Peace Corps: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Madagascar Peace Corps volunteers swearing in, April 2006.jpg|thumb|Peace Corps trainees swearing in as volunteers in [[Madagascar]], April 26, 2006.]]
[[File:Madagascar Peace Corps volunteers swearing in, April 2006.jpg|thumb|Peace Corps trainees swearing in as volunteers in [[Madagascar]], April 26, 2006.]]


After the 2001 [[September 11 attacks]], which alerted the U.S. to growing [[Anti-Americanism|anti-U.S. sentiment]] in the Middle East, President [[George W. Bush]] pledged to double the size of the organization within five years as a part of the [[War on Terrorism]]. For the 2004 fiscal year, Congress increased the budget to US$325 million, US$30 million above that of 2003 but US$30 million below the President's request.
After the 2001 September 11 attacks, which alerted the U.S. to growing [[Anti-Americanism|anti-U.S. sentiment]] in the Middle East, President [[George W. Bush]] pledged to double the size of the organization within five years as a part of the [[War on Terrorism]]. For the 2004 fiscal year, Congress increased the budget to US$325 million, US$30 million above that of 2003 but US$30 million below the President's request.


As part of an [[economic stimulus]] package in 2008, President [[Barack Obama]] proposed to double the size of the Peace Corps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/NationalServicePlanFactSheet.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Fact Sheet National Service 070408 FINAL.doc |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304053818/http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/NationalServicePlanFactSheet.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> However, {{as of|2010|lc=y}}, the amount requested was insufficient to reach this goal by 2011. In fact, the number of applicants to the Peace Corps declined steadily from a high of 15,384 in 2009 to 10,118 in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=T. Rees |title=Peace Corps announces major changes to application process |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/peace-corps-announces-major-changes-to-application-process/2014/07/14/f1cff488-0931-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html |access-date=June 2, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> Congress raised the 2010 appropriation from the US$373&nbsp;million requested by the President to US$400&nbsp;million, and proposed bills would raise this further for 2011 and 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/221/double-the-peace-corps/ |title=The Obameter: Double the Peace Corps – Obama promise No. 221 |publisher=PolitiFact |access-date=January 19, 2011}}</ref> According to former director [[Gaddi Vasquez]], the Peace Corps is trying to recruit more diverse volunteers of different ages and make it look "more like America".<ref>{{cite web |author=Boston – AP |url=http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/peace-3345-corps-percent.html |title=Peace Corps eyes recruitment of minorities, older Americans, peace, corps, percent – Regional News – WRGB CBS 6 Albany |location=42.652579;-73.756232 |publisher=Cbs6albany.com |date=March 4, 2006 |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717140631/http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/peace-3345-corps-percent.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A ''Harvard International Review'' article from 2007 proposed to expand the Peace Corps, revisit its mission, and equip it with new technology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hir.harvard.edu/index.php?page=article&id=1336&p=2 |title=The Technologies of Peace – &#124; Harvard International Review |publisher=Hir.harvard.edu |date=May 2, 2007 |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-date=April 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426213624/http://hir.harvard.edu/index.php?page=article&id=1336&p=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1961 only 1% of volunteers were over 50, compared with 5% today. Ethnic minorities currently comprise 34% of volunteers,<ref name="fast facts">{{cite web|title=Fast Facts|url=http://www.peacecorps.gov/about/fastfacts/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704173553/https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/fast-facts/|archive-date=July 4, 2021|access-date=July 27, 2021|website=Peace Corps}}</ref> compared to around 35% of the U.S. population.<ref name=s0201>{{cite web |url=http://www.factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-reg=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:451&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-format= |title=United States – Selected Population Profile in the United States (White alone, not Hispanic or Latino) |work=2009 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=December 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110719084318/http://www.factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-reg=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:451&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-format= |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
As part of an [[economic stimulus]] package in 2008, President [[Barack Obama]] proposed to double the size of the Peace Corps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/NationalServicePlanFactSheet.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Fact Sheet National Service 070408 FINAL.doc |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304053818/http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/NationalServicePlanFactSheet.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> However, {{as of|2010|lc=y}}, the amount requested was insufficient to reach this goal by 2011. In fact, the number of applicants to the Peace Corps declined steadily from a high of 15,384 in 2009 to 10,118 in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=T. Rees |title=Peace Corps announces major changes to application process |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/peace-corps-announces-major-changes-to-application-process/2014/07/14/f1cff488-0931-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html |access-date=June 2, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> Congress raised the 2010 appropriation from the US$373&nbsp;million requested by the President to US$400&nbsp;million, and proposed bills would raise this further for 2011 and 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/221/double-the-peace-corps/ |title=The Obameter: Double the Peace Corps – Obama promise No. 221 |publisher=PolitiFact |access-date=January 19, 2011}}</ref> According to former director [[Gaddi Vasquez]], the Peace Corps is trying to recruit more diverse volunteers of different ages and make it look "more like America".<ref>{{cite web |author=Boston – AP |url=http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/peace-3345-corps-percent.html |title=Peace Corps eyes recruitment of minorities, older Americans, peace, corps, percent – Regional News – WRGB CBS 6 Albany |location=42.652579;-73.756232 |publisher=Cbs6albany.com |date=March 4, 2006 |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717140631/http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/peace-3345-corps-percent.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A ''Harvard International Review'' article from 2007 proposed to expand the Peace Corps, revisit its mission, and equip it with new technology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hir.harvard.edu/index.php?page=article&id=1336&p=2 |title=The Technologies of Peace – &#124; Harvard International Review |publisher=Hir.harvard.edu |date=May 2, 2007 |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-date=April 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426213624/http://hir.harvard.edu/index.php?page=article&id=1336&p=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1961 only 1% of volunteers were over 50, compared with 5% today. Ethnic minorities currently comprise 34% of volunteers,<ref name="fast facts">{{cite web|title=Fast Facts|url=http://www.peacecorps.gov/about/fastfacts/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704173553/https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/fast-facts/|archive-date=July 4, 2021|access-date=July 27, 2021|website=Peace Corps}}</ref> compared to around 35% of the U.S. population.<ref name=s0201>{{cite web |url=http://www.factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-reg=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:451&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-format= |title=United States – Selected Population Profile in the United States (White alone, not Hispanic or Latino) |work=2009 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=December 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110719084318/http://www.factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-reg=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201PR:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201T:451;ACS_2009_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:451&-ds_name=ACS_2009_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-format= |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>