Congress · Laws

Peace Corps Act Amendments of 1978

Public Law 95-331 · H.R. 11877 · 95th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 2, 1978 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Michael Harrington (D-MA-6)

Cosponsors (5): Rep. Larry Winn, Rep. Don Bonker,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 276 yea, 120 nay276–120
SenateMethod not stated

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Peace Corps Act Amendments - Amends the purpose of the Peace Corps Act to emphasize the role of the Corps in assisting the poor.

Authorizes to be appropriated for fiscal year 1978 and 1979, $86,544,000 and $112,424,000 respectively, to carry out such Act, and for employee benefits authorized by law $1,069,000 for 1978 and such sums as necessary for 1979.

Directs the Peace Corps Act to be administered so as to encourage the economic integration of women in developing countries.

Makes the malpractice protection provisions of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year, 1977, applicable to the Peace Corps.

Increases the limitation on the settlement amount authorized to settle and pay claims against the Peace Corps.

Authorizes the President to furnish hospitalization and medical treatment to Foreign Service local employees who are in the United States for training, under certain conditions.

Authorizes the President to assign Peace Corps volunteers to private or governmental agencies to furnish relief assistance to displaced persons.

Specifies information to be included in the annual reports to Congress on Peace Corps activities.

Allows the Peace Corps to furnish technical assistance, materials, supplies, and training appropriate to the support of volunteer programs in developing countries. Prohibits the use of funds to pay the administration costs of any program (other than a demonstration project) or any program of a paramilitary or military nature. Stipulates that funds allocated for such volunteer program activities be kept to a minimum.

Revises the sum which may be used in any fiscal year to encourage the development of international voluntary service programs.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 278 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

278 yea120 nay34 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(207)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-21
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. James TuckerD-AR-2
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph AmmermanD-PA-23
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11

Republicans who voted yea(71)

Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1226 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Foreign Affairs Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Foreign Relations Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

Aug 2, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-331.
Jul 27, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Jul 26, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Jul 25, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #596 (276-120).House roll call 596
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #596 (276-120).House roll call 596
Jun 29, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1333.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1333.
Jun 14, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Jun 13, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
Jun 8, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
May 12, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Apr 26, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Apr 25, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #250 (297-102).House roll call 250
Apr 11, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
Apr 5, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.