# 119-hr-5233: Peace Corps Modernization Act

119-hr-5233, Peace Corps Modernization Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4] (R-MI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5233
- As of: 2026-08-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5233
- Congress: 119
- Title: Peace Corps Modernization Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-09-09
- Sponsor: Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4] (R-MI)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-01

## Summary

**Would cap administrative spending at 15 percent so 85 percent of Peace Corps funding goes to volunteers.** It would also align Peace Corps deployments with U.S. foreign policy priorities, require expansion into Pacific Island countries, and create a streamlined pathway for returned volunteers to enter the Foreign Service. - Peace Corps volunteers: Directs at least 85 percent of annual appropriations to volunteer-facing activities like recruitment, training, and support, and requires any savings from the cap be used to increase volunteer deployments. - Country operations and U.S. embassies: Requires the Secretary of State to set country deployment priorities and the Peace Corps to align its Strategic Plan with Department of State strategies. It obligates programs in at least five Pacific Island countries, including Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and calls for a report on expansion within 90 days. - Returned volunteers and hiring: Requires the State Department to create a Foreign Service pathway within 180 days that provides mentorship, bonus evaluation points equivalent to veterans appointment preference, streamlined vetting, and treats Peace Corps service as Foreign Service service for pay and benefits.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2025-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster Foreign Service path for Peace Corps alumni: benefit, medium. Returning and former Peace Corps volunteers would get a dedicated hiring path into the Foreign Service. The Secretary of State would set this up by regulation within 180 days. The path would include mentor pairs with current officers and bonus points in hiring assessments, similar to veterans’ pref…
- Expand Peace Corps in Pacific Islands: benefit, low. The Peace Corps would be required to run programs in at least five Pacific Island countries. It must include Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Within 90 days of enactment, State and the Peace Corps would brief Congress on which countries are interested, barriers,…
- Limit overhead, fund volunteers: benefit, low. This bill would cap Peace Corps admin and overhead at 15% of its yearly budget. At least 85% would go to volunteers, including recruiting, training, and support. Any added funds shifted to volunteers would have to be used to send more volunteers overseas.
- Stronger oversight of Peace Corps volunteers: benefit, low. The Peace Corps Inspector General would have to coordinate with the State Department Inspector General on all volunteer oversight. This would cover safety, audits, inspections, and investigations.
- Peace Corps placements tied to U.S. goals: mixed, low. The Secretary of State would set which countries the Peace Corps should prioritize, based on U.S. strategic interests. The Peace Corps Director would work with U.S. ambassadors so embassies support country programs. The Director would have to tell Congress before starting a new country program or e…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-5233 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5233)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-3633: Digital Asset Market Clarity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3633)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5233 (as of 2026-08-01).