Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1388) to reauthorize and reform the national service laws.

I yield myself 4 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, today we consider legislation that is vital to the spirit of America and to our future. A few weeks ago, President Obama called on Congress to quickly deliver legislation that will launch a new era of American service.

Today the House will answer that call. The GIVE Act will help our country get through these crises and recognize that service is a deeply ingrained and deeply valued American trait.

I want to thank all my colleagues on the committee on both sides of the aisle for their support of this legislation.

We consider this bill at a time when our Nation faces enormous challenges. Families are losing jobs, health care, child care and other key services. Schools and colleges are seeing their budgets evaporate. Our public needs are growing while the resources to meet them are disappearing.

This legislation will make Americans part of the solution in getting our country back on track. Service is the lifeblood of this country. We have seen this throughout our history. In times of crisis, Americans stand up. Americans give back.

We saw it during World Wars I and II, when the Red Cross helped soldiers and their families and returning veterans, and later relief efforts during the Great Depression. We saw this after 9/11 when our citizens, young and old, sprung into action to help their fellow neighbors.

We saw it in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita when volunteers on the ground were there before the Federal Government. They were beacons of hope amidst serious despair. Today volunteers continue to play a huge role in gulf coast relief efforts. We have seen it in my State of California when communities were ravaged by floods, by earthquakes and wildfires.

We saw it this last June in the floods that devastated homes and businesses in southeast Iowa. Even before the storms came, volunteers were there. To date, AmeriCorps has coordinated over 800,000 volunteer hours in Iowa.

Volunteers play many roles. They teach in our classrooms. They clean up our trails and our public lands. They build and weatherize homes. They shelter the homeless and feed the hungry. That's what Americans do for one another. That's what Americans do in the name of service.

They learn skills. They teach others those skills so they can not only participate with Habitat for Humanity but they can develop a career ladder in the construction trades. They pass on those skills to others in communities so communities can help build, help build stronger communities and better homes to be weatherized and to be energy-efficient.

They tutor our children. They mentor students in school. They help our community. They build our communities. They strengthen our communities. We have seen them come from all walks of life, from young students who want to give to their community, who want to participate, to senior citizens who continue to take their skills and their talents from their working life and repatriate them back to the community and helping others, the next generation after them.

Our generation was called by President Kennedy to do this. This generation is being called by President Obama to do this, and millions of Americans are answering the call and preparing others to answer that call. This is what strengthens our communities. This is what builds our communities. This is what makes America, America.

People do it, some for a small stipend, some for an educational benefit, some for free. They come from all different places on the compass to help Americans in our communities.

There is a huge focus in this legislation, from middle school to senior citizens, to tying this to a benefit for education. Young students in middle schools can earn a small educational benefit that they can redeem when they go to community college or to the university.

For students, for young people who work full time in AmeriCorps, they can earn a stipend of almost $4,700, $4,800 that they can redeem to help pay for their college education. Senior citizens too can get a stipend and get help for education if they want to continue their education.

It's a very important piece, and it's about American values. It's about the value of education, it's about the value of Americans helping one another, it's about how we treat our communities. That's what AmeriCorps has done.

We have an organization that has been building homes in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in St. Bernard Parish, and today they will welcome their 200th family back to a home, a gift from the community, from volunteers in America, to those families that were ravaged, that lost everything.

That's what this bill will enable more Americans to do. That's what this bill will do for our communities.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself 15 seconds.

I want to thank Congressman Platts and Congressman McKeon for all their cooperation, and for the staff on the minority side, because without their cooperation, I don't think we would be here today. I want to thank them.

At this time I want to recognize for 3 minutes subcommittee Chair Carolyn McCarthy from New York who has been an absolute driving force on this issue of national service and thank her for all of her work.

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a gentleman who's been key in this legislation, given his background and history in energy conservation and efficiencies and weatherization, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds.

Mr. Chairman, one of the very exciting parts of this legislation, as pointed out by Mr. McKeon, is the full integration of our veterans into national service.

Today, earlier, we heard from Captain Scott Quilty, who is a decorated infantry captain and Army major retired who lost both his legs and one of his arms in Iraq. Scott has come back to assume the management responsibilities for Survivor Corps, a U.S.-based program that serves the needs of servicemembers and veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And Survivor Corps spoke in strong support of this legislation, recognizing that we now are extending full partnership to the veterans of this country, thanking them for their services, and providing services to them as they return home.

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a leader in service, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a member of the committee, a strong supporter of the bill, the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan).

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes for the purpose of entering into a colloquy with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson.)

I yield myself 15 seconds to respond to the gentleman and say that I agree that many of our communities' needs, especially in times of natural disaster, are being met through the hard work of the NCCC members, and I look forward to working with you in exploring this issue and certainly recognizing the needs of those States that are hit repeatedly by natural disasters, representing one of those States, but knowing what has taken place in Florida and others with hurricanes and storms that we are now experiencing. And I look forward to working with him as this bill progresses.

I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 1\1/2\ minutes.

I yield the gentleman 10 additional seconds, and I want to thank the gentleman for bringing the housing language that is based upon his expertise in this field, and along with Maxine Waters, thank you so very much. We are happy to include it.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for raising this issue. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention.

I am proud to be a long-time supporter of Teach for America, and I am pleased to say that they will continue to be eligible to participate in AmeriCorps through the newly-created National Service Corps exactly as you have described.

Teach for America has demonstrated measurable effectiveness in the classroom and is exactly the type of measurable success that we are looking to scale up. Thank you again, Mr. Cassidy, for your support of this program and for raising this issue and for the support of the GIVE Act.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper) for 1\1/2\ minutes.

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus).

I yield now 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland, the leader, Mr. Hoyer.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute.

Questions have been raised about the intent of section 1705 giving the Chief Executive Officer authority to delegate specific programmatic authority to the States. In particular, strong concerns have been raised that corporation officials would use this authority to eliminate the State offices of the corporation and adversely impact the operation of VISTA and the Senior Corps.

The committee intends that the Chief Executive Officer will use this authority judiciously to improve the operation of all of the corporation's programs by using a consultative process that includes all of the stakeholders in the affected programs. The committee expects the corporation to continue the staff from State offices at an operational level that is at least equal to the current one.

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Miller, Ranking Member McKeon, Subcommittee Chairwoman McCarthy, and Ranking Member Platts for their bipartisan work on the GIVE Act. I am offering this amendment today to build on this important legislation and increase volunteerism across America.

My amendment authorizes grants to nonprofits, including faith-based organizations, and to States to increase the supply of volunteers in this country, and to strengthen volunteer infrastructure organizations nationwide. These grants will help address national and State priorities, especially in areas with the greatest need for this support.

I have never seen more clearly the need for volunteers than in Iowa this past year. In June 2008, Iowa was overcome by severe flooding. As my colleagues know, 85 of Iowa's 99 counties were declared Presidential disaster

areas. The Second District, which I represent, sustained the greatest damage. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed, families were displaced, and the devastation was indescribable.

Needless to say, we are still struggling to get back on our feet.

In the initial days of the floods, we faced many challenges. Among them was the need to coordinate volunteer efforts. United Way of East Central Iowa; Serve the City, a local ecumenical group; and several major corporations were all involved in various efforts to recruit and deploy volunteers, but there was no centralized location and point of contact.

In late June United Way of East Central Iowa formed a partnership with Community Corrections Improvement Association, the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, and AmeriCorps. Together they created the East Central Iowa Volunteer Reception Center to organize and coordinate volunteer responses to the disasters. AmeriCorps/VISTA team members, working with the United Way and the Iowa Commission staff, opened the volunteer center within 3 weeks of the flood's crest and began taking calls from both volunteers and those who needed volunteer help. AmeriCorps members have helped coordinate over 800,000 volunteer hours through eight volunteer reception centers.

Iowa would not have made the progress it has made in the wake of disasters without volunteers, and Iowa is not alone. Across this country States are faced with growing unmet public needs which can be better addressed by leveraging the work of volunteers. And I might just say, as we speak, we have over 600 student volunteers from universities from all over the country taking time in their spring break to help us continue work in Iowa. This amendment is the missing link in the current set of strategies at the Corporation For National and Community Service to achieve the goal of enabling all Americans to make a contribution through service.

A modest but critical Federal investment in a new volunteer generation fund that builds capacity and access for millions of new volunteers can leverage billions of dollars in volunteer services to some of the country's neediest citizens. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I will submit an article written by an AmeriCorps intern, Lacy White, who was inspired by the work of all the AmeriCorps members in what they were doing and asked if she could do her part by recording their story.

AmeriCorps Fuels Hope Through Disaster Relief

(By Lacy White)

The summer of 2008 brought tornados and floods that

devastated many Iowa towns. In May, an F5 tornado tore

through Parkersburg, leveling almost half the town.

Homeowners emerged from their basements to find nothing on

their lots but piles of rubble and debris. In June, record

flooding submerged towns like Oakville and Cedar Rapids. When

the waters receded, residents were left with houses full of

molding walls and possessions beyond salvaging.

Families across the state were in dire need of help, the

damage so extensive that any hope of rebuilding their homes--

and their lives--seemed out of reach. Many did not know how

or where to begin the enormous task that lie ahead.

AmeriCorps quickly stepped in to offer its service--

hundreds of members arrived eager to do whatever necessary to

rally and relieve distressed communities. Arriving in

Parkersburg less than a week after the tornado, Bill Dillon,

a Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS) program

director, realized the greatest need was for organization.

Dozens of volunteers sat waiting to be deployed, but there

was no system for coordinating them. ``We determined the most

appropriate use for our team was to set up a Volunteer

Reception Center (VRC) to which all groups--internal and

traveling through--could report,'' said Dillon. This is also

where homeowners could call in and register for assistance.

The VRCs established by AmeriCorps teams across the state

provided the key element of efficiency to the work being done

in each town, benefiting not only AmeriCorps members, but any

volunteer who registered at the VRC. They also became a place

for residents to socialize with volunteers, to tell their

stories or take their minds off their trouble. Perry Onorio,

a member of the Washington Conservation Corps AmeriCorps

program, served as head of the Oakville VRC. ``I had direct

contact with almost everyone in that town,'' he said. ``I

talked to them and let them vent or let them know what was

going on. I assured them there were people who had come in

solely to help them rebuild their lives.''

It was this assurance by Onorio--and countless other

AmeriCorps members like him--that helped facilitate one of

the program's most important duties: to offer hope to those

who could not see past the devastation in front of them,

those who saw their belongings lost or destroyed, their

futures uncertain. Many thought their homes were beyond

repair and there was nothing they could do. But, as Onorio

observed in Oakville, their outlook evolved: ``As people

started seeing things change in town it became more hopeful.

Once a group like AmeriCorps comes in and does a lot of the

work for you--rips out your carpet and drywall--it looks much

more doable. You can say, 'I can totally fix this up now.' I

saw that change in people on a daily basis as homes were

gutted out.''

In flooded towns, the work consisted of draining houses of

water and mud, throwing out waterlogged furniture and

appliances, removing everything down to the studs and power

washing inside and out. In Parkersburg, it was removing

debris--everything from trees to metal to glass to concrete

to piles of lumber--and anything salvageable from inside

houses. AmeriCorps members were able to undertake a

tremendous amount of manual labor, freeing many residents

from the emotional task of gutting their own homes. Their

tireless commitment to backbreaking work in sweltering

humidity and the enthusiasm with which they met each

challenge provided the support residents needed to endure the

summer.

AmeriCorps members also took something away from the

experience of disaster relief. Katie Graham, a member of

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), shared the lesson

she learned from her ten week term in Cedar Rapids: ``I

learned the importance of living for someone other than

yourself, for giving even when you think you have nothing to

give, for giving without an expectation of being thanked. And

I learned how much community service can tie you to the place

where you serve; you sow a part of yourself into whatever

community you serve, so returning is a little like coming

back home. It's familiar, it's comfortable, it's yours.''

This is a sentiment echoed by many other members who found it

difficult to leave when their first term was up, often

requesting to extend their service to a second term. In Cedar

Rapids, VISTA remains a strong presence as it continues to

help the town in its rebuilding process.

Across the state, AmeriCorps helped accomplish in weeks

what it would have taken individual homeowners and volunteers

months to complete. The program's quick and effective

response cleared a space for hope to rise up from the muck

and debris, and there are those now rebuilding on foundations

AmeriCorps helped clear and cleanse. It has left a lasting

impression on the towns through proactive and sustainable

volunteer coordination systems, thousands of eager helping

hands and relentless positivity. It was this selfless desire

to alleviate the frustration and vulnerability of those left

suddenly in need that put so many Iowa residents on the road

to reclaiming their lives in the wake of disaster.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my colleague Rob Andrews.

Mr. Chairman, at this time I want to thank my colleagues for their consideration of my amendment and urge its passage.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure this morning of visiting with a number of youngsters from the Youth Build Program. They participated with Mrs. Obama yesterday in building a home.

It is interesting, when you speak of the words GIVE, that you can equate it to an organization such as AIG that simply takes. So I rise today to support the rule and the underlying bill. And let me explain to you what this means to America.

How many of us can raise our hand and say that we understand what USAID means, or we understand what the Peace Corps means or AmeriCorps? And how many countless hours of youthful enthusiasm did we see after Hurricane Katrina? I know, because I am from Houston, Texas, and the thousands and thousands of survivors and evacuees that came, we were inundated, rightfully so and enthusiastically so, by these volunteers and by these workers from these many different aspects.

Unregulated? No. Much of this will be volunteer service. Much of this will be educating people about service. Much of this will be doing what young people across America have asked us to do: Give them something to do. And that is what this bill intends.

I am delighted to have joined as a cosponsor in the recent days. I am delighted to have been able to work on a specific amendment that is incorporated in the bill that reaches out to the underserved like Historically Black Colleges and Hispanic Serving Colleges, because America is a potpourri, it is a mosaic of so many different people with so many different histories, people who are already bilingual, who can speak to people who are in need, refugees, people who are fleeing oppression. There are so many different aspects of letting young people help other young people or young people help children.

As the cofounder of the Congressional Children's Caucus, this bill specifically provides for enhanced community services with AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, VISTA, the National Civilian Community Corps, and Senior Corps.

Mr. Speaker, this is the right direction for America in the 21st century. Be reminded that we ask not what this country can do for us. We don't equate AIG's insensitivity to the American taxpayer to this bill that gives everybody the opportunity to say, what can I do for my country, America the beautiful? That is what this bill is all about.

I am so proud to stand alongside of this kind of legislation, because as our military forces are on the front lines, I want Americans to be able to stand on the front lines of this Nation, helping those who cannot help themselves. That is what this GIVE bill is all about. And I think we need to go around with a GIVE Bill button like I have got the Youth Bill button saying, Yes, We Can.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1388, the ``Generations of Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act or the `GIVE Act'.'' I would like to thank my colleague Congresswoman McCarthy for introducing this important legislation, as well as the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Congressman George Miller, for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will expand the already highly successful volunteer programs that empower community activists and improve the education and economic conditions of cities throughout the United States. It supports and increases funding for key community services programs, including AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, VISTA, National Civilian Community Corps, and Senior Corps.

The GIVE Act creates opportunities for green jobs that will contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection. It will create critical educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth and will create incentives for students to improve their communities.

Every year, more than 70,000 Americans participate in the AmeriCorps program alone, which provides relief to cities during natural disasters and reinvigorates communities. Over 50 million American volunteers build homes, organize food-drives, and improve schools through national service programs. The GIVE Act will broaden the opportunities for students and activists to participate in national service via education rewards that keep up with soaring costs of universities and Summer Service programs. After Ike and Katrina, thousands of local students worked to help rebuild communities and provide necessary services to distressed families. The GIVE Act is the critical lynchpin in sustaining this civic activism.

Specifically, the GIVE Act would expand the job opportunities for Volunteers in Service to America, or VISTA, to re-integrate youth into society, increase literacy in communities through teaching opportunities in before and after-school programs, and to provide health and social services to low-income communities. VISTA is a critical step toward poverty alleviation, and the GIVE Act will equip it with the resources to fulfill its obligations.

I am pleased to see that my colleague, representative Cuellar, revised the legislation to increase the number of volunteers from 75,000 to 250,000 members and added provisions for unemployed individuals to be included in the national service workforce, a step that will be a critical step to combating the employment crisis afflicting millions. I am also pleased that Congressman Miller further specified that the increase in volunteers is not just designed for AmeriCorps, but for all national service programs such as the Peace Corps and Opportunity Corps, and also included language to promote community based efforts to reduce crime and recruit public safety officers.

In addition, the GIVE Act will create 4 new service opportunities including a Clean Energy Corps, an Education Corps, a Healthy Futures

Corps, and a Veteran Service Corps. These volunteer opportunities will further improve environmental protection, health-care access, and services for veterans. These new service corps will address critical concerns in low-income communities. I am very happy that Congressman Teague revised the legislation to aid veterans in their pursuit of education and professional opportunities, and help veterans with the claims process, and assist rural, disabled, and unemployed veterans with transportation needs. Moreover, the GIVE Act will recognize colleges and universities that are strongly engaged in service through grants and rewards that will in turn improve educational access in the United States.

I am pleased to see the retention of my language from the 110th Congress that gives special consideration to historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal universities, and colleges serving predominantly minority populations. So strong are these universities' support of service, that ``veritas et beneficium,'' or ``truth and service'' in Latin, is inscribed on their insignias.

The GIVE Act will create a Campuses of Service Program that will encourage and assist students in pursuing public service careers. It will also focus on recruiting scientists and engineers to keep America competitive for years to come. The Act will expand the Senior Corps as a way to keep Older Americans including seniors engaged in public service, and will create a Youth Engagement Zone to increase the number of young students in volunteer services.

Moreover, it expands the focus of The National Civilian Community Corps to include disaster relief efforts and infrastructure improvement to allow quicker and more effective responses to disasters like Katrina and Ike that devastated numerous communities in the United States. Finally, the Give Act will launch a nation-wide Call to Service Campaign that encourages all Americans to engage in national service and to recognize September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

I am honored to cosponsor this legislation that will add service before self to America's future leaders. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 1388.

Neighbors helping neighbors. This happens countless times every day across America. A college student teaching English to immigrants, a Boy Scout troop collecting canned food for the hungry, families taking in neighbors who have lost their homes in floods or tornado or fire.

Mr. Chairman, the bill before us today, aptly named the GIVE Act, encourages the selfless actions I just described by updating decades- old national service programs to make them even more effective in the 21st century.

H.R. 1388 allows for year-round service learning opportunities. It also offers a new emphasis on emergency and disaster relief and recovery. Finally, it offers increased opportunities for baby boomers, a generation known for its social activism.

But I would like to inform my colleagues of one fact that has not been given much attention. This bill includes powerful new safeguards to protect taxpayers by making the service programs more accountable and performance based. The bill also makes the programs it funds more competitive to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. In addition to H.R. 1388, individuals can receive Federal funding to serve at organizations of their choosing.

Of course, to prevent fraud, these organizations will be closely examined. But after such screening, part of the funds the bill provides will be dedicated to those people who believe they can make the greatest difference at small organizations.

And yet this bill also addresses national needs. For example, this proposal adds a new Veterans Corps, giving people who served in our military a chance to serve their Nation once more and a chance for our Nation to serve them. Through the Veterans Corps, veterans and others can help the families of servicemembers through their hardships and aid fellow veterans as they readjust to civilian life.

Finally, this bill makes disaster assistance a priority. It allows the Corporation for National and Community Service to develop a system to quickly mobilize former participants, if they are needed. It also allows people to extend their service if their term has run out in the middle of a disaster.

I would like to thank Chairman Miller, Subcommittee Chairman McCarthy, Ranking Member Platts and our staff for such an excellent job to work together to craft this bill.

This is the way legislation should be passed, and I think it has been an example, and I wish all bills were passed in this manner.

You know, we have been hearing a lot in the last couple of days about AIG and about the bonuses that were made to leaders of that company, a company that would not even be in existence if it were not for the Federal Government and the taxpayers that bailed them out.

The stimulus package that was passed was the last attempt that would have been able to stop those bonuses. There was an amendment in there, and I know the Senator that's credited for that amendment, he says he didn't know about it, or didn't have part in it. That could have been taken care of if we had what was promised to us, 48 hours at least, to review that bill, or if we had worked together in a bipartisan way to craft that bill.

I'm sorry that that did not happen. Because of that, we have found now a terrible tragedy has taken place, and I hope that we will be able to correct it. But it could have been avoided if we had just simply worked, as we did on this bill, in a bipartisan way to see that that never happened.

Mr. Chair, I support this bill because Americans who give their time, talent, and compassion to others clearly can help our Nation. And we, as their representatives, should help them.

Thank you. I ask all of our colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in support of the Hunter amendment.

The gentleman that is the sponsor of this amendment speaks with great expertise when he talks of military and veterans affairs, having joined the Marine Corps the day after 9/11 and having served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. In fact, when he signed up to run for Congress, he was recalled up, sent back to Afghanistan, and couldn't even campaign. So I thank him for offering this amendment.

Since passage of the original GI Bill, we have provided educational benefits to soldiers returning from battle. Helping these brave men and women pursue a college education is a small price to pay for their valiant service to our Nation. These benefits are not a government handout; rather, they're a small token of our appreciation for their willingness to serve. Unfortunately, the education awards under the GI Bill may actually be held against veterans participating in national service by sometimes decreasing their ability to receive other educational awards.

I support the Hunter amendment because it restores fairness in how veterans' educational awards are treated. This amendment is consistent with bipartisan reforms enacted last year to the Higher Education Act, and it is consistent with our commitment to the veterans who have already given so much to our Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, Members on both sides of the aisle have worked hard to strike a balance on this legislation. We have produced a major reorganization and renewal of national service programs, and we've done so without layering on unnecessary new programs.

The purpose of this amendment is to generate volunteers, which is the purpose of the whole bill. It's a worthy goal, and that's why we've taken steps to ensure that all national service programs, in one way or another, encourage volunteerism. The approach included in the bill, agreed to in a bipartisan manner, is the right one. Rather than creating a new program, which this amendment does, we should work to achieve the goal of generating volunteers under the existing programs authorized in this legislation.

Therefore, I oppose this redundant amendment and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and welcome him to the committee, a new member of our committee and a great addition to the committee.

The gentleman that just spoke is correct. We do have the appropriators who spend the money, but that does not mean that the authorizers should give up their responsibilities, and they have the responsibility of putting in the bills what they think should be spent.

None of us needs reminding about the grave economic and fiscal challenges we face at this time. In fact, a child born today carries a debt of at least $175,000. That's the equivalent of having a mortgage and no house.

The Roe amendment is a small step but a very important one. It underscores our commitment to fiscal responsibility. And I think, as authorizers, we can step up and do that, and I commend him for offering the amendment.

The GIVE Act, as currently drafted, offers no clear guidance on funding levels for AmeriCorps and its supporting programs. Rather, this section of the bill is merely authorized to spend ``such sums as may be required,'' and we would be giving up the opportunity to advise the appropriators.

As we implement major structural changes in the bill, such as the new fixed-price grant structure, it would be prudent to take our time before deploying on a larger scale. Therefore, although we have encouraged the corporation to actually expand these programs, I support this amendment to authorize funding for the coming year at the fiscal year 2008 level and allow

flexibility in future years to help reach the goal we have articulated.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, the GIVE Act, which will strengthen and reauthorize America's national community service programs. After 16 years, this reauthorization is certainly overdue.

In 1973, Congress passed the Domestic Volunteer Service Act, DVSA, to foster and expand voluntary service in communities while helping vulnerable and disadvantaged populations, such as the elderly and the poor. DVSA also authorized the National Senior Volunteer Corps, made up of the Foster Grandparents Program, the Senior Companion Program and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

Seventeen years later, Congress passed the National and Community Service Act, NCSA, of 1990. NCSA aims to address unmet human, educational, environmental and public safety needs as well as to renew a sense of civic responsibility by encouraging citizens to participate in national service programs. Authorized under NCSA are Learn and Serve America, AmeriCorps State and National Grants and the National Civilian Community Corps.

Both DVSA and NCSA are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, and both laws were most recently amended in 1993 by the National and Community Service Act. While authorization of appropriations for both of these laws expired at the end of fiscal year 2006, the programs have remained funded through annual appropriations measures.

I am pleased to have worked with the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, Chairman Miller, with my subcommittee chairwoman, Carolyn McCarthy from New York, as well as the distinguished ranking member of the full committee, Buck McKeon of California, on crafting the GIVE Act, and believe that the bill makes commonsense improvements to our Nation's national service programs. Not only does it provide increased flexibility for States but it also increases accountability and efficiency within the administration of the programs.

H.R. 1388 strengthens existing community and national service programs by providing year-round service opportunities for students and the elderly alike, and further encourages volunteer involvement by disadvantaged youth.

This legislation also expands eligibility requirements for senior- focused programs such as Foster Grandparents and the Senior Companion Program, ensuring that individuals with an interest in serving have options available to them. Finally, I am pleased that the legislation reorganizes AmeriCorps activities into several different corps focused on national areas of need such as education, health care, clean energy and veterans.

In recent years, natural disasters such as hurricanes in the South as well as the wildfires in California have showcased the important efforts of AmeriCorps and NCCC volunteers. I am proud to support this effort to strengthen national service programs and to ensure that participants can continue to aid disadvantaged and needy populations.

Mr. Chairman, I hope all Members will join me in supporting the GIVE Act.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished ranking member of the full committee, Mr. McKeon from California.

I yield such time as he may consume to the ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson).

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Port Security, Mr. Souder from Indiana.

I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cassidy).

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Chairman, just again I would urge a ``yes'' vote in favor of GIVE Act. I want to again recognize both Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon, and especially the staff on both sides, for their tireless effort and many, many hours working together in a bipartisan way to bring this bill to fruition.

The last speaker's comments about the work of AmeriCorps working in the gulf region, it is my understanding that over the last 3 years, more than 4 million hours of service have been provided through national service programs, and that is just one example of how effective these programs can be to assisting those in need. Again I encourage a ``yes'' vote in favor of the GIVE Act.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First, I would like to recognize Chairman Miller and the staff for working to include a number of important changes in this manager's amendment. While there are many technical changes included, there are a number of important changes, including protections against double dipping and Federal control of curriculum, and provisions designed to streamline the application process for grants under the national service programs.

This amendment includes language that would clarify current law to ensure that the corporation is only able

to provide one grant to support the same project. This protection ensures that Federal funds are used wisely and that the same project is not funded through multiple funding streams.

The manager's amendment also includes important language that specifically prohibits an employee of the Federal Government from mandating, directing or controlling a school's curriculum or instructional program. Under the amendment, States would also not be required to have academic content or student academic achievement standards approved or certified by the Federal Government in order to receive a national service grant.

Although we agree there is a role for the Federal Government to play in supporting State and local service learning programs, I believe that the decision on what type of instructional practices or curriculum is used in the classroom should very importantly be made by teachers and principals in the Nation's elementary and secondary schools, not here in Washington. This is an important change that will ensure that the corporation's activities conform to the highest standards of quality, integrity and accuracy, and are objective, neutral, nonideological, and free of partisan political influence.

Finally, the manager's amendment includes a provision that requires the corporation to promote efficiency by consolidating application procedures and reporting requirements for programs funded under the national service laws. Small organizations may currently be unwilling to participate in these programs because the application procedures and reporting requirements are too burdensome on them. This change will help promote diversity among the size of the organizations participating in this program and applying for grants.

Again, I want to thank the majority and urge a ``yes'' vote in favor of this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, which adds to the list of approved Clean Energy Corps activities the development of clean energy programs designed to meet the needs of rural communities. Our rural communities are a vital part of America, and this amendment helps to ensure that they are equally served under this act.

I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote in favor of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank my friend from Pennsylvania, and Chairman Miller.

I have some concerns about this bill. One of the challenges as a conservative Republican in a Congress dominated by the Democrats in the House and Senate and the President is that it is likely to be that, for most bills, we are likely to have some concerns. We lost the election, we are not writing the bills, and so therefore we are likely to have some concerns.

When the Republicans last wrote this bill, for example, we had a clause in restricting sex education money usage. It is not likely to be a use of this bill, but as a conservative I sometimes have justifiable paranoia about how liberals may use this money. At the same time, we are not the majority, we don't get to write every clause in it, and, it is not necessarily a likely use.

I also have concerns about the amount of money that the Federal Government is spending. There are going to be bills in this cycle that many Republicans who might have supported them in the past will have reservations on. We have run up in the first 2 months more additions to the deficit than we had in the first 5 years of the last administration. At some point the question is, how are we going to fund these Treasury bills? Are interest rates going to go up and drive out the private market? How is a district like is mine that is hammered, how is Elkhart County going to recover? So I have deep concerns.

Now, I understand this is an authorizing bill, not an appropriations bill. Authorizing bills merely set the cap. That leads, however, to a lot of pressure internally of, like we saw in No Child Left Behind, you are only funding X amount of a bill. No, that was a cap; that wasn't a guarantee that the funding was going to go through. So when we go through authorizing bills, does this in fact push the spending, or not?

But authorizing bills fundamentally guide the programs. And if we as Republicans say we are never going to participate because we are not in the majority and these are authorizing bills that guide the guidelines, are we going to give up both the actual spending and not participating in the authorizing process?

There are fundamental differences inside any kind of coalition of people on what the role of government should be. If you are a pure libertarian, it is unlikely that you like any of these kind of programs. Volunteers are volunteers; government employees are government employees. But if you have, as I have in the past, supported these different programs, some more than others, but basically believe that everything from the seniors' different programs to domestic volunteer groups are, as a whole, a benefit to the community, then trying to shape that as best we can and to participate I think is helpful.

In this particular bill, I want to thank the chairman for two particular amendments that we have worked with, with Congressman Grijalva who heads the National Parks Committee in the Resources Committee, and Congressman Rush Holt who has been a big supporter of the national parks, and I, who along with Brian Baird cochair the National Parks Caucus, we have worked from the Leave No Child Inside bill to this bill to try to include parks, and working with others to include not only the national parks, but other types of parks, particularly with Mr. Sarbanes of Maryland in the previous bill.

But inside the Energy Corps, this will allow volunteers to work with our National Parks Service to help address backlog and maintenance issues; that whenever, particularly when you look at the type of economy we have right now, and we are coming up on the 100th birthday of the National Park Service, during the Great Depression quite frankly was one of the greatest moves toward American architecture. What we think of as a national park actually came from many of the summer jobs programs and WPA and CCC.

While this is not the same, this is a blended program, it is important that as we see whatever types of legislation goes through, even if I as a Republican have some concerns about the scope of government and the cost, I still feel that it is important that we participate in that. And one of the best uses of this is the National Park Service, which everybody benefits from, and it is an opportunity to try to address some of the backlog issues there.

There is a second part that was a program developed, Serve America, and I want to thank in this case not only

Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Platts and our Ranking Member Buck McKeon, but Senator Hatch, in working with a clause and refining it from the first bill where we had it a larger percentage. But basically it says that one-third of the Serve America grants can go to small institutions. As somebody who has been very passionate, who believes that many of these programs which are very small, don't have good grant writers, often don't have the ability to get as much match, particularly when you get into urban centers or in some of the rural areas, particularly when you get into a lot of the African American and Hispanic church groups or volunteer groups. They aren't United Way, so how can they partake of this? This says that up to one-third of this can be used for organizations with 10 full-time and up to 10 part-time, or 20 total, employees. And then they get up to one-third of the Serve America program, and they only have to have a smaller match of roughly $1,000. This will enable lots of these small neighborhood groups to be eligible.

Now, Senator Hatch correctly pointed out, he and his staff, that maybe there won't be enough of these smaller groups. So it doesn't guarantee a third of this, but it says that up to one-third can be used this way. I think this is a diversification of this program that it is an invaluable addition, and will empower lots of people to be able to do this in this community.

So while I have some reservations, I think this is basically a good bill. It is a bill that we worked on together cooperatively, and I appreciate the opportunity to do that even in a Congress that is marked by partisanship. But it is a way to show the American people that in fact we do work together on most pieces of legislation that come through here. There are differences between our parties, but we try to work in a bipartisan way when we can.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today regarding my amendment to the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, or the GIVE Act.

My amendment would add additional opportunities to the GIVE Act by adding the Healthy Futures Corps, by helping children and the elderly.

Mr. Chairman and Members, as a former VISTA volunteer, as a former school board member who helped bring City Year to my community, and as a former county commissioner who worked diligently on the issues of childhood obesity and hunger in our community, as well as with senior options, issues facing our homebound elderly, this amendment continues some of the issues and concerns that I have seen and recognized back in central Ohio.

As somebody who has had close involvement with AmeriCorps and City Year and with VISTA, I can assert that these are very cost-effective programs that provide vital services to our community. In this instance, today, in Ohio, more than 30 percent of our children between the ages of 10 to 17 are found to be overweight or obese.

As we know, childhood obesity leads to lifelong health consequences, including diabetes and heart disease. Our poorest children are more than twice as likely to be overweight. At a time when our schools are facing cuts, physical education classes are being cut and parents are working more than one job to keep families together, this program would allow us to step up, to help educate our children about living healthy lifestyles.

My amendment focuses volunteers towards programs that combat obesity through physical education for children, after-school activities and nutrition classes. We simply cannot continue to ignore this nationwide epidemic and also the corollary epidemics of preventable chronic diseases.

Physical education opportunities not only help to build strong bodies but help to build for these children habits for a healthy lifetime of good, healthy living. And, as I have seen this as a

member of the school board, I believe that including physical education and exercise in our children's daily lives also helps them improve their learning.

Along with our children, our elderly face challenges in obtaining access to health care and other services. Many senior citizens face restrictions on their movement, making them unable to leave their homes. It shuts them off from the world, and not only from medical care, but from social interaction, from companionship, dealing with other human beings.

Our homebound elderly struggle to get food and adequate nutrition, because they are unable to shop for groceries. It can be a lonely life and a dangerous one where a fall can mean a painful end of their life. My amendment would also allow volunteers to bring food, medical supplies, and legal counsel to these senior citizens who may never be able to access these services otherwise.

I ask for support of children and the elderly by supporting my amendment to direct volunteer services towards combating childhood obesity and providing services to the homebound elderly, to our senior citizens who we need to respect and care for in their later years.

Mr. Chairman, America is facing unprecedented challenges, and it is in these times that Americans must come together to support one another by directing our attention to those who truly need our help.

It was heartwarming to me to learn in our local newspapers that many people who have lost their jobs are devoting themselves to volunteerism, putting their talents to work.

President Obama has called on Congress to create new opportunities for Americans, to build a stronger country, stronger communities and calling for a new era of service.

This bill, the GIVE Act, is an answer to that call, a call to all Americans to help give back to their communities and to offer help to those of us in greatest need.

Again, I can testify from my experience as a VISTA volunteer and being inspired by the young people in City Year, we see people helping people, helping themselves. We see young people becoming role models for other young people, and we see these young volunteers, themselves, learning and developing their own leadership skills.

I support the GIVE Act. It helps people of all ages, from our schools and our school children to our seniors and encourages others to invest their time and passion in their communities.

I urge support of this bill, which will signal a new era of social responsibility.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to address those comments. Nobody is more outraged by the actions of AIG than myself.

If the gentlelady will yield, there have been votes on record in this House, including a vote prior to the last allocation of TARP funds, in which I am on record as asking for restrictions on executive compensation.

It appears the gentlelady from North Carolina does not like the answers that she has been receiving.

I am on record as being against excessive compensation, restrictions on bonuses paid to those recipients of the TARP fund.

I think there should be a time and a place for this debate, and it is unfortunate that a debate on volunteerism and service has been turned into a debate on another issue.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank Mr. Platts for his leadership on this bill, and I thank Buck McKeon, the ranking Republican who leads this committee for his party. I want to say this is a perfect example of when we can work in a bipartisan way, we do work in a bipartisan way.

Mr. Chairman, in my view what has angered so many people about this recession is the perception that its causes are not simply material, not simply financial, but in many ways moral. Ask most Americans what got us to this point, and I doubt the first words they will reach for will be ``credit default swaps'' or ``troubled assets'' or ``overleveraging.'' They will turn, I think, to older ideas--greed, recklessness, self-dealing and profit-taking. In sum, they will think there is a moral deficiency.

It follows that our economy and our recovery will not be whole if it only encompasses renewed balance sheets or consumer demand. What is also required is a renewed public spirit. Government cannot create that spirit. We would be fools to think it could. But it can recognize it, applaud it and give avenues for its manifestation. We can coordinate it and give it productive outlets. That is exactly what this bill does.

I want to congratulate the President of the United States, Barack Obama, for his leadership, and Michelle Obama for working so avidly on behalf of public service and a renewed spirit of giving to our country. Our President has not just talked about that, he has lived a life of service. I said with Chairman Miller at a press conference just a few hours ago that Barack Obama graduated from one of the best law schools in this country. He was editor of the Law Review. He had one of the keenest minds in his class, indeed in the country. He could have made literally millions of dollars practicing law representing the most powerful interests of our country. He choose not to do that. He went to Chicago, his hometown, and he spent his time reaching out to those who needed help, those who didn't have power and those who did not have economic might, to assist them in making their lives better and their communities better.

That is what this bill does. So the principal spokesperson for this bill, President Obama, has lived it, not just talked it. We are blessed with a young generation remarkably committed to public service. This bill gives them the outlets and the opportunities to contribute to our recovery.

Mr. Chairman, I would also say there are a whole lot of seniors who have retired from their careers but don't want to retire from life, don't want to retire from their communities and don't want to retire from continuing to give service to their fellow men and women. This bill strengthens the bond between service and education by helping volunteers pay for college. It focuses volunteer efforts on our most pressing needs, including rebuilding our infrastructure and retooling our economy for clean energy and expands opportunity for volunteers of all ages, from middle schoolers to baby boomers.

In sum, this bill represents the greatest expansion in national service since the days of John F. Kennedy. He asked us to not ask what the country could do for us, but what we could do for our country. In fact, that is what our faiths ask us as well, for all of our faiths have a central theme: love God and love God's children as well. And we love God's children by giving them a hand up and helping to serve with them in making their lives better.

These new ranks of volunteers will be making tangible contributions that benefit all of us. According to House testimony from Time Magazines's managing editor, Richard Stengel, and I quote, 61 million Americans volunteered in their communities in 2007, giving more than 8 billion hours--that is billion--8 billion hours of community service worth more than $158 billion to America's communities.

In my community, we have volunteer fire companies in the southern part of my district. The cost of providing fire service in St. Mary's, Calvert and Charles Counties would be a lot higher if it weren't for the literally tens of thousands of hours volunteered by citizens who care about their communities and care about keeping us safe when fire occurs.

He continued:

``A cost-benefit analysis of AmeriCorps programs has concluded that every $1 that we invest in AmeriCorps results in $1.50 to $3.90 of direct measurable benefits to the community.''

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of our businesses had been as successful? We wouldn't be in the pickle we are in.

Those are the material rewards of this bill. But, Mr. Chairman, I think we all know that the rewards we can't measure are far greater. They are the virtues of community and self-sacrifice, of responsibility and teamwork, of a better country and a better community. John Lewis talks about the beloved community. This bill seeks to serve the beloved community.

I urge its adoption. I thank Mr. Miller for his leadership, I thank the Speaker for her pressing us to consider this early, and I thank Mr. Platts and Mr. McKeon for their leadership and work on this bill as well.