Title: A resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps and commending the volunteers who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the world.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps and commends Peace Corps volunteers and staff.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 387 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 387

Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps and commending the 
volunteers who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the 
                                 world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 27, 2021

Mr. Menendez submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps and commending the 
volunteers who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the 
                                 world.

Whereas the Peace Corps Act of 1961 was signed into law by President John F. 
        Kennedy on September 22, 1961;
Whereas the Peace Corps' mission is to promote world peace and friendship by--

    (1) helping the people in interested countries to meet their need for 
trained workers;

    (2) helping to promote a better understanding of Americans by people in 
countries where volunteers have served; and

    (3) helping to promote a better understanding of such people by 
Americans;

Whereas Peace Corps volunteers work to advance both international development 
        and public diplomacy, with more than 240,000 Americans who have answered 
        the call to service by cumulatively serving in 142 countries and 
        providing more than 3,000,000,000 of service to our Nation and the 
        world;
Whereas Peace Corps volunteers exemplify American values and grow trust and 
        faith in the United States in developing countries by--

    (1) building connections with the people with whom they live and work; 
and

    (2) helping communities realize the full potential of their present 
assets and discover new opportunities;

Whereas returned Peace Corps volunteers enter the job market with--

    (1) the experience of working with limited resources and navigating 
bureaucratic institutions;

    (2) proficiency in many languages and communication styles;

    (3) passion about mission-driven work; and

    (4) the ability to invest in their communities in a lasting way;

Whereas due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps made the difficult 
        decision, in early 2020, to temporarily suspend all volunteer missions 
        and recall approximately 7,300 volunteers and trainees from their 
        countries of service;
Whereas the Peace Corps and the broader Peace Corps community have utilized this 
        temporary recall to deeply explore how the many ways in which the Peace 
        Corps could be improved in its support of volunteers and its 
        collaboration with the communities in which such volunteers are serving, 
        including facilitating COVID-19 testing and the distribution of COVID-19 
        vaccines;
Whereas beginning in December 2021, the Peace Corps will gradually resume its 
        volunteer missions abroad, beginning with missions located in parts of 
        Latin America and the Caribbean;
Whereas Peace Corps volunteers play a significant role in implementing 
        presidential initiatives at the local level, including training and 
        deploying more than 800 specialized malaria prevention volunteers to 
        serve in communities across Africa since 2011;
Whereas the Peace Corps, in partnership with the United States Agency for 
        International Development, has generated an additional $34,000,000 in 
        local community and third party contributions through the Small Project 
        Assistance Program in support of important development outcomes, 
        including--

    (1) efforts to combat human trafficking;

    (2) enhanced civic engagement and public accountability;

    (3) improved maternal and children's health outcomes;

    (4) preventing the spread of malaria; and

    (5) bolstered community resilience and preparedness to environmental 
disasters;

Whereas 42 percent of Peace Corps volunteers work in the education sector by--

    (1) increasing the English language competency of local students and 
teachers;

    (2) developing teaching materials and improving the teaching techniques 
of local teachers; or

    (3) assisting after-school programs, youth clubs, and the development 
of libraries;

Whereas the Peace Corps advances the principles of gender equality worldwide and 
        maintains a volunteer force that is 65 percent female; and
Whereas the Peace Corps is integral to realizing United States foreign policy, 
        addressing critical global challenges that require United States 
        leadership, and advances our United States national security interests: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps;
            (2) honors all of the volunteers who have dedicated their 
        lives to address the serious global challenges of our time, 
        including illiteracy, environmental degradation, food 
        insecurity, and communicable diseases;
            (3) commends the tireless service of the civil servants, 
        recruiters, medical and security personnel, and in-country 
        support staff that run the Peace Corps on a daily basis; and
            (4) renews the United States commitment--
                    (A) to promoting world peace and friendship; and
                    (B) to helping developing countries reach their 
                development goals.
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