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Dear Colleagues:
This is another important week for national service, and we wanted to give you some quick updates.
A few minutes ago, in his joint address to Congress, President Obama called on the ingenuity and generosity of the American people to help address the dire economic and social problems facing our nation. He asked Congress to pass the Serve America Act, bipartisan legislation introduced last month by Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), to expand national and community service opportunities for all Americans.
Tomorrow, the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on “Renewing America through National Service and Volunteerism” at 10:00 AM. The hearing will examine the importance of national and community service in meeting critical economic needs across the country. The witness lists includes recording artist Usher Raymond IV, TIME Magazine managing editor Richard Stengel, former Senator and Corporation CEO Harris Wofford, Echoing Green President Cheryl L. Dorsey, and others. You may access the hearing live starting at 10:00 am on the Committee’s website at http://edlabor.house.gov/ by clicking the “Live Webcast” button. We are thrilled that Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon have made service and volunteering the focus of the first full committee education hearing to be held in the 111th Congress.
Also tomorrow, the House is expected to begin consideration of H.R. 1105, the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. This bill would provide funding for programs across the government for the remainder of Fiscal 2009. As you may recall, many federal agencies and programs – including the Corporation – have been funded by a continuing resolution which expires on March 6. The proposed Fiscal Year 2009 level for the Corporation is $889,866,000, broken down as follows:
- AmeriCorps Grants: $271,196,000
- AmeriCorps VISTA: $96,050,000
- AmeriCorps NCCC: $27,500,000
- National Service Trust: $132,075,000
- Senior Corps: $213,785,000
- RSVP: $58,642,000
- Foster Grandparents: $108,999,000
- Senior Companions: $46,144,000
- Learn and Serve America: $37,459,000
- Innovation and Demonstration: $18,893,000
- Evaluation: $3,891,000
- State Commission Grants: $11,790,000
- Salaries and Expenses: $71,715,000
- Office of Inspector General: $6,512,000
More details and legislative provisions are contained in the bill text and explanatory statement. After House action, the Senate will take up the bill. For more information, please visit our budget page at http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/budget/index.asp.
On Thursday, President Obama will release a summary outline of his Fiscal 2010 budget request, including a topline figure for the Corporation. We will share details when they are available.
In Service,
Nicola Goren
Acting CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service
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