Kate Puzey Peace Corps Protection Act of 2011 Passes the House!

Tonight, Congress passed the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011. The Senate unanimously passed this legislation in September and it will now go onto President Obama to be signed into law. Stay tuned to this blog and our website, www.firstresponseaction.org, for more information about this ground-breaking legislation to support whistleblowers and victims of sexual assault and rape.

UPDATE: Senate Passed the Resolution

In a post on 10/16/11 we asked legislation supporters to contact their Senators to ask them to support certain provisions in the Kate Puzey legislation so they would not sunset in seven years, as the bill is currently written. (Read about those provisions here.) We are happy to report that the Senate voted and passed the resolution so that these important provisions will remain and will not end (or 'sunset')!

Thanks to those of you who contacted your Senators!

Peace,
First Response Action

Take Action to Remove Aspects of the Sunset Provision!

Last month, the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 passed the Senate with a ‘sunset’ provision which would require the provisions in the Kate Puzey Act to end in seven years. This is customary and allows for revision of the bill at sunset to ideally improve legislation. The Senate is now trying to pass a resolution, introduced by Senator Isakson, which would amend this sunset provision so that the selected provisions of confidentiality, training requirements and the extension of the Inspector General would not be affected by the sunset. To be clear, the remaining provisions in the bill would sunset, but these provisions would remain. It's important that these key provisions remain standing to continue supporting victims in Peace Corps.

The resolution needs your support to pass! We are asking that you call your Senator(s) TODAY to ask for them to pass this resolution in support of victims and whistle blowers.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing Room
May 2011

Once this resolution is finalized, the bill will go to the House. This is a critical step in the passage of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act. We appreciate any calls you are able to make! We’ve included a sample script which you can use as a guide if you wish. Please feel free to expand and put the words into your own voice. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Sample script:

“Hello, I’m calling as a (former Peace Corps Volunteer, supporter of the Kate Puzey bill, etc.). I am a constituent in (Senator’s) district and I would like to encourage (Senator) to vote in favor of the resolution to amend the sunset provision in the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 so that the provisions of confidentiality, training and the extension of the Inspector General would remain after the bill sunsets. These provisions are vital to the continued support of victims of rape and sexual assault as well as whistle blowers. Thank you for your time.”

Find your Senator(s): Click this link to find your Senator's contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Thank you for your support of victims of sexual assault and other crimes in Peace Corps!

Testimony from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing: Peace Corps, The Next 50 Years

Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing about the next 50 years of Peace Corps. You can read testimony from panelists here. Panelists included former Senators, Peace Corps Director Williams, National Peace Corps Association Director Kevin Quigley and a survivor.

Senate Passes the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act!

On Monday, September 26, the Senate passed the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 by unanimous consent! You can track the bill here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1280 The next step is to have the bill voted on in the House. If it passes, then the final step is to have the legislation signed into law by President Obama.

First Response Action is grateful for the leadership of Senators Johnny Isakson, R-GA, and Barbara Boxer, D-CA, who introduced this legislation on June 27, 2011. The bipartisan support of these Senators and their staff has been incredible and they have worked tirelessly to get the bill passed. You can read the press releases about the unanimous consent vote for both Isakson and Boxer on their websites.

Thank you to everyone who has called, visited or contacted their representatives to get this important legislation to this level!

This is another big step in the right direction!

Casey and the board of First Response Action

National Peace Corps Association is Supportive of Legislation

The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) has posted background and information for the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act on their website. This includes their recent action of sending a letter, dated June 29, to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and raking member Howard Berman expressing their support for this legislation to support Volunteers. The NPCA offers resources on their site for those who want to contact their local representatives, such as a form letter and links to finding one's local representative's contact information in the House and Senate.


First Response Action is grateful for the NPCA's support since the inception of First Response Action in 2009. Together, the RPCV community can help affect positive change for current and future Volunteers who become victims of sexual or physical assault or report crime.


If you're a Returned Volunteer but not a member of the NPCA and would like to, you can visit this link to join now.

Survivor Support Legislation Needs YOUR Help

For those of you who are passionate about the issue of increased support for Peace Corps Volunteers, your help is needed to make phone calls or meet with your local representatives.

In late June, Congressman Poe (R-TX) and Senator Isakson (R-GA) introduced legislation to Congress and the Senate titled The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Safety and Security Act. This legislation is intended to improve Peace Corps Safety and Security training and Peace Corps’ response to violent crimes.

This is much-needed legislation that would support Volunteers as a long-term solution. Peace Corps has made strides in their approach to issues of sexual and physical assault over the last year, but with the Peace Corps 5-year staff rule, where staff can only serve 5 years, there is need for a sustainable solution to ensure Volunteer victim support. Many other government agencies have similar provisions to support victims of violence.

You can read the text of the House bill here and the text of the Senate bill here. You can visit the bill information by clicking on the following links to view the up-to-date co-sponsors of the bills for the House and Senate.

This is ground-breaking legislation for Peace Corps and would ensure victim and family support. Would you be willing to make a phone call or write an email (or letter) to express your support to your local representatives?

Find your Senator here:

Find your Member of Congress here:

Need help writing a letter? You can use the template letter on our website here.

Need help on what to say? Visit KatesVoice.net's Guide for Contacting Representatives here.

Support is needed from ALL members of the House and Senate and in particular, the members of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs Committees. Here are those remaining members who haven't signed on to co-sponsor yet. If you're in their district, please give them a call!

House Foreign Affairs Committee - Republicans

Chris Smith - New Jersey - (mark.kearney@mail.house.gov)

Donald Manzullo - Illinois -(nien.su@mail.house.gov)

Edward Royce - California - (worku.gachou@mail.house.gov)

Steve Chabot - Ohio - (kevin.fitzpatrick@mail.house.gov) - signed on 7/8/11!

Mike Pence - Indiana - (ryan.jarmula@mail.house.gov)

Connie Mack - Florida - (kristin.jackson@mail.house.gov)

Chairwoman of State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee on the Appropriations Committee (with jurisdiction over PC budget): Kay Granger - Texas - (aaron.ranck@mail.house.gov)

Joe Pitts - Pennsylvania - (ben.stoltzfoos@mail.house.gov)

House Foreign Affairs Committee - Democrats

Gary Ackerman - New York - (howard.diamond@mail.house.gov)

Donald Payne - New Jersey - (algene.sajery@mail.house.gov) - signed on 7/6/11!

Brad Sherman - California - (siamak.kordestani@mail.house.gov)

Eliot Engel - New York - (jason.steinbaum@mail.house.gov)

Gregory Meeks - New York - (sophia.lafargue@mail.house.gov)

Russ Carnahan - Missouri - (rachel.hines@mail.house.gov)

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Chairman John Kerry - Massachusetts - (202) 224-2742

Ranking Member Dick Lugar - Indiana - (202) 224-4814 (ask for Carl Meacham)

Majority Members

Robert Menendez - New Jersey - 202.224.4744

Benjamin L. Cardin - Maryland - (202) 224-4524 - signed on 7/14/11!

Robert P. Casey Jr - Pennsylvania - (202) 224-6324

Jim Webb - Virginia - (202) 224-4024

Jeanne Shaheen - New Hampshire - (202) 224-2841

Tom Udall - New Mexico - (202) 224-6621

Minority Members

Bob Corker - Tennessee - 202-228-0566

James E. Risch - Idaho - 202-224-2752

Marco Rubio - Florida - 202-224-3041 - signed on 7/14/11!

James M. Inhofe - Oklahoma - (202) 224-4721

Jim DeMint - South Carolina - 202-224-6121

John Barrasso - Wyoming - 202-224-6441 - signed on 7/11/11!

Mike Lee - Utah - 202-224-5444

News about the bill and the issue of sexual and physical violence against Peace Corps Volunteers:

• Washington Post Blog by Lisa Rein
• Miami Herald article by Halima Abdullah
• NYTimes article by Sheryl Gay Stolburg
• Dayton Daily article written by Russel Carollo and Hariet Jaspin in 2003: