[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2781-2782]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THE PEACE CORPS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 27, 2008

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, National Peace Corps week is a time for 
us to honor the immeasurable contributions and service of the current 
8,079 Peace Corps volunteers. Through mutual respect and understanding, 
these men and women have committed themselves to improving our 
country's relationships with the rest of the world, and I rise today to 
applaud their dedication to communities in the 74 countries in which 
they have admirably served.
  When President John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps 47 years ago, 
he set out to provide ordinary men and women with an opportunity to 
strengthen developing countries devastated by the effects of poverty, 
disease, and war. Since then, more than 190,000 volunteers have served 
in 139 countries, and the Peace Corps' long-lasting impact has 
continued to reverberate throughout the world.
  Peace Corps volunteers have mobilized to combat some of the world's 
most urgent humanitarian crises, including providing crucial assistance 
to communities in need of post-conflict relief and reconstruction as 
well as countries overwhelmed by natural disasters. These men and women 
have helped economically depressed communities develop new business 
plans, struggling farmers improve their crop production, and families 
devastated by HIV/AIDS receive the care they need. These volunteers 
have overcome significant challenges by fostering new bonds of 
friendship, and they deserve to be commended for their service and 
passion.
  To date, the 6th District of California has produced around 400 Peace 
Corps volunteers, including the following 33 current volunteers: Libby 
A. Bersot, who is working in Botswana; Tracey M. Bolch, Gambia; Jamie 
L. Bowen, Mali; Jennifer M. Busick, Bolivia; Catherine G. Carlton, 
Zambia; John Cervett w Cervetto, Kyrgyzstan; Joseph P. Deschenes, 
Albania;

[[Page 2782]]

Fionah Dominis, Swaziland; Tameron A. Eaton, Eastern Caribbean; 
Benjamin S. Fryer, Nicaragua; Jillian D. Geissler, Guatemala; Robyn M. 
Grahn, Honduras; Emilie J. Greenhalgh Stam, Cameroon; Alexis S. Guild, 
Guatemala; Donald F. Hesse, Jordan; Jessica D. Holloway, Armenia; 
Michelle Kong, Guatemala; August L. Konrad, Kenya; Anna F. Kuhn, 
Tanzania; Abigail M. Lafrenz, Bulgaria; Bridget M. Leddy, Kyrgyzstan; 
Frank E. Lester, Kenya; Kyle B. Lopez, Bolivia; Alissa P. Mayer, 
Dominican Republic; Sydney F. McCall, Bolivia; Julia A. Montgomery, 
Vanuatu; Morgan C. Montgomery, Honduras; Travis W. Pittman, Ghana; 
Jacob E. Rich, Peru; Richard C. Rystrom, Ukraine; Jessica F. Souza, 
Cape Verde; Katherine L. Theiss-Nyland, Malawi; Kyla H. Wall-Polin, 
Bulgaria.
  Madam Speaker, the 47th anniversary of the establishment of the Peace 
Corps is an achievement that we should all commemorate. I rise today to 
celebrate the leadership and accomplishments of these compassionate men 
and women who have committed themselves to promoting global peace, 
diplomacy, and understanding.

                          ____________________