Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Proposal to Cut National Service Funding

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed an FY16 Labor-HHS funding bill that includes significant cuts to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

While marking-up the bill, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced an amendment to restore funding for national service programs at the levels requested by President Obama for FY16. The amendment was co-sponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), but was ultimately withdrawn.

The funding bill approved by the Senate Committee proposes to cut the CNCS budget by $211 million or 20 percent. The bill would eliminate support for the Social Innovation Fund, and render cuts to AmeriCorps VISTA and the Senior Corps programs.

The bill would cut AmeriCorps State and National and the National Service Trust by $130 million, which would result in 20,000 fewer AmeriCorps positions nationwide.

Corporation for National and Community Service

Program (dollars in thousands) FY15 Enacted FY16 Senate
AmeriCorps State and National 335.4 270
AmeriCorps NCCC 30 30
AmeriCorps VISTA 92.4 90
National Service Trust 209.6 145
Retired Senior Volunteer Program 48.9 47.6
Foster Grandparent Program 107.7 104.8
Senior Companion Program 45.5 44.2
Social Innovation Fund 70 0
Volunteer Generation Fund 3.8 3.8
State Commission Admin Grants 16 16
Inspector General 5.3 5.25
Salaries and Expenses 81.7 80
Total CNCS 1,054.95 844.3

In response to the approval of this bill by the Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee, Voices for National Service released this statement.

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