Peace Corps already created Peace Corps Response in November. USAID has had USAID Response for years. The State Department is going to have it’s own Response Corps? Will the corps’ be able to get around US and UN sancitons in countries like Fiji (Thailand and other coup countries) using the State Department account under State Deparment waivers for certain organizations. Why do members have to be federal employees or preferenced retired federal employees? Why do members have to be retired Peace Corps employees and volunteers? It would be more fair to allow anyone to volunteer with no preference for Peace Corps, USIAD or State . There are alot of NGOs with great volunteers and employees. NGOs should have the same access to the State Department account when waivers are permitted for organizations like Peace Corps.

The bill is another way around US and UN sanctions that has gradually moved from a Presidential waiver based on nantional security to a State Department security, to trade based on Response corps in country and access to the State Department account. These waivers already exist in countries like Fiji for Peace Corps based on what was a Presidential wiaver based on national security. Peace Corps already deals with military juntas under waivers through the State Department, excluding all other aid except for voting aid. Allowing more aid through waivers through the Response Corps, avoiding a Presidential waiver based on State Department approval for it’s own programs and accounts will not help US and UN sanctions in place with miltary coup juntas. NGOs should be given equal opportunity in countries where Peace Corps has a waiver over all other agencies and is excepted over any US aid. Any Response Corps should treat NGO employees equally.