[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25477]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO ROBERT SARGENT SHRIVER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 8, 2005

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to 
honor Sargent Shriver on his 90th birthday today. It is fitting that we 
take this wonderful occasion to reflect on his life of service to our 
country.
  Martin Luther King once said, ``Everyone can be great because 
everyone can serve.'' Sargent Shriver embodies this ideal. A man of 
stellar character and tireless energy, Ambassador Shriver has been long 
recognized as a true humanitarian and a dedicated public servant.
  Ambassador Shriver received his bachelor's degree from Yale 
University in 1938. He also attended Yale Law School where he earned an 
L.L.B. in 1941. Shriver began his lifelong commitment to public service 
in the United States Navy during World War II.
  In 1961, Mr. Shriver answered the call of duty again when, at the 
request of President John F. Kennedy, he established and became 
Director of the Peace Corps. He helped organize operations around the 
world, from Africa and Asia to Latin America. Under his steadfast 
leadership, the Peace Corps provided medical, educational and technical 
assistance to foreign communities, while giving millions of Americans 
the opportunity to share our culture and values and democratic way of 
life with those less fortunate. Shriver's service to our country took a 
diplomatic turn when he served as our Ambassador to France from 1968 to 
1970.
  Through his commitment to turning his ideals into reality, Sargent 
Shriver has inspired generations of young people to work to improve the 
lives of others through public service. As Director of the Peace Corps, 
Ambassador Shriver once stated, ``I say what our nation needs now is a 
call to peace and service--peace and service on a scale we have 
scarcely begun to imagine.'' These words still ring as true today as 
they did when they were first spoken.
  While Ambassador Shriver is best known as the Founding Father of the 
Peace Corps, he has also been instrumental in the creation of many 
other programs which have the goal of helping Americans to better their 
lives. Among those programs are Head Start, Job Corps, Legal Services, 
Upward Bound, Community Action, Foster Grandparents, and the Special 
Olympics.
  In 1994, President Clinton recognized Ambassador Shriver's 
extraordinary commitment to public service by awarding him the nation's 
highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud Sargent Shriver's accomplishments and his 
undying commitment to humanitarian efforts and I wish him well on his 
birthday and in the years to come. Happy Birthday, Sargent Shriver. We 
salute you!

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