A Tribute to the Peace Corps' 45th Anniversary CONGRESSMAN ADAM B. SCHIFF OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the Peace Corps. On the heels of his historic Inaugural Address, President Kennedy signed an Executive Order on March 1, 1961 to establish the Peace Corps in order to promote world peace and friendship. Over the past 45 years, the Peace Corps has deployed over 182,000 volunteers to more than 138 nations to work on various important issues. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Peace Corps' mission remains as relevant as ever with 7,810 volunteers working in 75 countries to address some of the globe's most pressing challenges, such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In addition, the Peace Corps has swiftly responded to recent natural disasters. I recently visited East Timor--the world's newest democracy and one of the poorest nations in Asia--as part of my work on the House Democracy Assistance Commission. While we were there, we met several Peace Corps volunteers and learned about the wonderful work they were doing to improve the lives of the people of that new nation. I could not have been more impressed with their dedication, compassion, and commitment to service. I would like to recognize past and present Peace Corps volunteers who have made invaluable contributions in all corners of the globe over the past 45 years. I am proud to say that 12 of my constituents are currently serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers. They are: Khaled Alquaddoomi, Wendy Chien, Jennifer Chow, Nicole Gabriel, Kelly Golden, Karen Hamilton, Ibrahim Kalla, Alice Luck, Keenton Luong, Kristina Ortiz, Lassana Toure, and Katherine Wang. Let us commend these dedicated young Americans--and all of those who have served--for their efforts in such a noble task, defined by President Kennedy as "bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace."