June 5, 2003 - New Democrats Online: Senators Unveil New Bipartisan Bill to expand Americorps to 175,000 members

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: June 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: June 5, 2003 - New Democrats Online: Senators Unveil New Bipartisan Bill to expand Americorps to 175,000 members

By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:25 am: Edit Post

Senators Unveil New Bipartisan Bill to expand Americorps to 175,000 members





Read and comment on this Press Release from New Democrats Online on The Call to Service Act of 2003 introduced by U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Evan Bayh (D-IN), and Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) want to harness the energy and spirit of the American people by significantly expanding opportunities for citizens to serve their country as community volunteers and in homeland defense.

The bill expands AmeriCorps to 175,000 members. Currently, there are 50,000 AmeriCorps members, but due to inadequate funding that number is in danger of being cut in half. The bill calls for an increase in AmeriCorps slots by 25,000 new member per year -- with many of the new positions dedicated to homeland defense. The legislation links AmeriCorps to Homeland Defense by directing the Corporation for National Service to work with the Department of Homeland Security to determine ways of promoting national security through service programs. Read the story at:


Senators Unveil New Bipartisan Bill, Decry Lack of Progress On Volunteer Initiatives*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Senators Unveil New Bipartisan Bill, Decry Lack of Progress On Volunteer Initiatives

McCain, Bayh, Kennedy Urge Action on National Service Proposals

For Immediate Release

Bayh Contact: Mark Kornblau (202/224-6807)
McCain Contact: Andrea Jones (202/224-2182)
Kennedy Contact: Stephanie Cutter (202/224-2633)

Washington, DC -- U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Evan Bayh (D-IN), and Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) want to harness the energy and spirit of the American people by significantly expanding opportunities for citizens to serve their country as community volunteers and in homeland defense.

The three Senators today introduced The Call to Service Act of 2003, which builds on the McCain/Bayh legislation first introduced in November of 2001. Two months after that bill was unveiled, President Bush made service programs a rhetorical centerpiece of his State of the Union Address. However, Congress has taken no action on legislation pertaining to service programs.

"We are eager to expand opportunities for Americans to serve their country," Bayh said. "But Congress and the Administration need to do more than pay lip service to the idea of national service. The administration's efforts to expand volunteer opportunities have been disappointingly lackluster. In fact, citizens now have fewer opportunities to serve than before."

"In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans stood ready to enlist in causes greater than their self interest," said McCain. "Congress should no longer delay in taking action on legislation to provide opportunities for Americans to serve."

"Now is the time to move from rhetoric to action. People across the country want to improve their communities and we need to provide a clear message from this Congress that we will continue to provide the support for national service," said Senator Kennedy, the Ranking Democrat on the Senate HELP Committee, which is due to take up reauthorization of national service programs this year. "These service programs have made an enormous difference in the lives of thousands of Americans. Most importantly, they have reignited a civic spirit in this country. We need to provide the resources and support to ensure that spirit carries on for future generations."

The Call to Service Act of 2003 expands opportunities for Americans to volunteer in a variety of ways. Currently, there are 50,000 AmeriCorps members, but due to inadequate funding that number is in danger of being cut in half. The bill calls for an increase in AmeriCorps slots by 25,000 new member per year -- with many of the new positions dedicated to homeland defense. The legislation links AmeriCorps to Homeland Defense by directing the Corporation for National Service to work with the Department of Homeland Security to determine ways of promoting national security through service programs.

The bill also expands eligibility for willing and able seniors to volunteer in a variety of capacities through the Senior Corps, including senior companion programs, tutoring, providing long-term care, and serving as foster grandparents.

A key component of the original Bayh/McCain proposal already became law last year. To meet the changing personnel needs of today's military, the Defense Department will now have a new, shorter-term enlistment option. Individuals who volunteer to serve under this new program serve on active duty for 15 months and can complete the remainder of their obligation by choosing service on active duty, in the Selected Reserve or in the Individual Ready Reserve (which can be fulfilled by in a civilian national service program such as the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps). In return for service, the legislation provides the choice of incentives including a $5,000 bonus, repayment of a student loan up to $18,000, an educational allowance under the Montgomery GI Bill.

Editor's Note: Bill Summary and AmeriCorps Membership graph below

Call to Service Act of 2003

Bill Summary

To revamp national service programs and expand the opportunities for Americans to serve, Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), John McCain (R-AZ), and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) have proposed legislation with the following components:

AmeriCorps

* Expands AmeriCorps to 175,000 members. The goal of the bill is to make national service available to every young person. Currently, 50,000 individuals serve in AmeriCorps. The legislation expands the number of AmeriCorps members to 175,000 over 5 years which will allow more communities to reap the benefits of service. The legislation is an important step toward the goal of 1 million Americans serving every 4 years.

* Links AmeriCorps to Homeland Defense. Directs the Corporation for National Service to work with the Office of Homeland Security to determine ways of promoting national security through national service programs. The bill amends the purpose section of the National and Community Service Act to include homeland security activities. Additionally, the legislation provides specifically for a program that engages participants in homeland security activities.

* Increases the Amount of the Education Award. AmeriCorps volunteers receive an education award of $4,725 to help finance college or pay back student loans. The legislation increases the award to $5,250.

Accountability
Requires the Corporation for National Service to commission a yearly study by an independent third party to report on the outcomes and effectiveness of AmeriCorps programs. Requires the results of this study be reported to Congress. Requires AmeriCorps programs to show positive, outcome-based results for their work.

VISTA
Preserves current law for VISTA.

Protects States
The legislation contains a hold harmless for state formula funds so states can guarantee the future of service.

Learn and Serve America
Learn and Serve America is a service-learning grant program. Service-learning combines service to the community in a way that improves both the student and the community.

* Increases the Authorization Level.


Since it was created, Learn and Serve America has been flat funded. This legislation increases the authorization to $100 million.

Community Corps Demonstration Program
Creates a grant program to expand service learning programs to include partnerships operated with nonprofit organizations or educational agencies

Senior Service
Increases participation for all seniors by lowering the age of participation from 60 to 55 and opens the stipended programs to people at 200% of poverty.
AmeriCorps Tries To Put Its House in Order





Read and comment on this story from the Washington Post on May 6 on financially troubled AmeriCorps, a sister program to the Peace Corps under the USA Freedom Corps, that has recently shown signs of righting itself. More than 4,600 people have joined the national service program since March, after an infusion of $100 million from Congress allowed officials to lift a five-month freeze on new enrollments. Officials vowed not to repeat managerial lapses that led the agency to approve more positions last year than it could financially support. Read the story at:

AmeriCorps Backers Try To Put Its House in Order*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



AmeriCorps Backers Try To Put Its House in Order

Measuring Financial Impact of Enrollment Is Key, IG Says

By Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 6, 2003; Page A19

The financially troubled AmeriCorps program has shown signs of righting itself, but even its biggest backers say that more changes are needed.

More than 4,600 people have joined the national service program since March, after an infusion of $100 million from Congress allowed officials to lift a five-month freeze on new enrollments. Officials vowed not to repeat managerial lapses that led the agency to approve more positions last year than it could financially support.

"Things got out of balance," said Leslie Lenkowsky, chief executive of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps and two other service programs. "We caught it in time. We've now put new procedures in place that we think will prevent that from recurring."

Concerned about the agency's financial footing, Congress imposed an enrollment cap of 50,000 for fiscal 2003. The program had 47,901 members enrolled as of last week. President Bush has requested a $150 million budget increase for fiscal 2004, which he says would be enough to boost enrollment to 75,000.

Bush has embraced the Clinton-era program, styled as a domestic Peace Corps, as a way to advance his "compassionate conservative" agenda. AmeriCorps volunteers serve 20 to 40 hours a week and provide such services as home-building, literacy coaching and cleaning parks and streams. The president also wants the agency to become more involved in domestic preparedness. Some volunteers get modest living stipends, but all participants are eligible for $4,725 grants to pay for college or graduate school, or to pay back student loans.

Marc Racicot, the Republican National Committee chairman and a member of the corporation's board of directors, said officials are "aggressively" addressing shortcomings in the 10-year-old program.

"I think we're moving very positively in the right direction," said Racicot, a former governor of Montana who was appointed to the board by President Bill Clinton. "This is a very new enterprise. There's no allegation here of any kind of misconduct. There's only concern about making certain that it is as efficient and effective as it can possibly be."

Lenkowsky said the agency is implementing a financial accountability system so that key decision makers know their budgets. Officials also are trying to better measure AmeriCorps' accomplishments and are working with the Office of Personnel Management to improve management of the agency's workforce.

"There's still a lot to do," he said.

Asked about rumors circulating at the agency and on Capitol Hill that his job is on the line, Lenkowsky, who was appointed by President Bush, said: "I don't think it is. I've not heard anything from the White House to that effect. . . . Nobody goes to work in government forever, but I am at my job because I believe very strongly in the value of what we're doing here."

Members of Congress say they are hopeful, but not yet convinced, that the agency has turned its fortunes around.

Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.), chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that oversees AmeriCorps, said: "We are cautiously optimistic that the corporation has finally gotten our message that these management problems are unacceptable and must be fully addressed in order to ensure that its programs are serving the interests of the communities, volunteers and the taxpayers."

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), a fan of AmeriCorps but not its management, said the corporation board "needs to get its house in order" and report on its reforms by the end of May.

"At the grass-roots level I think national service is alive and well," she said, "but I am very deeply troubled about the management and financial situation at headquarters."

Everyone agrees that the problems of the agency are complex. They turn, in part, on a dispute over when officials should consider money in a $100 million trust fund for volunteers' scholarships obligated to those who have signed up for the program. Officials have routinely figured that some who sign up won't complete their service or, even if they do, won't seek an education grant, which does not have to be claimed for seven years.

The General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that AmeriCorps officials ran into financial trouble because they did not always factor in eligibility for the education awards. That led the agency to sign up more people than it had money to pay in the long run. GAO officials recommended that the agency come up with a better system of accounting for such obligations.

J. Russell George, the inspector general for the corporation, last month told the Senate subcommittee that the agency lacked sufficient internal controls to assess the financial impact of enrollments. He is still investigating the agency's problems and plans to recommend an accounting standard.

"Until that question is answered, this is a very muddy situation," George said.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company
More about Americorp' recent Difficulties





Read and comment on this story from Newsday on Americorps, one of the sister organizations to the Peace Corps under the USA Freedom Corps, and the problems that contributed to the enrollment freeze at the national service program last year. The Corporation for National and Community Service violated its own rules by approving more AmeriCorps volunteers than it could provide with education grants, said the agency's inspector general, J. Russell George. He complained that senior management had known about potential enrollment problems in July but did not inform the committee until four months later. "It's like Enron's gone nonprofit," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., threatening to disband the agency if its management does not improve soon.

The agency's chief executive officer, Leslie Lenkowski, said management and budget improvements are under way, including a shuffling of senior positions but he added his team has "a lot more to do" and said the inspector general and GAO reports could produce more changes.

The Peace Corps is an independent organization and, unlike Americorps, it draws most of its management expertise from returned volunteers who understand the agency so that problems like this are unlikely to occur. It is because of this that Congress is increasing funding for the Peace Corps while other agencies like Americorps are being frozen or cut. Read the story at:


Mismanaging Led to Americorps Job Freeze*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Mismanaging Led to Americorps Job Freeze

By ELIZABETH WOLFE
Associated Press Writer

April 10, 2003, 8:26 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Poor management in the agency that oversees AmeriCorps contributed to the enrollment freeze at the national service program last year, investigators told a Senate subcommittee Thursday.

The Corporation for National and Community Service violated its own rules by approving more AmeriCorps volunteers than it could provide with education grants, said the agency's inspector general, J. Russell George.

Congress this year voted to cap AmeriCorps enrollment at 50,000 in 2003. Bush has requested an increase of more than $150 million for the program next year, raising its budget to $554 million, enough to finance an enrollment of 75,000.

The enrollment freeze from November to March put in limbo thousands of potential volunteers and hundreds of service projects across the country. Although there was enough money to pay current volunteers, the National Service Trust that hands out educational stipends after two years of AmeriCorps service was running dry.

While praising the program itself, senators chastised corporation management.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees AmeriCorps funding, compared its parent agency to a creaky house built on shaky ground: "Despite its occupants' efforts to correct the problems, the foundation continues to crack and sag."

He complained that senior management had known about potential enrollment problems in July but did not inform the committee until four months later.for some four months.

"It's like Enron's gone nonprofit," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., threatening to disband the agency if its management does not improve soon.

The agency's chief executive officer, Leslie Lenkowski, said management and budget improvements are under way, including a shuffling of some senior positions. But he added his team has "a lot more to do" and said the inspector general and GAO reports could produce more changes.

Lenkowski attributed problems in the educational trust partly to miscommunication at the top and failure to properly track enrollment in relation to available funds.

"They've been living life on the edge," said Tom Armstrong, an assistant general counsel at the GAO. "They've been tracking based on projections instead of real amounts."

The AmeriCorps program originated 1993 as a domestic Peace Corps for mostly college-age volunteers who work with nonprofits on projects like mentoring children and environmental cleanups. They receive stipends during their service and educational awards afterward.

Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press
Senator Mikulski's Statement on the Problems at Americorps



Read Maryland Senator Mikulski's Statement on the Problems at Americorps at:

Senator Mikulski's Opening Statement for Corporation for National and Community Service

Senator Mikulski's Opening Statement for Corporation for National and Community Service

Welcome Dr. Lenkowsky and Russell George, who is testifying for the first time as the Corporation's Inspector General. As the Godmother of national service, I have fought to uphold the original principles that our national service programs were founded upon.

These principles are: to provide qualitative and quantifiable service to communities while we create "habits of the heart", and reduce student loan debt. The idea behind National Service was to link our values to public policy. And to provide young Americans with an opportunity to serve their communities while helping to pay for college.

I supported these principles even when they were not popular while being mindful of the need for responsible stewardship and of taxpayer dollars. I support the President's call to service. But I cannot support a bureaucracy that breaks the law, mismanages taxpayer dollars, and creates uncertainty for our communities and our volunteers. The Corporation for National Service needs to get its house in order, or it will be unable to take national service into the new century equipped to meet new challenges.

Priorities

I am pleased that the President embraced national service, and I want to work with him in a bipartisan way to take national service into the next century. But I am really concerned that management problems call into question the Corporation's ability to grow while standing sentry over taxpayer dollars.

So my goals for this budget hearing are two-fold: First, I hope the Corporation can restore the confidence of our communities, non-profits, and graduates of national service programs. The VA-HUD Subcommittee is on their side; promises made must be promises kept, both to volunteers and to communities. Second, I hope the Corporation can begin to restore the Subcommittee's confidence that appropriate steps are being taken to prevent mismanagement and uncertainty.

Over-Enrollment of Volunteers

I was deeply troubled when the Corporation revealed that its standard operating procedure was to enroll more volunteers than the Corporation had funds to support. Last year, the Corporation budgeted for 50,000 volunteers, but it enrolled over 70,000. This created a critical shortfall in the National Service Trust which pays for volunteers' education awards.

The Corporation broke the law. The law requires for every volunteer enrolled, there must be a deposit into the Trust to pay for that volunteer's education award. This concept is simple, straightforward, and is spelled out in the Corporation's statute.

The Corporation's mismanagement of the AmeriCorps program has jeopardized the very principles upon which National Service was founded to provide young Americans with opportunities to serve their communities while helping to pay for college.

The Corporation had to "freeze" volunteer enrollments. This created uncertainty for volunteers, who were waiting for assignments; for communities, who were ready to put the volunteers to work; and for graduates of the Corporation's programs, who were concerned about the status of their education awards. This happened at a time when the public's interest in volunteering is very high, and many organizations have experienced a large increase in applications.

The consequences of the Corporation's mismanagement were grave. When the House and Senate met to conference for 2003, the House had $0 for National Service, and the White House did not weigh-in that National Service was a priority.

We struggled to just level-fund National Service, but we had to increase the Trust to $100 million, to fix the Corporation's mistakes. This meant that there is about 30 percent less funding for programs in 2003. I was very disappointed that we could not support the President's call to service. I was especially puzzled when public statements by Corporations officials seemed to blame Congress for the "freeze" because the government was operating under a Continuing Resolution.

For the record, I want to be perfectly clear: the VA-HUD Subcommittee has always provided all the resources that the Corporation has requested for education awards. I want to acknowledge Congress had rescinded funds from the Trust in the past. These rescissions were taken with the Corporation's advice and assurance that the Trust would be able to fulfill all education awards.

So the Subcommittee has relied on the Corporation, the Board, the IG, and OMB to be the accountants for the Trust. Unfortunately, the accountants failed the Subcommittee, failed our communities, and failed our volunteers.

OMB's Accounting Rules for the Trust

To make matters more complicated, OMB recently decided to change the rules of the game for the Trust. The Corporation has always been able to count both appropriations and interest when calculating Trust funding.

Now, OMB says that the Corporation can no longer count interest earnings in future budgeting for the Trust. So VA-HUD has included $64 million for the Trust in the Supplemental—this is the amount that the President requested. Moving forward, I want to know what steps the Corporation is taking to ensure that budgeting for AmeriCorps programs, and education awards is accurate. I also want to know what the Board and the IG will do to ensure proper oversight of the Corporation.

Budget Overview

The 2004 budget request is $598 million for all National Service programs under the VA-HUD Subcommittee's jurisdiction. This is $167 million above 2003 – a 40 percent increase. This is in addition to $365 million requested under the Labor-HHS Subcommittee. For a grand total request of almost $1 billion for National Service in 2004. The budget requests a $140 million increase for the AmeriCorps program to increase the number of volunteers from 50,000 to 75,000.

Again, I want to support the President's call to service. But I really question whether the Corporation can grow until we are sure that its financial house is in order.

Other areas of the budget are status quo. There is a small $2 million increase for the National Civilian Conservation Corps to open a new "satellite campus" this year, and the Learn and Serve program remains level-funded at $43 million.

Earmarks and Challenge Grants

The budget request includes three earmarks. Two of the earmarks are authorized and were funded last year: $10 million for Points of Light, and $7.5 million for America's Promise. There is a new earmark in the budget: $3 million for Teach for America. These are good organizations that are worthy of our support.

But I am disappointed that the budget does not fund Challenge Grants. Last year, Challenge Grants were our "policy solution" to earmarks. VA-HUD funded Challenge Grants for the first time. Grants will go to nationally recognized organizations that raise private funding. Grants require a 2 to 1 match.

Last year, VA-HUD received almost $40 million in earmark requests from groups that deserve our support. But we couldn't fund them all, and we didn't want to pick winners and losers. I would like to know why the budget eliminates Challenge Grants. I would like to see Challenge Grants continued as a policy solution to earmarks.

Conclusion

Volunteerism is our nation's trademark; it highlights what is best about America. Volunteer programs are the backbone of our communities. They help preserve the safety net for seniors, keep our communities clean, and get our kids ready to learn. This is an important time in the history of national service. National service is at a crossroads, and so is our nation. So I hope the VA-HUD Subcommittee can count on the Corporation to get its house in order so we can take national service into the new century, equipped to meet new challenges.

Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

6/4/03
Main Sections
PCOL Magazine
Breaking News
One World
Peace Corps Library


Directory Sign Up

Volunteer Directory
RPCVs by COS
RPCVs by State
RPCVs by Interest
Recent Headlines
RPCV helps hospital in Ethiopia 4 June
Peace Corps welcomed back to Botswana 2 June
RPCV heads Washington State DOT 30 May
Peace Corps did not close program in China 29 May
RPCVs fight deportation of former Somali ally 28 May
Volunteer finds Uzbekistan safe during war 27 May
Thomas Tighe honored at Hobart and Smith 27 May
RPCV builds Multi-cultural Art Center in Portland 26 May
RPCV Poet Don Wilsun dies in Seattle 26 May
Shrivers celebrate 50th Anniversary 23 May
Bush announces "Volunteers for Prosperity" 21 May
Presidential Candidate calls for 25,000 Volunteers 19 May
Special Sections
Advocacy
Bulletin Board
Cartoons
Congress
Directors
Headlines
History
Humor
Laws
Local RPCV Groups
Lost RPCVs
Master Index
NPCA
Obituaries
PCVs
Photography
RPCVs
Recruitment
Return to COS
Safety of PCVs
Service
Speaking Out
Stories
The Third Goal
Training
US Peace Corps
USA Freedom Corps
PCOL Magazine - June 2003 Issue
Free Speech at the Peace Corps?
Peace Corps to add 1,000 volunteers in AIDS/HIV
Alcohol Abuse a big issue for Volunteers in Central Asia
Returned Volunteers honor Jack Vaughn
Op-ed: The Future of the Peace Corps
A Russian Peace Corps?

Recent Feature Stories
Watch Director Vasquez on web tv
Shays says aid organizations curtailed in Iraq
Op-ed: US has obligations in Iraq says RPCV


Special Reports
Exclusive: How RPCVs organized anti-war Ad
Improvements needed in Volunteer Support
From Russia with Love
Health Concerns: The Controversy over Lariam
GAO Reports on PCV Safety and Security
PC/Washington: Senior Staff Appointments at PC HQ
PC Expansion: The Numbers Game?
Op-ed: Why Peace Corps needs Shriver's 4th Goal
When should PC return to Afghanistan?
RPCV Spy dies in Moscow
Op-ed: The Case for Peace Corps Independence
USA Freedom Corps paved with good intentions
more special reports ...



Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Americorps; Homeland Security; Senior Corps

PCOL5086
70

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: