By Tom Nelson, USCM Intern
October 13, 2008

This September, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Senator Ted Kennedy (MA) and Committee member Senator Orrin Hatch (UT) introduced the Serve America Act. The legislation would amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand and improve opportunities for individuals to join service groups such as AmeriCorps. The goal is by 2013 for 250,000 individuals annually to participate in a year of service by providing funding for an additional 175,000 individuals (in addition to the 75,000 individuals already participating).

AmeriCorps was established in 1993 when President Bill Clinton signed The National and Community Service Trust Act, which launched three major service programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America. The first class of 20,000 AmeriCorps members began serving in 1,000 communities in 1994. An August 2006 State Commission Performance Report states, “Participants of Corporation programs contribute approximately 200 million service hours domestically each year. These programs, each with its own purpose and structure, are united for a common purpose—engaging citizens dedicated to making their communities better.”

Kennedy said the legislation would connect every generation through service, and enable them to help tackle a wide range of national challenges, from the dropout crisis that plagues our schools to the lack of health care in our neediest communities to the energy and environmental crises that threaten our planet.

In a joint letter run in Time’s “21 Ways to Serve America,” Kennedy and Hatch said, “Imagine the enormous difference it would make to our communities and nation if every American served for a year with a community-service group, nonprofit enterprise or faith-based organization…we want to make it feasible for many to devote a year or more to service.”

Hatch and Kennedy described the goals of the legislation:

• For Students, Increase Service Early in Life: Service early in life will put more and more youth on a path to a lifetime of service. The legislation will improve opportunities for young people in low income, high-need communities to engage in service to improve their own communities.

• For Working Adults, Encourage Employers to Let Employees Serve, by establishing a tax incentive for employers who allow employees to take paid leave for full-time service.

• For Retirees, Value Their Skills and Make Service Work for Them. Many retiring citizens are ready, willing, and able to be involved in service and have skills the public needs – but none of the current service programs are structured with their needs in mind. The legislation will enhance incentives for retirees to give a year of service through the Corps, and will establish “Encore Fellowships” to help retirees who wish to transition to longer-term public service.

• For Americans of All Ages, Increase Volunteering. Not all Americans can make a significant time commitment to service, but many volunteer in other ways. The legislation will expand the volunteer pool by establishing a “Volunteer Generation Fund” to help nonprofit organizations recruit and manage more volunteers.