[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 5, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S14781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I am pleased to recognize the 
United Nations International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social 
Development, IVD. I strongly support international volunteering because 
of the mutual personal and cultural benefits it yields to both those 
who volunteer and those who benefit from volunteer efforts. 
Volunteering is one of the more meaningful ways for us to address very 
significant needs and develop a common understanding throughout our 
interconnected world.
  Volunteering overseas regularly changes perspectives for the better. 
My constituents often share their stories about these international 
experiences, and I am always pleased to hear them talk about how it 
broadened their understanding and deepened their compassion for other 
cultures. Today, some of the greatest threats to our national security 
are based on, or feed upon, a false impression of who the American 
people are and what we care about. To reverse these erroneous 
impressions we need to share and make clear the qualities of empathy 
and kindness that are central to our heritage. American volunteerism 
abroad is not only a simple act of benevolence--an effort to improve 
the lives of others--but it is also one of our best resources to create 
greater, more meaningful interaction and common points of reference and 
to build strong relationships throughout the world.
  Claudia from Milwaukee wrote me recently about her first 
international volunteer experience. She said, ``I have always had a 
desire to travel and explore. . . . Most recently, I had the 
opportunity to volunteer internationally with Cross-Cultural Solutions 
in Lima, Peru . . . which brought out every emotion we have. While in 
Lima, I worked with the elderly of Villa El Salvador, many of whom are 
abused, neglected and in poor health. Villa El Salvador, which is 
outside of Lima, is a shantytown built on the sand dunes in 1970. The 
warmth and love felt from the people was unbelievable. I also had the 
opportunity to participate in home visits. Seeing how people live with 
very little, most with only one or two rooms, many with dirt floors and 
some having no indoor plumbing, makes me realize that it's not the 
possessions we have in life but life itself. . . . We are one world, 
one planet. We do need to share it as one.''
  I believe every American should have the opportunity to volunteer 
overseas and experience firsthand, like Claudia, how crucial this kind 
of assistance is to building meaningful personal understanding and 
international relationships as well as contributing to the development 
of nations. For this reason, I introduced the Global Service Fellowship 
Act, S. 1464, which creates an international volunteer program designed 
to provide more opportunities for people-to-people engagement. The bill 
reduces two key barriers that Americans face when volunteering 
overseas--cost and time limitations. First, the Global Service 
Fellowship Act reduces financial barriers by awarding fellowships that 
can be applied towards airfare, housing, or program costs, to name a 
few examples. By providing financial assistance, the Global Service 
Fellowship Program opens the door for every American to be a program 
participant--not just those with the resources to pay for it.
  Second, this bill offers flexibility in the length of time for which 
an individual can volunteer. I often hear from constituents who do not 
seek opportunities to participate in Federal volunteer programs because 
they cannot leave their jobs or family for years at a time. The Global 
Service Fellowship Program provides a commonsense approach to the time 
constraints of many Americans who seek volunteer opportunities by 
offering a timeframe that works for them--from a month up to a year.
  My bill would broaden the spectrum of Federal volunteer opportunities 
already made available by our Government. Given the increasingly 
negative perception of the United States overseas, we need more support 
for international volunteerism now more than ever. My constituents who 
engage in such opportunities are proof of how we can both inform 
ourselves of the needs and nature of our foreign neighbors and also 
directly change attitudes about the United States for the better.
  For these reasons, today marks a special day for me and, in 
particular, for my constituents who have shared with me their stories 
of hope and fulfillment from their international experiences. It is my 
wish that all of us will have these types of experiences and that this 
day will remind us of--and encourage us to participate in--the very 
meaningful opportunities and benefits offered by international 
volunteer initiatives.

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