[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 19, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E78-E79]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING THE MEMORY OF
                           R. SARGENT SHRIVER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 19, 2011

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a 
giant of public service, Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr. who passed away 
yesterday at the age of 95. Sargent Shriver was the absolute embodiment 
of selfless devotion, harnessing the excitement of the Kennedy era to 
the ideals of volunteerism and assistance to those less fortunate in 
this country and around the world. The programs he organized have 
endured for nearly half a century and have become true institutions, 
affecting generations of Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that tomorrow marks the 50th Anniversary 
of President Kennedy's Inaugural Address. On that cold January day in 
1961, a young President inspired the Nation to lift itself up and apply 
its energies to advancing America and its ideals at home and around the 
world using those iconic words: ``Ask not what your country can do for 
you, ask what you can do for your country.'' As one of his chief 
lieutenants, Sargent Shriver

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spread President Kennedy's message far and wide to millions of little 
boys and girls, some of whom, myself included, rose to heed his call to 
public service.
  Mr. Speaker, since the age of 6 I have wanted to work for others, and 
though I was a little girl at the time, I was touched by the energy of 
the times and the spirit of service has never left me. The ideals that 
Sargent Shriver advocated fell across a generation.
  Born in Maryland, Sargent Shriver earned his undergraduate and law 
degrees at Yale University. Despite organizing a group focused on 
keeping America out of World War II, he volunteered and served for 5 
years in the Pacific with the Navy, achieving the rank of lieutenant 
and receiving the Purple Heart for wounds suffered at Guadalcanal. He 
became associated with the Kennedy family, first managing a store in 
Chicago owned by Joseph Kennedy Sr. and later marrying Eunice Kennedy, 
John F. Kennedy's sister. He worked on the Kennedy campaign and 
endeared himself to the newly elected President.
  On October 14, 1960, John F. Kennedy gave a speech at the University 
of Michigan and lingered afterwards with a group of students, the 
conversation lasting long into the night. During that meeting, they 
discussed the idea of a government program whereby young Americans 
would be sent to developing nations to aid in local projects, mostly 
centering on education, health, and agriculture. President Kennedy 
assumed office with this program in mind, and on March 1, 1961, the 
Peace Corps was born with Sargent Shriver as its first director. 
Volunteers arrived in five countries during 1961. In just under six 
years, Shriver developed programs in 55 countries with a volunteer 
count of more than 15,000.
  The Peace Corps will also celebrate its 50th Anniversary in March, 
and it can credit its success to the diligent devotion shown by its 
first director and to his predecessors who must strive to meet his 
lofty standards. Sargent Shriver carried the flame of Camelot. Entire 
generations, inspired by his energy, took up his call to right wrongs, 
improve their communities, and implement his color-blind approach to 
administering the government.
  In his drive to promote social equality and bring more people to 
public service, he founded numerous social programs and non-
governmental organizations, including the Head Start Program, VISTA, 
Job Corps, Community Action, Upward Bound, Foster Grandparents, Special 
Olympics, Legal Services, the National Clearinghouse for Legal Services 
(now the Shriver Center), and Indian and Migrant Opportunities and 
Neighborhood Health Services.
  His record of service includes representing the U.S. as Ambassador to 
France, being the 1972 Democratic candidate for Vice-President, 
practicing international law, and membership on the boards for numerous 
non-governmental organizations and philanthropic institutions. In his 
later years, he and his beloved wife, Eunice, organized The Special 
Olympics and made it an international force for the dignity of the 
disabled.
  Mr. Speaker, Sargent Shriver once said, ``The only genuine elite are 
the elite of those men and women who gave their lives to justice and 
charity.'' Today I commend Sargent Shriver's long life and 
distinguished career. His dedication and work on behalf of others has 
directly benefited thousands of communities, from the inner cities of 
the United States to the most remote villages in Africa. He was the 
model of civil service and he will be missed.

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