Senator Dodd Introduces AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation Act

Thursday, May 15, 2008

(Innovations In Civic Participation)

Senator Chris Dodd Introduces S. 3037 
AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act

On May 20, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) introduced S.3037, the AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act, legislation to improve the educational awards provided for national service and to recognize the importance of service to our country. The bill aims to:

 

Raise the education award to $6,185, the average annual cost of tuition and fees for an instate student at a four year public university;

 

Make the education award tax exempt;

 

Restore the Corporation's previous authority to partner with other Federal agencies to use national service as a strategy to carry out Departments' priorities; and,

 

Promote the Corporation for National and Community Service to Cabinet level status.

The bill was additionally co-sponsored by:

Sen. B. Evan Bayh (D-IN)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)

Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV)

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Voices for National Service strongly supports this effort to recognize the importance of service and to promote access to education by increasing the value of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award and making it tax-exempt. Since inception in 1994, more than 540,000 citizens have served through AmeriCorps to address the unmet needs of our nation. These citizens have given over 700,000,000 hours toward improving the lives of other Americans.

 

Click here to read an announcement about the bill from Senator Dodd’s office.


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