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Wendy Spencer, Yolanda Londano, and Aileen Pruitt of Volunteer Florida greet David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service |
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Voices for National Service Hill Day 2008
Americans Stand Ready to Confront
Our Country’s Challenges through National Service
September 24-25, 2008
Washington, DC
Events sponsored by: 
During two days of events presented by the Comcast Corporation, more than 300 supporters of national service gathered in Washington, DC to draw attention to the impact of national service programs in America.
On September 24, Voices for National Service held a congressional reception to celebrate national service. Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), Kerry Knott, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs for the Comcast Corporation, and David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service were among the guest speakers. Katie Graham, an AmeriCorps VISTA alumna from Iowa, shared her service experience.
- Click here to see pictures from the congressional reception.
On September 25, representatives of the national service field, including alumni, program staff, service partners, and corporate sponsors, visited with more than 150 congressional offices to educate Members and their staff on national service legislation and the federal investment in AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and Senior Corps. The group brought evidence of programs’ performance and impact from 39 different states and 65 organizations. The meetings on Capitol Hill were a critical opportunity to share with Congress how national service participants strengthen communities by tutoring and mentoring children, improving access to health care, restoring the environment, mobilizing volunteers, and providing many other vital services.
The day began with a legislative briefing about pending national service bills by staff representatives from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the offices of Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). This year Congress showed renewed interest in expanding the federal service programs, introducing a series of bills to grow the existing programs, to create new service initiatives and to raise the value of the AmeriCorps education award.
While working to grow bipartisan support for national service, Hill Day participants worked to educate Congress about national service funding and pending legislation, including:
- S.3487, Serve America Act
- S.3037, AmeriCorps Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act
- S.3480, Encore Service Act
- S.1128, Summer of Service Act
- S.3479, Semester of Service Act
- S.3027, Coaching Our Adolescents for College Heights Act
- S.3028, Senior Year Community Service Act
- H.R.5563, The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act
- H.R.6407, Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act
For more information, click here to download the Hill Day document distributed to Members of Congress. |