The U.S. House of Representatives today expressed its strong appreciation for AmeriCorps and its important contribution to our nation by overwhelmingly passing a resolution recognizing May 11-18 as AmeriCorps Week.

House Resolution 1173, which passed this afternoon by a 344-69 vote, “acknowledges the significant accomplishments of the AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners; recognizes the important contributions to the lives of our citizens by AmeriCorps members; and encourages citizens of all ages to consider serving in AmeriCorps.” (Full text below)

The bipartisan resolution was introduced on May 5 by Doris Matsui (D-CA), Co-Chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus.  A similar resolution has been introduced in the U.S. Senate (S.Res.548) by Senators Dodd (D-CT) and Cochran (R-MS) and 22 other cosponsors, and dozens of Governors and Mayors have issued AmeriCorps Week proclamations

On the House floor, several speakers noted AmeriCorps’ growth and impact, citing the fact that AmeriCorps 540,000 members have contributed more than 705 million hours of service since the program’s inception in 1994.  Others highlighted the life-long contribution of AmeriCorps alumni and how members become future civic leaders, public servants, and social entrepreneurs.

Alums Outpace Controlled Comparison Group in Public Service Careers, Civic Engagement, Community Activism, and Life Fulfillment

AmeriCorps is building a powerful pipeline for public servants, civic leaders, and social entrepreneurs, finds a new longitudinal study released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Released in coordination with a Brookings Institution briefing this morning, the study, Still Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year Impact of AmeriCorps on Alumni, is the most rigorous evaluation ever conducted on AmeriCorps’ long-term impacts on its members. Based on data collected eight years after members completed their year of service, the study conclusively demonstrates that AmeriCorps causes long-term positive impacts on the civic attitudes and behaviors of the program's alumni. AmeriCorps alums are significantly more civically engaged and more likely to pursue public service careers in the government and nonprofit sector than their counterparts in the scientifically crafted comparison group, which has also been tracked for eight years. They are also significantly more likely to be happy and satisfied with their lives. The report, executive summary, and other information is at www.NationalService.gov/research.

“Even those of us who started off believing that intense service can make better citizens have been astonished at the strength of these findings," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps. “With more than 60 percent of our alums working in nonprofits or government, these results are way more than statistically significant. AmeriCorps is becoming America's most important pipeline to careers in nonprofits and government -- this at the same time that crisis level shortfalls in leadership and workforce are looming in these areas."

• Complete poll data
• Summary poll data
• Summary poll data in PowerPoint format

38 U.S. Senators signed on as original cosponsors of a resolution introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska proclaiming April 25 Global Youth Service Day in the United States and honoring youth volunteerism, service, and service-learning and the difference made in the lives of young people and in communities across the country and around the world. In addition to Senator Murkowski (R-AK), the 38 cosponsors include: Akaka (R-HI), Bayh (D-IN), Boxer (D-CA), Brown (D-OH), Burr (R-NC), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Clinton (D-NY), Cochran (R-MS), Coleman (R-MN), Collins (R-ME), Craig (R-ID), Dodd (D-CT), Dole (R-NC), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Feinstein (D-CA), Gregg (R-NH), Inouye (D-HI), Isakson (R-GA), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Landrieu (D-LA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (ID-CT), Lincoln (D-AR), Martinez (R-FL), Menendez (D-NJ), Mikulski (D-MD), Murray (D-WA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Obama (D-IL), Specter (R-PA), Stevens (R-AK), and Tester (D-MT).

Read the Global Youth Service Day Resolution here.

As of April 21, Governors in 17 states have issued proclamations or letters of support: Gov. Riley of Alabama, Gov. Palin of Alaska, Gov. Riley of Connecticut, Gov. Perdue of Georgia, Gov. Blagojevich of Illinois, Gov. Sebelius of Kansas, Gov. Granholm of Michigan, Gov. Pawlenty of Minnesota, Gov. Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Lynch of New Hampshire, Gov. Corzine of New Jersey, Gov. Rendell Pennsylvania, Gov. Sanford of South Carolina, Gov. Perry of Texas, Gov. Kaine of Virginia, Gov. Gregoire of Washington, and Gov. Doyle of Wisconsin. Many local officials have also issued proclamation or passed resolutions honoring Global Youth Service Day in their area.

Featuring Groundbreaking Research, New Grants, Recruitment Blitzes, & Events across the U.S.

The coast-to-coast recognition of AmeriCorps Week, from May 11-18, will spotlight how America’s social entrepreneurs at the national, state and local levels, are tackling high-school dropouts, prisoner re-entry, illiteracy, and other national challenges in partnership with the Federal program that engages Americans in intense citizen service. 

Plans for AmeriCorps week include hundreds of service projects and recruitment events, the release of a major and rigorous longitudinal study of the impact of AmeriCorps service eight years later; the announcement of new recipients of AmeriCorps competitive funding, and participation of Federal, state and local officials as well as nonprofit leaders.

“Across the country, AmeriCorps members are helping communities fight poverty, mentor youth, recover from disasters, raise graduation rates, build homes, and tackle our toughest social challenges,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, including state and national grants, VISTA, and NCCC.  “What they get done during their service is extraordinary; and their engagement in their communities in their years after AmeriCorps is even more inspiring. We want AmeriCorps Week to inspire millions more Americans to serve, whether through AmeriCorps or Peace Corps or volunteering in your neighborhood.”
 

The national service field would like to thank those who reached out to their Members of Congress and asked them to co-sponsor resolutions recognizing AmeriCorps Week and honoring the contributions of the 542,000 AmeriCorps members and alumni who have served our nation since 1994. In the House this week, the co-chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus, Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA), Rep. David Price (D-NC), and Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT), introduced H.Res.1173 in recognition of AmeriCorps Week.  In the Senate, Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and 21 co-sponsors (listed below) introduced S.Res.548 on May 1, 2008.  Both resolutions were referred to their respective education committees, and we expect Congress to consider them during the week of May 11-18th.

Click to read: H.Res.1173 and S.Res.548

Senate Resolution Co-Sponsors
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI)
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)

• For the past five years, only one penny of every new, real non-defense dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children and children’s programs.
•  Children’s spending makes up only 10 percent of the entire non-defense budget.
• The overall share of federal, non-defense spending going to children’s programs has dropped by ten percent over the past five years.
• Real discretionary spending on children has declined by more than six percent since 2004, while at the same time all other non-defense discretionary spending has increased by more than eight percent.

• Program descriptions.
• Current appropriation levels.
• Funding levels from the past five fiscal years.
• Proposed funding levels for the coming fiscal year.
• The change over time in funding as a percentage of growth (both in nominal and inflation adjusted terms).
• Highlights of specific programs, drawing attention to their significant role in the lives of children.

From ServeNext:

As young voter turnout - unseen since 1968 - continues to play an important role in the complex plot that is Election ‘08, New Hampshire Primary winners U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) join Iowa Caucus winners Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR) and U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) as the four candidates (arguably) best poised to not only secure their party’s nomination and become the next President of the United States, but also expand National Service before the end of their first term.

• Senator McCain introduced legislation after 9/11 to expand AmeriCorps from 70k to 250k members.  He often speaks to the importance of National Service on the campaign trail as part of his stump speech, though he has yet to clearly outline a comprehensive plan.
• Senator Clinton announced at Plymouth State University her support for increasing Eli Segal Education Award from $4,725 to $10,000 for each year of National Service, expanding AmeriCorps by 100k members, and making it easier for military veterans to serve upon their return from active duty overseas. 
• Governor Huckabee has pledged to expand AmeriCorps to 170k members by the end of his first term as President.  He is also a big supporter of arts in the schools, suggesting that the Music National Service initiative might prove to be one of the bold, new ideas for his campaign embrace. 
• Senator Obama is the only one of the four winners yet to release a comprehensive plan or give a major policy address on National Service, which he gave before the Iowa Caucus.  He calls for doubling the Peace Corps and expanding AmeriCorps to 250k members.   

One thing is for certain… young people are voting and candidates will need to respond if they want to stay competitive.  Those who have proven themselves in these early nominating contests - on both sides of the aisle - have embraced National Service.  Who will step up their campaign platforms on the issue and who else will be the next to come on board as a way to unite the 18-29 year old demographic?    

Read more here.

From The National Service Advocate published by the National Service-Learning Partnership:

Since the days when President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation and its people to “ask not,” national and/or community service has been included in every U.S. president’s domestic agenda. Our current presidential hopefuls are continuing this tradition.

As voters gear up to take the polls on January 19th in Nevada, January 26th in South Carolina, and in 22 additional states on February 5th, we thought it might be interesting to explore how the candidates propose to engage younger Americans in meaningful service and civic action.

Only a few candidates have issued official policy proposals regarding national service for Americans of all ages. Of these plans, however, a few propose specific plans to engage young people in service-learning and school/campus-based service opportunities—including one very comprehensive proposal to expand service-learning by now former presidential candidate Senator Christopher Dodd. Check out What the Presidential Candidates Are Saying , a non-partisan brief overview of these plans and proposals