III 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 197 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 14, 2007 Ms. Mikulski (for herself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Casey, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lott, Mr. McCain, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Obama, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Stevens, and Ms. Stabenow) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Honoring the accomplishments of AmeriCorps.

Whereas the AmeriCorps national service program, since its inception in 1994, has proven to be a highly effective way to engage Americans in meeting a wide range of local needs and to promote the ethic of service and volunteering; Whereas the AmeriCorps program, working closely with its nationwide network of Governor-appointed State service commissions, has strengthened America’s nonprofit sector by investing more than $3,000,000,000 in the efforts of community nonprofit groups in every State in our Nation; Whereas that investment has leveraged hundreds of millions of dollars of additional funds and in-kind donations from other sources; Whereas each year AmeriCorps provides opportunities for 75,000 citizens across the Nation to give back in an intensive way to our districts, our States, and our country; Whereas since 1994 a total of 500,000 citizens across the Nation have taken the AmeriCorps pledge to get things done for America by becoming AmeriCorps members; Whereas those same individuals have served a total of more than 630,000,000 hours nationwide, helping to improve the lives of our Nation's most vulnerable citizens, protect our environment, contribute to our public safety, respond to disasters, and strengthen our educational system; Whereas AmeriCorps members last year recruited and supervised more than 1,400,000 community volunteers, demonstrating AmeriCorps' value as a powerful volunteer catalyst and force multiplier; Whereas AmeriCorps members nationwide, in return for their service, have earned nearly $1,300,000,000 to use to further their own educational advancement at our Nation’s colleges and universities; Whereas AmeriCorps members, after their terms of service end, remain engaged in our communities as volunteers, teachers, and nonprofit professionals in disproportionately high levels; and Whereas the inaugural National AmeriCorps Week, May 13–20, 2007, is an opportune time for the people of the United States to salute current and former AmeriCorps members for their powerful impact, thank all of AmeriCorps' community partners in our Nation who make the program possible, and bring more Americans into service: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)encourages all citizens to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and raise awareness about the importance of national and community service; (2)acknowledges the significant accomplishments of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners; (3)recognizes the important contribution to the lives of our citizens made by AmeriCorps members; and (4)encourages citizens of all ages to consider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps.