White House Fact Sheet: Strengthening Opportunities to Serve In America's Communities
President Bush will ask Congress for Citizen Service Act April 9
Presidential Action
During his State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all
Americans to give at least two years of their lives -- the equivalent
of 4,000 hours -- to service to their neighborhoods, communities and
Nation.
Today, the President will travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut to outline
his principles for reforming and strengthening the community service
programs operated by the Corporation for National and Community
Service. The President's principles are outlined in a package that he
will send to Congress today calling for a Citizen Service Act. They
include:
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Supporting and encouraging greater engagement of citizens in
volunteering by reforming and enhancing national and community service
programs to increase the quantity and quality of service opportunities
for Americans.
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Making Federal funds more responsive to state and local needs by
giving state, local and community officials more authority and
flexibility to provide service opportunities to the citizens they
represent.
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Making Federal support more accountable and effective by investing
in opportunities that will produce results for the communities they
serve.
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Providing greater assistance to secular and faith-based community
organizations by including more such organizations in national and
community service programs.
Background on the Corporation for National and Community Service
President Bush is calling on Congress to pass a Citizen Service Act
this legislative session that will encompass reforms and principles he
will outline today. Together, these reforms and principles will create
meaningful changes in the domestic service programs that are
administered primarily by the Corporation for National and Community
Service -- an independent Federal agency created to administer most of
the major federally funded domestic volunteer and community service
programs.
The National and Community Service Act is the statute that originally
authorized several of the programs administered by the Corporation
including: AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the National
Civilian Community Corps. The Domestic Volunteer Service Act
authorizes the Corporation's Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)
program and the National Senior Volunteer Corps -- known as Senior
Corps. Both statues have been pending reauthorization by Congress
since the end of fiscal year 1996. As a result, none of the
Corporation's programs has had the benefit of a thorough review and
discussion by the Congress for nearly a decade.
The programs fall into three groups:
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AmeriCorps grants support a network of community and volunteer
service opportunities for participants to work with community service
organizations working to meet the educational, public safety or
environmental needs of America's communities. Since the President's
call to service, applicant interest in the AmeriCorps program is up
dramatically, with online applications increasing 73 percent.
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Senior Corps includes the Foster Grandparent Program, the Senior
Companion Program, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, each
of which is designed to utilize the skills of senior citizens within
their communities. Since the President's call to service, interest in
Senior Corps is also up, with hits to its web site increasing 437
percent.
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Learn and Serve America includes three service-learning programs:
community based programs for school-age children, school-based
programs for K-12 students, and higher education initiatives to
involve college and university students in community service.
Service-learning is a teaching method by which students or
participants learn and develop skills and concepts through active
participation in service activities that meet the needs of their
communities.
Principles and Reforms
In his 2003 budget, the President requested a more than $290 million
increase in funding over 2002 levels for the Corporation's programs.
His proposal will support:
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25,000 new AmeriCorps participants, who will supervise and train at
least 75,000 additional community volunteers;
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100,000 new Senior Corps volunteers; and
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an estimated 200,000-300,000 students in colleges and universities
who participate in the Federal Work-Study program administered by the
U.S. Department of Education.
The principles and reforms he announced today are intended to make
certain those increased resources will go to support stronger and more
effective volunteer service programs, and are based upon four main
principles:
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Support and encourage greater engagement of citizens in
volunteering by reforming and enhancing national and community service
programs to increase the quantity and quality of service opportunities
for Americans.
-
Make Federal funds more responsive to state and local needs by
giving state, local and community officials more authority and
flexibility to provide service opportunities to the citizens they
represent.
-
Make Federal support more accountable and effective by investing in
opportunities that will produce results for the communities they
serve.
-
Provide greater assistance to secular and faith-based community
organizations by including more such organizations in national and
community service programs.
The principles and reforms the President is proposing today would:
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Make maximum community impact and involvement hallmarks of each of
the Corporation's service programs.
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Expand the role of the states in sponsoring these service programs,
while offering them greater administrative flexibility in receiving
and using federal funds.
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Establish accountability systems for the service organizations that
receive federal funds that will include performance goals, measurement
of progress toward those goals, and sanctions or corrective actions
when those goals are not met.
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Help community and faith-based organizations gain access to
volunteers supported by the Corporation's programs.
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Encourage more students to embark upon a lifetime commitment to
service by making the Federal Work-Study program for college and
university students more supportive of service activities, and by
helping America's youngest students to participate in effective
service-learning programs.
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Offer volunteers more flexible education awards that may be
transferred for the benefit of others, by working with Congress to
improve the tax treatment and other features of the new and existing
awards, and by eliminating age and income barriers to participation in
service programs.
For more information regarding the principles and reforms released
today or the USA Freedom Corps initiative visit www.whitehouse.gov or
www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
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