Senate approves Kennedy service bill
The US Senate this afternoon approved a bill named for Senator Edward M. Kennedy that represents the most sweeping overhaul and expansion of national service programs in 16 years.
The Senate voted 79-19 for the measure, which would increase the ranks of AmeriCorps to 250,000 from 75,000 positions over eight years and also create five groups to help poor people, improve education, encourage energy efficiency, strengthen access to healthcare, and assist veterans.
The House could take up the bill as early as Monday, sending it to President Obama to sign into law.
The bipartisan legislation was authored by Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
“Today’s Senate 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. I commend Senator Mikulski, Senator Hatch, and Senator Enzi for their impressive bipartisan cooperation in achieving such prompt Senate action, and I look forward to it becoming a significant part of President Obama’s strategy for getting America back on track,” Kennedy said in a statement.
UPDATE: President Obama issued a statement applauding the Senate's passage of the bill, which follows through on his call for more public service, and again paid tribute to Kennedy:
"I’m so pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act -- legislation that will usher in a new era of service. I want to applaud all those who have worked so hard to see this bill through, and I am eager to sign it into law.
"This legislation will help create new opportunities for millions of Americans at all stages of their lives. From improving service learning in schools to creating an army of 250,000 volunteers a year dedicated to addressing our nation's toughest problems. From connecting working Americans to a variety of part-time service opportunities to better utilizing the skills and experience of our retirees and baby boomers. This legislation will help tap the genius of our faith based and community organizations, and it will find the most innovative ideas for addressing our common challenges and helping those ideas grow.
"It is fitting that this legislation is named after Ted Kennedy, a person who has never stopped asking what he could do for his country. This legislation is not just a tribute to the service to which he has dedicated his life, it is a call to action for the rest of us. Our work is not finished when I sign this bill into law – it has just begun. While our government can provide every opportunity imaginable for us to serve our communities, it is up to each of us to seize those opportunities. To do our part to lift up our fellow Americans. To realize our own true potential. I call on all Americans to stand up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this country."
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ONCE AGAIN SENATORS TED KENNEDY AND ORRIN HATCH HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR WELCOMING ABILITIES TO CAST ASIDE POLITICAL PARTY DIFFERENCES AND PLACE AMERICANS FIRST. THEY HAVE CONSISTANTLY GIVEN VETERANS AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE WORKING CLASS, "HOPE." THEREFORE CREATING AN AMERICAN DESIRE TO SERVE AND TO BE HONORED FOR DOING SO.
I'll join it as soon as the Kennedy kids join it...Yeah right. Do as I say not as I do.
Are they going to raise their pay? Or make a stronger deal for paying off their college loans? My young, idealistic, brilliant cousin got accepted to AmeriCorps last year, but ended up joining the Army instead because the pay, benefits, tuition assistance, housing, etc., was so much better. Now she is being deployed to Iraq.
Young people today are increasingly seeking economic security -- not a minimum-wage service experience where they're asked to give almost everything they have in very difficult areas, in return for very, very little. I do not say that to belittle or dishonor the work that Americorps folks do--I think it's noble. I just think it should be respected and paid even half as much as the military.
Curious... young folks, or anyone for that matter, seeking economic security shouldn't be looking to the government to provide it to them. We need to reduce the size of the state and the rate at which we're cannibalizing future generations to satisfy the greed of the those today who want something for nothing.
I hope for the best for your cousin - a safe tour of duty and return to you.
Do they have to buy their own brown shirts?
This is not an altruistic volunteer program. Volunteers are not paid. This is a patronage program for the politically connected "community organizers" like ACORN
ED- Honored? THEY GET PAID!!! Its not a dang honor system!!
Curious- how can you be little the work they do? they dont do a dang thing!
Every summer kids show up and because we dont have enough jobs to go around we inevitably pay hundredsof kids per state to either go home, or in a great story last year, 4 kids took turns emptying a trash barrel at the entrance to the boston commons. Even though it didnt ned to be emptied more than once per day.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE VOLUNTEERISM!!
NOT PAID , ge it NO MONEY! But we are giving tuition payments, housing breaks, day care, etc.
Americorps should be called- pay kids to do what we believe they should be doing for free.
i lovehow they call it an army!
"Soon will we have a national youth corps, an army of civilians, stronger than our regular military"- President Obama.
How about this one-
“We propose universal civilian service for every young American. Under this plan, All Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five will be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic training, civil defense preparation and community service.”- Rahm Emanuel Obamas Chief of Staff and best friend.
or from Obamas own website:developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start."
After thousands of comlaints and questions, his staff removed the word
"Barack Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by "require" from the post.
We are going to have a forced service law just like israel does. I hope you like it.
And i hope you all have plenty of spare time on your hands outside of work, to squeeze in your mandated community service, basic training and civil defense training.
Okay, I am still confused......If more and more people become employees of the government, where will the money come from to pay for them if only a small percentage of remaining workers will actually produce goods and services for sale. This bill to increase the AmeriCorp workers from 75,000 to 250,000 is just another example of the government's current path to socialism and tyranny.
?????? What is the point of all this? I am not sure. I love how these looney lefties try to make it sound as if this mickey mouse grab ass crap is actually serving your country like being in the military. "An army of volunteers" etc etc. This is so all the panzies can say 'i served my country too' when people like me are talking about my experiences around the wrold while I was in the army. Maybe some day they will get benefits like real veterans too!! ha ha. Oh, yeah. Do they get jack boots, arm bands and brown shirts?
keep sitting behind your computer and doing nothing Steve. Or better yet, hide behind the adage of" this is America and i can do whatever i want " (which means I do nothing and gripe about everything).
Do you have any idea about the so-called benefits Americorps members get? $1100 taxable dollars a month for a minimum of 40 hours a week. $6.87 an hour buddy. and I helped 600 children learn how to read last year which I'm sure you'd consider "doing nothing".
Sick, pathetic right wing nutjobs - please stop disparaging that which you cannot understand. Govt. service for youth is proven to provide guidance and structure. Or would you prefer they do nothing all year, none of that work gets done, and you can bitch about "Kids these days dont care about anything or anyone!" Grouchy old men. No wonder McCain lost. He reflects your insipid, selfish, backward-ass "thinking". Please go away.
Can they start the kids working by dredging up that '67 Oldsmobile?
I get it! instead of hiring trained experienced personal and paying them a good wage in relation to what there doing hire einexperienced kids. This is just a bandaid on a problem. oh yeah, and i have couple a friends who i backpacked with who will tell you just how good required service is as soon as they get released from prison for refusing to do it. I'm just saying requiring community service kinda goes against freedoms that we are supposed to have in the constitution.
What is the Bill number ?
Where is the Text of the Bill ?
down with private ownership of businesses and go go government - wooo....
an old saying...the government should be afraid of the people, not people afraid of the government. Right wing lunatics are the only people who are actually down to earth and not in some fairy tale land. Please stop belittling the human race with these asinine bills and actually help the people. oh and all for the left of the world and those who support them. USSA baby, United Soviet States of America
Good morning. If you think you can win, you can win. Faith is necessary to victory.
I am from Thailand and also now teach English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Beauty cosmetics expo usa july 2007: after the judges, they have to find a attitude team where they carried their hair."
Thank you so much for your future answers 8-). Paolo.