Sen. Van Hollen, Rep. Phillips Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letters in Support of Peace Corps, AmeriCorps Volunteers

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) led two bipartisan, bicameral letters seeking clarity on unemployment benefits and work opportunities for Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and other national service participants.

In the first letter, the Members urge Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia to clarify that the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program passed within the CARES Act covers Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and other similarly situated national service participants. As the Senators point to in their letter, this designation is in line with Congressional intent, but DOL guidance will provide certainty.

In their letter to the Department of Labor the Members write, "Peace Corps and AmeriCorps participants advance our nation's interests at home and around the world by providing education, health, and economic development opportunities to the communities they serve. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the Peace Corps has suspended international operations, ending the service of more than 7,300 participants. While Peace Corps and AmeriCorps participants receive a stipend for their service, they are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance (UI)."

They go on to note, "We believe the terms of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance cover Peace Corps and AmeriCorps participants. If you believe there is ambiguity, however, we urge you to use the authority that Congress provided in the CARES Act to add additional eligibility criteria to extend Pandemic Unemployment Assistance coverage to participants in these programs."

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