[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1640-S1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 18--RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND 
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PEACE CORPS OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

  Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Chafee) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.

                            S. Con. Res. 18

       Whereas the Peace Corps has become a powerful symbol of the 
     commitment of the United States to encourage progress, create 
     opportunity, and expand development at the grassroots level 
     in the developing world;
       Whereas more than 162,000 Americans have served as Peace 
     Corps volunteers in 134 countries in Africa, Asia and the 
     Pacific, Central Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, and 
     Central and South America since 1961;
       Whereas Peace Corps volunteers have made significant and 
     lasting contributions around the world in agriculture, 
     business, education, health, and the environment, and have 
     improved the lives of individuals and communities around the 
     world;
       Whereas Peace Corps volunteers have strengthened the ties 
     of friendship and understanding between the people of the 
     United States and those of other countries;
       Whereas Peace Corps volunteers, enriched by their 
     experiences overseas, have brought their communities 
     throughout the United States a deeper understanding of other 
     cultures and traditions, thereby bringing a domestic dividend 
     to the United States;
       Whereas Peace Corps volunteers embody and represent many of 
     the most enduring values of the United States, such as a 
     spirit of service, a commitment to helping others, and a call 
     for friendship among nations;
       Whereas the Peace Corps continues to receive broad, 
     bipartisan support in Congress and from the American people; 
     and
       Whereas March 1, 2001, will mark the 40th anniversary of 
     the founding of the Peace Corps: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) the achievements and contributions of the Peace Corps 
     over the past 40 years be celebrated;
       (2) the dedication and sacrifice of Peace Corps volunteers, 
     past and present, be recognized and their continued 
     contributions be acknowledged not only for their service in 
     other countries but also in their own communities; and
       (3) the President is requested to honor Peace Corps 
     volunteers and reaffirm the commitment of the United States 
     to international peace and understanding.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this concurrent resolution to the President.

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a resolution 
celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps. 
Many of my colleagues know of my history as a Peace Corps volunteer in 
the Dominican Republic, and the great impact that that experience had 
on me. Serving outside of the United States and seeing the shortcomings 
of other nations, I grew to appreciate this nation more and more, and 
developed a strong sense of what it means to be an American. And, I was 
proud to share my experiences as a United States citizen with the 
people I was sent to help. At the end of the day, the smiling faces of 
the people in the community in which I was stationed made all my hard 
work worthwhile.
  My experience as a Peace Corps volunteer was almost 33 years ago, 
when the Peace Corps was still a relatively new organization. But, 
under the leadership of such distinguished directors as Sargent 
Shriver, Loret Ruppe, Paul Coverdell, Mark Schneider, and all the other 
directors in the Peace Corps history, the organization has grown and 
grown. I am proud to stand here today and report that from its humble 
beginnings as a method for Americans to share their expertise and 
assistance with other nations, the Peace Corps has grown into an 
organization that sends more than 7,000 volunteers to 76 different 
countries a year.
  These volunteers are really the heart and soul of the Peace Corps. 
They are the ones at the front lines, working hard and making 
individual connections with the citizens of the countries in which they 
work. Since 1961, Peace Corps volunteers have brought a wealth of 
practical assistance to communities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, the 
Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the Pacific. They have worked at such 
disparate tasks as halting the spread of AIDS, advising small business 
owners, protecting the environment, educating students, and increasing 
farm yields. Volunteers have played a vital role in short-term disaster 
relief and humanitarian efforts. In the face of many personal and 
physical challenges, Peace Corps volunteers offer their ingenuity and 
an approach to problem solving that is both optimistic and pragmatic. 
Above all, the Peace Corps enduring success is rooted in volunteer's 
commitment to leave behind skills that allow people to take charge of 
their own futures.
  Peace Corps volunteers also make a difference at home by continuing 
their community service and strengthening Americans' appreciation of 
other cultures. By visiting classrooms, working with community groups, 
and speaking with friends and family members, volunteers help others 
learn more about

[[Page S1641]]

the world in which we live and help build a legacy of service for the 
next generation.
  Today, the Peace Corps continues to strengthen existing programs and 
expand its activities around the world, including new programs in 
Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Georgia. The Peace Corps also plans to 
graduate from several countries where volunteers have made significant 
progress during a critical period of transformation, including Poland, 
the Slovak Republic, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
  Current volunteers are somewhat different than the volunteers of the 
early years when I was a volunteer. The average age has risen from 22 
to 28, the percentage of women has increased from 35 to 60, the number 
of volunteers with graduate degrees is growing, and today's volunteers 
represent the most ethnically diverse group so far. However, today's 
volunteers share a characteristic with their predecessors that is a 
cornerstone of Peace Corps service--a commitment to the spirit of 
volunteerism and service that President Kennedy first envisioned 40 
years ago.
  Today, on Peace Corps Day, thousands of returned volunteers will 
celebrate by sharing the knowledge and insights gained from their 
overseas experiences with school groups and local communities 
throughout the United States. A series of activities are also planned 
in the Peace Corps countries, where volunteers and their host country 
colleagues will celebrate their accomplishments and the universal goals 
of partnership and goodwill.
  I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this resolution 
celebrating the Peace Corps and its worldwide network on the 40th 
anniversary of the Peace Corps, and in honoring Peace Corps volunteers, 
past and present, for their four decades of service to the world.

                          ____________________