[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 33 (Monday, March 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S3024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PEACE CORPS DAY

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to one of our 
most essential and enduring national endeavors: the Peace Corps.
  Last Friday, February 28, was National Peace Corps day. While the 
Senate was not in session on Friday, I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize the Peace Corps--an institution that is 
certainly deserving of our praise and support.
  As my colleagues are aware, it is always with tremendous fondness and 
pride that I speak of the Peace Corps. It gives me occasion to recall 
my own years as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Indeed, I have 
often spoken of how these 2 years changed my life. Living and working 
outside of the United States and seeing the way other nations operated 
for the first time, I grew to appreciate our Nation more and more, and 
developed a strong sense of what it means to be an American. I was 
proud to share my experience as an American citizen with the people I 
was there to help. Those 2 years were invaluable to me, and truly 
brought home to me the value of public service.
  It was 42 years ago when President Kennedy laid out his vision for 
the future of American volunteer service. Speaking of a corps of 
committed and idealistic young volunteers who would travel all over the 
world ``promoting world peace and friendship,'' he saw public service 
as an ideal to transcend political rhetoric. Peace Corps volunteers 
were not to reflect particular Republican or Democratic ideology. 
Rather, their service would be a manifestation of the core American 
values we all share.
  Since 1961, more than 168,000 Americans have responded to President 
Kennedy's call, and the Peace Corps now sends more than 7,000 
volunteers to 76 different countries every year. This means that there 
are 7,000 important American liaisons scattered around the world 
helping people and promoting American values. In fact, the need for 
such ambassadors--people who truly show the world the best of America--
has never been greater. Especially in these difficult and tumultuous 
times, I believe that an increased Peace Corps presence in regions with 
significant anti-American sentiment could help to foster greater mutual 
understanding and tolerance between Americans and the communities they 
serve.
  After all, these volunteers are really the heart and soul of the 
Peace Corps. They are the ones on the front lines, working hard, making 
one-on-one connections with the citizens of the countries in which they 
work. For 42 years, they have brought a wealth of practical experience 
to communities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern 
Europe, and the Pacific. And, I believe it is important to recognize 
that the enduring success of the Peace Corps is rooted in each 
volunteer's commitment to leave behind skills that allow people to take 
charge of their own futures.
  The Peace Corps is a truly remarkable institution in America, a 
symbol of the very best of our ideals of service, sacrifice, and self-
reliance. I believe that we must provide sufficient resources for the 
Peace Corps so that it can increase the number of volunteers in the 
field and continue its noble mission. National Peace Corps Day honors 
its volunteers, past and present, and reaffirms our country's 
commitment to helping our friends and neighbors throughout the world. 
Mr. President, in recognition of National Peace Corps day and in light 
of the special service this institution performs for our nation and the 
global community. I reaffirm my strong support of and commitment to 
this invaluable institution. I hope my colleagues and fellow Americans 
will do the same.
  I thank the President.

                          ____________________