[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2635-2636]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              CELEBRATING 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE CORPS

  (Mr. FARR of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page 2636]]


  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise also with the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Walsh) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 
Peace Corps. It was founded on March 1, 1961 when President John F. 
Kennedy signed the legislation launching the Peace Corps.
  Since then, more than 162,000 Americans have served and returned to 
this United States, having served in 134 different countries. Six now 
serve in the House of Representatives, three Republicans and three 
Democrats: the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays), the gentleman from New York (Mr.Walsh), 
myself, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), and the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Honda).
  More than 67,000 volunteers are in the field today teaching in 
elementary schools, high schools and technical schools, building water 
systems and agricultural co-ops, teaching health care, and treating 
people in need.
  But, Mr. Speaker, we need to do more. The demand for the Peace Corps 
is at an all-time high. More host countries want volunteers. The 
interest in serving in this country is at an all-time high. In fact, 
only about one out of nine people that have shown interest have a space 
abroad, because Congress has not fully funded the Peace Corps. The goal 
was to have 10,000 volunteers in the field by 2000. We only have 7,000. 
We need to do a better job. Fully fund the Peace Corps.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been 38 years since I joined the Peace Corps, and 
I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps.
  It was started on March 1, 1961, when President Kennedy signed the 
legislation launching the Peace Corps--establishing a bold and hopeful 
experiment to allow Volunteers to bring practical grassroots assistance 
to the people of developing nations to help them build a better life 
for themselves and their children.
  Forty years later, the Peace Corps has succeeded beyond everyone's 
expectations.
  Today there are more than 162,000 returned volunteers in the United 
States, six of whom serve in the House of Representatives and two in 
the United States Senate. They have served in 134 different nations, 
making significant and lasting contributions from Armenia and 
Bangladesh to Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.
  There are more than 7,000 Volunteers that are now living and working 
overseas. They are addressing critical development needs on a person-
to-person basis: working with teachers and parents to teach English, 
math and science; helping spread and gain access to clean water; to 
grow more food; to help prevent the spread of AIDS; to help 
entrepreneurs start new businesses; to train students to use computers; 
and to work with non-governmental organizations to protect our 
environment. Above all, Volunteers leave behind skills that allow 
individuals and communities to take charge of their own futures.
  In our increasingly interconnected global community, Peace Corps 
Volunteers also promote greater cross-cultural awareness, both in the 
countries in which they serve and when they return home. As they work 
shoulder to shoulder with their host communities, Volunteers embody and 
share some of America's most enduring values: freedom, opportunity, 
hope, progress. It is these bonds of friendship and understanding that 
they create that can build the foundations for peace among nations.
  And I can personally testify that the best service that is given to 
the Peace Corps is the continuation of service to our communities when 
we all come home. Today, because of the anniversary of the Peace Corps, 
thousands of returned Volunteers are visiting schools and local 
communities throughout the United States, sharing the knowledge and 
insights gained from their experiences abroad and passing along the 
value of services to others.
  As we have learned around the world, the best way to support a 
democracy is to help development at the local level. Meanwhile, 
America's young and old, single and married, would like to serve their 
country, humanity and democracy. The Peace Corps is one of the most 
effective mechanisms for uniting these two ideals. This is an asset we 
should not let go to waste.
  On this 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps, please join me in 
honoring all Volunteers, past, present, and future, and in celebrating 
their four decades of service to the world. The Peace Corps has served 
its country well, and we should all be proud.

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