Category Archives: ASPC

American-Soviet Peace Corps – HR 1807 of 1989 proposed by Rep. Barbara Boxer

Push Russia

How  to push Russia…

Recently National Public Radio commented that congressional candidates were debating about whether to campaign on the issues surrounding “Russia” in their upcoming elections

Why not “leapfrog” the typical Russian issues and press Russia, the U.S., and the world to do what world affairs and an angry Mother Nature is inconveniently demanding we do — dramatically expand our peaceful national service programs,  like Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat, Doctors Without Borders, Head Start, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Americans Friends Service Committee, TechnoServe, Heifer, Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, State Conservation Corps, In-Need Schools, Hospitals Therapy Wards, Homes For The Elderly, etc.?

Then challenge Russia to create their own “Russian Peace Corps.”

In front of the world, urge Russia and the US to serve together doing Joint Peace Corps projects throughout the world, especially in those parts of the world where our sabers rattle too closely to theirs. Think Russian-US peaceful cooperation unlikely?  Look at our Space Station work.

We were once close to implementing a joint U.S.-Russian Peace Corps.  Let the visionary in Congress reintroduce an updated version of visionary  Congresswoman Boxer’s HR1807 of 1989.

John Kennedy would smile on those with the vision and insight to challenge the Russians to join us in peaceful development endeavors.  In addition, it would do wonders for improving our politics, public policy IQ, and standing in the world, while avoiding trillions of warfare dollars over the decades.

This wise talk about Russia would be a smart addition to any congressional campaign.

This…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or this?

DCStaffMet9-16

DC staff met 9-2016

Contact Title E-mail Company Phone Web Site Address
Ami Bera Leg Correspondent/Staff Assistant Shaefer.Bagwell@mail.house.gov House of Representative 202-225-5716 bera.house.gov 1535 Longworth House Office
James McGovern Legislative Asistant Russell.Halliday@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-6101 www.mcgovern.house.gov 438 Cannon HOB
Marcy Kaptur Legislative Director jenny.perrino@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-4146 2186 Rayburn Building
Tulsi Gabbard HillVets Fellow Daniel.snedden@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-4906 1609 Longworth House Office Building
Seth Moulton Policy Advisor margo.brown@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-8020 1408 Longworth Building
Chris Van Hollen Senior Legislative Assistant ken.cummings@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-5341 1707 Longworth H.O.B.
Krysten Sinema Leg Asst. Michael.Wong@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-9888 sinema.house.gov 1530 Longworth House Office Building
Raul Grijalva Leg director Kelsey.Mishkin@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-2435 http://grijalva.house.gov 1511 Longworth HOB
Xaviera Becerra Schedule/Education Emilio.Mendez@mail.house.gov House of Representatives 202-225-6235 1226 Longworth House Office Building
Louise Slaughter Legislative Assistant Jack.Spasiano@mail.house.gov House of Representatives  NY 28cd 585-697-0840 http://www.votelouise.com/ 2469 Rayburn HOB
Suzan DelBene Legislative Director ben.barasky@mail.house.gov House of Representatives (WA) 202-225-6311 delbene.house.gov 318 Cannon House Office Building
Scott Peters Chief of Staff Michelle.Dorothy@mail.house.gov House of Representatives Ca 202-225-0508 1122 Longworth House Office Building
Charles Rangel Pearson Fellow benjamin.garcia@mail.house.gov House of Representatives NY 202-225-4365 2354 Rayburn House Office Building
Adam Smith Legislative Assistant christy.hayek@mail.house.gov House of Representatives WA 202-225-8901 http://www.electadamsmith.com/Contact 2264 Rayburn HOB,
Jared Huffman Legislative Assistant Nicholas.Hromalik@mail.house.gov House of Representatives, CA 202-225-5161 1630 Longworth House Office Building
Chellie Pingree Legislative Assistant joe.marro@mail.house.gov House of Representatives, ME (202) 225-6116 www.pingree.house.gov 2162 Rayburn
Morgan Griffith Legislative Counsel kristin.seum@mail.house.gov House of Representatives, VA 202-225-3861 1108 Longworth House Office Building
Mike Thompson Leg Director Stephanie.Newman@mail.house.gov House of Represetnatives Leg Dir 202-225-3311 http://mikethompson.house.gov/Biography/index.asp 231 Cannon Office Building
Tulsi Gabbard Manager Front Desk Katherina.Deery@mail.house.gov House Representative Vt (202)225-4906 1609 Longworth Building
Bernie Sanders Leg Aide ian.rockwell@@sanders.senate.gov US Senate – Scheduler 202-224-5141 2233 Rayburn
Barbara Boxer Foreign Relations Senator US Senate Leg  Aide Boxer 202-224-3553 www.Boxer.senate.gov 112 Hart Building
Alan Lowenthal Legislative Assistant anne.nguyen@mail.house.gov Washington, DC Office 202-225-7924 www.lowenthal.house.gov 108 Cannon House Office Bldg
Tulsi Gabbard Manager Front Desk Daniel.Snedden@mail.house.gov House Representative Vt (202)225-4906 1609 Longworth Building

 

The American World Service Corps National Service  (AWSCNS) Congressional Proposal  opens up filled jobs, provides new jobs, trains and educates for the environmentally beneficial jobs and needs of the future, makes stronger friends and neighbors with enhanced civic IQs.

Over ten years ago, People’s Lobby started working on the AWSCNS Congressional Proposal with a unanimous endorsement from the 2006 California State Democratic Convention.

This Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) did not think that a decade later I’d still be pushing to enact this needed, overwhelmingly good, and cost effective piece of legislation.

The AWSCNS would ramp up over seven years by adding about 150,000 paid volunteers per year.  In the seventh year, one million volunteers would serve annually through already effective do-good organizations, such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat, Doctors Without Borders, Head Start, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Americans Friends Service Committee, TechnoServe, Heifer, Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, State Conservation Corps, In-Need Schools, Hospitals Therapy Wards, Homes for the Elderly, etc.  After 20 years of one million serving annually, directly addressing needs, and building sustainability, Congress would consider the AWSCNS for sun-setting after its 27th year.

In 2009 Congress implemented the Ted Kennedy Serve America Act.  Nonetheless, even at its proposed unmet largest, the Kennedy Serve America Act is 1/4th the size of what is called for in the AWSCNS Proposal,  and, as we warned, its budget was whittled on soon after memories of Senator Ted Kennedy faded.

Could you set up a time to meet with the Senato/Congressman, Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, or appropriate senior staffer during the week of September 18th-24th in hopes of building additional support for the AWSCNS Proposal?

The AWSC National Service Proposal would stimulate and strengthen America’s ability to peacefully and economically solve problems.  With its proposed coming-of-age non-traditional funding mechanisms moved further along by Gates and Buffet pushing their Giving Pledge, enacting teh proposed AWSCNS  could cost effectively involve the richest .1% in voluntarily building worldwide sustainability.  A summary of some of these benefits is here.

For a PowerPoint overview of the essence of the AWSCNS Proposal, view the first 12 slides at this link.

When I discuss the details of the AWSCNS Proposal to large audiences, they overwhelmingly support it.  It would do the same among the constituent audiences of those visionary congresspersons who push, introduce, and support it.

Included in the AWSCNS Proposal is a call for other nations to deploy their own similar armies peacefully on the battlefields of need.  In 1989 People’s Lobby was instrumental in moving visionary Congresswoman Boxer to introduce HR 1807, calling for the creation of a US-USSR Peace Corps.  Recently, we have asked her to do it again before she retires, but her ride into the sunset may be too close.

Therefore, we’d like to see whether you would be interested in resurrecting this visionary piece of HR1807 legislation.  Imagine how much more beneficial Bear and Eagle relations would be today if 20,000+ Americans, Soviet Unioners, and Russians had served together by 2016. View 8 slides on the US-Russian Peace Corps here.

It is never too late to start something that could do a lot of good. Investing in volunteers in do-good groups in turbulent political and climate challenged environments often returns the most good, especially in communities with needs.

We look forward to meeting with you or appropriate DC staff in September.  Thanks.

Dwayne Hunn Ph.D.

People’s Lobby Executive Director

415-383-7880

Represented by Congressman Huffman, California’s 2nd

Governor former PC Director Celeste

Ohio Governor Celeste and later PC Director: "... a new era when American and Soviet citizens can serve together."
Ohio Governor Celeste and later PC Director: “… a new era when American and Soviet citizens can serve together.”
State of Ohio
Office of the Governor
Columbus 43215

January 5, 1989

Dear Dwayne:

Thanks very much for the clipping. We will know we truly have entered a new era when American and Soviet citizens can serve together as volunteers.

Efforts like this give me great hope for the future.  And I know it must be heartening for Peace Corps veterans like yourself.

I hope that all is well in California, and that the new year will bring you much peace and joy.

Best regards,

Richard F. Celeste

Governor

RFC/bjc

What we can do for the world

San Francisco Chronicle.
San Francisco Chronicle.

   San Francisco Chronicle

THE VOICE OF THE WEST

 SATURDAY, JUNE 2,1990

 What We Can Do For the World

FOR MOST OF the 125,000 of us who worked with the Peace Corps, President John Kenne­dy’s 1961 inaugural words served as our invisible armband: “Ask not what America can do for you, but together what we can do for the freedom of man.”

Hopefully, President Bush was the world leader who said to Gorbachev during his visit to Washington: “Ask not what you can do for just your country, but together what we can do for the world.”

Bush should support legislation that provides for joint implementation with the Soviets of pro­jects that are designed to address problems In areas including care of the elderly and the disa­bled, health, and protection of the environment.

The sooner American and Soviet “peace corps volunteers” can serve under that invisible armband, the more quickly we will have fewer hungry and angry people.

At about $20,000 per volunteer per year, there are few better long-term investments. Shift­ing the $400 million (and climbing) that goes into building a single B-1 bomber to funding for 20,000 U.S. volunteers for a year In an American-Soviet Peace Corps would be a giant step toward a kind­er and gentler mankind.

This Peace Corps would start with Soviets and Americans training, living and working to­gether in their respective nations. Then volun­teers would live and work together on problems facing lesser-developed nations.

The world needs concerted and coordinated efforts from the superpowers so that they may better understand each other and global needs.

An American-Soviet Peace Corps would be a small step that moves all of mankind forward.

Dwayne Hunn is a former Peace Corps volunteer in India. He now lives in Mill Valley.

 

A U.S.-Soviet Peace Corps IJ Editorial

In 1989 the Marin Independent Journal gave this Editorial endorsement to the American Soviet (or United States-Soviet) Peace Corps Proposal.

Marin IJ's endorsement "to increase understanding."
Marin IJ’s endorsement “to increase understanding.”

Wednesday, December 13, 1989 Marin Independent Journal

OPINION

EDITORIALS

 A U.S.-Soviet Peace Corps

IN 1961, President John F. Kennedy did something visionary: he created the Peace Corps to export American exper­tise to those nations of the world strug­gling to keep up with the demands of the 20th century.

Today, Novato resident  Dwayne Hunn holds another vision: an American-Soviet Peace Corps that will bring together people from the two most powerful nations on Earth to work as teams on worthwhile pro­jects in undeveloped nations. Rep. Barbara Boxer, D-Greenbrae, has introduced a reso­lution in the House supporting the idea.

The goals of each organization would be similar: to foster interpersonal bonds, to teach us about the Soviets and them about us, and to make it far harder for the people of either nation to harbor hatred for each other based on ignorance.

Hunn’s American-Soviet Peace Corps would be a good way to increase understand­ing between our two nations and to make sure the Cold War retreats into the dimness of history, never to return.

 

Erase below…

Click & read:  United States-Soviet Peace Corps     IJ-editorial-ASPC89 as pdf.

http://new.dwaynehunn.biz/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IJ-editorial-ASPC89.pdf

Peace Corps Dir. Coverdell, Kennedy, Boxer

Peace Corps Director  Coverdell on the American Soviet Peace Corps (ASPC) proposal.

Peace Corps Director Coverdell, one of several PCDs to support ASPC.
Peace Corps Director Coverdell, one of several PCDs to support ASPC.
Paul D. Coverdell Director
United States Peace Corps
1990 K Streel, N.W, Washington, D.C. 20526

 Office of the Director

November 14, 1989

Dear Dwayne:

Thank you for your recent, letter.  I enjoyed speaking with you at the Norcal Returned Peace Corps volunteers meeting in San Francisco regarding the American-Soviet Peace Corps proposal.  It is always good to hear feedback and suggestions from RPCVs. You will be pleased to know that meetings with Congresswoman Boxer and Congressman Kennedy have already been scheduled to further discuss this proposal.

Your interest in our Urban Initiative is also most appreciated.  I, too, feel Peace Corps should actively return to the cities, where Volunteers can have a significant impact on the development of these urban areas.

Again, thank you for your letter and information regarding the American-Soviet Peace Corps proposal.

Sincerely,

Paul D. Coverdell Director

United States Peace Corps

Peace Corps Director Coverdell’s letter in pdf, November 14,1989

While window is still open

Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Open Forum:

“Gorbachev world needs you.”

Gorbachev we miss ya...?  But push Putin to do the right thing anyway.
Gorbachev we miss ya…? But push Putin to do the right thing anyway.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9-15-1989

While the window is still open, FORUM

Dwayne Hunn

Gorbachev  has  opened  a window of opportunity to  the  world.   His changes give all politicians fewer excuses to not redirect military spending to pressing  social and humanitarian needs. While the window of  opportunity  is open,  we must establish programs that will open so many windows  that  the fresh, warm  air of new ideas will never again be closed by cold or hot wars.

One means of doing that is with an American-Soviet Peace Corps.

An American-Soviet Peace Corps would act much like the American Peace Corps established by President Kennedy in 1961.   Soviet  and  American volunteers  would  train for at least three months in  language,  custom, and work  skills  essential to their job performance.  From the  start  of  training until completion of service (usually two years later) a Soviet and an  American would  be roommates and workmates. This small program difference from the American Peace Corps could make a world of difference.

The results should be clear to all of us who have experienced living and working alongside strangers on projects that we knew were  worthwhile endeavors.   Interpersonal bonds will be built between the Soviet and  American volunteers as well as with those in whose nations the work is done.

From  their  time of service onward, each volunteer’s  “working  bonds” will allow all involved to more easily “reach out and touch someone” who  may be  half way around the world.  The world will more quickly become a global village of friends.

These working bonds will make it more difficult for radicals or  narrow minded bureaucrats to develop national hatred for nations  whose  volunteers have  worked at the grassroots level with their people.  The world  will  more personally  understand national needs and desires  because more people  from the  world’s  most  powerful nations will have worked face-to-face with  the people of nations in need.

Since 1961 approximately 125,000 American Peace Corps have served  in underdeveloped  nations  around the world.  Millions of people in underdeveloped nations  have  been  touched by the  efforts  of  those  volunteers. Without those efforts and resulting relationships, many of those nations would probably have more antagonistic policies toward America.

Consider this.  The Peace Corps was withdrawn from Nicaragua in  1979, as  the  Sandinistas  wrenched  power away  from  the  American  supported President  Somoza; and from Iran in 1976, as the Ayatolla’s  campaign against the  American supported Shah began toppling the Shah’s regime. An  American Peace Corps may not have been wanted in those countries during those troubled periods, but had an American-Soviet Peace Corps been in existence then, an option other than military support could have been added to the means  of reducing tensions in those areas.

Neither the American Peace Corps nor the American-Soviet Peace  Corps should  be  a  tool  of  diplomatic  policy.   It  is  obvious,  however, that international  crisis most often stem from the failure to provide  unmet  basic needs  — such as food, sanitation, health and literacy.  The state of today’s world does not presage that delivery of those needs is about to drastically improve.

  • The Green Revolution that started boosting world grain production in the late 60’s peaked in the mid-80’s. Consumption and population has continued to increase and carryover stocks of food have been falling.
  • Each year land area 6.5 times as large as Belgium becomes so impoverished  that they are unprofitable to farm or graze.  Desertification  marches on  as people in need cut trees for fuel and heat; erosion results from  the lost  root structures; rains erode fertile lands; rangelands for grazing are reduced and what remains is overgrazed.
  • Global temperature records spanning the last century show that the five warmest  years have all occurred in the eighties – 1980,1981,1983,1987,1988.   With  global  warming  comes  the  depletion  of  the  ozone    Scientists tell us that restoring the lost rain forests is one of the means of checking the disasters global warming and ozone depletion bring.

Of course, the profligate lifestyle lead by those of us born into the rich nations  of the world — carbon dioxide spewing automobiles for  the  shortest trip; chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, alias freon) dumped into the atmosphere  from  air  conditioners,  refrigerators,  aerosol  sprayers  and  fast  food  carryout containers;  plastic, aluminum and convenience throwaways substituted for the most  minor social inconvenience polluting our shrinking landfills;  these  acts do  more  to  ravage  the  atmosphere than do  the  forest  cuttings  of  the struggling,  uneducated  and  unaware poor.

Yet, it may  be  that  only  by working  with the poor on their needs can we learn enough to make the  rich and  the poor more aware of the care needed to preserve our  fragile  planet. Watching the destruction of our environment on the television news or reading about  solutions in a newsmagazine will never foster the lifestyle change  that results from working on and against the problem.

Returned Peace Corps volunteers often say that the Peace Corps experience “taught them more than they  were  able  to teach.”  The same lessons would be etched into the American-Soviet  PCVs character.  Coming from the classroom of the world where needs and desires are more basic, their experiences would help change the wasteful lifestyle that harms the environment and harmonious social progress.

While attending Cleveland’s St. Ignatius High School, the Jesuits had me reading books by Dr. Tom Dooley and Albert Schweitzer.  Thoughts about the authors’ work among the poor in less developed areas of the world never left some  corner  of  my mind.  Years later I was part of a  Peace  Corps  Urban Community  Development Group working in the slums of Bombay where  maimed beggars,  poor  people  scavenging  garbage piles for  food became common sights and where rats  outnumbered  the population 5-1.

Years later, from comfortable Marin County California, those memories prompted me to try to start a model Soviet American  Peace  Corps  with  foundation funding.  Failing to raise the needed funding, I sought Congressional support.

In the spring 1989 session of Congress, Congresswoman Boxer introduced HR 1807 requesting:

“… the President to conclude agreements with the appropriate representative of the Government of the Soviet Union to create the United State-Soviet Peace Corps.”

A United States-Soviet Peace Corps could give the world cleaner skies under which fewer hungry and fewer angry people could sleep.

 

Soviet Peace Committee

Soviet Peace Committee among many groups who supported ASPC.
Soviet Peace Committee among many groups who supported ASPC.
Soviet Peace Committee  May 31, 1989

Re: Soviet America Peace Corps legislation

Dear Mr. Hunn,

Thank you for your letter.  Your proposal to organize Soviet American Peace Corps is very interesting. We have the same proposals not only from you but from other different US organizations. The idea is very attractive but it requires a lot of resources to implement it.   I recommend you to contact Rama Vernon, President of the Center for Soviet-American Dialogue who is a coordinator in different Soviet-American projects.  We hope she would be able to assist you in implementation of your project

V. Slouzhivov

Soviet Peace Committee

Former Peace Corps Director Blatchford

Good PC Directors know value of growing the Peace Corps.
Good PC Directors know value of growing the Peace Corps.

 

CONNOR & HANNAN
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
JOSEPH H. BLATCHFORD
SUITE 8OO
I9I9 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20006-3443
(202) 887-1400

February 23, l989

 

Dear Dwayne:

Thank you for sending me the materials on your proposal for

Soviet-U.S. Peace Corps.  I see you are making progress and have

gotten the backing of Representative Boxer.

Thanks for keeping me informed and very best wishes.

Sincerely,

Joseph Blatchford

Boxer will introduce American Soviet Peace Corps

Draft -may delete

In 1988 Congresswoman Boxer took the American Soviet Peace Corps proposal, which started as a model program competing for a Buck Trust grant, and introduced it into Congress as HR 1807.

Click the link below to read her May 25, 1988 letter giving her reasons for doing so:

Boxer-Will-Introduce-ASPC-88

Read her September 1, 1988 “working on letter” here

Boxer says “working on” US-Soviet Peace Corps legislation

Have you asked her to do it again this year for America’s World Service Corps Congressional Proposal, giving us the army the 21st century needs?

Boxer introduces. To start in each nation.
Boxer introduces. To start in each nation.
Congress of United States
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

May 25, 1988

Dear Mr.   Hunn:

Thank you for contacting me again about the Soviet-American Peace Corps.  I am very pleased to see that you have continued to work on raising the profile of the concept.  I am very impressed by your tireless dedication to the creation of such an organization.

I have in fact given the subject further thought, and I plan to introduce the enabling legislation. I apologize if you perceive us to be moving slowly, but I  assure you it is only a function of the legislation and concomitant workload to which we have already committed for this session, and not a lack of enthusiasm for your proposal.

Beyond the issues John Callon of my staff discussed with you regarding the necessity of an open application and admissions process, I am also of a mind that the initial program should be directed at work on projects in the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., rather than leaping fully from the start into Third World development. I believe doing it this way would simplify the initial organizational and logistical challenge, leave more room for the massaging of any problems which arise, and keep the program more directly in the public eye. This would allow public awareness and support for the program to grow. I would be interested in your reaction to this.

When I have the proposal drafted, I will send it to you and meet with Representative Kennedy to discuss it.   Your feedback before the bill is in final form will be important.

Thank you again for your excellent efforts.  I look forward to working with you further. We will get back to you in two weeks.

In friendship,

BARBARA BOXER

Member of Congress

BB: jc