2:12 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Welcome
to the White House.
When America was attacked on September the 11th, they thought our
country would splinter into fear and selfishness. They
thought we'd fall apart. They thought we didn't have any
fiber or character. Instead, we've seen extraordinary acts
of courage and compassion, and a renewed dedication to
service. A spirit of sacrifice and service gave birth to the
Peace Corps more than 40 years ago. We needed the Peace
Corps then, and we need the Peace Corps today.
My administration strongly supports the Peace Corps, and we're
increasing our commitment to it. That starts by finding
somebody who can serve ably as the Director. I have found
such a man. I was honored to swear Gaddi in, in the Oval
Office -- or watch his swearing-in today in the Oval Office, and I know
he'll do a superb job in leading this important organization.
Thank you for leaving your beloved California. Thank you
for your sacrifice. And welcome to an administration that
wants to do right by the Peace Corps. (Applause.)
I also want to thank Elaine for your sacrifice, as
well. I know it's hard to pull up your family and head east,
but it's the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do
to serve your country. And I'm so honored both of you all
have come. And, Jason, thank you for being here, as well, to
support your dad.
I want to thank the first Peace Corps Director, who joined us
today. I can't thank you enough, Sargent Shriver, for taking
time out of your busy schedule to show up here to see this good man
assume this important office. We're honored with your
presence. We appreciate your service to the country, and
thank you for coming. (Applause.)
And we've got another former Director here today, too, a lady who
serves in my Cabinet as the Secretary of Labor. She's doing
a fabulous job there, just like she did for the Peace Corps, and that's
Elaine Chao. Thank you for coming,
Elaine. (Applause.)
And Gaddi was such a big draw that he got another member of my
Cabinet here, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mel
Martinez. Thanks for coming, Mel. I appreciate
your being here. (Applause.)
Two members of the United States House of Representatives have
joined us: Gaddi's Congressman, Chris Cox -- thank you for
coming, Chris. I thank you for being here. And a
former volunteer, Tom Petri from Wisconsin. Thank you for
coming. (Applause.)
We hear from a lot of members of Congress about the importance of
the Peace Corps, but no more clear voice about that than Chris Dodd,
the Senator from Connecticut. I look forward to working with
Chris to implement our mutual vision for making sure the Peace Corps
fulfills its mission and hope.
And speaking about that, I want to thank all the people who work at
the Peace Corps -- those who work there now, those who have been
volunteers in the past, are current volunteers. We're
honored that you serve our nation, and you're welcome here in the White
House, and thank you for coming. (Applause.)
And finally, I think it's a great tribute to the Peace Corps that
we've got a lot of members from the ambassadorial corps who are
here. I want to thank you all for coming and taking your
time. You understand the importance of the Peace Corps, and
your presence here is a confirmation of its importance. And
so we welcome you. Thank you for coming.
For more than 40 years, the Peace Corps has sent Americans to serve
their country by serving the world. America has a new kind
of force today. I mean, we're not only a great country, a
great economic engine, and obviously a great military, we're a great
idea. The greatness of the country is in the values we
believe in -- freedom and hope and opportunity. We're a
nation founded on just valuable principles. And the power of
the idea cannot, and will not, be stopped at our borders.
The Peace Corps volunteers carry the American idea with
them. They don't carry our culture; they carry universal
values and principles that are so incredibly important for all of
mankind. Peace Corps volunteers contribute in unaccountable
ways to the countries to which they're assigned. They not
only teach reading, English language skills, they introduce new
business and farming methods, help spark economic development, promote
training and modern technology, help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and
infectious diseases. They make an incredibly important
contribution to our fellow mankind.
You know, because we come from a society where women can be
leaders, where people speak and worship freely, where the difference is
a source of our strength, not a cause of war, a Peace Corps volunteer
in the very life they live helps spread important
values. Just the fact that somebody comes from a country
that is so open, that in itself is an incredibly positive influence on
the world.
You know, the war has thrust upon us an enemy who hates every good
-- everything the Peace Corps stands for. We long for peace
in America. We've got to remember, we're fighting an enemy
that really can't stand the values spread by the Peace
Corps. Which means that the Peace Corps must be
reinvigorated. The Peace Corps, itself, stands for what we
fight for. And if we weren't to understand the role, if we
were to shrink in our obligations, if we were not to allow the Peace
Corps to expand, we would be doing exactly what the terrorists want us
to do. And we're not going to let them cause us to abandon
what we hold dear.
I have called for twice as many Peace Corps volunteers over the
next five years, to return the Peace Corps to the strength it had in
the mid-'60s. Those new volunteers will be heading out to
new destinations. They'll be returning to the republics of
Central Asia. And within three weeks, a team will leave for
Afghanistan, to address how the Peace Corps can assist that country in
reconstruction.
The Peace Corps is committed to returning to Peru, and to sending
volunteers to East Timor, which will soon become the first country to
gain independence in the 21st century. The Peace Corps will
also explore ways to assist the governments of Azerbaijan,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, and Chad, and Swaziland. And
during my upcoming trip to Asia, I will explore with Chinese officials
the possibility of an expansion of the Peace Corps program into China.
And when these volunteers return home, they can also help educate
Americans about the countries in which they serve. My
administration has created what's called the USA Freedom Corps, to
encourage citizens to give at least two years of their life to service
to their country. And the Peace Corps is a vital part of
this effort.
For Americans looking for service opportunities, at home or abroad,
they can find those opportunities in the USA Freedom
Corps. If you're interested in the Peace Corps, get on the
web -- on your computer, and dial up the USA
Freedom Corps web page, which is usafreedomcorps.gov. Or
just pick up your telephone, and dial 877-USA-CORPS. If you
want to know about the opportunities the Peace Corps offers, call that
number, or get on the web page. And we will help you serve
our fellow mankind.
You know, when President Kennedy -- Sergeant Shriver's
brother-in-law -- signed an executive order more than 40 years ago
providing for the establishing of the Peace Corps, he spoke about a
nation of men and women anxious to sacrifice their energies and time
and toil to the cause of world peace and human
progress. That mission hasn't changed. As a
matter of fact, today the mission is needed more than ever.
I look forward to working with the members of Congress to
strengthen the Peace Corps, to reassert its independence, and to create
new opportunities in other nations, as well as the ones I mentioned --
new opportunities in Muslim nations for us to spread the good story
about the values, the universal values, we hold so dear.
I believe Americans are still willing to sacrifice for causes
greater than themselves. And the Peace Corps offers such a
fantastic opportunity to do so. Gaddi Vasquez understands
this, as well. And so it's with pleasure I introduce the
newly sworn-in Director of the Peace Corps to the American people.
May God bless you all. (Applause.)
END 2:24
P.M. EST