[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S2000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL PEACE CORPS WEEK

  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, this week is National Peace Corps Week. 
It is with great pleasure that I send my congratulations to the Peace 
Corps volunteers serving throughout the world as we celebrate the Peace 
Corps' 44th year of service.
  Currently, more than 7,700 volunteers are answering the call to serve 
in 72 countries around the world. It is a list that is growing. In an 
historic agreement focused on science and technology, the Peace Corps 
entered Mexico last year. And over 20 other countries have expressed 
interest in establishing a partnership with the Peace Corps.
  Peace Corps volunteers have made a 27-month commitment to serve 
overseas typically in undeveloped or rural areas devoid of many modern 
necessities such as sanitation, transportation, and electricity. They 
work to achieve the first goal of the Peace Corps: training and 
educating people around the world. Volunteers are serving as teachers, 
business advisors, information technology consultants, agricultural 
workers, and as HIV/AIDS educators. Today over 3,100 Peace Corps 
volunteers are helping to implement President Bush's Emergency Plan for 
AIDS Relief.
  Even as they work on their projects to help those in the countries 
they serve, Peace Corps volunteers become America's unofficial 
``ambassadors'' of goodwill, fulfilling the Peace Corps' second goal of 
helping to promote a better understanding of America. In the words of 
former U.S. Ambassador Tibor Nagy: ``During my long overseas service, I 
consistently met two categories of people who were highly favorable 
toward our country: those who had close contact with Peace Corps 
volunteers, and those who had studied in the U.S.'' These kinds of 
public diplomacy efforts are more important today than ever.
  What's more, Peace Corps volunteers' unofficial ``ambassador'' duties 
do not conclude when they return home to the United States. Rather, 
they set about completing the third goal of the Peace Corps by 
promoting a better understanding of other countries here in America. In 
this way, Peace Corps volunteers give back much to their communities 
here at home.
  As chairman of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, 
and Narcotics Affairs, it is my desire to continue to assist in the 
growth of Peace Corps, and the well-being of its volunteers. As the 
Peace Corps continues to expand, I believe it is necessary to provide 
this agency the resources it needs to continue to ensure volunteer 
safety, productivity, and satisfaction. And I applaud efforts by the 
Peace Corps to further diversity our volunteers.
  It is my pleasure to recognize 223 Minnesota volunteers who right now 
are serving our Nation around the globe in countries from Albania to 
Uzbekistan. I would also like to recognize the over 5,000 returned 
Peace Corps volunteers who have already represented Minnesota and the 
United States abroad. Finally, I am happy to join with all past and 
present Peace Corps volunteers as we celebrate Peace Corps Week 2005, 
February 28-March 6.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments of the Peace Corps during National Peace Corps Week--
February 28 through March 6.
  For 44 years, the Peace Corps has engaged in meaningful work and made 
innumerable contributions to both America and the countries served by 
Corps members. Today, more than 2,700 Peace Corps volunteers are 
working to train men and women in 72 countries to provide for their own 
needs, as well as to promote mutual understanding between Americans and 
other cultures.
  It gives me great pride to know that the Peace Corps and the people 
of Wisconsin have a strong relationship. Right now, there are 289 Peace 
Corps volunteers from Wisconsin, including 137 volunteers from the 
University of Wisconsin-Madison--more volunteers than any other 
university in the Nation. The State of Wisconsin can also be proud that 
the university served as a training ground for many groups bound for 
service in the early years of the Peace Corps.
  To better illustrate the work that Wisconsinites do for the Peace 
Corps, I would like to share this story of great accomplishment. In 
August 2004, for the first time, the Peace Corps honored returned 
volunteers with an award recognizing efforts to promote a better 
understanding by Americans of other cultures. This award was presented 
to the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of the University of Wisconsin-
Madison. Since 1987, the group has raised money by selling calendars 
with pictures of Peace Corps experiences from around the world. The 
money is used to promote grassroots projects in countries where the 
volunteers served. The group also works to raise awareness about the 
Peace Corps and participates in charity events.
  This story is both an inspiration and a call to further service. The 
$98,000 that the Returned Peace Corp Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison 
donated over a 2-year period to the Peace Corps Partnership Program is 
a wonderful and meaningful achievement. It is my hope that other people 
in Wisconsin and throughout the United States will view these returned 
volunteers as role models.
  In closing, I wish to thank the 171,000 Americans who have served in 
the Peace Corps since 1961 and extend special recognition to the 4,409 
Wisconsinites counted among that number. The work of the Peace Corps 
has made an extraordinarily valuable difference to so many people 
throughout the world.

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