22 USC § 2501
Congressional declaration of purpose
October 30, 2020
USC

(a) The Congress of the United States declares that it is the policy of the United States and the purpose of this chapter to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower, particularly in meeting the basic needs of those living in the poorest areas of such countries, and to help promote a better understanding of the American people on the part of the peoples served and a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people.

(b) The Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States and a purpose of the Peace Corps to maintain, to the maximum extent appropriate and consistent with programmatic and fiscal considerations, a volunteer corps of at least 10,000 individuals.

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 87–293, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 612, as amended, known as the Peace Corps Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.

Amendments

1985—Pub. L. 99–83 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1978—Pub. L. 95–331 inserted "particularly in meeting the basic needs of those living in the poorest areas of such countries" after "manpower".

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–83 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 99–83, set out as a note under section 2151–1 of this title.

Effective Date

Pub. L. 87–293, title I, §28, formerly §27, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 625, as renumbered by Pub. L. 99–83, title XI, §1105(a)(1), Aug. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 276, provided that: "This Act [see Short Title note below] shall take effect on the date of its enactment [Sept. 22, 1961]."

Short Title of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–256, §1(a), Oct. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 3650, provided that: "This Act [enacting section 2504a of this title, amending sections 2504, 2506 to 2507e, 2509, and 2522 of this title and section 8142 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 2504 of this title] may be cited as the 'Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018'."

Short Title of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–57, §1, Nov. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 736, provided that: "This Act [enacting sections 2507a to 2507i of this title, amending sections 2504, 2506, 2507, and 2509 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 2503 and 2507a of this title] may be cited as the 'Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011'."

Short Title of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–331, §1, Aug. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 414, provided: "That this Act [amending this section and sections 2501a, 2502, 2504, 2509, and 2510 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 2501a and 2509 of this title] may be cited as the 'Peace Corps Act Amendments of 1978'."

Short Title

Pub. L. 87–293, title I, §1, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 612, provided that: "This Act [enacting this chapter, amending section 2253 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, section 425 of Title 20, Education, sections 912, 1303, 3121, 3122, 3401, and 6051 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and sections 405, 409, and 410 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 912 and 3121 of Title 26] may be cited as the 'Peace Corps Act'."

Designation of Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters

Pub. L. 107–21, §1, July 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 194, provided that:

"(a) In General.—Effective on the date of enactment of this Act [July 26, 2001], the headquarters offices of the Peace Corps, wherever situated, shall be referred to as the 'Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters'.

"(b) References.—Any reference before the date of enactment of this Act [July 26, 2001] in any law, regulation, order, document, record, or other paper of the United States to the headquarters or headquarters offices of the Peace Corps shall, on and after such date, be considered to refer to the Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters."

Executive Order No. 10924

Ex. Ord. No. 10924, Mar. 1, 1961, 26 F.R. 1789, relating to the establishment and administration of the Peace Corps, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11041, Aug. 6, 1962, 27 F.R. 7859, formerly set out below.

Executive Order No. 11041

Ex. Ord. No. 11041, Aug. 7, 1962, 27 F.R. 7859, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 11250, Oct. 10, 1965, 30 F.R. 13003, which provided for the continuance and administration of the Peace Corps in the Department of State, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11603, June 30, 1971, 36 F.R. 12675, formerly set out below.

Executive Order No. 11603

Ex. Ord. No. 11603, June 30, 1971, 36 F.R. 12675, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, which provided for the continuance and administration of the Peace Corps within ACTION, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 12137, May 16, 1979, 44 F.R. 29023, set out below.

Ex. Ord. No. 12137. Administration of Peace Corps as an Agency Within ACTION

Ex. Ord. No. 12137, May 16, 1979, 44 F.R. 29023, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12245, Oct. 6, 1980, 45 F.R. 66769; Ex. Ord. No. 12292, Feb. 23, 1981, 46 F.R. 13968; Ex. Ord. No. 12399, Dec. 31, 1982, 48 F.R. 379; Ex. Ord. No. 13724, §1, Apr. 8, 2016, 81 F.R. 22021, provided:

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Peace Corps Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2501–2523) and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Executive Order No. 12468

Ex. Ord. No. 12468, Mar. 22, 1984, 49 F.R. 11139, which established the Presidential Advisory Council on the Peace Corps and provided for its membership, functions, etc., was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12534, Sept. 30, 1985, 50 F.R. 40319, formerly set out as a note under section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.


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