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AmeriCorps members in Biloxi, Mississippi wear breathing masks while performing mold removal. Mold removal is the final step before homeowners can begin reconstruction.
(Photo by Morgan Carey)

Mayor A.J. Halloway of Biloxi, Mississippi joins AmeriCorps members for a day of service.
(Photo by Morgan Carey)

AmeriCorps members have reclaimed over 5,500 flooded homes in the Gulf Region.
(Photo by Morgan Carey)

Updates — 111th Congress

Legislative Update, June 10, 2009

On June 10, 2009, the House of Representatives agreed to H. Res. 453, a resolution “recognizing the significant accomplishments of the AmeriCorps” by a bipartisan vote of 359-60.  Sponsored by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), the resolution acknowledges the work by AmeriCorps volunteers and encourages all Americans to consider joining AmeriCorps or any national and community service program.

• Click here to read the text of H. Res. 453 as agreed to in the House.

• Click here to see how representatives voted on H. Res. 453.

Rep. Matsui introduced the resolution on May 18, 2009, on the heels of AmeriCorps Week 2009, a week that aims to highlight the work and achievements by AmeriCorps members and programs.  “This year, we celebrated National AmeriCorps Week with a renewed sense of purpose after the passage of the Senator Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act,” Rep. Matsui said on the floor of the House.  “I urge my colleagues to continue to support AmeriCorps volunteers and take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication to our country and to their communities.”

• Click here to read a press release on H. Res. 453 from Rep. Matsui’s office.

Legislative Update, April 21, 2009

On April 21, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which the House approved on March 31 by a bipartisan vote of 275-149.  The bill had passed the Senate 79-19, followed by a unanimous approval to rename the legislation after the bill's sponsor.  While the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act authorizes a massive expansion of national service programs for Americans of all ages, implementation is tied to the availability of funds.  The President is expected to release a detailed budget for Fiscal Year 2010 in May, and Congress will consider the President's request as they make discretionary spending decisions and consider the twelve annual appropriations bills.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2009, the House approved the Senate amendments to H.R. 1388, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, by a bipartisan vote of 275-149. The bill was previously passed in the House as the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act. The bill, renamed in honor of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, authorizes a massive expansion of the volunteer national service programs for Americans of all ages. The bill passed the Senate on March 26 by an overwhelmingly bipartisan margin, 79-19.

• Click here to see how representatives voted on the Senate's amendments to H.R. 1388.

• Click here to see how senators voted on March 26 on the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

• Click here to read the text of H.R. 1388 as agreed to by the Senate and the House.

Both chambers of Congress accelerated their coordinated work on this legislation after President Obama called for its passage in his first address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, 2009.  Maintaining a spirit of bipartisanship, the legislation was shepherded through the legislative process by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Representatives George Miller (D-CA), Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), and Todd Platts (R-PA). 

• Click here for a detailed summary of H.R. 1388 prepared by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

While speaking of the Serve America Act in Congress and in statements following its passage, leaders in the Senate HELP and House Education and Labor Committees said the following:

“[The] passage of the Serve America Act demonstrates welcome bipartisan agreement on the often neglected but indispensible value of citizen service in addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing America and the world. The bill is a major expansion of existing national and community programs. Its goal is to tap much more deeply into Americans’ enthusiasm to serve, and direct it to areas and issues where it can make the biggest difference.” – Senator Kennedy, Chairman, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

“Volunteer service is the lifeblood of our nation. It brings out the best in our people and strengthens our communities. That is why the Serve America Act is so important. This historic legislation will inspire civic-minded Americans across the nation to raise the bar of service and meet every challenge.” – Senator Hatch, Ranking Member, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

"The American spirit is one of giving back – to our neighbors, our communities, and our nation. All across this country, citizens are devoting their time, skills, and resources to make our country a better place. And through [this] Act, we can nurture that spirit of selflessness, leveraging both individuals and organizations to achieve national goals." – Representative McKeon, Ranking Member, House Education and Labor Committee

"The legislation makes good on President Obama’s call for Americans to do their part to help the nation’s economy recover by making a difference in their communities. When enacted, this will be the first major piece of the President’s agenda to receive overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress." – Representative Miller, Chairman, House Education and Labor Committee 

• Click here to read the press release from the House Committee on Education and Labor.

• Click here to read the press release issued by Senators Mikulski, Kennedy, Hatch, and Enzi following the bill’s passage in the Senate on March 26.

• Click here to read the press release from President Obama on March 31.

• Click here for a statement from Voices for National Service commending Congressional leaders for passing H.R. 1388.

The House vote was the last step in the legislative process. The landmark bill has been sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, the Senate passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act by a roll call vote of 79 to 19. The bill will improve and strengthen the national service programs and increase levels of volunteerism, using service and social innovation to address our nation's most pressing challenges.

• Click here to read how senators voted.

• Click here to read a press release issued by Senators Mikulski, Kennedy, Hatch, and Enzi following the bill’s passage.

• Click here to read the text of H.R. 1388 as agreed to by the Senate.

Statements from the bill's managers, Senators Mikulski and Hatch, underscore the broad bipartisan support that exists for the legislation that creates a new platform for service and social innovation in the country.

Sen. Mikulski: “I want to thank Senator Kennedy, Senator Hatch and Senator Enzi for their hard work crafting this legislation. Many of us present here today have participated in service in our lifetimes and, in giving back, we all got back more than we ever gave. This bill is not about programs, it’s about American values – the spirit of volunteerism and neighbor helping neighbor. By creating opportunities for Americans to participate in their society, this bill will make a major contribution to our country.”

Sen. Hatch: “Volunteer service is the lifeblood of our nation. It brings out the best in our people and strengthens our communities. That is why the Serve America Act is so important. This historic legislation will inspire civic-minded Americans across the nation to raise the bar of service and meet every challenge.”

The bill was amended on the Senate floor and the legislation was expanded to include the following:

• Baucus/Grassley Amendment to establish a Nonprofit Capacity Building Program. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Johanns Amendment to ensure that organizations promoting competitive and non-competitive sporting events involving individuals with disabilities may receive direct and indirect assistance to carry out national service programs. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Landrieu Amendment to add a foster care program to the national service corps programs. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Murkowski/Dorgan Amendment to modify certain provisions relating to Native Americans. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Shaheen/Gregg Amendment to ensure that the Education Corps may carry out activities that provide music and arts education and engagement. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Burr Amendment to provide for outreach to high schools with low graduation rates. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Burr Amendment to clarify references to high school graduation rates. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Baucus Amendment to express the Sense of the Senate that Congress should preserve the income tax deduction for charitable contributions and look for ways to continue to encourage charitable giving. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Burr Modified Amendment to improve the provisions relating to criminal history checks. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Warner Amendment to conduct a study regarding the establishment of a Volunteer Management Corps program. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Hatch Amendment to amend the title to The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Click here to read a summary from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

Legislative Update, March 18, 2009

Senate Committee Approves Serve America Act

On March 18, 2009, the Serve America Act (S.277) was unanimously approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Similar to the House’s GIVE Act (H.R. 1388), S. 277 seeks to expand national service and volunteer programs to tackle America’s most pressing challenges and create a new era of civic responsibility. President Obama specifically asked congressional leaders to pass the Serve America Act in his address to Congress last month.

• Click here for a copy of the joint Press Release issued by Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Enzi (R-WY), Hatch (R-UT) and Mikulski (D-MD).

• Click here for a copy of the amended Serve America Act approved by the Senate HELP Committee.

The Senate will vote on the Serve America Act during the week of March 23.

House Passes GIVE Act

On Wednesday, March 18, the House passed H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act by a roll call vote of 321-105. The bill will improve and strengthen the national service programs and increase levels of volunteerism, using service and social innovation to address our nation's most pressing challenges.

• Click here to find out how representatives voted.

• Click here to read additional information on H.R. 1388 from the House Education and Labor Committee website.

The bill was amended on the House floor and the legislation was expanded to include the following:

• Amendment offered by Rep. Hill (D-IN) to make sending care packages to soldiers deployed in combat zones overseas an eligible service program. Click here to read a summary of the Hill Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Hunter (R-CA) to remove veteran’s educational benefits from being taken into account when calculating the maximum award an individual could receive for participating in one of the national service programs. Click here to read a summary of the Hunter Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Kilroy (D-OH) to make the supervision of in- and out-of- school physical education classes and nutrition education eligible service activities, in addition to providing elderly people with food delivery, legal and medical services and transportation assistance. Click here to read a summary of the Kilroy Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Loebsack (D-IA) to authorize a new grant program, the Volunteer Generation Fund. Click here to read a summary of the Loebsack Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Markey (D-CO) to increase the operational support provided to Education Award Only programs. Click here to read a summary of the Markey Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Perriello (D-VA) and Rep. Titus (D-NV) to create a National Service Reserve Corps to engage national service alumni in national disaster and other emergency response. Click here to read a summary of the Amendment from Perriello and Titus from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Pingree (D-ME) to expand the Clean Energy Corps to meet the needs of rural communities. Click here to read a summary of the Pingree Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Roskam (R-IL) to authorize annual evaluation of the National Civilian and Community Corps. Click here to read a summary of the Roskam Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

• Amendment offered by Rep. Teague (D-NM) and Rep. Klein (D-FL) to expand service activities to include assistance to veterans in education or career services, medical claims, or transportation needs. Click here to read a summary of the Roskam Amendment from THOMAS and the text from the Congressional Record.

Rep. John Lewis Reintroduces Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act

On March 18, 2009, Representative John Lewis (D-GA) reintroduced the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act (H.R. 1596).  The bill, which has 39 cosponsors, would make the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award tax-free by excluding it from consideration as gross income.  Currently, some AmeriCorps members lose up to $1,000 of the award’s value after taxes.  This legislation will ensure recipients can use the award’s full value to support their educational pursuits.

Since 1993, the AmeriCorps Education Award has been set at $4,725 for a year of full-time service.  The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009 amends current law and ties the award’s value to the maximum Pell Grant, currently $5,350.  The Act stipulates that AmeriCorps positions funded with fiscal year 2010 appropriations will be the first group to have the amount of their education awards increased. 

H.R. 1596 has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

• Click here for a summary and the text of H.R. 1596 from THOMAS.

Legislative Update, March 11, 2009

House Committee Approves GIVE Act

On March 11, 2009, the House Education and Labor Committee approved H.R. 1388, The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act by a vote of 34-3.

The national service programs have not been reauthorized in 16 years and the GIVE Act addresses this oversight. The bill strengthens and expands the federally supported service initiatives, stimulates community volunteerism, and increases accountability, improves efficiency and ensures results within the administration of the national service programs. The bill also authorizes some new approaches for expanding the capacity of the nonprofit sector to tap the ingenuity and innovation of citizens working together in local communities to address critical needs.

The GIVE Act has been crafted in an open, bipartisan manner and has broad support from the White House, community and faith-based partners, and the national service community.

The bill is expected to be sent to the full House for consideration during the week of March 16. Voices for National Service will continue to work with the House to make improvements to this legislation. An amendment will be offered next week to add the Volunteer Generation Fund to H.R. 1388, and our coalition unanimously supports this action.

Voices for National Service would like to thank Chairman George Miller, Ranking Member Buck McKeon, Representative Carolyn McCarthy and Representative Todd Platts for their leadership and swift action on this important bill.

• Click here for the House Education and Labor Committee web page with the text of the GIVE  Act and amendments adopted yesterday.

• Click here for a Committee summary of the GIVE Act as introduced.

Legislative Update, March 10, 2009

Congress has also completed work on the Fiscal Year 2009 budget. Yesterday, President Obama signed the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which provides funding for programs across the government for the remainder of the fiscal year. As reported earlier, the bill provides $889.9 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs.

• Click here to view a more detailed budget overview for service programs prepared by CNCS.

• Click here for information on FY09 Appropriations efforts in the 110th Congress.

Legislative Update, March 10, 2009

On March 10, 2009, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to discuss the "Next Generation of Service". There was extensive discussion about the critical role service and volunteerism can play a critical role in getting our economy moving again, engaging Americans in productive work in difficult times and meeting the growing needs in communities. The Senate will hold an executive session on Wednesday, March 18th to mark up S. 277, the Serve America Act, introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Orrin Hatch. The full Senate could take action on the bill before the end of the month.

• Click here to view witness testimony posted on the HELP Committee website.

Legislative Update, February 26, 2009

On February 26, 2009, President Obama published “ A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America’s Promise,” providing a description of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget expected to be released this spring. Supporting the call to service in his first address to Congress, the President recommends $1.13 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its three core programs - AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn & Serve America. This request includes $240 million above the amount included in the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act passed by the House yesterday. The additional funding aims to give more Americans the opportunity to serve and to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector to find innovative solutions to social problems.
For FY10, the Administration proposes:

AmeriCorps: The Budget would set AmeriCorps on a path to expand from its current 75,000 funded slots to 250,000, and would ensure the availability of service opportunities to achieve demonstrable results. The Budget would also increase the amount of the Eli Segal Education Award, which has not been adjusted since the program’s inception in 1993.

Social Innovation Fund: The Budget would create a new social innovation fund, charged with testing promising new approaches to major challenges, leveraging private and foundation capital to meet these needs, and scaling up research proven programs.

Senior Corps: The President’s Budget would expand and improve Senior Corps programs, which connect individuals over the age of 55 to local volunteer opportunities, allowing more retirees to help meet the needs and challenges in their communities.

Learn and Serve America: The Budget includes additional resources for Learn and Serve America, which supports programs in schools, higher education institutions and community-based organizations that engage students, their teachers, and others in service-learning.

Corporation for National and Community Service: The Budget provides needed resources to strengthen the capacity of CNCS to manage its programs, measure performance, and conduct rigorous evaluations of the impact of CNCS programs.

• Click here to read the full statement on funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Voices for National Service is hopeful that the strong support of the Administration will help to grow the federal investment in national service and provide opportunities for more Americans to tackle pressing community needs in education, public health, the environment, and more. The President’s budget submission is just the first step in a lengthy appropriations process. Voices for National Service will remain engaged, reaching out to the Administration and the Congress, urging them to sustain and grow their investment.

Legislative Update, February 24, 2009

On February 24, 2009, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) announced the introduction of their “Service for All Ages” initiative, a group of four bills that will expand and strengthen opportunities for Americans of all ages to serve their communities. The initiative includes the Semester of Service Act, the Summer of Service Act, the AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act, and the Encore Service Act.

Click the legislation title below to read the full bill text and view the list of co-sponsors:

• AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act (S.464)
  The ACTION Act will not only help many young people realize their dreams of going to college, but will also allow them to afford it by updating the AmeriCorps Education Award to reflect 15 years of college tuition increases.

• Semester of Service Act (S.465)
  The Semester of Service Act will give students in their junior or senior year of high school the opportunity to spend a semester participating in community service-learning for academic credit.

• Summer of Service Act (S.466)
  The Summer of Service Act will create a competitive grant program that enables states and localities to offer students making the transition from middle to high school an opportunity to participate in a structured community service program over the summer months.

• Encore Service Act (S.467)
  The Encore Service Act will take advantage of all older Americans have to offer communities by providing stipends and educational scholarships to citizens 55 years of age and older who volunteer their time and dedicate their knowledge to help communities in need.

Legislative Update, February 23, 2009

On February 23, 2009, the House Committee on Appropriations introduced the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act (H.R. 1105) to provide funding for federal departments and programs for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2009. Since September, Congress had been operating under a continuing resolution, a temporary measure to maintain government programs, including national service, at Fiscal Year 2008 levels.

The Omnibus bill provides $889.9 million total for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs for this current fiscal year. Programs are funded at the following levels:

• $271.2 million for AmeriCorps State and National
• $131.1 million for the National Service Trust
• $96.1 million for AmeriCorps VISTA
• $27.5 million for AmeriCorps NCCC
• $213.8 million for Senior Corps
• $37.5 million for Learn and Serve America
• $11.8 million for State Commission Administration

The House and Senate are expected to pass an Omnibus bill quickly because the continuing resolution is set to expire next week, March 6th. The next step is for the Senate to introduce its version of the bill. Once both chambers have passed legislation any differences will be negotiated in conference. The Appropriations Committees will then need to start work on fiscal year 2010 spending bills.

• Click here for information on FY09 Appropriations efforts in the 110th Congress.

• Click here for FY09 funding levels for the Corporation for National and Community Service as requested by Voices for National Service.

Legislative Update, February 20, 2009

On February 20, 2009 the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) held a series of calls with grantees and the public to discuss implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. CNCS created a webpage where individuals can hear recordings of these calls and access other information about the stimulus funding that will engage citizens through service to address unmet needs and strengthen communities.

• Click here to visit the new webpage hosted by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Legislative Update, February 17, 2009

Over President’s Day weekend, both the House and Senate approved the conference report of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which includes $201 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs. President Obama is scheduled to sign the economic stimulus bill into law today, February 17, 2009.

The final bill contains language on the proposed use of funds and divides the majority of the spending as follows:

• $89 million for AmeriCorps State and National to make additional awards to existing grantees. Up to 20% of the available funds may be used for national direct grants.
• $65 million for AmeriCorps VISTA
• $40 million for the National Service Trust
• $6 million for information technology upgrades
• $1 million for the Inspector General

• Click here to access the bill language and learn more about how the Corporation for National and Community Service plans to develop an operating plan for the stimulus funds.

Legislative Update, January 28, 2009

On January 28, 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR. 1), commonly known as the economic stimulus plan, by a vote of 244-188. The legislation includes $200 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service. According to the House Committee Report, $160 million is provided to supplement or expand “existing AmeriCorps grants” and $40 million is for the National Service Trust. The committee report cites the challenges facing the nonprofit sector and notes that “nonprofit organizations are also experiencing an increased number of applications for service opportunities and increased demand for services for vulnerable populations to meet critical needs” and suggests the funding would engage an estimated 16,000 more AmeriCorps members.

• Click here to access the bill language and committee report on Thomas.gov.

The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the economic stimulus plan (S. 336) on January 27.  A vote by the full Senate is expected next week.  The Senate bill also contains $200 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs.  Specifically it provides:

• $160 million for AmeriCorps, of which:

  $65 million for AmeriCorps State and National grants
  $65 million for AmeriCorps VISTA
  $13 million for research related to volunteer service
  $10 million for AmeriCorps NCCC
  $6 million for upgrades to information technology
  $1 million for State Commissions

• $40 million for the National Service Trust

• Click here to access the bill language and committee report on the Senate Appropriations Committee website.

Following Senate passage, the House and Senate must meet in a conference to work out differences between the two bills.

Legislative Update, January 16, 2009

On January 16, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), along with a bipartisan group of more than 20 Senators introduced The Serve America Act (S.277). The legislation seeks to encourage 175,000 additional Americans of all ages to give a year of service to address specific national challenges in education, healthcare, housing, energy, and the environment. Additionally, the Serve America Act supports innovation and entrepreneurship in the nonprofit sector and short-term international service opportunities.

Current sponsors of The Serve America Act (S.277)

Voices for National Service is excited to work with Congress, the incoming Obama Administration, and the national service field to pass this historic bill as part of our reauthorization efforts to expand and strengthen national and community service programs.

Legislative Update, January 15, 2009

On January 15, 2009, the House Committee on Appropriations released a new statement on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, stimulus legislation that aims to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, to jumpstart the economy, and to provide needed services to Americans. Identified as a priority investment in the bill, AmeriCorps programs are slated to receive $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service, meeting needs of vulnerable populations and communities during the recession.

The House package directs the AmeriCorps funding be made available to supplement or expand existing grants to programs already operating in the field. The Corporation for National and Community Service will have authority to use the money in either fiscal year 2009 or 2010.

• Click here to read the full statement summarizing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009.

Congress hopes to complete a stimulus package by mid-February, and President-elect Obama has identified the legislation as one of his top priorities.

Legislative Update, January 12, 2009

On January 12, 2009, Congress passed without opposition, H.Res 43, a bipartisan resolution recognizing the efforts of those who serve their communities on Martin Luther King Day and promoting the holiday as a day of national service. The resolution was offered by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA), Todd Platts (R-PA) and David Price (D-NC), the current Co-Chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus.

• Click here to read the resolution.