Lawmakers help Peace Corps fill their ranks

Peace Corps veterans in Congress on Thursday remembered their experiences overseas and urged young people to also apply to serve.

Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), one of four former volunteers in the House, said seeing “so many bright and smiling faces” at the recruiting event on Capitol Hill brought back his own days in the Peace Corps.

“50 years ago and 100 pounds ago, I was just like yourselves,” exclaimed Honda, who served in El Salvador in the 60s. 

{mosads}Honda, along with Reps. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and Joseph Kennedy (D-Mass.), urged the audience of Hill interns and staffers to volunteer, calling it a life-changing experience.

“You grow up in the Peace Corps way beyond anything you can do in this country,” said Farr, who spent his time in Colombia.

Kennedy reflected on his time spent in the Dominican Republic.

“You spend two and a half years in a developing country … you will be astounded by the amount of stories that you can tell,” he joked. “Some of which you can tell in mixed company, many of which you cannot.”

He said that experience would help volunteers who returned to Capitol Hill.

“This place can be challenging no matter who you’re serving and what party you’re representing, the ideals that you hold,” said Kennedy.

“You need to be able to, if you really want to dedicate yourself to this work to have an experience that will get you through those tougher times,” he continued. “The reason that will keep that fire burning through the challenging times that is government.”

Though Kennedy admitted that serving abroad was a challenge, he said the rewards were immense.

“The tough times make for better stories later; you’ve just gotta get to the later part,” he explained.

At the event, Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet discussed the application process and the benefits for volunteers.

“I think it’s important for all people to serve in general, because I think it helps us to grow as people,” she said. “I think it helps us develop new skills that we would not otherwise have.”