Save AmeriCorps with Habitat for Humanity

Please take action on the following!! Wonderful programs that allow those of us to serve our country in peaceful ways are in great danger. We greatly support the GIVE Act which in many ways increases funding and AmeriCorps participation BUT not with the 2 final provisions that would greatly hinder the program and many non-profits.

National Service Legislation Moves Forward in the House and Senate
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act of 2009 (H.R.1388) by a vote of 321 to 105. If enacted the bill would expand national service programs and increase the number of service members from 75,000 to 250,000. Earlier in the day the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) approved the companion bill to H.R.1388, the Serve America Act (S.277), which is expected to be brought up for consideration on the Senate floor next week. Just before final passage, a motion to recommit (attached) was passed that added 2 provisions that present great risk for HFH. The first would prevent grants from flowing to organizations that engage in advocacy activities, i.e. most CNCS grantees, including HFHI. The second prohibits any service member from displacing a volunteer. In discussions with House majority and minority staff, it has become clear that many representatives were not aware of the implications of the motion and would not have supported it otherwise. HFHI’s Office of Government Relations and Advocacy continues to work closely with House and Senate staff and with colleagues at Voices for National Service to remedy these problems. HFH affiliates are encouraged to follow up with their Representatives and Senators requesting that these provisions be removed from the final bill. (Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121)
Amendments receiving floor consideration:·
Amendment offered by Rep. Loebsack (D-IA) to authorize a new grant program, the Volunteer Generation Fund, to assist nonprofit, faith-based, and other civic organizations and State Commissions in expanding the supply of volunteers and improving the capacity of such organizations and State Commissions to utilize new volunteers.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Hill (D-IN) to make sending care packages to soldiers deployed in combat zones overseas an eligible service program.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Hunter (R-CA) to remove veteran’s educational benefits from being taken into account when calculating the maximum award an individual could receive for participating in one of the national service programs.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Kilroy (D-OH) to make the supervision of in- and out-of- school physical education classes and nutrition education eligible service activities, in addition to providing elderly people with food delivery, legal and medical services and transportation assistance.· Amendment offered by Rep. Markey (D-CO) to increase the operational support provided to Education Award Only programs.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Perriello (D-VA) and Rep. Titus (D-NV) to create a National Service Reserve Corps to engage national service alumni in national disaster and other emergency response.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Pingree (D-ME) to expand the Clean Energy Corps to meet the needs of rural communities.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Roskam (R-IL) to authorize annual evaluation of the National Civilian and Community Corps.·
Amendment offered by Rep. Teague (D-NM) and Rep. Klein (D-FL) to expand service activities to include assistance to veterans in education or career services, medical claims, or transportation needs.·
An amendment offered by Rep. Roe (R-TN) to roll back funding for AmeriCorps to fiscal year 2008 levels was defeated.