Recognizing the 63rd Anniversary of the U.S. Peace Corps

Floor Speech

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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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