Frequently Asked Questions
(Click on questions to view answers)
- Why was March 2nd chosen as the Day of Action?
- We schedule our Day of Action on or near “Peace Corps Day” on March 1st. March 1st marks the 1961 anniversary when President Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps.
It also turns out the first week of March is timely for advocating on Peace Corps funding. It comes about a month after the President submits his budget to Congress for the next fiscal year, so our Day of Action coincides with the start of Senate and House deliberations on the budget. The next federal fiscal year runs from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011, so the President will be submitting and Congress will be considering the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
- We schedule our Day of Action on or near “Peace Corps Day” on March 1st. March 1st marks the 1961 anniversary when President Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps.
- What will happen n March 2nd and how can I help?
- The basic action we ask everyone to do is this: Make plans to set aside five minutes on March 2nd to contact the Washington offices of your two Senators and your Congressman/woman. You can contact them by phone, email or fax. On March 2nd we will provide specific instructions on the key action requests to make in your communication.
And - after you’ve taken action - contact five or ten other people you know who care about the Peace Corps (they don’t have to be RPCVs or former Peace Corps staff) and urge them to take action too!
As you are contacting your congressional offices from all around the country, a group of volunteer advocates from the Peace Corps community will be walking the halls of Capitol Hill. We plan to visit virtually every congressional office to meet with congressional staff and/or drop off information packets.
If you can help us with mobilization in your state, office volunteering to help us prepare for the Day of Action and/or Capitol Hill advocacy on March 2nd, please contact us at
- The basic action we ask everyone to do is this: Make plans to set aside five minutes on March 2nd to contact the Washington offices of your two Senators and your Congressman/woman. You can contact them by phone, email or fax. On March 2nd we will provide specific instructions on the key action requests to make in your communication.
- What specific action request should I expect to ask my lawmaker to take on March 2nd?
- Traditionally, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) lawmakers in the Senate and the House introduce so-called “Dear Colleague” letters concerning the federal appropriation for Peace Corps. We have been informed that such letters will be circulating again this year. We hope both letters will be circulating on March 2nd and the possibility exists they could start circulating a few days before then. While things can change, we expect our specific request will be to ask your lawmakers to sign the Senate (or House) Dear Colleague letter.
- What is a Dear Colleague Letter and how does it work?
- A Dear Colleague Letter is a common, non-binding action that builds support for a particular policy position or piece of legislation.
Here’s how it works: One or more members of Congress agree to the language of a letter with an agreed upon position (in our case, increased Peace Corps funding). These letters can be addressed to many different sources (the President, a federal agency, a congressional committee, a head of state from another nation, etc.). In our case, the letters are addressed to the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on State and Foreign Operations, which considers Peace Corps funding.
Once the letter begins circulating, lawmakers are asked to read and consider signing the letter. Because the letters need to be forwarded to the intended party, these actions have a short and intense lifespan (commonly one to four weeks).
- A Dear Colleague Letter is a common, non-binding action that builds support for a particular policy position or piece of legislation.
- How will I know if my representatives have signed onto the Dear Colleague letters?
- The lead author(s) of Dear Colleague letters identify staff in their office that other lawmakers need to contact to add their names to the letter.
We will be in regular contact with the offices of the lead authors for the Senate and House Peace Corps letters to get updates on who has signed on. We will provide regular updates to you on our MorePeaceCorps and NPCAAdvocacy e-news (follow this link to sign up) and on the News and Events section of the MorePeaceCorps website.
It is also possible you will inform us! If the offices of your lawmaker tell you they have already signed the letter and it doesn’t appear on our tally sheet, contact us immediately at
- The lead author(s) of Dear Colleague letters identify staff in their office that other lawmakers need to contact to add their names to the letter.
- What will these actions accomplish?
- These actions build momentum and show support. Dear Colleague letters are not binding, so these actions will not guarantee that Congress will fulfill our requests.
One thing we plan to do later in the year is to visit the office of every Senator and Congresswoman who sits on the Appropriations Subcommittee that considers Peace Corps funding, and bring them a copy of the Dear Colleague letters with attached signatures. Put yourself at the other end of the meeting: If we bring a letter that has only 3 or 4 signatures does that indicate strong support for the Peace Corps? However, if we bring a letter with the attached names of 75, 100 or more lawmakers, that will demonstrate the presence of a critical mass of lawmakers interested in seeing our actions move forward.
- These actions build momentum and show support. Dear Colleague letters are not binding, so these actions will not guarantee that Congress will fulfill our requests.
- Will my action make a difference?
- Yes, and it will especially make a difference if you consider this as the beginning of your advocacy, not the end!
In the six years since the National Peace Corps Association initiated a National Day of Action, the number of lawmakers taking positive action to show support for the Peace Corps has risen steadily. That is due in no small part to the increasing number of constituents lawmakers are hearing from expressing support for international affairs funding in general and the Peace Corps in particular. The more lawmakers who show support for the Peace Corps, the greater the possibility that funding will be increased.
Many lawmakers who take positive action don’t always do so immediately. Because of this, our advocacy needs to reflect patience, persistence and energy necessary to carry out sustained activity.
Peace Corps is one of many important programs seeking a finite amount of resources. One RPCV staffer on Capitol Hill referred to this time of year as “March Madness” in terms of the many individuals, advocacy groups and lobbyists making their pitch. As he put it – if you’re not raising your issue, you are not relevant. So every time you raise the issue of Peace Corps, you are raising its profile so it isn’t forgotten.
Last year, with your support, a record number of 37 Senators and 89 Congressmen/women signed Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letters. We want to equal or surpass that number this year, and we cannot do it without your support.
- Yes, and it will especially make a difference if you consider this as the beginning of your advocacy, not the end!
- Should I wait until March 2nd to contact my representative?
- It is fine to contact the offices of your representatives at any time to express your support for the Peace Corps. It is also possible that Dear Colleague letters may begin circulating a few days prior to March 2nd. So, be on the lookout for updates and other action opportunities.
That being said, March 2nd is a day of collective action. On a daily basis, congressional offices track the communications they are receiving on a particular issue. So while it is fantastic if day after day offices receive one or two communications about Peace Corps, we want March 2nd to be a day where offices receive hundreds of communications about Peace Corps.
- It is fine to contact the offices of your representatives at any time to express your support for the Peace Corps. It is also possible that Dear Colleague letters may begin circulating a few days prior to March 2nd. So, be on the lookout for updates and other action opportunities.
- How do I connect with others on March 2nd?
- Make sure you are registered to receive MorePeaceCorps updates and are among the nearly 15,000 people signed up to our e-news. Follow this link to sign up for MorePeaceCorps e-news, and then please send the link to five others you know.
Another way you can connect is by joining National Peace Corps Association’s new social networking site:
http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org
Once you’ve joined, you can sign up with dedicated groups for the MorePeaceCorps Campaign and the National Day of Action!
- Make sure you are registered to receive MorePeaceCorps updates and are among the nearly 15,000 people signed up to our e-news. Follow this link to sign up for MorePeaceCorps e-news, and then please send the link to five others you know.
- How do I find the phone number and address for my member of Congress?
- Washington DC and local contact information can be found on the state pages of the MorePeaceCorps website.
If you are not sure who your Congressman/woman is, you can find out by visiting http://www.house.gov and entering the 9-digit zip code in the upper left corner.
- Washington DC and local contact information can be found on the state pages of the MorePeaceCorps website.
- Should I contact district offices or DC offices on March 2?
- Because the staff who work on international affairs issues (including Peace Corps) are located in Washington, it is preferable to contact DC offices. If you choose to write and mail a letter, it is better to send the letter to the district office, as mail delivery to DC offices is often delayed because of security screening.
Also, some individuals visit their district offices to make their case for MorePeaceCorps. While it involves a bigger commitment of time and planning, it is an excellent strategy. It is also important to note that Congress usually takes a “recess”, and members return to their state/district, around the Easter Holiday. That would be a particularly good time to seek a meeting with your lawmakers.
If you are interested in organizing a constituent meeting in a district office please let us know. We would be glad to assist you in this! Contact us at
- Because the staff who work on international affairs issues (including Peace Corps) are located in Washington, it is preferable to contact DC offices. If you choose to write and mail a letter, it is better to send the letter to the district office, as mail delivery to DC offices is often delayed because of security screening.
- What is the most effective kind of action (phone call, email, etc)?
- There are two general rules we tell our advocates:
1. The more effort you take in your action, the more effective your advocacy. Organizing or participating in a meeting with your congressional office is the most effective action. Writing an op-ed or letter to the editor referencing your lawmakers can be a very helpful action. Writing and personalizing a letter or email is more powerful than signing and sending an automated message. Sending an individual action is more powerful than putting your name on a petition. Having said this, also note:
2. If you are under serious time constraints, always take some type of action, rather than no action at all. A phone call, for example, is one of the quickest ways to take action. While other actions can be more effective, phone calls can be helpful if they add up! On March 2nd, when you call your lawmaker’s office, staff will be tallying the number of calls. If, by the end of the day, an office gets 20 or 50 or 100 constituent phone calls, that will cause the office to take a close look at our specific action request.
- There are two general rules we tell our advocates:
- My lawmakers have never supported these actions in the past. Why should I bother contacting them?
- First, you never know! During last year’s Day of Action and follow-up, more than a dozen veteran lawmakers signed Peace Corps Dear Colleague letters for the first time ever.
Second, outreach to lawmakers who have not signed may be the most important of all. Unlike other more controversial issues (abortion, health care, etc.) there is not likely to be strong opposition mobilizing against our actions. Even if your reps don’t take positive action, anything you can do to show support for the Peace Corps may play a big role in neutralizing any opposition that could materialize. This proved to be the case last July in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers defeated an amendment that would have limited the increase in funding for Peace Corps.
Finally, it is possible that your lawmaker has a personal policy not to sign onto such letters. This may especially be the case if s/he is a member of the Senate or House Appropriations Committee. Even if some of these lawmakers decide not to sign onto this specific letter, hearing from constituents that we should increase Peace Corps funding is vitally important. Last year, many of these lawmakers made extremely important contributions later in the process to help secure the largest single year funding increase for Peace Corps in its history. So please keep contacting them!
- First, you never know! During last year’s Day of Action and follow-up, more than a dozen veteran lawmakers signed Peace Corps Dear Colleague letters for the first time ever.
- My members of Congress already did the right thing. What should I do now?
- First, send a quick thank you! A vast majority of communications to your Senators and Congressmen/women are in the form of requests or complaints. It is always a good idea to say thank you when your reps take positive action. A letter-to-the-editor to your hometown newspaper thanking your lawmaker is even better!
Also, think of other family or friends who live in other locations. If their members of Congress haven’t yet taken positive action, spend some time reaching out to your networks and encouraging folks to add their voice for increased Peace Corps funding.
- First, send a quick thank you! A vast majority of communications to your Senators and Congressmen/women are in the form of requests or complaints. It is always a good idea to say thank you when your reps take positive action. A letter-to-the-editor to your hometown newspaper thanking your lawmaker is even better!
- Is there anything I can do after March 2nd?
- Absolutely! Stay connected and stay engaged!
For the 1 – 3 weeks after March 2nd, there will be an intense period of follow-up activity. We will be monitoring and updating the number of lawmakers who sign the Dear Colleague letters. As we assess our progress, it will be very important to see who hasn’t taken positive action and increase our efforts change that. Having identified “point people” in different states and congressional districts to help with such follow-up would be extremely helpful.
On or about the Easter holiday, Congress will be in “recess” and many lawmakers will be heading home. You can continue making the case for MorePeaceCorps by committing to take action with your lawmakers during this recess period. Contact to coordinate efforts.
- Absolutely! Stay connected and stay engaged!
- If I want to arrange a letter-writing party can you help me?
- Yes we can. We also have a suggestion.
Keeping the MorePeaceCorps Campaign chugging along requires both your activism and your financial support. Make your party a win-win event by turning it into a “write-a-thon” fundraiser for the MorePeaceCorps campaign.
A write-a-thon is one of the best and painless ways for anyone to fundraise. Given the rarity of handwritten letters, your actions will be highlighted because of the effort you make. We will provide you with tools to help you organize this event. By getting pledges from family and friends (a dollar for every letter written) your contributions to the campaign can add up fast. Then, send your contributions and all your letters to MorePeaceCorps.
If you want to organize such an event, contact us at
- Yes we can. We also have a suggestion.
- The Day of Action focuses on more funding for Peace Corps. What about taking action on a better, bolder Peace Corps?
- First, providing robust funding for Peace Corps can lead to available resources to assist with improving some of the major concerns raised by the Peace Corps community.
Last year many individuals took part in a survey of how to build a better, bolder Peace Corps. You can follow this link to review the report and share it with your lawmakers.
The Senate also continues to consider the Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act (S. 1382), legislation that would require reporting to Congress on how to advance many key issues related to a better and bolder Peace Corps. With your help, fourteen Senators are current co-sponsors of this legislation, which is expected to be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this year.
- First, providing robust funding for Peace Corps can lead to available resources to assist with improving some of the major concerns raised by the Peace Corps community.
Key Committees
If your Senator/Representative is on any of these committees, it is particularly important that you take action and express your support for the Peace Corps. Click on the committee to see full list.
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