[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 32 (Thursday, February 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL PEACE CORPS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 2003

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, National Peace Corps Day, on February 28, 
recognizes the important role the Peace Corps has played over the last 
42 years and reaffirms our country's commitment to the mission of the 
Peace Corps, as vital today as it was over 40 years ago.
  The first Peace Corps volunteers were sent to Ghana in 1961. When the 
Peace Corps celebrated its 40th anniversary 2 years ago, the United 
States also celebrated an important 40-year relationship with Ghana. 
Today, Ghana is the leading developing nation in west Africa, and 
thousands of Ghanians now have personal relationships with Americans 
which they would not have had without the Peace Corps.
  Loret Miller Ruppe, the Director of the Peace Corps under President 
Ronald Reagan, was an impressive visionary and leader. She had the 
first vision of doubling the number of Peace Corps volunteers, In the 
army, a division consists of 10,000 soldiers. We now have 12 divisions 
in the U.S. Army. Loret Ruppe believed we should have at least one 
division in the Peace Corps. This vision of expanding the Peace Corps 
was renewed by President Clinton and reaffirmed by President Bush.
  I want to commend the new direction of the Peace Corps for working to 
recruit not just the 22-year-old volunteers, but increasing the number 
of volunteers who are in their forties or fifties and choosing the 
Peace Corps as their second or third career. This new type of volunteer 
brings years of his or her technical expertise to places around the 
globe which need it most.
  The Peace Corps has successfully altered its programs and the 
countries in which it operates to adapt to our changing times. Most 
recently the Peace Corps has expanded into Central Asia and the Balkans 
continuously working to improve the lives of countless people, while 
also working to improve U.S. relations with these emerging democracies.
  National Peace Corps Day recognizes all Peace Corps volunteers, past 
and present. I would like to express my gratitude to those who have 
served overseas, committing 2 years of their life to their country and 
to democracy around the world. I would specifically like to recognize 
the 38 current volunteers from my district who are serving in six 
continents around the globe.

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