The omnibus bill to fund the government through the end of FY18 includes level funding of $410 million for the Peace Corps. Congratulations!

Funding for the State-Foreign Ops budget, which funds the bulk of international affairs, is $54 billion, $3.4 billion short of FY 17 enacted levels. More information on the losses in the total International Affairs Budget (State-Foreign Ops plus food aid from the Agriculture bill), including the Peace Corps' implementing partners, will be provided as details emerge.

A summary of the State-Foreign Ops bill can be found here, with programmatic allocations here. The full bill text is here.

Passage in both chambers and the President's signature are still needed for the omnibus to pass. Though some contentious domestic issues have raised concerns from both parties, initial reports are that the spending package will become law before the current CR expires late Friday or at some point over the weekend.

For now it appears that our #ProtectPeaceCorps efforts have paid off. Faced with proposed cuts to the Peace Corps from the White House not seen in over 40 years, you rose to the challenge. On behalf of NPCA, thank you!

Much is owed to our champions on Capitol Hill, especially Peace Corps Caucus Co-Chairs John Garamendi, Garret Graves and Joe Kennedy, and State-Foreign Ops leadership Lindsey Graham and Pat Leahy in the Senate and Hal Rogers and Nita Lowey in the House.