Below is information designed to help you understand the legislative process, appreciate the multiple steps involved in securing funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and stay informed about the steps Congress and the Administration have taken regarding funding for CNCS.
Updates — 112th Congress
December 23, 2011
On December 23, President Obama signed H.R. 2055 into the law. H.R. 2055 is a nine-bill appropriations “mega-bus” that was approved by the House of Representatives on December 16 and the U.S. Senate on December 17. The fiscal year 2012 funding package will support government operations through September 30, 2012 and includes funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which the House of Representatives proposed to eliminate in earlier spending bills.
Congress rejected a House bill that included a 74% spending cut to CNCS and called for the elimination of AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, the Social Innovation Fund and the Volunteer Generation Fund. Instead, the bill approved and sent to President Obama for signature provides $1.05 billion in funding for CNCS, a $24.7 million or 2.3% reduction from fiscal year 2011. AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service, issued the following statement on H.R. 2055:
"While we understand the difficult choices our nation's policymakers face in a time of great economic turmoil, we are disappointed to see lawmakers scale back investment in Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) programs that provide cost-effective and innovative solutions to our nation's challenges by leveraging private sector and public dollars to ensure Americans receive the services they require.
"In H.R. 2055, CNCS is slashed by $24.7 million, over 16% less than the White House budget request. We are grateful to our champions for working to ensure that national service programs will not face total elimination in this bill, but in the end American communities have still lost. In these difficult economic times, national service initiatives are providing the vital services Americans need and local communities can no longer afford like disaster response, educational support and enabling senior citizens to live independently rather than enter costly nursing homes.
"It is troubling to see lawmakers scale back funding for AmeriCorps, VISTA and the Social Innovation Fund. Applications to AmeriCorps have nearly tripled from 2008 to 2010 and continue to grow with 536,000 applications for only 80,000 spots in the last year. Meanwhile youth unemployment stands sky high at nearly 20%, and nonprofits, struggling to support families and communities affected by the economy, rely upon the effective, low-cost human capital provided by CNCS programs to meet the increased demand.
“America’s Governors should be troubled by the disinvestment in these programs and the network of state service commissions that ensure resources are directed where they are needed. We can't afford to waste the energy and patriotism of Americans looking to serve at a time when the country needs them the most.
"We applaud the national champions who fought for national service, but encourage all policymakers to prioritize funding for CNCS. To do otherwise risks our nation's health and economic recovery. We will continue the fight to show the great economic benefits to keeping pathways open for Americans to serve their country in the hopes that all of our leaders will recognize the value they provide."
FY 2009 -2012 Budget Summary for CNCS
Congress levied a .189% cut across all the programs in H.R. 2055, the estimated funding levels after this reduction are as follows:
- AmeriCorps* NCCC: $31.9 million
- AmeriCorps* State and National : $344.6 million
- AmeriCorps* VISTA: $95.0 million
- National Service Trust: $211.8 million
- State Commission Administrative Grants: $13.4 million
- RSVP: $50.2 million
- Foster Grandparents: $110.6 million
- Senior Companions: $46.7 million
- Social Innovation Fund: $44.8 million
- Volunteer Generation Fund: $3.9 million
The President is required to release his annual budget on the first Monday of February. The White House announced that it would not meet this deadline, and instead anticipates releasing their fiscal year 2013 budget on February 13, 2012.
September 29, 2011
On September 29, the House Appropriations Committee released the draft fiscal year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) funding bill and the result is devastating for the Corporation for national and Community Service (CNCS). The proposed bill includes just $280 million for CNCS, only enough to support the National Senior Volunteer Programs and accommodate the “orderly elimination of other programs” at CNCS, including AmeriCorps, VISTA, the Social Innovation Fund, the Volunteer Generation Fund and Learn & Serve America. The proposed funding for CNCS is nearly $800 million or 74% below FY 2011 levels and $1 billion below the President’s FY 2012 Budget Request. CNCS was funded at $1.08 billion in fiscal year 2011. The House bill dissolves the entire service enterprise, cuts over 100,000 jobs and eliminates the essential services that children, seniors, veterans and entire communities rely on.
September 21, 2011
On September 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a fiscal year 2012 spending bill that includes $1.09 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a funding level that essentially sustains most of the CNCS programs at the present year levels. The Senate legislation includes a $17 million or 1.6% increase for two accounts above the FY 2011 enacted level - $3 million in additional funds for National Civilian Community Corps and $14 million in additional funds for the National Service Trust. The Senate did not restore funding for Learn and Serve America, a program eliminated in fiscal year 2011. Before the program was cut by Congress, Learn and Serve America provided annual support for 3,000 service-learning programs that benefited 1.5 million young people.
Highlights from the Senate FY 2012 Appropriations bill include:
- $98,876,000 for Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)
- $207,883,000 for Senior Corps programs
- $49,900,000 for the Social Innovation Fund
- $3,992,000 is included for the Volunteer Generation Fund
- $347,360,000 for AmeriCorps State and National Grants
- $31,942,000 for AmeriCorps*NCCC
- $0.00 for Learn and Serve America
August 2, 2011
On August 2, 2011, Congress and the Administration reached an agreement on our nation’s deficit, averting the potential economic disaster that would have resulted from defaulting on our nation's debt, but instructing Congress to cut $1 trillion dollars from discretionary programs in fiscal year 2012. The Budget Control Act of 2011 also established a 12-member bipartisan congressional committee – the so-called Super Committee - who must identify an additional $1.5 trillion dollars in cuts. The Super Committee’s plan must be prepared by November 23 and the full Congress must take an up or down vote on their proposal by December 23. While the Corporation for National and Community Service was not specifically mentioned in the debt deal, it is almost certain to be among the programs proposed for deep, devastating cuts that could impact all of the agency’s initiatives – including AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund.
In today's economic realities, we must invest in programs that help create jobs, deliver results, and sustain our communities. We must focus on making federal investments that are leveraged with private support and power the effective organizations delivering results against the issues affecting our communities and our country. That is why now is the time to convince our nation's policymakers that America’s children, veterans, families, and seniors cannot afford for cuts to be made to CNCS.
The 12 Members of the Super Committee include: Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX, Co-Chair), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA, Co-Chair).
May 27, 2011
President Obama announced the appointment of Robert Velasco as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Velasco has served 17 years in the federal sector, with 11 years in management and executive positions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. As Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief of Program Operations for the Corporation for National and Community Service, Velasco has been responsible for agency management and program operation since September 2010.
April 15, 2011
Seven months into fiscal year 2011, President Obama signed H.R. 1473, providing funding for all the agencies and programs of federal government for the remainder of the year.
April 14, 2011
Both the House and the Senate approved H.R. 1473, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act,legislation to fund the agencies and programs of the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. In total, the continuing resolution provides $1.078 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, about 94% of the FY 2010 enacted level. This amount was further reduced by a 0.2% across-the-board rescission to all programs and activities. Total FY 2011 funding including the rescission is $1.076 billion, or about $339 million less than the President’s FY 2011 request. Reductions to CNCS programs included a $12.7 million cut to RSVP, a $23.2 million cut to AmeriCorps State and National, and a $39.5 million cut to Learn and Serve America, eliminating FY 2011 funding for the service-learning program.
April 8, 2011
Just hours before anticipated federal government shutdown, the White House and Congress arrived at a budget deal for fiscal year 2011. The compromise rejected many of the severe program cuts and policy riders proposed in H.R. 1, including the elimination of the Corporation for National and Community Service. However, the agreement still includes deep reductions in funding levels that will impact millions of Americans, and many cost-effective and high impact programs will suffer difficult cuts.
March 17, 2011
Congress passed another short-term continuing resolution (CR) that cuts $6 billion from current spending levels and funds the government through April 8. Along with avoiding a government shutdown, the new measure is designed to provide additional time for lawmakers to negotiate a spending deal for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30. House and Senate leaders have begun talks to figure out how to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, but they have yet to agree on which areas of the federal budget should be targeted for cuts.
March 9, 2011
The Senate took two roll call votes on the House-passed (H.R. 1) and a Senate alternative to fund the federal government through the end of fiscal year 2011. Neither of those spending bills, which are roughly $50 billion apart in terms of overall funding levels, secured sufficient support to advance.
The Senate alternative – that included $1.17 billion for CNCS, enough to sustain all of its programs at current funding levels – only secured 42 affirmative votes.
The federal government is presently operating under a short-term resolution that keeps the government agencies and programs funded through March 18th. As the next deadline nears, House and Senate leadership will resume high-level budget negotiations in hopes of drafting a FY11 budget bill that has enough support to pass both chambers and will end the current legislative stalemate.
- Click here to learn how your Senators voted on H.R. 1 – legislation that eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- Click here to learn how your Senators voted on the Democratic Alternative to H.R. 1 – legislation that sustains the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs at FY10 levels.
- Click here for an interactive state map that will show you how your Senators voted on both bills.
March 4, 2011
The Senate Appropriations Committee has released a year-long Continuing Resolution to fund the government through the remainder of fiscal year 2011. The Senate bill is a Democratic Alternative to H.R. 1 that passed the House of Representatives on February 19th.
While the Senate package reduces spending $51 billion below the President’s budget request, it includes $51 billion more than the House-passed CR.
The Senate bill essentially funds the Corporation for National and Community Service at the same levels enacted by Congress for fiscal year 2010. The bill provides the agency and its programs with $1.17 billion, sustaining existing operations and increasing the value of the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award to match the maximum Pell Grant.
March 2, 2011
On March 2, Congress passed another fiscal year 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR) that will keep the government in operation through March 18, 2011. President Obama issued a statement indicating he will sign the two-week CR into law, but he implored lawmakers to work on a longer-term, bipartisan budget deal. The short-term CR includes $4 billion worth of spending cuts, but continues to fund the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs at fiscal year 2010 levels.
As reported on February 19, the House of Representatives has voted on a year-long spending package that cuts funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and eliminates AmeriCorps, Learn & Serve, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and the other service programs. The Senate and the White House have rejected the deep cuts in the House package, and they are beginning to work with their House colleagues to seek common ground and try to draft legislation that will fund the government for the remainder of the year. Click here for information on how to contact Congress and urge them to pass a FY11 compromise that restores funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service.
February 19, 2011
On February 19, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, a fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution that would fund the government through September 30. H.R. 1 included deep and devastating cuts across a wide swath of federal agencies and programs. Programs funded through the Labor-HHS-Education portion took the biggest hit under the bill. Among the many Labor-HHS program cuts, H.R. 1 eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service and the programs it funds – AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn & Serve America, VISTA, NCCC, the Volunteer Generation Fund and the Social Innovation Fund. This act will remove national service participants from community and faith-based organizations and will shutdown service delivery systems all across the country.
H.R. 1 passed the House by a vote of 235-189. Click here to learn how your Representative voted.
The federal government is presently operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds all government agencies and functions at fiscal year 2010 levels through March 4th. Congress must pass a new CR or an appropriations bill before March 4th or risk a government shutdown.
Click here for information on how to contact Congress and urge them to pass a FY11 compromise that restores funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service.
February 14, 2011
On February 14, President Obama sent his Fiscal Year 2012 budget request to Congress, including proposed funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs. The President’s requests $1.26 billion for CNCS, a $109 million increase over FY10 enacted levels.
As we have reported before, Congress is still wrestling with the FY11 budget for the federal government and has not reached an agreement on how to fund CNCS and all the other government functions for the remainder of this year. It is widely expected that Congress will reach a resolution on the tough decisions for FY11 before they turn their attention to the FY12 budget. Voices for National Service will continue to provide updates as both the FY11 and FY 12 budgets move through Congress.
Highlights of the President’s FY 2012 budget include the following:
AmeriCorps: The FY12 request expands AmeriCorps by 5,000 funded positions, supporting roughly 90,000 corps members.
- $399.8 million for AmeriCorps State and National ($27 million above FY10)
- $35 million for AmeriCorps NCCC ($6 million above FY10)
- $100 million for AmeriCorps VISTA ($926,000 above FY10)
Social Innovation Fund: $70 million ($20 million above FY10)
Volunteer Generation Fund: $5 million ($1 million above FY10)
State Commission Administrative Grants: $17 million (no change from FY10)
Learn and Serve America: $39.5 million (no change from FY10)
Senior Corps: $226.1 million for the three Senior Corps programs
- $63 million for RSVP (no change from FY10)
- $111.1 million for the Foster Grandparent Program ($104,000 above FY10)
- $47 million for the Senior Companion Program ($96,000 above FY10)
- $5 million for a new Senior Corps Demonstration Project
January 5, 2011
The 112th Congress was sworn in on January 5. The previous Congress adjourned before completing work on the twelve annual appropriations bills that fund the federal government between October 1-September 30 of each year. During the interim period between October 1, 2010 and the beginning of the 112th Congress, the federal government has been funded through a series of Continuing Resolutions or CRs. A CR is a stop-gap measure that can keep the government in operation until an appropriations bill can be passed. A CR generally provides funds for a short time and is used to avoid a government shut down. A CR may be repeated as needed. The new 112th Congress is expected to quickly begin debate on the FY11 budget and will try to end the budget stalemate.
Updates — 111th Congress
Senate Appropriators Recommend $1.366B for CNCS
Appropriation is $215.9M above FY10 enacted, $60M above House mark, and $50M below President’s request
On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a FY 2011 spending bill that includes $1.366 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This would be an increase of $215.9 million (18.8%) above the FY 2010 enacted level. Earlier this month, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee approved a budget for CNCS of $1.305 billion, approximately $60 million below the Senate subcommittee mark. (This level must still be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee.) Both the House subcommittee and the Senate committee marks fall short of the President's requested level of $1.416 billion.
The following is a breakdown of the funding levels approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee:
- Learn and Serve America: $40.2 million ($0.7 million above FY10, equal to the President’s request), including funding to continue Summer of Service activities
- AmeriCorps*NCCC: $35.6 million ($6.6 million above FY10, $1.0 million above the President’s request)
- AmeriCorps*State and National: $440.0 million ($67.5 million above FY10, $48.0 million below the President’s request) for 97,000 positions, an increase of 10,000 from FY10
- AmeriCorps*VISTA: $111.0 million ($11.9 million above FY10, $13.0 million above the President’s request)
- National Service Trust: $271.2 million ($74.2 million above FY10, $22.5 million below the President’s request)
- State Commission Administrative Grants: $18.0 million ($1.0 million above FY10, equal to the President’s request)
- Senior Corps: $229.1 million ($8.2 million above FY10, $8 million above the President’s request)
- RSVP: $64.0 million ($1.0 million above FY10, $1.0 million above the President’s request)
- Foster Grandparent: $115.6 million ($4.6 million above FY10, $4.5 million above the President’s request)
- Senior Companion: $49.5 million ($2.6 million above FY10, $2.5 million above the President’s request)
- Social Innovation Fund: $60.0 million ($10.0 million above FY10, equal to the President’s request)
- Volunteer Generation Fund: $10.0 million ($6.0 million above FY10, equal to the President’s request)
Voices for National Service reminds our partners that frequent and ongoing engagement of your elected officials is critically important. Please invite Members of Congress to visit your program or participate in a day of service. These decision-makers need to see your work and impact firsthand. This is our best opportunity to build support for national service expansion to meet the extraordinary demand and fully realize the potential of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Voices for National Service will continue to monitor the appropriations process and keep the field updated as details emerge. Congress will have to make tough decisions on national funding priorities, while they try to impose discipline on spending and reduce the deficit. Legislators must hear from constituents who are closely watching the levels appropriated to CNCS.
- Please contact your Members of Congress and ask them to support the President’s FY 2011 request. Share stories of impact from communities across the country and help make the case for a strong federal investment in national service. To find out more about how to reach out to your elected officials, click here.
- Click here to read more about the House LHHS recommendation.
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Legislative Update, July 28, 2010
On July 28, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) introduced an amendment to H.R. 5297, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010. The legislation would make the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award tax-free by excluding it from consideration as gross income. Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) cosponsored the amendment, S.Amdt. 4541. In March 2009, Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Charles Boustany (R-LA) introduced H.R. 1596, legislation to provide the same tax relieft to AmeriCorps alumni. The Lewis-Boustany bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.R. 5297 aims to create the Small Business Lending Program to increase the availability of credit for small businesses, and to amend the tax code to provide incentives for job creation. It was passed in the House of Representatives by a roll call vote (241-182) in June 2010. It is currently under consideration on the floor of the Senate.
Legislative Update, July 27, 2010
On July 27, the Senate Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved a draft spending bill that includes $1.366 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This would be an increase of $215.9 million (18.8%) above the FY 2010 enacted level. Earlier this month, the House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee approved a budget for CNCS of $1.305 billion, approximately $60 million below the Senate subcommittee mark. Both the House and Senate subcommittees are recommending funding levels below the President's requested level of $1.416 billion.
According to the bill summary, the Senate's appropriation would increase AmeriCorps participation from 87,000 members in 2010 to 97,000 in 2011. Further details, including the funding breakdown by program, will be available after the full Senate Appropriations Committee considers the LHHS bill on Thursday, July 29.
- Click here for the FY 2011 bill summary approved by the Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee.
Legislative Update, July 15, 2010
House LHHS Reports Out FY11 Bill, Including CNCS Appropriations
On July 15, the House Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved a draft spending bill that includes $1.305 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). While this is a critical $155 million (13.5%) increase, the allocation falls short of the President's requested level by $111 million.
At this time, the committee has only released a bill summary. Detailed information with funding allocations by program is not yet available.
- Click here to read the prepared remarks of Chairman David Obey (D-WI).
- Click here for the FY 2011 table of Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations recommendations, including the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- Click here to read a March 2010 letter from 55 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives urging the House Labor-HHS Appropriations leadership to fully fund the President's FY 2011 budget request for the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- Click here to read an April 2010 letter from 18 Senators urging the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations leadership to fully fund the President's FY 2011 budget request for the Corporation for National and Community Service.
There are many steps left in the appropriations process before final funding levels are enacted. The full House Appropriations Committee will hold a second mark-up of the bill (date to be announced), and the Senate committees must meet. Voices for National Service will continue to monitor the appropriations process and keep the field updated as details emerge.
House Committee Approves Legislation to Create Nutrition Corps
On July 15, the House Committee on Education and Labor marked up H.R.5504, the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act, reporting the bill to the full House of Representatives by a vote of 32-13. The bill’s purpose is to reauthorize child nutrition programs and includes a new Nutrition Corps, using national service members to improve nutrition education and meal assistance programs in America’s schools. The Nutrition Corps amendment was sponsored by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Chairwoman of the House Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee.
According to the amendment’s text, the Nutrition Corps would “address unmet health needs within communities by providing services that improve access to, and increase participation in, nutrition assistance programs.” This work could include the following:
- Assisting with the implementation of in-classroom and summer meal programs at schools
- Training nutrition-assistance providers
- Promoting healthy food choices and physical activity among children
- Performing community needs assessments as part of programs to reduce obesity, promote healthy eating, and end childhood hunger
- Bring together community stakeholders to plan coordinated cross-sector nutrition programs
H.R.5504 was introduced by Chairman George Miller (D-CA) of the Education and Labor Committee, and it has 44 co-sponsors.
- Click here to read Chairwoman McCarthy’s amendment to H.R.5504, which would establish a Nutrition Corps.
- Click here for more information on H.R.5504, the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (from the House Committee on Education and Labor).
Legislative Update, May 13, 2010
On May 13, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 1338, “Recognizing the significant accomplishments of AmeriCorps and encouraging all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of national and community service.” The measure needed support from two-thirds of the House, and it successfully cleared that margin, 280-128. H. Res. 1338 was introduced by the Co-Chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus in the House – Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Todd Platts (R-PA), David Price (D-NC), and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) – and had 42 additional co-sponsors.
Rep. Ehlers spoke on the House floor in support of AmeriCorps and its leveraging impact in his hometown:
Americans have a long history of service to each other and to their country, and AmeriCorps creates a web of opportunities for Americans to serve. I saw ample evidence of this just yesterday when I participated in a ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan, my hometown. It was just striking to me what a multiplier effect we have with the AmeriCorps program…. [W]e were getting so much for so little Federal money because the AmeriCorps people working there who did receive some Federal funds had, in fact, recruited a large number of other people to work with them, and so we accomplished a great deal in my community with very, very little Federal funding. I think that serves as a model for the Nation.
A similar resolution, S. Res. 516, was introduced and agreed to in the Senate on May 7th.
- Click here to read H. Res. 1338, “Recognizing the significant accomplishments of AmeriCorps and encouraging all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of national and community service.”
- Click here to see how Representatives voted on H. Res. 1338.
- Click here to read remarks by Reps. Ehlers, Matsui, Dina Titus (D-NV), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and David Wu (D-OR) in support of H. Res. 1338.
Legislative Update, May 7, 2010
On the eve of AmeriCorps Week (May 8-15), the Senate passed S. Res. 516, “Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members to the lives of the people of the United States.” The resolution was introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and co-sponsored by Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and it passed unanimously.
A similar resolution, H. Res. 1338, was introduced in the House of Representatives on May 6th.
- Click here to read S. Res. 516, "Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members to the lives of the people of the United States."
- Click here to read H. Res. 1338, “Recognizing the significant accomplishments of AmeriCorps and encouraging all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of national and community service,” as submitted.
Legislative Update, April 21, 2010
On the first anniversary of the Serve America Act – April 21, 2010 – the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 1276, "Recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act." Introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the resolution had 30 co-sponsors and passed by a voice vote.
During the debate, Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) spoke about the impact of service and volunteerism on individuals, communities, and our country:
Albert Einstein once said, “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” Regardless of one’s age or background, education or interests, experience or abilities, every American should have the chance to serve because all have something to contribute to the greater good.
- Click here to read the H. Res. 1276, "Recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act."
- Click here to read floor remarks delivered by Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-Northern Marinas Islands) in support of H. Res. 1276.
Legislative Update, March 15, 2010
On March 15, 2010, the Senate unanimously passed S.Res. 449, a resolution celebrating the 45th anniversary of VISTA and its ongoing contributions to the fight against poverty in America. The resolution was introduced by Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) – himself an alumnus of the VISTA program – and Thad Cochran (R-MS). A similar resolution in the House of Representatives has been introduced by Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) and co-sponsored by Representative Howard Berman (D-CA).
In discussing the resolution, Senator Rockefeller reflected on the transformative effect that his VISTA service had on his life and career: “When I look back on VISTA beginnings, I see my own roots – the foundation on which I have built the rest of my life. Everything that I have done in my career in public office has been grounded in the VISTA experience and in those kids and families who taught me so much about life.”
- Click here to read a press release from the Corporation for National and Community Service on the passage of S.Res. 449.
Legislative Update, February 12, 2010
On February 12, 2010, President Obama appointed Patrick Corvington as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), one day after the Senate confirmed Mr. Corvington by unanimous consent. The President initially nominated Mr. Corvington in October 2009.
- Click here for a CNCS press release on Patrick Corvington’s confirmation.
- Click here for a message from Steven Goldsmith, Chairman of the Board of Directors at CNCS, on the transition of leadership at the agency.
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