No Time to Waste! House Foreign Operations Subcommittee to Mark Up 2010 Budget for Peace Corps Expected June 18

On May 20, Congressman Howard Berman took the brave step of amending the Foreign Affairs Authorization bill (H.R. 2410) to include $450 million for the Peace Corps.  On June 18, it will be Congresswoman Nita Lowey’s turn to do what is right when the appropriations subcommittee which she chairs is expected to mark up the State/Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.  If Chairwoman Lowey leads the way in advancing a recommendation for a $450 million Peace Corps appropriation, there's a strong chance it will become part of the final House bill, and she will be responsible more than any one person in the House in giving the birth of a revived Peace Corps new hope.  We do not want to tie up her phones but we’re asking her constituents this week and next in the lead up to June 18th to call 202 225-6506 and express their sentiments. 

If you are a constituent of any of any of the 14 House of Representatives member on the Foreign Operations House Subcommittee, it is critical that you phone call and use the list of ten justifications on the morepeacecorps.org site or the sample letter as a guide. We have just ten days to get the job done in the House of Representatives to get the resources for the new leadership to build the bold, new Peace Corps. 

Below is the full list of the 28 subcommittee members. Click on their names to visit their website.  The Senate will have its budget mark-up in July so now is the time to write and call their offices too.

House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Democrats
Nita M. Lowey (NY) (Chair)
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (IL)
Adam Schiff (CA)
Steve Israel (NY)
Ben Chandler (KY)
Steven R. Rothman (NJ)
Barbara Lee (CA)
Betty McCollum (MN)
David R. Obey (WI), Ex Officio

Republicans
Kay Granger (TX) (Ranking Member)
Mark Steven Kirk (IL)
Ander Crenshaw (FL)
Dennis R. Rehberg (MT)
Jerry Lewis (CA), Ex Officio

Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs    

Democrats
Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) (Chair)
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI)
Senator Tom Harkin (IA)
Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Senator Richard Durbin (IL) 
Senator Tim Johnson (SD)
Senator Mary Landrieu (LA)
Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ)

Republican
Senator Judd Gregg (NH) (Ranking Member)
Senator Mitch McConnell (KY)
Senator Arlen Specter (PA)
Senator Robert Bennett (UT)
Senator Christopher Bond (MO)
Senator Sam Brownback (KS)