Lawmakers urge OPM to improve benefit access for returned Peace Corps volunteers

U.S. Representatives John Garamendi, Chrissy Houlahan, and Garrett Graves have called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to enhance access to benefits for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) employed by the federal government. In a letter addressed to OPM Acting Director Robert Shriver, the lawmakers requested measures to simplify the process for RPCVs to access their earned benefits.

Rep. Garamendi is notably the only currently-serving member of Congress who is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968. He co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Peace Corps Caucus alongside Rep. Graves.

Currently, there is no centralized system for tracking when RPCVs are hired into federal positions. This absence complicates efforts by agencies to provide information on available benefits such as student loan assistance, career advancement opportunities, and medical and dental coverage.

Rep. Garamendi emphasized his commitment: "My wife Patti and I owe so much to our service in the Peace Corps... It inspired a lifetime of public service." He further noted that "the lack of coordination makes it unnecessarily difficult for RPCVs to access their earned benefits."

Rep. Houlahan highlighted bureaucratic challenges faced by RPCVs: "After serving our country abroad... too often, bureaucratic hurdles make it difficult for them to access benefits they've earned."

Dan Baker, President/CEO of the National Peace Corps Association, praised the initiative: "Many thanks to Representatives Houlahan, Garamendi, and Graves for their leadership on this issue."

The representatives urge OPM to implement a streamlined process that would facilitate easier access to these benefits.