Thomas E. Petri: “I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us, S. 230, which would authorize…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us, S. 230, which would authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a memorial in our Nation's Capital to honor the formation of the Peace Corps and the thousands of volunteers who have represented our American ideals to communities around the world for over 50 years. I was honored to have the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps in Somalia, and I saw firsthand the contribution that Peace Corps volunteers make to the communities they serve. The continued selfless and noble service outside our borders remains a testament to the American ideals embodied by the Peace Corps volunteers I served with and those who are serving our Nation today. The creation of the Peace Corps by Congress and President John F. Kennedy in 1961 marked a fundamental turning point in American foreign policy. The values and ideals of America were put into action to help meet the needs of people and communities in developing countries through volunteer service abroad. When I was serving, we were taught that we were representing the American people, not necessarily the American Government. Therefore, I believe that a memorial to mark over 50 years of service by our fellow Americans that is paid for with voluntary contributions is an appropriate indication of the public support for all the volunteers that have and will continue to represent America in many different societies around the world.…”