow guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the prescription of medications to a volunteer. ; and (D) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking section, and and inserting section), and ; and (2) by inserting after section 5 the following new section: 5A. Health care for volunteers at Peace Corps posts (a) In general The President shall ensure that each overseas post has the services of a medical office that is consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to any such post the licensed medical staff of other United States departments, agencies, or establishments. (b) Hiring criteria In selecting medical officers and support staff for overseas Peace Corps posts, the Director of the Peace Corps shall hire well-qualified and capable personnel to support the effectiveness of health care for Peace Corps volunteers by evaluating each candidate’s— (1) medical training, experience, and accreditations or other qualifications; (2) record of performance; (3) administrative capabilities; (4) understanding of the local language and culture; (5) ability to work in the English language; (6) interpersonal skills; and (7) such other factors that the Director determines appropriate. (c) Certain training The Director of the Peace Corps shall ensure that each Peace Corps medical officer serving in a malaria-endemic country receives training in the recognition of the side effects of such medications. (d) Review and evaluation (1) In general The Director of the Peace Corps, acting through the Associate Director of the Office of Health Services and the country directors, shall review and evaluate the performance and health care delivery of all Peace Corps medical staff, including medical officers, to— (A) ensure compliance with all relevant Peace Corps policies, practices, and guidelines; and (B) ensure that medical staff complete the necessary continuing medical education to maintain their skills and satisfy licensing and credentialing standards, as designated by the Director. (2) Report to Congress The Director of the Peace Corps shall include, in the annual Peace Corps congressional budget justification, a confirmation that the review and evaluation of all Peace Corps medical staff required under paragraph (1) has been completed. (e) Antimalarial drugs The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding recommendations for prescribing malaria prophylaxis, in order to provide the best standard of care within the context of the Peace Corps environment. . (b) Implementation of recommendations by the Inspector General of the Peace Corps (1) Inspector general report As promptly as practicable, the Director shall implement the actions outlined in the agency response for all open recommendations of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps set forth in the report entitled Final Program Evaluation Report: OIG Follow-up Evaluation of Issues Identified in the 2010 Peace Corps/Morocco Assessment of Medical Care (Report No. IG–16–01–E). (2) Semiannual reports (A) Initial report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the Director’s strategy for implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1). (B) Subsequent reports Not later than 180 days after the submission of the report required under subparagraph (A), and semiannually thereafter, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the progress in implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1) until all such recommendations have been implemented in accordance with the agency’s response to the report referred to in such paragraph. (3) Notification After the submission of each report required under paragraph (2), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may notify the appropriate congressional committees of any recommendations from the report referred to in paragraph (1) that the Inspector General determines remain unresolved. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) (1) The Secretary shall authorize the Director of the Peace Corps to furnish medical benefits to a volunteer, who is injured during the volunteer’s period of service, for a period of 120 days following the termination of such service if the Director certifies that the volunteer’s injury probably meets the requirements under subsection (c)(3). The Secretary may then certify vouchers for these expenses for such volunteer out of the Employees’ Compensation Fund. (2) The Secretary shall prescribe the form and content of the certification required under paragraph (1). (3) A certification under paragraph (1) will cease to be effective if the volunteer sustains compensable disability in connection with volunteer service. (4) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize the furnishing of any medical benefit that the Secretary of Labor is not otherwise authorized to reimburse for former Peace Corps volunteers who receive treatment for injury or disease proximately caused by their service in the Peace Corps in accordance with this chapter. . 103. Peace Corps impact survey (a) In general Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and once every 2 years thereafter for the following 6 years, the Director shall conduct a survey of former Peace Corps volunteers. (b) Scope of survey The survey required under subsection (a) shall assess, with respect to each former Peace Corps volunteer completing the survey, the impact of the Peace Corps on the former volunteer, including the volunteer’s— (1) well-being; (2) career; (3) civic engagement; and (4) commitment to public service. (c) Report The Director shall submit a report containing the results of the survey conducted under subsection (a) to— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees Section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2506(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (8) (A) The Director of the Peace Corps may designate Peace Corps positions as critical management or management support positions that require specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. Such positions may include positions in the following fields: (i) Volunteer health services. (ii) Financial management. (iii) Information technology. (iv) Procurement. (v) Personnel. (vi) Legal services. (vii) Safety and security. (B) Subject to subparagraphs (C) and (D), with respect to positions designated pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Director may make or extend renewable appointments or assignments under paragraph (2) notwithstanding limitations under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (5). (C) In exercising authority under subparagraph (B), the Director shall ensure that all decisions regarding the appointment, assignment, or extension of employees to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A)— (i) are consistent with Federal law and Peace Corps policy; and (ii) are based upon operational and programmatic factors. (D) The term of any appointment or assignment to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A) may not exceed 5 years. . II Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General Section 8 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking he and inserting the President ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentences: As part of the training provided to all volunteers under subsection (a), and in coordination with the Inspector General of the Peace Corps, the President shall provide all volunteers with information regarding the mandate of the Inspector General and the availability (including contact information) of the Inspector General and the Office of Victim Advocacy as a resource for volunteers. The President shall ensure that volunteers receive such information at least once during training that occurs prior to enrollment and at least once during each significant instance of training after enrollment. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) The President shall implement procedures to maintain a record verifying each individual completing training provided to meet each requirement in this section and sections 8A, 8B, 8F, and 8G(b). . 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys Section 8E of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507e ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence— (A) by inserting , ensure that each such plan includes a consideration of the results, with respect to each such representative and the country of service of each such representative, of each survey conducted under subsection (c), after standards for Peace Corps representatives ; and (B) by striking and shall review and inserting , and review ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in the first sentence, by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 ; and (B) in the third sentence, by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (b) ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new sentences: The President shall publish, on a publicly available website of the Peace Corps, a report summarizing the results of each survey related to volunteer satisfaction in each country in which volunteers serve, and the early termination rate of volunteers serving in each such country. The information published shall be posted in an easily accessible place near the description of the appropriate country and shall be written in an easily understood manner. . 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs Section 10 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2509 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (k) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Director of the Peace Corps may not open, close, significantly reduce, or suspend a domestic or overseas office or country program unless the Director has notified and consulted with the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days in advance. (2) The Director of the Peace Corps may waive the application of paragraph (1) for a period of not more than 5 days after an action described in such paragraph if the Director determines such action is necessary to ameliorate a substantial security risk to Peace Corps volunteers or other Peace Corps personnel. (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. . III Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements 301. Independent review of volunteer death Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 ), as amended by section 101 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (p) (1) Not later than 10 days after receiving notification of the death of a volunteer, the President shall provide a briefing to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps that includes— (A) (i) the available facts and circumstances surrounding the death of the volunteer, including a preliminary timeline of the events immediately preceding the death of the volunteer, subsequent actions taken by the Peace Corps, and any information available to the Peace Corps reflecting on the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer; and (ii) a description of any steps the Peace Corps plans to take to inquire further into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including the anticipated date of the completion of such inquiry; or (B) an explanation of why the Peace Corps has determined that no further inquiry into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer is necessary, including— (i) a description of the steps the Peace Corps took to determine further inquiry was not necessary; and (ii) the basis for such determination. (2) If the Peace Corps has performed or engaged another entity to perform a root cause analysis or similar report that describes the cause or root cause of a volunteer death, the President shall provide the Inspector General of the Peace Corps with— (A) a copy of all information provided to such entity at the time such information is provided to such entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; (B) a copy of any report or study received from the entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; and (C) any supporting documentation upon which the Peace Corps or such entity relied to make its determination, including the volunteer’s complete medical record, as soon as such information is available to the Peace Corps. (3) If a volunteer dies, the Peace Corps shall take reasonable measures, in accordance with local laws, to preserve any information or material, in any medium or format, that may be relevant to determining the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including personal effects, medication, and other tangible items belonging to the volunteer, as long as such measures do not interfere with the legal procedures of the host country if the government of the host country is exercising jurisdiction over the investigation of such death. The Inspector General of the Peace Corps shall be provided an opportunity to inspect such items before their final disposition. (4) Consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may independently review the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of a volunteer and the actions taken by the Peace Corps in responding to such incident. (5) For the purposes of undertaking a review under this section, an officer or employee of the United States or a member of the Armed Forces may be detailed to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps from another department of the United States Government on a nonreimbursable basis, as jointly agreed to by the Inspector General and the detailing department, for a period not to exceed 1 year. This paragraph may not be construed to limit or modify any other source of authority for reimbursable or nonreimbursable details. A nonreimbursable detail made under this section may not be considered an augmentation of the appropriations of the Peace Corps. (6) Upon request, the Peace Corps may make available necessary funds to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps for reviews conducted by the Inspector General under this section. The request shall be limited to costs relating to hiring, procuring, or otherwise obtaining medical-related experts or expert services, and associated travel. (7) The undertaking of a review under this section may not be considered a transfer of program operating responsibilities to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps. . 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers Section 8A of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507a(d) ) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) Information regarding crimes and risks (1) In general Each applicant for enrollment as a volunteer shall be provided, with respect to each country in which the applicant may be invited to serve, with specific, aggregated, and easily accessible information regarding crimes against and risks to volunteers, including— (A) an overview of past crimes against volunteers in such country, including statistics regarding unreported crime collected through anonymous surveys; (B) the current early termination rate of volunteers serving in such country; (C) health risks prevalent in such country; (D) the nature and frequency of sexual harassment reported by volunteers serving in such country; (E) the extent and types of services provided by the Peace Corps to volunteers serving in such country, including access to medical care, counseling services, and assistance from the Office of Victim Advocacy; and (F) the level of satisfaction reported by volunteers serving in such country. (2) Option to timely decline Upon receiving information described in paragraph (1), the applicant shall have the option to change the country of consideration and identify a substitute country. ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)(B)(iii), by striking victim advocates and inserting Victim’s Advocates, . 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct Section 8B(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507b(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking SARLs and inserting any employee of the Peace Corps ; (B) by striking Victim Advocate and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; and (C) by inserting and require the Peace Corps to designate the staff at each post who shall be responsible for providing the services described in subsection (c) before the semicolon at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end; (3) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (7) maintains a record documenting the resignation of any employee or volunteer of the Peace Corps who resigns before a determination has been made regarding an alleged violation of the sexual misconduct policy or other serious policy violations; (8) takes into account the record maintained under paragraph (7) before such employee or volunteer is hired, enrolled, or otherwise invited to work with the Peace Corps; (9) provides orientation or information regarding the awareness and prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment to— (A) Peace Corps-selected host families; and (B) a designated person of authority at the volunteer’s initial workplace; and (10) ensures, to the extent practicable and appropriate, that any assault on, or any harm or injury to, a volunteer that is committed by any member of a host family or any national of a host country that was assigned by the Peace Corps to facilitate volunteer work is— (A) documented in an appropriate site history file and in the global tracking and recording system established pursuant to section 8H(c); and (B) taken into account with respect to determinations regarding placements of future volunteers at such post and the provision of any funds or other benefit by the Peace Corps. . 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy Section 8C of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507c ) is amended— (1) by striking victim advocate each place it appears and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; (2) by striking victim advocates each place it occurs and inserting Victim’s Advocates ; and (3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) The Director of the Peace Corps shall include the head of the Office of Victim Advocacy in agency-wide policymaking processes in the same manner and to the same extent as the directors or associate directors of other offices within the Peace Corps. . 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council Section 8D of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507d ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking not less than 8 individuals selected by the President, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and inserting not fewer than 8 and not more than 14 individuals selected by the President ; and (B) by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: At least one member should be licensed in the field of mental health and have prior experience working as a counselor or therapist providing mental health care to survivors of sexual assault in a victim services agency or organization. ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) by inserting and implemented after sexual assault policy developed ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: To carry out this subsection, the Council may conduct case reviews and is authorized to have access, including through interviews, to current and former volunteers (to the extent that such volunteers provide the Peace Corps express consent to be interviewed by the Council), to volunteer surveys under section 8E, to all data collected from restricted reporting, and to any other information necessary to conduct case reviews, except that the Council may not have access to any personally identifying information associated with such surveys, data, or information. ; and (3) in subsection (g), by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 . 306. Definitions Section 26 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2522 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) as paragraphs (1), (6), (2), (3), (8), (7), and (5), respectively, by arranging such redesignated paragraphs in numerical order, and by moving such paragraphs 2 ems to the right; (2) in paragraph (1), as redesignated, by striking (1) and inserting the following: In this Act: (1) ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (3), as redesignated, the following: (4) The term medical officer means a physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, or registered nurse with the professional qualifications, expertise, and abilities consistent with the needs of the Peace Corps and the post to which he or she is assigned, as determined by the Director of the Peace Corps. .

Passed the House of Representatives July 10, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 508 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 2259 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 11, 2018 Received; read twice and placed on the calendar AN ACT To amend the Peace Corps Act to expand services and benefits for volunteers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. Title I—Peace Corps Volunteer Support Sec. 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 103. Peace Corps impact survey. Sec. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees. Title II—Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability Sec. 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General. Sec. 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys. Sec. 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs. Title III—Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements Sec. 301. Independent review of volunteer death. Sec. 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers. Sec. 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct. Sec. 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy. Sec. 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Sec. 306. Definitions. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Peace Corps. (3) Peace corps volunteer The term Peace Corps volunteer means an individual described in section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504(a) ). I Peace Corps Volunteer Support 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform (a) In general The Peace Corps Act is amended— (1) in section 5 ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 )— (A) in subsection (e), in the first sentence, by striking receive such immunization and dental care preparatory to their service and inserting receive, preparatory to their service, such immunization, dental care, and information on prescription options and potential interactions, as necessary and appropriate and in accordance with subsection (f) ; (B) by re-designating subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), and (n) as subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o); (C) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection— (f) The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with health experts outside the Peace Corps, including experts licensed in the field of mental health, and follow guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the prescription of medications to a volunteer. ; and (D) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking section, and and inserting section), and ; and (2) by inserting after section 5 the following new section: 5A. Health care for volunteers at Peace Corps posts (a) In general The President shall ensure that each overseas post has the services of a medical office that is consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to any such post the licensed medical staff of other United States departments, agencies, or establishments. (b) Hiring criteria In selecting medical officers and support staff for overseas Peace Corps posts, the Director of the Peace Corps shall hire well-qualified and capable personnel to support the effectiveness of health care for Peace Corps volunteers by evaluating each candidate’s— (1) medical training, experience, and accreditations or other qualifications; (2) record of performance; (3) administrative capabilities; (4) understanding of the local language and culture; (5) ability to work in the English language; (6) interpersonal skills; and (7) such other factors that the Director determines appropriate. (c) Certain training The Director of the Peace Corps shall ensure that each Peace Corps medical officer serving in a malaria-endemic country receives training in the recognition of the side effects of such medications. (d) Review and evaluation (1) In general The Director of the Peace Corps, acting through the Associate Director of the Office of Health Services and the country directors, shall review and evaluate the performance and health care delivery of all Peace Corps medical staff, including medical officers, to— (A) ensure compliance with all relevant Peace Corps policies, practices, and guidelines; and (B) ensure that medical staff complete the necessary continuing medical education to maintain their skills and satisfy licensing and credentialing standards, as designated by the Director. (2) Report to Congress The Director of the Peace Corps shall include, in the annual Peace Corps congressional budget justification, a confirmation that the review and evaluation of all Peace Corps medical staff required under paragraph (1) has been completed. (e) Antimalarial drugs The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding recommendations for prescribing malaria prophylaxis, in order to provide the best standard of care within the context of the Peace Corps environment. . (b) Implementation of recommendations by the Inspector General of the Peace Corps (1) Inspector general report As promptly as practicable, the Director shall implement the actions outlined in the agency response for all open recommendations of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps set forth in the report entitled Final Program Evaluation Report: OIG Follow-up Evaluation of Issues Identified in the 2010 Peace Corps/Morocco Assessment of Medical Care (Report No. IG–16–01–E). (2) Semiannual reports (A) Initial report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the Director’s strategy for implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1). (B) Subsequent reports Not later than 180 days after the submission of the report required under subparagraph (A), and semiannually thereafter, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the progress in implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1) until all such recommendations have been implemented in accordance with the agency’s response to the report referred to in such paragraph. (3) Notification After the submission of each report required under paragraph (2), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may notify the appropriate congressional committees of any recommendations from the report referred to in paragraph (1) that the Inspector General determines remain unresolved. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) (1) The Secretary shall authorize the Director of the Peace Corps to furnish medical benefits to a volunteer, who is injured during the volunteer’s period of service, for a period of 120 days following the termination of such service if the Director certifies that the volunteer’s injury probably meets the requirements under subsection (c)(3). The Secretary may then certify vouchers for these expenses for such volunteer out of the Employees’ Compensation Fund. (2) The Secretary shall prescribe the form and content of the certification required under paragraph (1). (3) A certification under paragraph (1) will cease to be effective if the volunteer sustains compensable disability in connection with volunteer service. (4) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize the furnishing of any medical benefit that the Secretary of Labor is not otherwise authorized to reimburse for former Peace Corps volunteers who receive treatment for injury or disease proximately caused by their service in the Peace Corps in accordance with this chapter. . 103. Peace Corps impact survey (a) In general Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and once every 2 years thereafter for the following 6 years, the Director shall conduct a survey of former Peace Corps volunteers. (b) Scope of survey The survey required under subsection (a) shall assess, with respect to each former Peace Corps volunteer completing the survey, the impact of the Peace Corps on the former volunteer, including the volunteer’s— (1) well-being; (2) career; (3) civic engagement; and (4) commitment to public service. (c) Report The Director shall submit a report containing the results of the survey conducted under subsection (a) to— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees Section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2506(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (8) (A) The Director of the Peace Corps may designate Peace Corps positions as critical management or management support positions that require specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. Such positions may include positions in the following fields: (i) Volunteer health services. (ii) Financial management. (iii) Information technology. (iv) Procurement. (v) Personnel. (vi) Legal services. (vii) Safety and security. (B) Subject to subparagraphs (C) and (D), with respect to positions designated pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Director may make or extend renewable appointments or assignments under paragraph (2) notwithstanding limitations under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (5). (C) In exercising authority under subparagraph (B), the Director shall ensure that all decisions regarding the appointment, assignment, or extension of employees to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A)— (i) are consistent with Federal law and Peace Corps policy; and (ii) are based upon operational and programmatic factors. (D) The term of any appointment or assignment to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A) may not exceed 5 years. . II Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General Section 8 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking he and inserting the President ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentences: As part of the training provided to all volunteers under subsection (a), and in coordination with the Inspector General of the Peace Corps, the President shall provide all volunteers with information regarding the mandate of the Inspector General and the availability (including contact information) of the Inspector General and the Office of Victim Advocacy as a resource for volunteers. The President shall ensure that volunteers receive such information at least once during training that occurs prior to enrollment and at least once during each significant instance of training after enrollment. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) The President shall implement procedures to maintain a record verifying each individual completing training provided to meet each requirement in this section and sections 8A, 8B, 8F, and 8G(b). . 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys Section 8E of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507e ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence— (A) by inserting , ensure that each such plan includes a consideration of the results, with respect to each such representative and the country of service of each such representative, of each survey conducted under subsection (c), after standards for Peace Corps representatives ; and (B) by striking and shall review and inserting , and review ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in the first sentence, by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 ; and (B) in the third sentence, by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (b) ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new sentences: The President shall publish, on a publicly available website of the Peace Corps, a report summarizing the results of each survey related to volunteer satisfaction in each country in which volunteers serve, and the early termination rate of volunteers serving in each such country. The information published shall be posted in an easily accessible place near the description of the appropriate country and shall be written in an easily understood manner. . 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs Section 10 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2509 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (k) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Director of the Peace Corps may not open, close, significantly reduce, or suspend a domestic or overseas office or country program unless the Director has notified and consulted with the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days in advance. (2) The Director of the Peace Corps may waive the application of paragraph (1) for a period of not more than 5 days after an action described in such paragraph if the Director determines such action is necessary to ameliorate a substantial security risk to Peace Corps volunteers or other Peace Corps personnel. (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. . III Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements 301. Independent review of volunteer death Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 ), as amended by section 101 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (p) (1) Not later than 10 days after receiving notification of the death of a volunteer, the President shall provide a briefing to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps that includes— (A) (i) the available facts and circumstances surrounding the death of the volunteer, including a preliminary timeline of the events immediately preceding the death of the volunteer, subsequent actions taken by the Peace Corps, and any information available to the Peace Corps reflecting on the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer; and (ii) a description of any steps the Peace Corps plans to take to inquire further into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including the anticipated date of the completion of such inquiry; or (B) an explanation of why the Peace Corps has determined that no further inquiry into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer is necessary, including— (i) a description of the steps the Peace Corps took to determine further inquiry was not necessary; and (ii) the basis for such determination. (2) If the Peace Corps has performed or engaged another entity to perform a root cause analysis or similar report that describes the cause or root cause of a volunteer death, the President shall provide the Inspector General of the Peace Corps with— (A) a copy of all information provided to such entity at the time such information is provided to such entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; (B) a copy of any report or study received from the entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; and (C) any supporting documentation upon which the Peace Corps or such entity relied to make its determination, including the volunteer’s complete medical record, as soon as such information is available to the Peace Corps. (3) If a volunteer dies, the Peace Corps shall take reasonable measures, in accordance with local laws, to preserve any information or material, in any medium or format, that may be relevant to determining the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including personal effects, medication, and other tangible items belonging to the volunteer, as long as such measures do not interfere with the legal procedures of the host country if the government of the host country is exercising jurisdiction over the investigation of such death. The Inspector General of the Peace Corps shall be provided an opportunity to inspect such items before their final disposition. (4) Consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may independently review the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of a volunteer and the actions taken by the Peace Corps in responding to such incident. (5) For the purposes of undertaking a review under this section, an officer or employee of the United States or a member of the Armed Forces may be detailed to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps from another department of the United States Government on a nonreimbursable basis, as jointly agreed to by the Inspector General and the detailing department, for a period not to exceed 1 year. This paragraph may not be construed to limit or modify any other source of authority for reimbursable or nonreimbursable details. A nonreimbursable detail made under this section may not be considered an augmentation of the appropriations of the Peace Corps. (6) Upon request, the Peace Corps may make available necessary funds to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps for reviews conducted by the Inspector General under this section. The request shall be limited to costs relating to hiring, procuring, or otherwise obtaining medical-related experts or expert services, and associated travel. (7) The undertaking of a review under this section may not be considered a transfer of program operating responsibilities to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps. . 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers Section 8A of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507a(d) ) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) Information regarding crimes and risks (1) In general Each applicant for enrollment as a volunteer shall be provided, with respect to each country in which the applicant may be invited to serve, with specific, aggregated, and easily accessible information regarding crimes against and risks to volunteers, including— (A) an overview of past crimes against volunteers in such country, including statistics regarding unreported crime collected through anonymous surveys; (B) the current early termination rate of volunteers serving in such country; (C) health risks prevalent in such country; (D) the nature and frequency of sexual harassment reported by volunteers serving in such country; (E) the extent and types of services provided by the Peace Corps to volunteers serving in such country, including access to medical care, counseling services, and assistance from the Office of Victim Advocacy; and (F) the level of satisfaction reported by volunteers serving in such country. (2) Option to timely decline Upon receiving information described in paragraph (1), the applicant shall have the option to change the country of consideration and identify a substitute country. ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)(B)(iii), by striking victim advocates and inserting Victim’s Advocates, . 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct Section 8B(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507b(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking SARLs and inserting any employee of the Peace Corps ; (B) by striking Victim Advocate and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; and (C) by inserting and require the Peace Corps to designate the staff at each post who shall be responsible for providing the services described in subsection (c) before the semicolon at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end; (3) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (7) maintains a record documenting the resignation of any employee or volunteer of the Peace Corps who resigns before a determination has been made regarding an alleged violation of the sexual misconduct policy or other serious policy violations; (8) takes into account the record maintained under paragraph (7) before such employee or volunteer is hired, enrolled, or otherwise invited to work with the Peace Corps; (9) provides orientation or information regarding the awareness and prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment to— (A) Peace Corps-selected host families; and (B) a designated person of authority at the volunteer’s initial workplace; and (10) ensures, to the extent practicable and appropriate, that any assault on, or any harm or injury to, a volunteer that is committed by any member of a host family or any national of a host country that was assigned by the Peace Corps to facilitate volunteer work is— (A) documented in an appropriate site history file and in the global tracking and recording system established pursuant to section 8H(c); and (B) taken into account with respect to determinations regarding placements of future volunteers at such post and the provision of any funds or other benefit by the Peace Corps. . 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy Section 8C of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507c ) is amended— (1) by striking victim advocate each place it appears and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; (2) by striking victim advocates each place it occurs and inserting Victim’s Advocates ; and (3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) The Director of the Peace Corps shall include the head of the Office of Victim Advocacy in agency-wide policymaking processes in the same manner and to the same extent as the directors or associate directors of other offices within the Peace Corps. . 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council Section 8D of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507d ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking not less than 8 individuals selected by the President, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and inserting not fewer than 8 and not more than 14 individuals selected by the President ; and (B) by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: At least one member should be licensed in the field of mental health and have prior experience working as a counselor or therapist providing mental health care to survivors of sexual assault in a victim services agency or organization. ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) by inserting and implemented after sexual assault policy developed ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: To carry out this subsection, the Council may conduct case reviews and is authorized to have access, including through interviews, to current and former volunteers (to the extent that such volunteers provide the Peace Corps express consent to be interviewed by the Council), to volunteer surveys under section 8E, to all data collected from restricted reporting, and to any other information necessary to conduct case reviews, except that the Council may not have access to any personally identifying information associated with such surveys, data, or information. ; and (3) in subsection (g), by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 . 306. Definitions Section 26 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2522 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) as paragraphs (1), (6), (2), (3), (8), (7), and (5), respectively, by arranging such redesignated paragraphs in numerical order, and by moving such paragraphs 2 ems to the right; (2) in paragraph (1), as redesignated, by striking (1) and inserting the following: In this Act: (1) ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (3), as redesignated, the following: (4) The term medical officer means a physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, or registered nurse with the professional qualifications, expertise, and abilities consistent with the needs of the Peace Corps and the post to which he or she is assigned, as determined by the Director of the Peace Corps. .

Passed the House of Representatives July 10, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

July 11, 2018 Received; read twice and placed on the calendar

tv_txt: I One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America At the Second Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen H. R. 2259 AN ACT To amend the Peace Corps Act to expand services and benefits for volunteers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. Title I—Peace Corps Volunteer Support Sec. 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 102. Post-service Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform. Sec. 103. Peace Corps impact survey. Sec. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees. Title II—Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability Sec. 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General. Sec. 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys. Sec. 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs. Title III—Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements Sec. 301. Independent review of volunteer death. Sec. 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers. Sec. 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct. Sec. 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy. Sec. 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Sec. 306. Definitions. 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Peace Corps. (3) Peace corps volunteer The term Peace Corps volunteer means an individual described in section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504(a) ). I Peace Corps Volunteer Support 101. Peace Corps volunteer medical care reform (a) In general The Peace Corps Act is amended— (1) in section 5 ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 )— (A) in subsection (e), in the first sentence, by striking receive such immunization and dental care preparatory to their service and inserting receive, preparatory to their service, such immunization, dental care, and information on prescription options and potential interactions, as necessary and appropriate and in accordance with subsection (f) ; (B) by re-designating subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), and (n) as subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o); (C) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection— (f) The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with health experts outside the Peace Corps, including experts licensed in the field of mental health, and follow guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the prescription of medications to a volunteer. ; and (D) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking section, and and inserting section), and ; and (2) by inserting after section 5 the following new section: 5A. Health care for volunteers at Peace Corps posts (a) In general The President shall ensure that each overseas post has the services of a medical office that is consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to any such post the licensed medical staff of other United States departments, agencies, or establishments. (b) Hiring criteria In selecting medical officers and support staff for overseas Peace Corps posts, the Director of the Peace Corps shall hire well-qualified and capable personnel to support the effectiveness of health care for Peace Corps volunteers by evaluating each candidate’s— (1) medical training, experience, and accreditations or other qualifications; (2) record of performance; (3) administrative capabilities; (4) understanding of the local language and culture; (5) ability to work in the English language; (6) interpersonal skills; and (7) such other factors that the Director determines appropriate. (c) Certain training The Director of the Peace Corps shall ensure that each Peace Corps medical officer serving in a malaria-endemic country receives training in the recognition of the side effects of such medications. (d) Review and evaluation (1) In general The Director of the Peace Corps, acting through the Associate Director of the Office of Health Services and the country directors, shall review and evaluate the performance and health care delivery of all Peace Corps medical staff, including medical officers, to— (A) ensure compliance with all relevant Peace Corps policies, practices, and guidelines; and (B) ensure that medical staff complete the necessary continuing medical education to maintain their skills and satisfy licensing and credentialing standards, as designated by the Director. (2) Report to Congress The Director of the Peace Corps shall include, in the annual Peace Corps congressional budget justification, a confirmation that the review and evaluation of all Peace Corps medical staff required under paragraph (1) has been completed. (e) Antimalarial drugs The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding recommendations for prescribing malaria prophylaxis, in order to provide the best standard of care within the context of the Peace Corps environment. . (b) Implementation of recommendations by the Inspector General of the Peace Corps (1) Inspector general report As promptly as practicable, the Director shall implement the actions outlined in the agency response for all open recommendations of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps set forth in the report entitled Final Program Evaluation Report: OIG Follow-up Evaluation of Issues Identified in the 2010 Peace Corps/Morocco Assessment of Medical Care (Report No. IG–16–01–E). (2) Semiannual reports (A) Initial report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the Director’s strategy for implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1). (B) Subsequent reports Not later than 180 days after the submission of the report required under subparagraph (A), and semiannually thereafter, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the progress in implementing the recommendations referred to in paragraph (1) until all such recommendations have been implemented in accordance with the agency’s response to the report referred to in such paragraph. (3) Notification After the submission of each report required under paragraph (2), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may notify the appropriate congressional committees of any recommendations from the report referred to in paragraph (1) that the Inspector General determines remain unresolved. 102. Post-service peace corps volunteer medical care reform Section 8142 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (d) (1) The Secretary shall authorize the Director of the Peace Corps to furnish medical benefits to a volunteer, who is injured during the volunteer’s period of service, for a period of 120 days following the termination of such service if the Director certifies that the volunteer’s injury probably meets the requirements under subsection (c)(3). The Secretary may then certify vouchers for these expenses for such volunteer out of the Employees’ Compensation Fund. (2) The Secretary shall prescribe the form and content of the certification required under paragraph (1). (3) A certification under paragraph (1) will cease to be effective if the volunteer sustains compensable disability in connection with volunteer service. (4) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to authorize the furnishing of any medical benefit that the Secretary of Labor is not otherwise authorized to reimburse for former Peace Corps volunteers who receive treatment for injury or disease proximately caused by their service in the Peace Corps in accordance with this chapter. . 103. Peace Corps impact survey (a) In general Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and once every 2 years thereafter for the following 6 years, the Director shall conduct a survey of former Peace Corps volunteers. (b) Scope of survey The survey required under subsection (a) shall assess, with respect to each former Peace Corps volunteer completing the survey, the impact of the Peace Corps on the former volunteer, including the volunteer’s— (1) well-being; (2) career; (3) civic engagement; and (4) commitment to public service. (c) Report The Director shall submit a report containing the results of the survey conducted under subsection (a) to— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 104. Extension of positions for Peace Corps employees Section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2506(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (8) (A) The Director of the Peace Corps may designate Peace Corps positions as critical management or management support positions that require specialized technical or professional skills and knowledge of Peace Corps operations. Such positions may include positions in the following fields: (i) Volunteer health services. (ii) Financial management. (iii) Information technology. (iv) Procurement. (v) Personnel. (vi) Legal services. (vii) Safety and security. (B) Subject to subparagraphs (C) and (D), with respect to positions designated pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Director may make or extend renewable appointments or assignments under paragraph (2) notwithstanding limitations under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (5). (C) In exercising authority under subparagraph (B), the Director shall ensure that all decisions regarding the appointment, assignment, or extension of employees to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A)— (i) are consistent with Federal law and Peace Corps policy; and (ii) are based upon operational and programmatic factors. (D) The term of any appointment or assignment to any position designated pursuant to subparagraph (A) may not exceed 5 years. . II Peace Corps Oversight and Accountability 201. Peace Corps volunteer access to Inspector General Section 8 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking he and inserting the President ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentences: As part of the training provided to all volunteers under subsection (a), and in coordination with the Inspector General of the Peace Corps, the President shall provide all volunteers with information regarding the mandate of the Inspector General and the availability (including contact information) of the Inspector General and the Office of Victim Advocacy as a resource for volunteers. The President shall ensure that volunteers receive such information at least once during training that occurs prior to enrollment and at least once during each significant instance of training after enrollment. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) The President shall implement procedures to maintain a record verifying each individual completing training provided to meet each requirement in this section and sections 8A, 8B, 8F, and 8G(b). . 202. Publication requirement for volunteer surveys Section 8E of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507e ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence— (A) by inserting , ensure that each such plan includes a consideration of the results, with respect to each such representative and the country of service of each such representative, of each survey conducted under subsection (c), after standards for Peace Corps representatives ; and (B) by striking and shall review and inserting , and review ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in the first sentence, by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 ; and (B) in the third sentence, by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (b) ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new sentences: The President shall publish, on a publicly available website of the Peace Corps, a report summarizing the results of each survey related to volunteer satisfaction in each country in which volunteers serve, and the early termination rate of volunteers serving in each such country. The information published shall be posted in an easily accessible place near the description of the appropriate country and shall be written in an easily understood manner. . 203. Consultation with Congress required before opening or closing overseas offices and country programs Section 10 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2509 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (k) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Director of the Peace Corps may not open, close, significantly reduce, or suspend a domestic or overseas office or country program unless the Director has notified and consulted with the appropriate congressional committees at least 15 days in advance. (2) The Director of the Peace Corps may waive the application of paragraph (1) for a period of not more than 5 days after an action described in such paragraph if the Director determines such action is necessary to ameliorate a substantial security risk to Peace Corps volunteers or other Peace Corps personnel. (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. . III Crime Risk Reduction Enhancements 301. Independent review of volunteer death Section 5 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2504 ), as amended by section 101 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (p) (1) Not later than 10 days after receiving notification of the death of a volunteer, the President shall provide a briefing to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps that includes— (A) (i) the available facts and circumstances surrounding the death of the volunteer, including a preliminary timeline of the events immediately preceding the death of the volunteer, subsequent actions taken by the Peace Corps, and any information available to the Peace Corps reflecting on the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer; and (ii) a description of any steps the Peace Corps plans to take to inquire further into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including the anticipated date of the completion of such inquiry; or (B) an explanation of why the Peace Corps has determined that no further inquiry into the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer is necessary, including— (i) a description of the steps the Peace Corps took to determine further inquiry was not necessary; and (ii) the basis for such determination. (2) If the Peace Corps has performed or engaged another entity to perform a root cause analysis or similar report that describes the cause or root cause of a volunteer death, the President shall provide the Inspector General of the Peace Corps with— (A) a copy of all information provided to such entity at the time such information is provided to such entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; (B) a copy of any report or study received from the entity or used by the Peace Corps to perform the analysis; and (C) any supporting documentation upon which the Peace Corps or such entity relied to make its determination, including the volunteer’s complete medical record, as soon as such information is available to the Peace Corps. (3) If a volunteer dies, the Peace Corps shall take reasonable measures, in accordance with local laws, to preserve any information or material, in any medium or format, that may be relevant to determining the cause or root cause of the death of the volunteer, including personal effects, medication, and other tangible items belonging to the volunteer, as long as such measures do not interfere with the legal procedures of the host country if the government of the host country is exercising jurisdiction over the investigation of such death. The Inspector General of the Peace Corps shall be provided an opportunity to inspect such items before their final disposition. (4) Consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), the Inspector General of the Peace Corps may independently review the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of a volunteer and the actions taken by the Peace Corps in responding to such incident. (5) For the purposes of undertaking a review under this section, an officer or employee of the United States or a member of the Armed Forces may be detailed to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps from another department of the United States Government on a nonreimbursable basis, as jointly agreed to by the Inspector General and the detailing department, for a period not to exceed 1 year. This paragraph may not be construed to limit or modify any other source of authority for reimbursable or nonreimbursable details. A nonreimbursable detail made under this section may not be considered an augmentation of the appropriations of the Peace Corps. (6) Upon request, the Peace Corps may make available necessary funds to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps for reviews conducted by the Inspector General under this section. The request shall be limited to costs relating to hiring, procuring, or otherwise obtaining medical-related experts or expert services, and associated travel. (7) The undertaking of a review under this section may not be considered a transfer of program operating responsibilities to the Inspector General of the Peace Corps. . 302. Additional disclosures to applicants for enrollment as volunteers Section 8A of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507a(d) ) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) Information regarding crimes and risks (1) In general Each applicant for enrollment as a volunteer shall be provided, with respect to each country in which the applicant may be invited to serve, with specific, aggregated, and easily accessible information regarding crimes against and risks to volunteers, including— (A) an overview of past crimes against volunteers in such country, including statistics regarding unreported crime collected through anonymous surveys; (B) the current early termination rate of volunteers serving in such country; (C) health risks prevalent in such country; (D) the nature and frequency of sexual harassment reported by volunteers serving in such country; (E) the extent and types of services provided by the Peace Corps to volunteers serving in such country, including access to medical care, counseling services, and assistance from the Office of Victim Advocacy; and (F) the level of satisfaction reported by volunteers serving in such country. (2) Option to timely decline Upon receiving information described in paragraph (1), the applicant shall have the option to change the country of consideration and identify a substitute country. ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)(B)(iii), by striking victim advocates and inserting Victim’s Advocates, . 303. Additional protections against sexual misconduct Section 8B(a) of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507b(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking SARLs and inserting any employee of the Peace Corps ; (B) by striking Victim Advocate and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; and (C) by inserting and require the Peace Corps to designate the staff at each post who shall be responsible for providing the services described in subsection (c) before the semicolon at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end; (3) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (7) maintains a record documenting the resignation of any employee or volunteer of the Peace Corps who resigns before a determination has been made regarding an alleged violation of the sexual misconduct policy or other serious policy violations; (8) takes into account the record maintained under paragraph (7) before such employee or volunteer is hired, enrolled, or otherwise invited to work with the Peace Corps; (9) provides orientation or information regarding the awareness and prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment to— (A) Peace Corps-selected host families; and (B) a designated person of authority at the volunteer’s initial workplace; and (10) ensures, to the extent practicable and appropriate, that any assault on, or any harm or injury to, a volunteer that is committed by any member of a host family or any national of a host country that was assigned by the Peace Corps to facilitate volunteer work is— (A) documented in an appropriate site history file and in the global tracking and recording system established pursuant to section 8H(c); and (B) taken into account with respect to determinations regarding placements of future volunteers at such post and the provision of any funds or other benefit by the Peace Corps. . 304. Extension of the office of victim advocacy Section 8C of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507c ) is amended— (1) by striking victim advocate each place it appears and inserting Victim’s Advocate ; (2) by striking victim advocates each place it occurs and inserting Victim’s Advocates ; and (3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) The Director of the Peace Corps shall include the head of the Office of Victim Advocacy in agency-wide policymaking processes in the same manner and to the same extent as the directors or associate directors of other offices within the Peace Corps. . 305. Reform and extension of the Sexual Assault Advisory Council Section 8D of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2507d ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking not less than 8 individuals selected by the President, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and inserting not fewer than 8 and not more than 14 individuals selected by the President ; and (B) by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: At least one member should be licensed in the field of mental health and have prior experience working as a counselor or therapist providing mental health care to survivors of sexual assault in a victim services agency or organization. ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) by inserting and implemented after sexual assault policy developed ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: To carry out this subsection, the Council may conduct case reviews and is authorized to have access, including through interviews, to current and former volunteers (to the extent that such volunteers provide the Peace Corps express consent to be interviewed by the Council), to volunteer surveys under section 8E, to all data collected from restricted reporting, and to any other information necessary to conduct case reviews, except that the Council may not have access to any personally identifying information associated with such surveys, data, or information. ; and (3) in subsection (g), by striking 2018 and inserting 2023 . 306. Definitions Section 26 of the Peace Corps Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2522 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) as paragraphs (1), (6), (2), (3), (8), (7), and (5), respectively, by arranging such redesignated paragraphs in numerical order, and by moving such paragraphs 2 ems to the right; (2) in paragraph (1), as redesignated, by striking (1) and inserting the following: In this Act: (1) ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (3), as redesignated, the following: (4) The term medical officer means a physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, or registered nurse with the professional qualifications, expertise, and abilities consistent with the needs of the Peace Corps and the post to which he or she is assigned, as determined by the Director of the Peace Corps. .

Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.