First lady applauds USAID employees

Dawn Lim/Govexec.com

First Lady Michelle Obama visited the U.S. Agency for International Development on Wednesday to praise its employees for their work in Haiti and Afghanistan.

"Much of the work that you do is quiet," she said, "but I do think the events of the last few months have given the American people just a glimpse of the kind of people who work here -- the sacrifices you make, the exhaustion, the tragedy and the risk that you endure."

USAID will play a central role in the Obama administration's efforts to make development a cornerstone of American foreign policy, she said.

"It's been really truly a pleasure that as first lady I've been able to visit so many agencies throughout the federal government over the last year to thank folks like you," she said.

This week is Public Service Recognition Week.