also like to thank you for your kind words and support of peace corps and peace court reauthorization legislation in a special note of thanks to senator >> holland and merkley for the very kind remarks and support of peace corps. i would also like to thank my husband, and he who is here with me today. my daughters emily andas casey,y parents ralph and janet. my very large extended family for theirt unwavering love and support. and myy peace corps family including the staff, volunteers, host families, and counterparts for the heart and soul with which they carry out our mission every day. i am deeply honored and humbled to appear before you today is premised present biden's nominee for director of the peace corps. thisce is a very unique point in the agency's history. having started my career in the public sector i am incredibly grateful for the opportunity i had to serve as a small business development volunteer along with my husband, andy in romania shortly after the fall ofun communism. as is true for many volunteers, my peace corps service challenge my perceptions, expanded my worl

the peace corps mission of world peace and friendship is more important now than ever. not only are we just beginning to recover from an unprecedented global pandemic, but a food crisis, climate change and political and social division. as the world confronts these compounding crisis, demand for the peace corps has grown. both from the countries we evacuated in 2020, as well as the growing list of countries requesting peace corps supports today. mr. chairman, ranking member and members of the committee, if confirmed as director, my first priority is to safely return peace corps volunteers to service abroad and i will do so in a way that helps us to maintain the flexibility necessary to navigate uncertainty and respond effectively to evolving needs. second, if confirmed, i will ensure that the peace corps remains a strong partner to communities and countries that request our support. this includes building on our long commitment to localization, and people centered development. while modernizing and expanding service opportunities so that more americans have the opportun

of the peace corps. as many corps members had to return home, many were deployed to support public health campaigns across the united states including over 60 corps volunteers in my state of maryland. her good stewardship of the corps helped get shots in arms and save lives across our country. that effort was just the most recent chapter in a storied career of service. ms. swann's connection to the peace corps dates back to 1994 when she served as a volunteer in romania. since then she's been chief of operations in the africa region and country director for malawi. among other important assignments both inside and outside the corps. beyond this impressive resume and set of assignments, i am absolutely confident and i am confident that the committee will agree that ms. swann as the character and qualities that will help her succeed in this important position. i had the opportunity to speak with her many months ago, talking about the important role of the peace corps around the world, including in africa wh

of course, you mention — peace corps. of course, you mention that _ peace corps.peace corps. of course, youj mention that something like peace corps. of course, you - mention that something like out of a christmas movie, and there are lots of worries over that travel chaos. but what about the city is most vulnerable and also the homeless. what help is being provided for them? absolutely. here in chicago, we had a lot of shelters, and the city has also some measures in place. but, you know, let's see, some folks had been taken to downtown hotels by other people inside the city who are just trying to help out. these people are putting out, putting up people are putting out, putting up these folks on their own dollar. these are folks that we have covered her before in chicago. aside from that, though, it is a major concern, because of these temperatures right now, i'm sitting outside and it's not so bad, but... michael, thank you so much for your time, thank you for joining us. please do get inside, stay safe, keep warm. thank you for your time. thanks for having _ t

i don't care who you have running the peace corps. if you can run, it wonderful, if you can't get oshkosh from chicago. i'll name him. >> i can't get anybody. the only guy they could possibly do it, mister president's bill. >> well you can write your ticket. you can write your ticket on anything you want to do there. i want to get rid of poverty, though. >> yeah. >> and you can organize the poverty right from the beginning. and you'll have to get a message monday. but the sunday papers are going to say that your mr. poverty unless you've got real compelling reasons, which i haven't heard. and i'm going to say that you're going to maintain your identification with the peace corps and operated to such an extent as you may think desirable. >> there were lots of other great examples of the johnson treaty. i will direct you to some later. but now, richard nixon. nixon started taping in february of 1971. it's an opportune time for us to go back in those years, because it allows us to catch good developments in his plan for china, -- to hear

that i mean, well the people i want to keep all these people for the government that are in the peace corps and bring them into any other program so that they are that's good. i'm not going to serve you from the peace lord all i'm gonna say that you're gonna maintain your identification with the peace corps and how much the details you do whether you harm or sleep out. the room is going to be a matter for you to determine and i'm gonna make that clear. but i am going to make it clear that you must have poverty. and the home and abroad you want to be and i don't care who you have run the peace tour if you can run it wonderful if you can't get oshkosh from chicago and i'll name it. i can't get anybody the only guy that could possibly do it. the president is bill. well, you can write your even write your ticket on anything you want to do there. i want to get rid of poverty though. yeah, and you can organize a poverty right move again, and you have to get on the message monday, but the sunday paper is gonna say, it's you mr. poverty. unless you've got real compelling reasons, which i haven't he

that i mean, well the people i want to keep all these people for the government that are in the peace corps and bring them into any other program so that they are that's good. i'm not going to serve you from the peace lord all i'm gonna say that you're gonna maintain your identification with the peace corps and how much the details you do whether you harm or sleep out. the room is going to be a matter for you to determine and i'm gonna make that clear. but i am going to make it clear that you must have poverty. and the home and abroad you want to be and i don't care who you have run the peace tour if you can run it wonderful if you can't get oshkosh from chicago and i'll name it. i can't get anybody the only guy that could possibly do it. the president is bill. well, you can write your even write your ticket on anything you want to do there. i want to get rid of poverty though. yeah, and you can organize a poverty right move again, and you have to get on the message monday, but the sunday paper is gonna say, it's you mr. poverty. unless you've got real compelling reasons, which i haven't he

then he's with the peace corps. every single thing he wants and about to go back to the white house, and john kennedy is killed and he was a special consult on the arts. and after the assassination and being there for planning for the eternal flame and how the body would be laid out and an account of it. and he writes a speech for lyndon johnson and becomes lyndon johnson's speech writer, the we shall over come, the civil rights act, voting rights act, signing statements, and he's in the middle of the most extraordinary period of american liberalism in many ways. then he leaves and gets involved in the anti-war movement. he turned against the war and he's in new hampshire, up to mccarthy and he they called him the che guevara of the teenage experience. he off left for bobby kennedy, with his campaign and when he died. and he knows all of those characters in the 60's and he's an important figure, but not the central figure, so he is thinking about all of these other people and you hear what he thinks about jackie, bo

and then he leads there because he's unhappy then he goes with the peace corps. i mean, so every single thing you want and then what happens is he's about to come back to the white house and john kennedy is killed. he was going to be returning as a special consultant on the arts, and he has a diary of going to the white house right after the assassination and being there in the middle of all the planning for the eternal flame, the body would be laid out. it's an extraordinary account of it. and then soon thereafter he writes a speech for john, linda johnson and he becomes lyndon johnson's chief speechwriter. that's the most extra a time of all, not onlyme of mark mentiond that we shall overcome speech that howard university speech, all the campaigns that can still write a company rights act, think statements and is in middle of the most extraordinary. back i think ofam american liberalism in many ways. then he leaves and he gets involved in antiwar movement. he turned against worker he went up to new hampshire, he's up there with mccarthy. they call in the share

he was still working in the peace corps and he did one draft andal then another and johnson liked itn i listened to the tape and at one point he says we need somebody to be a speechwriter and to put some sex in our speeches. and he says interestingly there was a fault line and said that he is not one of us he is not a kennedy or johnson person but finally he will take your mind because he writes another one that he likesme that he still paid by the state department you can hear them on the tape for he says i want the goodwin boy get 50-dollarar raise take that my mother's group i am in a little room and make him right and working night and day. they had a very complicated relationship because johnson respected whites that could do and nothing mattered more to me than toen see the draft of the we shall overcome speech back on sunday night one week from blood he sunday johnson decided he would give a speech to congress and that net dick only had monday morning through monday night to write the speech. i couldn't do that if my life depended on it. the draft is so beautiful. so this is n

melody and a of your favorites is the conversation with sergeant schreiber ahead of the peace corps in this one comes from february 1st of 2054. and in this we hear lbj informing schreiber and all of his legendary persuasive powers that schreiber is about to be named the new head of the war on poverty. let's roll the tape think back to all. >> good morning mr. president how are you. [inaudible]. >> i think it was the advice but if you don't mind company has wisdom and i wanted to sit down with a couple of people to see what we can give no have some sort of 19 what happens is you know somebody and someone else in the dome of the heck they're doing with with this program is going to be specifically. and. [clapping and cheering]. and what are you going to do. >> well, just go away and go to camp david and figured out we need something. i will say to them in i've got to myself about yesterday and work out your peace corps anyway you want to and head of the committee and have some acting operator and let him do that don't do anything but i one announcement and quit getting all these other p

he does not care that he already has a full-time job running the peace corps. he does not care that he has a family he has just returned home from being overseas from a period of time. he is focused on what he wants to get done. the reason that i appreciate this tape is because it tells you what kind of leader he is. the good, the bad, the ugly. it tells you that he is relentless in pursuit of his large objective and that he understands that personnel is policy. that he has the right people in the jobs and moving. you see that throughout his administration. even as early as that first night when he tells jack valenti, just get on the plane. jack valenti is in texas, why am i getting on the plane, just get on the plane, he has got to get the right people night places in order to execute on this agenda that he has. that he wants to bring to fruition, knowing that the window is going to be narrow, as it is for every president, and he is going to execute. so, that's why i appreciate this moment. >> brian williams, i suppose even before we had the tapes, we knew tha

internal peace corps. we have, americorps, we've got various projects city here but this would be if it become a real thing where people did it and they worked on disaster relief or teaching older people or helping and they had a sense of mission. they knew what it was like as you do in the military to have a common mission that crosses all party lines and all class lines. maybe then we could break this terrible plague of the otherness that's facing today. i did mention it to president biden when i was there, and he did like the idea, but it would take it's going to take somebody with a passion to really make that happen. but if i if there was one thing, if i could mobilize all my guys to come back and make happen, i'd love to see that happen. dawson it's so easy. these to feel a sense of despair about polarization and to feel a yearning for new effective leadership. is there a leader out there whom you particularly admire? well, you know, i think when you look at president zelensky, how can one not help b

you can just take off, work out your peace corps in any way want to. you can be head of the committee and have some acting operator. if you want bill to help you, let him do that, i'll do anything, but i want to announce this and get behind me. so i'll keep getting all these other pressures. and i think you're going to, you've got to do it. you just can't let me down. the quicker we get it behind us the better. you can talk to them -- administrator. if they want to talk to, you can tell them, you can tell and speak to me. >> melody, thoughts? what is it that makes this one here favor conversations? >> i love this conversation for so many reasons. some of them may not be apparent. as the conversation goes on, there are these humorous moments. johnson is imploring every tool that he has and that he so famously uses. he is goading, he is bullying, he is charming, he is relentless. and he is doing this in furtherance of an objective, a big objective that he has. he has this idea with regard to the war on poverty. and he wants to move very quickly. he under

he was still working in the peace corps at that point. he did one draft and then another draft and johnson like too. i finally listen to the tapes. one point he's talking to bill morrison says we need somebody to be speechwriter here that can have a little church alien rhythm. we have to have some in her speeches. who do we think and do that? he'd work with dick and the peace corps he said dick goodwin. but says interestingly there's a real fault line between the candy people johnson people but is not one of us. and others is not a kennedy person is not a johnson person. but finally decides is going to take him on because of that vent another and he really likes. it's a long complicated story at bristol been paid by the state department even those in the peace corps. he called dean rescue him on the tapes i want that goodwin boy to come over here and i think you better give a 50-dollar raise if you have to take it out of my mother's group you can take it out ofve that. but i want him over here and going to work him day and night. i'm goin

thehe taxpayer to get something in exchange to be inr national parks or inner-city tutoring or peace corpsle volunteer corps for disaster relief but we need to give them to serve in and start talking about the taxpayer-funded educational benefits we have done things we try to do again like enhance junior rotc so we are starting earlier with folks rather than the first recruiter outreach at 17 or 18. >> there was a commission on national service coming out two or three years ago that has fantasticic recommendations and will continue to take pieces of that. >> and those that are friendly talking to guidance counselors and young people other districts where they are not even welcome to set foot in the campus so that's an area i would think since they receive federalec education funding that they could make it easier for recruiters. >> but for me that's a first introduction into the military. >> but that is critical for aour kids. >> there are 3000 programs the bad news there is over 20000 high schools. >> but you are fortunate to go to one that had one but most do not. >> the individual board

worked with a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple years and south america. at the same time leading tech so he's got a wonderful combination, a real heart and and a brilliant mind. i think he's he's they're going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no their job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now we're going to go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and certainly plenty of detractors. that's the way it works with your big city mayor. as long as you keep that joy is the best on the planet. >> you felt of quite the resume. what's next for you? i go get a job for a so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> of getting a lot of things done

kennedy put together as the peace corps as an embodiment ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country ideal, he charges sergeant schriver to figure out how to put it in place and while he's important to the kennedy presidency, it's also vital to note he was also important to the lyndon johnson presidency. after johnson becomes president, he feels it's important to keep the folks that john f. kennedy had put in his cabinet as advisors in his white house and long them is sergeant schriver. he not only asks schriver to continue on trying to put together the founding blocks around the peace corps, he also asked him to head up his war on poverty, which is one of the most ambitious planks of lbj's great society. it's a vitally important position in the johnson white house. so not only did john f. kennedy and by extension the kennedy family have faith in schriver, so, too, did the 36 president lyndon johnson. and i'll mention the catholocism of the kedds kennedies for a moment. i'm not catholic myself and not whether the kennedy brothers and the ideals. it wa

kennedy put together the peace corps as an embodiment of the asked not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country ideal, he charges sergeant shriver was trying to figure out how to put it in place, while his important to the kennedys, it is vital to note he was important to the lyndon johnson presidency. after johnson becomes president he feels it is important to keep folks that john f. kennedy has put in his cabinet as advisors in his white house and among them is sergeant shriver so he not only asks shriver to continue on trying to put together the founding blocks around the peace corps but also asks him to head up his war on poverty, one of the most ambitious plans of lbj's great society, a vitally important position in the johnson white house, not only do john f. kennedy and by extension the kennedy family have faith in sergeant shriver, so did the 30 sixth president, lyndon johnson. i will just mention the catholicism of the kennedys for a moment. i'm not catholic myself so i won't comment on whether the kennedy brothers upheld the catholic ideal and rel

that doesn't have to be in the military but it can be national parks or inner-city tutoring or peace corps or in fema volunteer corps for disaster relief. i think we need to get young folks incentivized to serve. a graduate high school, you go serve a year or two and then let's start talking about some taxpayer-funded educational benefits. we have done things in past ndaa is that we are going to try to do again like enhanced junior rotc and high school. as you know, so that we are starting earlier with folks rather than that first recruitment outreach at age 17 or 18. >> absolutely. >> i'm sorry, there was a commission on national service that came out what, i think two, three years ago that had some fantastic recommendations in it. it was very thoughtful, very well done and we will continue to try to take pieces of that and put them into each years ndaa. >> i just want to add that the recruiters access high school there is generally. there's some places that are relatively friendly to the military. recruiters have access to come in and talk to guidance counselors and young people. there's

. >> from a life point of view serving in the peace corps in thailand and during that time i was able to travel throughout the region through korea and japan and cambodia and there is a large chinese diaspora there so i became very familiar with that part of the world to have that worldview and you see if i in california. i'm teaching fully employed mba students by definition work during the week income at night or on the weekends. this is around two thirds and 31 —- 2003. i began to notice that that more and more of my fully employed students are losing their jobs orange county is one of the most vibrant labor markets in the country. so i decided i would do the china price project i had an inkling they were all going to china drilling down how communist china can charge 50 percent less for goods. and the prevailing view is it cheap labor and the research was stunning to me because yes cheap labor pay on —- played a role and a lot of that was slave labor so it's still unclear but all these other things like the currency manipulation intellectual property theft if you don't have to do

a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple years and south america. at the same time leading tech so he's got a wonderful combination. a real heart and and a brilliant mind. i think he's he's they're going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no their job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now we're going to go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and certainly plenty of detractors. that's the way it works. we're big city mayor, as long as you keep that joy is the best on the planet. >> you've built up quite the resume. what's next for you? i know you had a job for all it. so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> getting a lot of things done

. >> just from a life point of view of predicate for that.wade when i served in the peace corps from 1973 to 1976 in thailand and during that time, i was able to travel throughout the region to korea, japan, cambodia, laos. burma was fascinating in and of itself because it was so close and there's a large chinese diaspora where, so i became very familiar with that part of the world. i had kind of a worldview coming in . fast forward to you see uc irvine and i'm teaching fully employed and the a students who by definition work during the week and come at night around theweekends . this is circa 2003. and i begin to notice that more and more of my fully employed students are losing their jobs and thinking this is weird. orange county is one of the most vibrant labor markets in the country and how can this be happening? i decided that i do this thing called the china price project. i have this inkling that all these jobs were going to china and i spent a year with over 100 students drilling down on how communist china can charge 50 percent less american manufacturers for goods. and the

worked with a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple got a wonderful combination. a real heart and and a brilliant mind. i think he's he's they're going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no their job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now we're going to go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and certainly plenty of detractors. that's the way it works. we're big city mayor, as long as you keep that joy is the best on the planet. >> you've built up quite the resume. what's next for you? i know you had a job for all it. so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> getting a lot of things done here in san jose before i start thinking about the ne

. >> just from a point of view the predicate for that got laid when i served in the peace corps from 1973 -- 1976 in tidelands. and during that time i was able to travel throughout the region, korea, japan, cambodia, laos. burma was fascinating in and of itself because it was so close. there is a large chinese diaspora there. i became very familiar with that part of the world. i had a worldview coming in. fast-forward to irvine california, orange county. i am teaching fully employed nba students who by definition work during the week and come at night or on theth weekends. this is circa 2003. now i begin to notice that more and more of my fully employed students are losing their jobs. i'm thinking this is weird. orange county is one of the most vibrant labor markets in the country. how could this be happening? and so i decided i would do this thing called the china price i projects. i had this inkling all these jobs are going to china. it's 100 students driven down on how communist china can charge 50% less than american manufacturers for goods. the prevailing view was that it was ch

we with a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple years and south america. at the same time leading tech so he's got a wonderful combination. a real heart and and a brilliant mind. i think he's he's they're going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no other job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now and they were then go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and certainly plenty of detractors. that's the way it works with your big city mayor. as long as you keep. that joins the best on the planet. >> you felt of quite the resume. what's next for you? i go get a job for a so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> of getting a lot of things done he

christina to be the ambassador to armenia, carol toa be the director of the peace corps and myth cynthiayer to be the director of the office to monitor combat trafficking. before we proceed i understand senator portmantr is going to be introducing ambassador tracy presenter portman you are recognized. works great, thank you very much mr. chairman is my honor to be here to introduce a fellow high-end. ambassador lynn tracy to be the nominee for russia. she was born and raised in to albert and carol both ohio natives her sister is behind us. she graduated from barberton high school where she played volleyball was a great students. and she branched out and sign just south of university of georgia where she majored in soviet studies. after graduating computer studies to the test working as a contract with the u.s. in moscow for three years in the late 1980s.l of course that is when it was still the soviet union. so it was a challenging time. but not even the joyful winners of ussr could keep her away from home. ohio called her and she returned to attend law school at the university of akron.

we with a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple yearsech so he's got a wonderful combination. a real heart and and a brilliant mind, i think, is is there going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no other job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now we're going to go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and detractors. that's the way it works. we're big city mayor, as long as you keep that joy is the best on the planet. >> you've built up quite the resume. what's next for you? i know you had a job for a so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> getting a lot of things done here in san jose before i start think about the next job. a decision a fe

worked with a lot of families are struggling at the same time and work in the peace corps for a couple the same time leading tech so he's got a wonderful combination. a real heart and and a brilliant mind. i think he's he's they're going to serve him very well. my advice to him is very don't let anybody take the joy from the this is the best job in the world is being a big city mayor. there's no their job or you can have so much positive impact on the community that you love and you care about and that joy, that you have the first day of work now we're going to go get some good things done. that's that's the joy you need to hang on to even the tough times because it will be plenty of battles and certainly plenty of detractors. that's the way it works. we're big city mayor, as long as you keep that joy is the best on the planet. >> you've built up quite the resume. what's next for you? i know you had a job for a so my wife and i got to figure all that out in the next few weeks. i really want to focus on spreading through the tape. >> getting a lot of things done here in san jose before

well, just from a life point of view, the predicate for that got when i served in the peace corps from 1973 to 1976, in thailand and at during that time, i was able to travel throughout the region, korea, japan, cambodia, laos, where bob burma was fascinating in of itself because it was so close and there's a large chinese diaspora there. so i became very familiar with that part of the world. so i had kind of a worldview coming in. fast forward to i'm in uc irvine, irvine, california university, orange county line. yeah, and i'm teaching fully employed mba students who by definition work during the week, then come at night or on the weekends. and this is. circa 2003, right? and i begin to notice that, that, that more and more of my fully employed students are losing their jobs. and i'm thinking, this is weird orange county is one of the most vibrant labor markets in the country. and, you know, how can this be happening? and so i decide that i do this thing called the china price project because i had this inkling that all these jobs were going to china. and i spent a year with with ove

he's been a peace corps volunteer in mauritania, unhcr emergency refugee coordinator and somalia humanitarian and emergency relief officer in northern kenya and somalia. and as a fulbright scholar in jordan, he holds a ph.d. in government from georgetown university, a b.a. and mba from the university of colorado, where he lettered in football and was inducted into their hall for distinguished alumni. dr. rutherford has also served on the board of trustees with the shenandoah valley battlefield foundation, which preserves and interprets the region's significant civil war battle fields and related historic sites. as a quick note, we will have a question and answer period after dr. rutherford speaks. if you'd like to ask a question, just please form a line behind the mic to the left and without further ado, ken. the floor is yours. thank you. thank you very much. thank you, bob. and thank you all for being here on a saturday with nice weather here in beautiful appomattox. it's a honor and a privilege for me to present this topic to you. you'll soon find out that it's been a labor of love regardi

the ambassador to armenia and the director of the peace corps and the director of the office to monitor and combat trafficking. sen. menendez: before we proceed, i understand senator portman is going to be introduced ambassador tracy. you're recognized. ms. porter: great, thank you very much, mr. chairman. it's my honor to be here to introduce a fellow ohioan. to be the nominee for russia. she was born and raised in ohio to albert and carol tracy, both ohio natives. her sister is behind us. she went to the university of georgia where she majored in soviet studies. she worked as a contractor at the u.s. embassy in moscow for three years in the late 1980's. of course that was when it was still the soviet union. so it was a challenging time. but not even the joyful winters of ussr could keep her from home. she answered her nation's call and she joined the foreign service. her career since has been impressive and prepares her well, i believe, for the role she's seeking. she has been all across soviet space, including difficult postings. she's worked her diplomatic missions in kurdistan, pak