[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[February 15, 2002]
[Pages 231-234]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks Following the Swearing-In of Gaddi H. Vasquez as Director of the Peace Corps
February 15, 2002
Thank you very much. Welcome to the White House.
When America was attacked on September the 11th, they thought our
country would splinter into fear and selfishness. They thought we'd fall
apart. They thought we didn't have any fiber or character. Instead,
we've seen extraordinary acts of courage and compassion and a renewed
dedication to service. A spirit of sacrifice and service gave birth to
the Peace Corps more than 40 years ago. We needed the Peace Corps then,
and we need the Peace Corps today.
My administration strongly supports the Peace Corps, and we're
increasing our commitment to it. That starts by finding somebody who can
serve ably as the Director.
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I have found such a man. I was honored to swear Gaddi in, in the Oval
Office--or watch his swearing-in today in the Oval Office, and I know
he'll do a superb job in leading this important organization.
Thank you for leaving your beloved California. Thank you for your
sacrifice. And welcome to an administration that wants to do right by
the Peace Corps.
I also want to thank Elaine for your
sacrifice as well. I know it's hard to pull up your family and head
east, but it's the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do to
serve your country. And I'm so honored both of you all have come. And
Jason, thank you for being here as well to
support your dad.
I want to thank the first Peace Corps Director, who joined us today.
I can't thank you enough, Sargent Shriver,
for taking time out of your busy schedule to show up here to see this
good man assume this important office. We're honored with your presence.
We appreciate your service to the country, and thank you for coming.
And we've got another former Director here today, too, a lady who
serves in my Cabinet as the Secretary of Labor. She's doing a fabulous
job there, just like she did for the Peace Corps, and that's Elaine
Chao. Thank you for coming, Elaine.
And Gaddi was such a big draw that he got another member of my
Cabinet here, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mel
Martinez. Thanks for coming, Mel. I
appreciate your being here.
Two Members of the United States House of Representatives have
joined us: Gaddi's Congressman, Chris Cox--
thank you for coming, Chris; I appreciate you being here--and a former
volunteer, Tom Petri from Wisconsin. Thank
you for coming.
We hear from a lot of Members of Congress about the importance of
the Peace Corps but no more clear voice about that than Chris
Dodd, the Senator from Connecticut. I
look forward to working with Chris to implement our mutual vision for
making sure the Peace Corps fulfills its mission and hope.
And speaking about that, I want to thank all the people who work at
the Peace Corps, those who work there now, those who have been
volunteers in the past, are current volunteers. We're honored that you
serve our Nation, and you're welcome here in the White House, and thank
you for coming.
And finally, I think it's a great tribute to the Peace Corps that
we've got a lot of members from the ambassadorial corps who are here. I
want to thank you all for coming and taking your time. You understand
the importance of the Peace Corps, and your presence here is a
confirmation of its importance. And so we welcome you. Thank you for
coming.
For more than 40 years, the Peace Corps has sent Americans to serve
their country by serving the world. America has a new kind of force
today. I mean, we're not only a great country, a great economic engine,
and obviously a great military, we're a great idea. The greatness of the
country is in the values we believe in, freedom and hope and
opportunity. We're a nation founded on just valuable principles. And the
power of the idea cannot and will not be stopped at our borders.
The Peace Corps volunteers carry the American idea with them. They
don't carry our culture; they carry universal values and principles that
are so incredibly important for all of mankind. Peace Corps volunteers
contribute in unaccountable ways to the countries to which they're
assigned. They not only teach reading, English language skills; they
introduce new business and farming methods, help spark economic
development, promote training and modern technology, help fight the
spread of HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases. They make an incredibly
important contribution to our fellow mankind.
You know, because we come from a society where women can be leaders,
where people speak and worship freely, where the
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difference is a source of our strength, not a cause of war, a Peace
Corps volunteer in the very life they live helps spread important
values. Just the fact that somebody comes from a country that is so
open, that in itself is an incredibly positive influence on the world.
You know, the war has thrust upon us an enemy who hates every good--
everything the Peace Corps stands for. We long for peace in America.
We've got to remember, we're fighting an enemy that really can't stand
the values spread by the Peace Corps, which means that the Peace Corps
must be reinvigorated. The Peace Corps, itself, stands for what we fight
for. And if we weren't to understand the role, if we were to shrink in
our obligations, if we were not to allow the Peace Corps to expand, we
would be doing exactly what the terrorists want us to do. And we're not
going to let them cause us to abandon what we hold dear.
I have called for twice as many Peace Corps volunteers over the next
5 years, to return the Peace Corps to the strength it had in the
midsixties. Those new volunteers will be heading out to new
destinations. They'll be returning to the republics of central Asia. And
within 3 weeks, a team will leave for Afghanistan, to address how the
Peace Corps can assist that country in reconstruction. The Peace Corps
is committed to returning to Peru and to sending volunteers to East
Timor, which will soon become the first country to gain independence in
the 21st century. The Peace Corps will also explore ways to assist the
governments of Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, and Chad, and
Swaziland. And during my upcoming trip to Asia, I will explore with
Chinese officials the possibility of an expansion of the Peace Corps
program into China.
And when these volunteers return home, they can also help educate
Americans about the countries in which they serve. My administration has
created what's called the USA Freedom Corps, to encourage citizens to
give at least 2 years of their life to service to their country. And the
Peace Corps is a vital part of this effort.
For Americans looking for service opportunities at home or abroad,
they can find those opportunities in the USA Freedom Corps. If you're
interested in the Peace Corps, get on the Web--on your computer and dial
up the USA Freedom Corps web page, which is usafreedomcorps.gov, or just
pick up your telephone and dial 877-USA-CORPS. If you want to know about
the opportunities the Peace Corps offers, call that number or get on the
web page. And we will help you serve our fellow mankind.
You know, when President Kennedy, Sargent Shriver's brother-in-law,
signed an Executive order more than 40 years ago providing for the
establishing of the Peace Corps, he spoke about a nation of men and
women anxious to sacrifice their energies and time and toil to the cause
of world peace and human progress. That mission hasn't changed. As a
matter of fact, today the mission is needed more than ever.
I look forward to working with the Members of Congress to strengthen
the Peace Corps, to reassert its independence, and to create new
opportunities in other nations, as well as the ones I mentioned--new
opportunities in Muslim nations for us to spread the good story about
the values, the universal values, we hold so dear.
I believe Americans are still willing to sacrifice for causes
greater than themselves. And the Peace Corps offers such a fantastic
opportunity to do so. Gaddi Vasquez understands this, as well. And so
it's with pleasure I introduce the newly sworn-in Director of the Peace
Corps to the American people.
May God bless you all.
Note: The President spoke at 2:12 p.m. in Room 450 of the Dwight D.
Eisenhower Executive Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to
Elaine Vasquez, wife of Director Vasquez, and their son Jason Vasquez.
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