[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 70 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 70

Recognizing the critical contributions international volunteers provide 
                         to the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 10, 2013

   Mr. Nolan (for himself, Mr. Farr, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Conyers, Mr. 
    Grijalva, Mr. Walz, Ms. Norton, Ms. McCollum, and Mr. Loebsack) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the critical contributions international volunteers provide 
                         to the United States.

Whereas December 5 marks ``International Volunteer Day'', a day to increase 
        awareness of the important contributions of volunteer service;
Whereas international volunteering provides meaningful opportunities to build 
        cross-cultural understanding while addressing vital human development 
        needs;
Whereas a 2006 Terror Free Tomorrow poll of the world's three largest Muslim 
        countries (Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan) indicates that 
        development assistance results in substantial favorable change in 
        opinion toward the United States;
Whereas for more than 50 years, the United States Peace Corps has sent more than 
        200,000 United States citizens abroad on 27-month volunteer assignments 
        to advance development and build understanding;
Whereas Kosovo recently announced it will become the 140th country since 1961 to 
        receive Peace Corps volunteers;
Whereas in the past 10 years, nearly 120,000 United States professionals have 
        served the Nation internationally through Volunteers for Prosperity, 
        sharing their skills to support programs of the United States Agency for 
        International Development to advance agriculture, economic development, 
        environment, health, democracy, governance, and more;
Whereas more than 300 member organizations of the Building Bridges Coalition are 
        actively involved in organizing and documenting effective practices, 
        increasing public awareness, and energizing campus and corporate 
        engagement in support of United States international service 
        opportunities;
Whereas Duke University has sent over 1,600 students to volunteer overseas in 
        more than 50 countries, just one example of the increasing number of 
        institutions of higher education committed to international service;
Whereas Global Volunteers, the pioneer nonprofit international short-term 
        volunteer service organization, has engaged 30,000 volunteers since 
        1984, providing 2,400,000 hours of volunteer service and now provides 
        comprehensive services by helping deliver the United Nations ``The 
        Essential Package'' for the benefit of developing communities;
Whereas over 200 volunteers have served abroad as Harris Wofford Global Service 
        Fellows in 2012 and 2013 through full and partial scholarships from the 
        private and nonprofit sectors;
Whereas since 1986, more than 7,000 individuals in 30 countries in 11,700,000 
        hours have served as educators through year-long opportunities provided 
        through World Teach, including its newest program in 2013 in Vietnam;
Whereas 2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of Partners of the Americas, a 
        people-to-people organization that evolved from the Alliance for 
        Progress, which connects more than 10,000 volunteers in the Western 
        Hemisphere to serve and to change lives through lasting partnerships;
Whereas 2014 will also mark the 20th anniversary of Cross Cultural Solutions, 
        which has sent more than 30,000 volunteers on short-term service 
        projects across Africa, Asia, and Latin America;
Whereas Habitat for Humanity since 1976 has served more than 750,000 families 
        around the world in providing adequate and stable housing with the help 
        of 1,000,000 volunteers each year;
Whereas this is one example of the increasing number of faith-based institutions 
        committed to international service;
Whereas Atlas Corps, an organization that promotes multi-lateral, long-term 
        professional exchange, has supported the ``reverse flow'' of volunteers 
        through the engagement of more than 200 professionals from 54 countries 
        in 400,000 hours of service in the United States and Latin America;
Whereas the On Demand Community reflects 14,000,000 hours of IBM's employees and 
        retirees volunteer efforts in over 120 countries, an example of the 
        increasing number of corporations committed to international service;
Whereas the programs and organizations listed above are representative of dozens 
        of similar other international volunteer initiatives that, taken 
        together, provide United States citizens with a flexibility of offerings 
        to serve fellow citizens across the globe and engage volunteers at home;
Whereas in a July 15, 2013, memorandum, President Barack Obama said ``National 
        service and volunteering can be effective solutions to national 
        challenges and can have positive and lasting impacts that reach beyond 
        the immediate service experience.'';
Whereas in a March 29, 2013, opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, General 
        Stanley McChrystal called for ``a cultural shift that makes service an 
        expected rite of citizenship''; and
Whereas the Franklin Project is proposing a 21st century National Service System 
        to offer at least 1,000,000 full-time civilian national service 
        opportunities each year for young adults: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes ``International Service Day'' as a day to 
        appreciate citizens around the world who volunteer in other 
        nations in service to others;
            (2) honors and congratulates the tens of thousands of 
        United States citizens who selflessly take part in 
        international volunteer service activities each year;
            (3) expresses its hope that tens of thousands of United 
        States citizens will continue to engage in international 
        service, bringing the spirit and values of the Nation's people 
        to all corners of the globe; and
            (4) calls on the Administration to further develop the 
        strong spirit of partnership and global service connecting the 
        United States Peace Corps with its nonprofit, faith-based, and 
        corporate actors in service for enhanced impacts in cross-
        cultural understanding and development outcomes.
                                 <all>