{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-1456","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 1456","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend the Peace Corps Act to reauthorize the Peace Corps, better support current and returned volunteers, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend the Peace Corps Act to reauthorize the Peace Corps, better support current and returned volunteers, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Title(s) from PCS (Placed on Senate Calendar) bill text","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2021"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2021-03-01","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-09-19","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h440","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act","result":"Passed","yea":290,"nay":125,"present":0,"not_voting":17,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll440.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 492.","date":"2022-09-20"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-09-19","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and modifies operations of the Peace Corps."},{"k":"p","t":"Changes include increasing the readjustment allowance paid to volunteers when their service terminates and providing statutory authority for an executive order that grants returned volunteers noncompetitive eligibility for federal civil-service positions."},{"k":"p","t":"Additionally, the bill entitles returned volunteers to sixty days of health care benefits. The Peace Corps must also provide volunteers with information about enrolling in U.S. health plans before service termination and mental health care during and after service."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also includes provisions to address involuntary termination of Peace Corps service in emergencies, including by expediting re-enrollment of involuntarily terminated volunteers."},{"k":"p","t":"The Peace Corps must also adequately insure volunteers' safety and must coordinate with the Department of State to periodically update agreements concerning the security of Peace Corps volunteers and staff abroad."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also"},{"k":"li","t":"authorizes Peace Corps to recruit domestically based volunteers to serve in the United States at the request of another agency or to provide services in a host country virtually,","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"modifies the Peace Corps National Advisory Council's membership and functions,","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"expands whistleblower protections for volunteers,","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"increases the rate of pay that applies to a volunteer's workers compensation claim,","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"requires Peace Corps to implement a zero tolerance drug use policy regarding volunteer involvement with illegal drugs, and","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"emphasizes the use of the internet in Peace Corps programs.","d":1},{"k":"p","t":"Furthermore, the bill requires reporting, including on the provision of mental health services to volunteers."}],"words":245},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends the Peace Corps Act to set authorization amounts for fiscal years 2023 and 2024 and to change volunteer allowances, health care, civil service eligibility, and the kinds of volunteer service the Peace Corps may use.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HADF8121FE0F54283BAA055F1F90C23B3"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HD35FED496BD1490D82339715BD8DD1AD"},{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HC0DA4B4485A240C09554444C742D863B"},{"label":"Sec. 6","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H8F145026B3F043ED87036943D23F2FA2"},{"label":"Sec. 7","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H52E6B57064A248E7B91BEAEECD73FD20"}]},"core_areas":["Peace Corps authorization of appropriations","Volunteer readjustment allowances and re-enrollment after involuntary end of service","Health care and health insurance for volunteers and returned volunteers","Noncompetitive civil service eligibility for returned volunteers","Virtual and domestic volunteer service","Peace Corps National Advisory Council","Reports to Congress"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Replaces the fiscal year 2000 through 2003 authorization amounts in the Peace Corps Act with $430,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HADF8121FE0F54283BAA055F1F90C23B3"}},{"text":"Changes the amount of $125 to $375 in the Peace Corps Act provisions on readjustment allowances for volunteers and for volunteer leaders.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HD35FED496BD1490D82339715BD8DD1AD"}},{"text":"Provides returned volunteers two months of short-term health insurance (SHIFTT) covering a 60-day period after service ends, with an option to extend it one more month at the volunteer's expense.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HC0DA4B4485A240C09554444C742D863B"}},{"text":"Keeps Executive Order 11103, on noncompetitive civil service appointment of former volunteers, in effect with the force of law, and extends the eligibility period for days of a hiring freeze, a lapse in appropriations, or disability compensation.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 6","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H8F145026B3F043ED87036943D23F2FA2"}},{"text":"Authorizes the Director of the Peace Corps to recruit individuals in the United States or third countries to serve part-time as virtual service volunteers providing services by electronic means to host-country communities.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 7","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H52E6B57064A248E7B91BEAEECD73FD20"}},{"text":"Authorizes the Director to recruit, for limited periods, domestic volunteers who serve without compensation within the United States to assist a Federal Government agency at that agency's request.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 11","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H943FBB38A1EC48BDB1832AA91AE22817"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 8","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H3E2E66D30B72495FB90A145606AEC544"},"heading":"Protection of Peace Corps volunteers against reprisal or retaliation","effect":"Requires the Peace Corps Director to take reasonable measures to prevent and address reprisal or retaliation against volunteers, and sets reporting, relief, appeal and mediation procedures.","amount":null,"quote":"The Director of the Peace Corps shall take all reasonable measures, including through the development and implementation of a comprehensive policy, to prevent and address reprisal or retaliation against a volunteer"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 9","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H10BBE3DA3A8A41038FA5982E898D30CB"},"heading":"Comprehensive illegal drug use policy with respect to Peace Corps volunteers","effect":"Requires the Director to develop and implement a drug use policy for Peace Corps volunteers with zero tolerance, internal escalation and Inspector General reporting, and to report to committees within one year.","amount":null,"quote":"establish a zero tolerance policy regarding volunteer or trainee involvement with illegal drugs"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 12","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H55B409487D79488C9B2957302A9DC2D6"},"heading":"Use of official seal, emblem, and name of the Peace Corps","effect":"Moves authority over the Peace Corps seal, emblem and name from the President to the Director, and permits their use on death announcements, gravestones, plaques and other grave markers for people who served.","amount":null,"quote":"except that the official seal or emblem and the name “Peace Corps” may be used on any death announcement, gravestone, plaque, or other grave marker"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 13","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H571802321CE044FC967900077317ECEA"},"heading":"Clarification regarding eligibility of United States nationals","effect":"Replaces \"United States citizens\" with \"nationals of the United States\" in several Peace Corps Act sections and adds a definition of \"national of the United States\" by reference to the Immigration and Nationality Act.","amount":null,"quote":"in section 7(a)(5), by striking “United States citizens” each place such term appears and inserting “nationals of the United States”"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 14","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H6632DCB19778497BA746C4AB7008D9F5"},"heading":"Memorandum of Agreement with Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the Department of State","effect":"Requires the Peace Corps Director and the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security to review and update their security Memorandum of Agreement within 180 days and every five years, with advance notice to committees.","amount":null,"quote":"shall review the Memorandum of Agreement between the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the Department of State and the Peace Corps relating to security support and protection of Peace Corps volunteers and staff members abroad"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 16","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-H8664CB370448488B9BC90A6FBDBAF5C2"},"heading":"Workers compensation for Peace Corps volunteers","effect":"Amends the federal workers compensation law for Peace Corps volunteers by changing the pay reference from GS-7 to GS-7, step 5 and striking paragraph (2) of subsection (c), applying to benefits that begin on or after enactment.","amount":null,"quote":"in paragraph (1), by striking “GS–7” and inserting “GS–7, step 5”"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HC0DA4B4485A240C09554444C742D863B"},"heading":"Health care continuation for Peace Corps volunteers","effect":"Sets health care for volunteers, trainees, applicants and returned volunteers, and says the six-month limit on post-service health examinations does not apply to services under section 8B of the Peace Corps Act.","amount":null,"quote":"including services provided in accordance with section 8B (except that the six-month limitation shall not apply in the case of such services)"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 10","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh#toc-HA3A97103CB3C4D34A711FC9BCF338540"},"heading":"Peace Corps National Advisory Council","effect":"Among its changes to the Peace Corps National Advisory Council, it states that the Federal Advisory Committee Act does not apply to the Council.","amount":null,"quote":"The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Council."}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2022-09-19","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1456/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-1456.png","v":"a06c06190fb8","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 1456, 117th Congress: Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022. House: 290 Yea, 125 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 19 Sep 2022."}}