Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60
§2503 Director and Deputy Director; Delegation of Functions
Title 22 › Chapter 34— THE PEACE CORPS › § 2503
Summary
The President picks a Director and a Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, with the Senate’s approval. The President can carry out powers through the Director. The Director can make rules, give jobs to subordinates, and stop anyone serving for the Peace Corps from doing actions the Director finds harmful to U.S. interests. The Secretary of State keeps his or her existing powers. The President must set up rules so Peace Corps work in each country is coordinated with other U.S. government activities under the lead of the top U.S. diplomat there. The Secretary of State, under the President, oversees the programs so they fit with U.S. foreign policy. The Peace Corps should not be assigned tasks that other U.S. agencies could do better, unless the Secretary of State agrees.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §2503
Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The President may appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Director of the Peace Corps and a Deputy Director of the Peace Corps.
(b)The President may exercise any functions vested in him by this chapter through the Director of the Peace Corps. The Director of the Peace Corps may promulgate such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out such functions, and may delegate to any of his subordinates authority to perform any of such functions.
(c)(1)Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to infringe upon the powers or functions of the Secretary of State.
(2)The President shall prescribe appropriate procedures to assure coordination of Peace Corps activities with other activities of the United States Government in each country, under the leadership of the chief of the United States diplomatic mission.
(3)Under the direction of the President, the Secretary of State shall be responsible for the continuous supervision and general direction of the programs authorized by this chapter, to the end that such programs are effectively integrated both at home and abroad and the foreign policy of the United States is best served thereby.
(4)The Director of the Peace Corps may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to assure that no individual performing service for the Peace Corps under any authority contained in this chapter shall engage in any activity determined by the Director to be detrimental to the best interests of the United States.
(d)Except with the approval of the Secretary of State, the Peace Corps shall not be assigned to perform services which could more usefully be performed by other available agencies of the United States Government in the country concerned.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 87–293, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 612, known as the Peace Corps Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 2501 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1981—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–113 substituted provision authorizing the President to exercise functions vested in him under this chapter through the Director of the Peace Corps and the Director of the Peace Corps to promulgate
Rules and Regulations
as deemed appropriate for provision authorizing the President to exercise functions vested in him under this chapter through such agency or officer of the United States Government as he directs and the head of such agency or such officer to promulgate
Rules and Regulations
as deemed appropriate. 1970—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–352 added par. (4). 1964—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88–426 repealed provisions which prescribed the compensation of the Director and Deputy Director. See section 5314 and 5315 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1964 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 88–426 effective on first day of first pay period which begins on or after
July 1, 1964, except to extent provided in section 501(c) of Pub. L. 88–426, see Pub. L. 88–426, title V, § 501(a), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 435. Conforming Safety and Security Agreement Regarding Peace Corps Volunteers Serving in Foreign Countries Pub. L. 112–57, § 7, Nov. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 744, provided that: “(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 21, 2011], the Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and enter into a memorandum of understanding that specifies the duties and obligations of the Peace Corps and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the Department of State with respect to the protection of Peace Corps volunteers and staff members serving in foreign countries, including with respect to investigations of safety and security incidents and crimes committed against volunteers and staff members. “(b) Inspector General Review.—“(1) Review.—The Inspector General of the Peace Corps shall review the memorandum of understanding described in subsection (a) and be afforded the opportunity to recommend changes that advance the safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers before entry into force of the memorandum of understanding. “(2) Report.—The Director of the Peace Corps shall consider the recommendations of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps regarding the memorandum of understanding described in subsection (a). If the Director enters into the memorandum of understanding without implementing a recommendation of the Inspector General, the Director shall submit to the Inspector General a written explanation relating thereto. “(c) Failure to Meet Deadline.—“(1) Requirement to submit report.—If, by the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Peace Corps is unable to obtain agreement with the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and certification by the Inspector General of the Peace Corps, the Director shall submit to the committees of Congress specified in paragraph (2) a report explaining the reasons for such failure and a certification that substantial steps are being taken to make progress toward agreement. “(2) Committees of congress specified.—The committees of Congress specified in this paragraph are the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.” Continuing Functions of Director of Peace Corps From
December 14, 1981 Pub. L. 97–113, title VI, § 601(d)(2), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1542, provided: “The Director of the Peace Corps shall continue to exercise all the functions under the Peace Corps Act [this chapter] or any other law or authority which the Director was performing on
December 14, 1981.”
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Transfer to President of the United States of functions conferred upon Director of Peace Corps by subsec. (c)(4) of this section, see section 2(b) of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1971, eff.
July 1, 1971, 36 F.R. 11181, 85 Stat. 819, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Delegation of Functions Functions of President under subsecs. (c)(1), (4), (d) delegated to Director of Peace Corps by section 1–103 and 1–301(a), (b) of Ex. Ord. No. 12137,
May 16, 1979, 44 F.R. 29023, eff.
May 16, 1979, set out as a note under section 2501 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 2503
Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60