Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for marking up the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act. This act is named after two former Peace Corps volunteers. Sam Farr served with us here in the United States Congress. I also thank Representative Kennedy from Massachusetts, who was also a Peace Corps volunteer several years ago, for his cosponsorship of this legislation to protect our Peace Corps volunteers. I call them our angels abroad. Recently, I have heard too many stories of young, eager volunteers who selflessly give away years of their lives to help other people in foreign countries, countries that many Americans have never even heard of, but sometimes these Peace Corps volunteers are let down by the organization that they gave so much to. Jennifer Mamola was hit by a drunk driver while serving in Uganda. She was at a bus stop with another volunteer, who was killed by the drunk driver. Jennifer had both of her legs broken. When she returned home, still bedridden and loaded on pain medication, she faced an uphill battle to get medical treatment and endless bureaucracy from our own government. After months of fighting the system, she was finally approved for medical treatment, only to have her case continuously reopened. Others tell of their struggle to receive quality medical care and protection while they are abroad in foreign countries.…”