On Thursday, March 12th, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative John Larson (D-CT) reintroduced the America’s Call to Improve Opportunities Now (ACTION) for National Service Act (H.R. 7910/S. 4068). They were joined by twenty-two original cosponsors across the House and Senate, listed below.
The ACTION for National Service Act would improve access to national service opportunities, lower student debt, create a more engaged citizenry, and address national priorities in education, infrastructure, healthcare, disaster relief, and poverty.
Specifically, the bill seeks to accomplish the following goals:
- Elevate the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to a Cabinet-level department and rename the agency, the AmeriCorps Administration.
- Set a ten-year goal of expanding AmeriCorps and funding at least one million service member positions per year.
- Change the value of the AmeriCorps Education Award ensuring that a member who serves two full terms is rewarded with an educational benefit equal to four years of average in-state tuition at a public institution of higher education.
- Exempt the AmeriCorps living stipends and education awards from federal taxes.
- Increase access to national service opportunities by raising the AmeriCorps living allowance.
- Create a 21st Century American Service Outreach Program to notify eligible individuals between the ages of 17-30 about opportunities to serve.
Original cosponsors in the Senate include: Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Original cosponsors in the House of Representatives include: Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Mike Quigly (D-IL-05), and Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12).
The ACTION for National Service Act is supported by more than 45 endorsing organizations; the full list can be found here.
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