Garamendi, Houlahan, Graves Call on OPM to Improve Access to Benefits for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Employed by the Federal Government

WASHINGTON, DC- This week, U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), and Garrett Graves (R-LA-6) sent a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Robert Shriver requesting that OPM take various measures to make it easier for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV), who are employed through the federal government after their service, to access the benefits they've earned by successfully completing their Peace Corps service. Rep. Garamendi is the only currently-serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteer in Congress (Ethiopia, 1966-1968). Reps. Garamendi and Graves (R-LA) co-chair the bipartisan Congressional Peace Corps Caucus.

There is currently no centralized Federal system run to track when RPVCs are hired into federal positions, which makes it difficult for agencies to proactively provide information to RPVCs on their earned benefits. The measures requested in the letter will ensure that recipients are fully aware of their post-service benefits and the steps that must be taken to obtain them. These benefits, including student loan assistance, career advancement, and medical and dental coverage, are crucial for those who have chosen to serve and are employed through the United States government.

"My wife Patti and I owe so much to our service in the Peace Corps. It inspired a lifetime of public service that began in Ethiopia during the late 1960s and continued into state government in California, the Clinton Administration, and now the U.S. Congress," said Rep. Garamendi, co-chair of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus.

"Returned Peace Corps Volunteers make invaluable contributions to our country, bringing back skills and experience that are vital in the federal workforce," Garamendi continued. "However, the lack of coordination makes it unnecessarily difficult for RPCVs to access their earned benefits. By implementing a clear, streamlined process to track and inform RPCVs, we can better support their continued careers in public service. I join my colleagues in urging OPM to act quickly to remove these barriers and honor the commitment of these volunteers."

"After serving our country abroad, Peace Corps Volunteers return to the United States with valuable skills and experience. Many choose to continue their commitment to our nation by serving in the federal government, but too often, bureaucratic hurdles make it difficult for them to access benefits they've earned in the Peace Corps, such as paid parental leave," said Rep. Houlahan. "I'm grateful for Reps. Garamendi and Graves in joining me across party lines to urge the federal government finally to cut the red tape to support these public servants better."

"Many thanks to Representatives Houlahan, Garamendi, and Graves for their leadership on this issue," said National Peace Corps Association President/CEO Dan Baker. "Many federal agencies strongly recruit employees with Peace Corps experience due to their proven resourcefulness, people skills, intellectual curiosity, and problem-solving skills. It is only right and fair that full access to benefits that are available to them are provided in a manner that is clear, simple, and comprehensive. We hope OPM will take the necessary steps to address the concerns outlined in this letter."

Read the full text of the letter here.

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