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P.L. 111-13, The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act
- This item is from the 111th Congress (2009-2010) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
Version saved on March 18, 2009, 07:30:34, by webmaster:
H.R. 1388 would reauthorize and reform the national service laws.
Detailed Summary
Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act or the GIVE Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (NSCA) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (DVSA) to revise the programs under such Acts and reauthorize appropriations for such programs through FY2014.
Revises under NSCA: (1) the School-Based and Community-Based Service-Learning programs and Higher Education Innovative Programs for Community Service (Learn and Serve programs); (2) National Service Trust programs (AmeriCorps); (3) the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC); and (4) the Investment for Quality and Innovation program.
Eliminates the current Community-Based Learn and Serve programs.
Establishes two new Learn and Serve programs: (1) Campuses of Service, which provides funds to institutions of higher education to develop or disseminate exemplary service-learning programs that assist their students' pursuit of public service careers; and (2) Innovative Service-Learning Programs and Research, which funds community service-learning opportunities for elementary and secondary, college, and graduate students as well as research into service-learning.
Includes among eligible AmeriCorps programs: (1) an Education Corps to address unmet educational needs; (2) a Healthy Futures Corps to address unmet health needs; (3) a Clean Energy Corps to address unmet environmental needs; and (4) a Veterans Corps to address the unmet needs of veterans and their families.
Creates AmeriCorps Opportunity Corps programs that include certain existing programs and new programs to: (1) increase community access to technology; (2) engage citizens in public safety, health, and emergency preparedness services; (3) mentor youth; (4) reduce recidivism by re-engaging court-involved youth; and (5) support the needs of veterans or active duty service members and their families.
Establishes an Education Awards Only program authorizing the Corporation for National and Community Service (Corporation) to provide fixed-amount grants to programs that have approved national service positions, but no AmeriCorps funding.
Sets the National Service educational awards for full-time AmeriCorps, NCCC, and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) participants at a level equal to the maximum available Pell Grant available to students under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Includes among needs to be met under the NCCC program, disaster relief, infrastructure improvement, environmental and energy conservation, and urban and rural development.
Requires states to develop comprehensive plans for volunteer and paid service by Baby Boomers and older adults.
Directs the Corporation to plan pilot programs to: (1) better target and serve displaced workers; and (2) establish a centralized electronic citizenship verification system which would allow the Corporation to share employment eligibility information with the Department of Education.
Authorizes the Corporation to treat September 11th annually as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Establishes within the Investment for Quality and Innovation program: (1) a ServeAmerica Fellowships program providing fellowships to individuals chosen by states to participate in service projects addressing certain areas of national need; (2) a Silver Scholarship Grant Program providing scholarships to individuals age 55 or older who complete at least 500 hours of service in a year in an area of national need; and (3) an Encore Fellowships program providing one-year fellowships to individuals age 55 or older who serve in areas of national need and receive training to transition to public service employment. Makes ServeAmerica fellows eligible for national service educational awards.
Authorizes the Corporation to provide grants to innovative and model service programs, including those for disadvantaged youth, youth under age 17, and potential recidivists.
Eliminates federal funding for the Points of Light Foundation.
Revises under DVSA: (1) the VISTA program; and (2) the Senior Corps, including the Retired and Senior Volunteer program (RSVP), the Foster Grandparent program, and the Senior Companion program.
Gives priority in VISTA participant selection to disadvantaged youth and retired adults of any profession.
Authorizes new VISTA grant programs of national significance that provide poor and rural communities with: (1) services reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals into society; (2) financial literacy and planning; (3) before-school and after-school services; (4) community economic development initiatives; (5) assistance to veterans and their families; and (6) health and wellness services. Eliminates the VISTA Literacy Corps, University Year for VISTA, and Literacy Challenge Grant programs.
Raises the minimum and maximum stipend provided to VISTA participants.
Prioritizes RSVP projects in specified areas.
Makes anyone 55 years of age or older eligible as Senior Corps volunteers.
Provides, under the Senior Corps demonstration program, incentive matching grants to Senior Corps programs that exceed specified performance measures, enroll most of their volunteers in outcome-based service programs, and increase their enrollment of Baby Boomer volunteers.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the number of AmeriCorps, VISTA, and NCCC participants should reach 250,000 by 2014.
Congressional Commission on Civic Service Act - Establishes a Congressional Commission on Civic Service to provide recommendations to Congress on improving opportunities for individuals to volunteer or perform national service.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 250 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1388 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. All points of order against consideration are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and Labor now printed in the bill.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Cost per :
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There was no up-or-down vote in the Senate.
Visitor Comments
Joyce
March 16, 2009, 10:39am (report abuse)There are corporations, churches and other volunteer organizations that are taking many lower paying jobs in this country and making them volunteer jobs. Now they want to create more? Why are they wasting our time and money with non paying jobs. Sounds like they are trying to make a lot of people slaves.
This is not creating jobs--people need money!
Dus
March 16, 2009, 11:30am (report abuse)People can\'t be forced to do work. We could call it a draft and pay them nothing like we used to pay the military, but that won\'t work because workers have rights.
The private sector should do the hiring for the jobs and they should get the federal money for these programs. They are cheaper and can pay someone what the government charges to run the program. The volunteer workers are payed poverty wages with promises of education while the government charges tens of thousands for each \'volunteer\' worker. This is why these program exist, for the federal employees. They are paid 40-90,000 to administer.
The workers should be paid the median income.
Kevin
March 17, 2009, 10:33am (report abuse)If either myself or my family feel compelled to volunteer our time and energy to whatever cause or endeavor. Then that decision should be of our own volition and making and not out of coercion and some government mandate. WW2 Nazi Germany had such a group, they were called the \"Brown Shirts\", not sure of their role ? Go to your local synagogue and ask any parishioner there over age 40.This bill could be the first step or \"goosestep\" to that end again.
Danielle
March 21, 2009, 10:20am (report abuse)I won't do it, and neither will my future kids. I'll move from the country first. This is unconstitutional and wrong!
Blue Dog
March 22, 2009, 4:21pm (report abuse)If one reads this bill carefully it becomes very clear this is social engineering. If made "mandatory" it will be unconstitutional!!!!!
Red
March 23, 2009, 11:30am (report abuse)I didn't see anything in the text about making service mandatory. Did I miss something?
I'm more concerned about increasing discretionary spending in these times when we should be cutting back. This is exactly the kind of program that should be cut right now, not expanded.
Besides, why do people need grant money to do community service anyway? I thought the whole point of service was voluntary sacrifice of personal time, talents, and funds.
Rickytic
March 23, 2009, 1:32pm (report abuse)These programs always start as voluntary & end with paid managers at some level. Forget it.
Charleen
March 23, 2009, 1:36pm (report abuse)Why not call it by a name that served another despot to spread his will via the young - The Nazi Corps!
KS
March 23, 2009, 2:02pm (report abuse)This Bill is Unconstituional and illegal! Contact your senator today...They are voting tomorrow.
We are not your slaves!
DJH
March 23, 2009, 2:59pm (report abuse)How much of the 50.00 goes to the worker? 2 or 3 dollars? The rest goes to the bureaucracy. This is why the program exists.
zobomafoo
March 24, 2009, 6:35pm (report abuse)No Red, you didn\'t miss anything. Most people didn\'t read the bill, and are just reacting to things they read on conspiracy websites.
Archeopterix
(logged-in user) March 25, 2009, 1:33pm (report abuse)Need to read the bill carefully. It calls for the "study" or "feasibility" of training camps for volunteers. Yes, you do get your own uniform and yes, there is a social engineering aspect to it. But relax, it's only a study. Nothing permanent comes from the government just studying something. Besides, Michelle will be in charge, not Barack. Nothing to worry about, just keep getting upset over AIG. You'll never see it coming. Think subterfuge.....
DavidR
March 26, 2009, 10:13am (report abuse)Note that Sec 1304 of this bill amends CURRENT law to forbid those in a National service project from doing any of the following:
i) Protesting (against anyone, including the government)
ii) Taking any active role in a religious activity:
Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization
ZT
March 26, 2009, 11:36am (report abuse)Mandatory Volunteerism? What a joke!! Aiwth our vote, we need to kick these bums out of Congress in 2010 for concocting this type of drivel on our dime. They go ballistic on AIG bonuses; mark my words -- these same Congressional fatcats will award themselves with a nice pay raise later this year...
jdelaney3
March 29, 2009, 1:47pm (report abuse)I think to eliminate opposition, the mandatory aspect in HR 1388 has been eliminated. However, it has been cleverly enshrined in a companion bill (HR 1444), not yet voted on, which establishes a commission to study the efficacy of making it all mandatory. It\\\\\\\'s weird and scary.
LT Jaeger
March 31, 2009, 7:00pm (report abuse)This is A GREAT BILL!!!
Nothing is mandatory, and it allows very low income seniors to receive a small stipend for their volunteerism. Administrative expenses are capped as a small percentage of the funds going to cover volunteer stipends.
As for the cost of this program, it's a drop in the bucket...plus, the expense saves all of us money in the long term by creating support for schools, hospitals, etc.
jdelaney3
April 2, 2009, 12:01pm (report abuse)Jaeger,
In combo with HR 1444, currently in committee, the volunteerism called for in 1388/277 could well become "mandatory volunteerism", an oxymoron if ever I saw one. It's obvious to me that 1388 is a first-step attempt to undermine our charitable network and to put gov't bureaucrats in charge of "charity". They love giveaway programs particularly if they benefit the gov't bureaucrats and politicians who champion those giveaways. It's a ruse, plain and simple. Open up your eyes, cast away the ideological blinders. Our republic is under attack as never before!!
Brian C.
April 2, 2009, 1:56pm (report abuse)It doesn't get any more Orwellian than this! This is social engineering at the very least, and could be the first step towards the reinstitution of slavery! Take heed, the New World Order (aka "Change") draws nigh!
Dawn H.
April 12, 2009, 8:53am (report abuse)The big picture is that Obama wants more of these 'community organizers' running a muck in everyone's communities so that more 'change' will be spread and our kids brainwashed!
I am against forcing anyone into anything but whatever they choose to do, especially at MY taxdollar expense!
I would prefer my child work a summer job and make some money, teach him/her about the time value of money, teach the how to save money, and let them focus on their interests, not the President's!
This is the beginning of Marxism 101!
kris5747
(logged-in user) April 12, 2009, 4:33pm (report abuse)zobomafoo... and Red, too:
Conspiracy theory, huh? This has been put into a new bill, H.R. 1444. Go read it, it says: "(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable MANDATORY service requirement for all able young people could be developed" Read it yourself at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-1444
kris5747
(logged-in user) April 12, 2009, 4:54pm (report abuse)Mandatory = you gotta
Volunteerism = do something for someone else for no pay
Therefore, do the math: mandatory + volunteerism = you gotta do something for someone else for no pay
Conclusion: SLAVERY
LY
April 23, 2009, 9:56am (report abuse)This IS MANDATORY VOLUNTEERISM and MUST be stopped dead in its tracks!! We don't need the government dictating what we do and don't do. We are a kind antion and we will volunteer when and where we want. Quit trying to make new laws - just enforce the existing laws...and let's start with the yahoos in Congress who think they're above it - Geitner, Rengel, Richardson, Daschle, Sebelius, Hillifer, and on and on.
Publius
April 24, 2009, 2:29pm (report abuse)Involuntary servitude and an army of brown-shirts. Well, B.O. did say that he wanted a civil defense organization that was as large and as well funded as the U.S. military when he was on the campaign trail. Now you got it!
Still like your CHANGE people?
BTW, I will not serve.
Danielle
April 29, 2009, 12:03am (report abuse)zobomafoo:
I read the bill (I am sure you did not, that is okay, it took me 4 days). There is wording that states mandatory twice. And I have to ask- if it is going to be voluntary, why create a law? It's not like these people have a problem with earmarks.
james
April 29, 2009, 3:29am (report abuse)this is the egyptian form of slavery where the slave is indirectly forced voluntarily into servitude since life not in servitude sucks
disappointed
June 5, 2009, 3:19pm (report abuse)The only thing we are slaves to is the all mighty dollar!
If you are privileged with the ability to serve others, you should not hesitate to help your fellow man. The fact that some in congress feel that reality should be mandatory only reflects how far we have fallen from grace. If you want to get rid of the government then start doing right by others.
Delaware411PLH
August 1, 2010, 5:15pm (report abuse)If you like this Public Law you'll love HR 5741, the next step...
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From the Blog
More Bills on the House Floor This Week
Along with the federal budget, a number of other bills will be on the House floor this week. Take a look: H.R. 1388 - Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization Act of ...