The Peace Corps celebrates its 50th birthday today, but House Republicans are trying to spoil the party. They are proposing to slash $69.2 million of the Peace Corps’ annual $400 million budget. At the same time, they are proposing to increase military spending by $8.1 billion.

Such priorities are misguided.

The Peace Corps has been one of America’s most successful foreign aid programs. More than 200,000 volunteers have served in 139 countries during the past half-century, meeting its mission of promoting peace and international understanding.

Volunteers have helped millions of people in developing countries improve their lives. They have taught students and trained teachers, constructed bridges and water purification systems, increased food production and helped stop the spread of disease. By living and working with their hosts, Peace Corps volunteers have promoted a greater appreciation of Americans and democracy. Above all, the Peace Corps has demonstrated that America cares.

Returning Peace Corps volunteers also come home with a more sophisticated worldview, including the knowledge that we can learn many important things from other cultures. Volunteers share this knowledge with other Americans. This makes our society better.

Budgets reflect our values. The Peace Corps could be expanded 20 times over with the military spending increase proposed by House Republicans. The grim reality is that the critical mission of Peace Corps is endangered in this new era of deficit reduction.

For a birthday party you need a cake. And a good cake needs butter. America now more than ever needs to celebrate and support its successful initiatives. We should prioritize programs like the Peace Corps that promote butter, not guns — peace, not war.

Beth Chance served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania and works as a nurse. Ron Chance served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal and worked domestically for the agency in the 1980s.