Archive - November 7, 2012

Dear Members of the Peace Corps family: Given your continued outpouring of support and concern for honoring U.S. Ambassador and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Chris Stevens, I would like to reiterate the essence of my earlier message to those who have written more recently and to update everyone on our plans for honoring and remembering Ambassador Stevens. Through your support and concern for Ambassador Stevens, you have made evident that his tragic death was keenly felt within the  Peace Corps community, and you have reminded me of how close a family we are at the Peace Corps.  You have also heartened the Stevens family by your outpouring of support. As I mentioned in my earlier email message to you, the Peace Corps has been in touch with the Stevens family since just after Ambassador Stevens’ tragic death.  With them, we have begun a conversation on the most appropriate manner . . .

Joe Kennedy III won the race to replace retiring Representative Barney Frank in the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts. Kennedy, a Democrat (of course!), is the great-nephew of JFK and Senator Edward Kennedy. He went to Harvard Law School and was in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. Most recently he was an assistant district attorney in Massachusetts’ Middlesex County. Kennedy, 32, is among the youngest members of Congress. He won easily. Kennedy joins two term Congressman, John Garamendi (Ethiopia 1965-67) of California third District, who also won by more than 10 points. RPCV Sam Farr (Colombia 1964-66) won in California, as did Mike Honda (El Salvador 1965-67), also of California, and Republican Tom Petri (Somalia 1966-67) won in Wisconsin. It is possible that I missed an RPCV in the house and senate, if so, let me know.