IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 70 

Recognizing the critical contributions international volunteers provide to the 

United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 10, 2013 

Mr. NOLAN (for himself, Mr. FARR, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. WALZ, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MCCOLLUM, and Mr. LOEBSACK) 

submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the critical contributions international volunteers 

provide to the United States. 

Whereas December 5 marks ‘‘International Volunteer Day’’, 

a day to increase awareness of the important contributions of volunteer service; 

Whereas international volunteering provides meaningful opportunities to build cross-cultural understanding while 

addressing vital human development needs; 

Whereas a 2006 Terror Free Tomorrow poll of the world’s 

three largest Muslim countries (Indonesia, Bangladesh, 

and Pakistan) indicates that development assistance results in substantial favorable change in opinion toward 

the United States; 

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Whereas for more than 50 years, the United States Peace 

Corps has sent more than 200,000 United States citizens 

abroad on 27-month volunteer assignments to advance 

development and build understanding; 

Whereas Kosovo recently announced it will become the 140th 

country since 1961 to receive Peace Corps volunteers; 

Whereas in the past 10 years, nearly 120,000 United States 

professionals have served the Nation internationally 

through Volunteers for Prosperity, sharing their skills to 

support programs of the United States Agency for International Development to advance agriculture, economic 

development, environment, health, democracy, governance, and more; 

Whereas more than 300 member organizations of the Building Bridges Coalition are actively involved in organizing 

and documenting effective practices, increasing public 

awareness, and energizing campus and corporate engagement in support of United States international service 

opportunities; 

Whereas Duke University has sent over 1,600 students to 

volunteer overseas in more than 50 countries, just one 

example of the increasing number of institutions of higher education committed to international service; 

Whereas Global Volunteers, the pioneer nonprofit international short-term volunteer service organization, has 

engaged 30,000 volunteers since 1984, providing 

2,400,000 hours of volunteer service and now provides 

comprehensive services by helping deliver the United Nations ‘‘The Essential Package’’ for the benefit of developing communities; 

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Whereas over 200 volunteers have served abroad as Harris 

Wofford Global Service Fellows in 2012 and 2013 

through full and partial scholarships from the private 

and nonprofit sectors; 

Whereas since 1986, more than 7,000 individuals in 30 countries in 11,700,000 hours have served as educators 

through year-long opportunities provided through World 

Teach, including its newest program in 2013 in Vietnam; 

Whereas 2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of Partners of 

the Americas, a people-to-people organization that 

evolved from the Alliance for Progress, which connects 

more than 10,000 volunteers in the Western Hemisphere 

to serve and to change lives through lasting partnerships; 

Whereas 2014 will also mark the 20th anniversary of Cross 

Cultural Solutions, which has sent more than 30,000 volunteers on short-term service projects across Africa, Asia, 

and Latin America; 

Whereas Habitat for Humanity since 1976 has served more 

than 750,000 families around the world in providing adequate and stable housing with the help of 1,000,000 volunteers each year; 

Whereas this is one example of the increasing number of 

faith-based institutions committed to international service; 

Whereas Atlas Corps, an organization that promotes multilateral, long-term professional exchange, has supported 

the ‘‘reverse flow’’ of volunteers through the engagement 

of more than 200 professionals from 54 countries in 

400,000 hours of service in the United States and Latin 

America; 

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Whereas the On Demand Community reflects 14,000,000 

hours of IBM’s employees and retirees volunteer efforts 

in over 120 countries, an example of the increasing number of corporations committed to international service; 

Whereas the programs and organizations listed above are representative of dozens of similar other international volunteer initiatives that, taken together, provide United 

States citizens with a flexibility of offerings to serve fellow citizens across the globe and engage volunteers at 

home; 

Whereas in a July 15, 2013, memorandum, President Barack 

Obama said ‘‘National service and volunteering can be effective solutions to national challenges and can have positive and lasting impacts that reach beyond the immediate 

service experience.’’; 

Whereas in a March 29, 2013, opinion piece in the Wall 

Street Journal, General Stanley McChrystal called for ‘‘a 

cultural shift that makes service an expected rite of citizenship’’; and 

Whereas the Franklin Project is proposing a 21st century 

National Service System to offer at least 1,000,000 fulltime civilian national service opportunities each year for 

young adults: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes ‘‘International Service Day’’ as a 

4 day to appreciate citizens around the world who vol5 unteer in other nations in service to others; 

6 (2) honors and congratulates the tens of thou7 sands of United States citizens who selflessly take 

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1 part in international volunteer service activities each 

2 year; 

3 (3) expresses its hope that tens of thousands of 

4 United States citizens will continue to engage in 

5 international service, bringing the spirit and values 

6 of the Nation’s people to all corners of the globe; 

7 and 

8 (4) calls on the Administration to further de9 velop the strong spirit of partnership and global 

10 service connecting the United States Peace Corps 

11 with its nonprofit, faith-based, and corporate actors 

12 in service for enhanced impacts in cross-cultural un13 derstanding and development outcomes. 

Æ 

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