[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E255]]



        CONGRATULATING THE PEACE CORPS ON THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Peace Corps 
on its 40th anniversary, and commend the agency and its volunteers on 
the invaluable contribution they have made in promoting America's 
interests and values around the world since its founding in 1961.
  Forty years ago, President Kennedy challenged Americans to ``ask not 
what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your 
country.'' His inspiring words launched the Peace Corps, which 
President Kennedy officially established by Executive Order on March 1, 
1961. The response to the President's call for this bold experiment was 
swift and enthusiastic, with the first volunteers accepting the 
challenge and leaving for their overseas assignments less than six 
months later.
  Each successive generation has answered President Kennedy's call, 
expanding the Peace Corps' ranks and extending its reach every year. 
This year, more than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers live and work 
alongside people in 76 countries. Over the course of the last four 
decades, a total of 162,000 volunteers in 134 countries have 
participated in this bold experiment. President Kennedy would be 
proud--and so should we.
  The Peace Corps has met with such extraordinary success because its 
mission resonates with Americans and with the millions of people across 
the globe whom it has served. By immersing themselves in local cultures 
and working side-by-side with everyday people in the countries they 
serve, Peace Corps volunteers have made a positive impact in a very 
personal way. They work with teachers and parents to improve access to 
education. They work with community groups and local governments to 
stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. They work 
with entrepreneurs to develop better business practices; with farmers 
to develop better farming methods; with communities to protect their 
local environment. And they are harnessing the information revolution 
to train students in computer use and to establish local Internet 
resource centers around the globe.
  The Peace Corps' work has made a critical contribution to America's 
national security. Born in the crucible of the Cold War as a means of 
preventing the false promise of Communism from taking hold in the 
developing world, it has adapted its mission for our global age to 
embrace all people struggling to survive and take advantage of the new 
opportunities of our times. Such work is critical to strengthen new 
democracies, encourage free markets, and promote human rights--all 
pillars of American foreign policy. Through the Peace Corps, people of 
foreign nations learn that America is a force for peace, justice and 
prosperity in the world.
  The Peace Corps has also come to symbolize for millions across the 
globe the boundless hope, practical ingenuity, and noble vision our 
Nation embodies. As such, it represents one of the most enduring 
legacies of President Kennedy, and one of the shining stars in the 
constellation of initiatives that constitute America's foreign policy.
  The Peace Corps is celebrating its milestone anniversary throughout 
the year with events that commemorate the agency's forty-year history 
and that raise awareness of its good work. I ask my colleagues, Mr. 
Speaker, to join me in celebrating the Peace Corps' success and wishing 
it success well into the future.

                          ____________________