[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 155 (Tuesday, September 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE UNITED STATES-UNITED KINGDOM FULBRIGHT COMMISSION
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, as a member of the British-American
Parliamentary Group, I would like to take a moment to recognize the
70th anniversary of the creation of the United States-United Kingdom
Fulbright Commission.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Congress took steps aimed
at creating a more peaceful and prosperous world. The Fulbright
Program, along with the World Bank and the IMF, are reminders of the
importance of collective action for the common good. Since 1946, the
Fulbright Program has fostered bilateral relationships through
educational exchanges with postgraduate and postdoctoral scholarships.
In the words of Senator J. William Fulbright, ``the vital mortar to
seal the bricks of world order is education across international
boundaries, not with the expectation that knowledge would make us love
each other, but in the hope that it would encourage empathy between
nations . . . .'' Those words are as relevant today as they were back
then.
Over the last 70 years, thousands of students from the United States
and the United Kingdom have crossed the Atlantic to deepen their
understanding of each other's countries and cultures. Fulbright
scholarships have not only been the catalysts for great artists,
journalists, scientists, lawyers, independent scholars, and many
others; they have cemented friendships around the globe for
generations.
I invite my fellow Senators to celebrate the many Fulbright scholars
and emerging leaders who have worked in countless ways to foster
tolerance and understanding in their communities, countries, and around
the world. In my 44 years in the Senate, I cannot think of a time when
those attributes were more needed than they are today.
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