In more than three decades of public service, from the battlefields of Vietnam to the floor of the U.S. Senate, John Kerry has proven himself to be one of our country’s great statesmen. A leader noted as much for his independence as for his integrity, he has always been inspired by the principles of democracy to fight to hold the political system accountable, to make it a government that is truly of its people and for its people. A Call to Service is Senator Kerry’s vision for America, reaching across partisan and ideological divides to identify the common ground of our ideals, values, and experiences, and in that common ground finding the inspiration to address the six critical challenges that face us all. Those challenges—a multilateral policy for defining a role for America on the world stage, a productive economy that benefits everyone, an education system that prepares our young for the future, a health-care system that is both affordable and of the highest quality, an energy plan that protects the environment and enables us to achieve energy independence, and the revival of committed citizenship—are united by the common element of service. The call to service is nothing less than a call to rebuild the commonwealth, a call upon the greatest resource we have, our people, to fulfill its vast potential for achievement and to make our great country even greater.