Ted Poe: “Elizabeth Oddy returned from east Africa after spending 2\1/2\ years as a Peace Corps volunteer. Before returning home…”

“Elizabeth Oddy returned from east Africa after spending 2\1/2\ years as a Peace Corps volunteer. Before returning home, she was examined by a Peace Corps physician. She was deemed healthy and okay to come back to America. Two days after coming home, Elizabeth went to her doctor for a regular checkup where she was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. She had stage I thyroid cancer. Her Peace Corps insurance ended the next day. Peace Corps volunteers often have severe health problems upon their return from abroad. Health issues that are a direct result of serving in the Peace Corps should be covered by the Peace Corps. Volunteers like Elizabeth are the spirit of humanitarian assistance. It is our responsibility to ensure they are properly cared for both at home and abroad. My bill, the Sam Farr Peace Corps Enhancement Act, improves health care for all current volunteers and returned Peace Corps volunteers that contract illnesses during their service. We must continue providing support for our American angels abroad. And that is just the way it is. ____________________”