WASHINGTON, DC –Today, at the conclusion of Peace Corps Week – a celebration of the creation of the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 – Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) introduced a package of legislation aimed at supercharging national service and encouraging more Americans to engage in service of all forms in their communities.
"Throughout American history, ordinary people have stepped up to accomplish extraordinary things in service to our country. From those serving soup and planting victory gardens, to volunteer first responders spending their nights in the back of an ambulance, to the millions who joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, rebuilding our country after the Great Depression, Americans have always served one another, and I'm calling on us to recommit ourselves to doing it again," said Congressman Kim. "With this legislative package, I want to jumpstart and supercharge national service, incentivizing and opening up more opportunities for Americans to serve at home and abroad. I firmly believe that if we want to heal the divides we see in our country, recommitting ourselves to caring for one another through acts of service is a great place to start."
The package includes five bills, detailed below:
This bill would increase funding for AmeriCorps to double the number of positions for Americans who want to serve and increase volunteers' living stipends. Only half of the candidates who applied for AmeriCorps in 2019 were accepted due to a lack of available positions.
Additionally, the bill would strengthen post-service benefits for AmeriCorps volunteers and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers as they transition into their next jobs and careers.
A Chance to Serve Act is endorsed by Service Year Alliance. A fact sheet on the bill can be found here.
"National service corps members make an impact in local communities every day, serving in schools, public health clinics, national parks, and urban gardens — all while building trust with neighbors both at home and abroad. It is time for America to reinvest in national service by expanding opportunities to serve and recognizing the true value of service," said Kristen Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer of Service Year Alliance. "We are proud to endorse ‘A Chance to Serve,' a bill that would increase benefits and federal career options for Peace Corps volunteers and AmeriCorps members, making national service more accessible and higher education more affordable and attainable for those who serve. We look forward to working with Congressman Kim and are grateful for his leadership in helping to make national service an expectation and opportunity for all young Americans."
This bill would create a new federal agency, the American Volunteering Corporation (AVC), to oversee the operations of AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. The new agency would be responsible for coordinating and promoting all national service programs and initiatives, elevating service as a national priority.
This bill would direct the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create pipeline programs with colleges and universities to prepare and assist college students who are interested in public service, particularly from marginalized communities, in navigating the federal hiring process.
Additionally, this bill would double the number of positions under the Presidential Management Fellowship program and provide a stipend of $15 per hour for every Executive Branch internship to enable more young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in the federal government.
This bill would provide $40 million per year in funding for AmeriCorps' Learn and Serve America program, which has been discontinued since 2011 due to a lack of funding. Learn and Serve America provides technical skills training for K-12 teachers to incorporate elements of service into classrooms. In the past, high schools in New Jersey have used the funding in vocational programs to coordinate with local food banks and Habitat for Humanity to provide service learning instruction.
This bill would create a grant program through the Department of Education to support paid internships at the local government level to allow for hands-on learning opportunities throughout the country, helping students serve in their hometowns.
Additionally, the bill would create a scholarship program for high school seniors and undergraduate students who complete at least 100 hours of volunteer service, to recognize their work and ease the financial burden of attending college.
In the coming weeks, Congressman Kim plans to introduce an additional bill to strengthen support for local EMS squads to purchase equipment and recruit and retain volunteers.
This package of legislation to supercharge national service builds on Congressman Kim's Restoring Trust in Public Servants Act to strengthen ethics in Washington. Together, they are part of a larger effort to recommit ourselves and encourage more Americans to consider serving our country or their community in any way they choose.
Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, Congressman Kim dedicated much of his life to public service. While attending the University of Chicago, he worked as a community organizer with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Later, he went on to become a career public servant under both Democrats and Republicans, serving at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Pentagon, and State Department, on the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as a civilian advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen.
Congressman Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.
Original source found here.
