Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I rise to celebrate service-- specifically the dedication of Americans volunteering in the Peace Corps, which this week marks its 49th year of connecting committed volunteers with meaningful work around the globe. There are a lot of ways to give of ourselves. We donate food. We donate money. We donate time. But the Peace Corps takes community service--global service, really to another level, with volunteers committing 27 months to improve the quality of life in developing countries. Some projects focus on agriculture; others business. Some improve health, while others emphasize education or the environment, but all programs build a unique international relationship with a spirit of volunteer service at its core. As Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I recently saw one program up close during a congressional delegation I led to Morocco, which is an active Mediterranean partner country in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Meetings with local government officials there were informative. And the briefings from the embassy staff were important. But the time we spent with a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Aitourir was nothing short of inspiring. The Youth Development Program there run by Peace Corps volunteer Kate Tsunoda, with help from local community volunteers, is giving children from kindergarten through high school critical education, language, and art skills.…”