[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 38 (Friday, March 1, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE 63RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. PEACE CORPS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JAMIE RASKIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 1, 2024

  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate 63 years of the United 
States Peace Corps' work in promoting world peace and friendship among 
nations. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps as the 
United States' first global volunteer initiative on March 1, 1961. 
Since then, the Peace Corps has sent more than 241,000 Volunteers to 
serve communities in 143 countries. These committed Americans have 
formed enduring bonds of friendship across cultures and championed the 
best of our country's values abroad.

  The founding Director of the Peace Corps, Sargent R. Shriver, 
observed that ``Peace requires the simple but powerful recognition that 
what we have in common as human beings is more important and crucial 
than what divides us.'' Peace Corps Volunteers have performed immensely 
valuable and meaningful work to advance the vision of person-to-person 
peace-building by living and working in communities abroad. Over the 
past 63 years, Volunteers have learned the languages of their host 
countries to advance development work in public health, education, 
agriculture, youth organizing and community economics. Today, the Peace 
Corps' mission is in the capable hands of my constituent, Director 
Carol Spahn, who is herself a former Volunteer. This week, I am honored 
to celebrate her work as my Eighth District Local Hero to showcase the 
importance of her leadership of one of our country's most important 
diplomatic and service programs.

  I am proud of the generations of compassionate and courageous 
Volunteers who have committed themselves to two or more years of 
service in a land previously unknown to them. Among their ranks are 
many of my constituents from Maryland's beautiful Eighth Congressional 
District. This year, my district has sent more Peace Corps Volunteers 
to serve abroad than any other congressional district in the country. 
It is my surpassing honor to represent the many individuals who are 
choosing to live, serve and learn in over 20 countries as Volunteers.

  When they return to the United States, Peace Corps Volunteers bring 
their new vision home. After immersing themselves in the culture of 
their host communities, Volunteers continue to enrich our communities 
with the friendships they built during their time abroad. They bring 
not only their memories but new skills in languages, cross-cultural 
understanding and subject matter expertise. Many Volunteers continue to 
serve our country through other forms of public service.

  As we honor the 63rd anniversary of the Peace Corps, I am grateful to 
the Volunteers and to the dedicated civil servants, led by Director 
Spahn, who make their work possible.

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