[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 98 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 98

  Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni and 
AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to the lives of the people of the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 9, 2021

    Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni and 
AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to the lives of the people of the United 
                                States.

Whereas, since their inceptions, each of the AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors 
        national service programs have proven to be a highly effective way--

    (1) to engage the people of the United States in meeting a wide range 
of local and national needs; and

    (2) to promote the ethics of service and volunteerism;

Whereas, each year, nearly 270,000 individuals serve in AmeriCorps and 
        AmeriCorps Seniors at 40,000 locations across the United States to give 
        back in an intensive way to communities, States, Tribal nations, and the 
        United States;
Whereas AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors funds have been invested in nonprofit, 
        community, educational, and faith-based groups, and those funds leverage 
        hundreds of millions of dollars in outside funding and in-kind donations 
        each year;
Whereas AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers have provided 
        millions of hours of service nationwide, helping--

    (1) to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people of the United 
States;

    (2) to protect the environment;

    (3) to contribute to public safety;

    (4) to respond to disasters;

    (5) to strengthen the educational system of the United States; and

    (6) to expand economic opportunity;

Whereas AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers recruit and 
        supervise millions of community volunteers, demonstrating the value of 
        AmeriCorps as a powerful force for encouraging people to become involved 
        in volunteering and community service;
Whereas, for more than 5 decades, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in the RSVP, 
        Foster Grandparent, and Senior Companion programs have played an 
        important role in strengthening communities by sharing their experience, 
        knowledge, and accomplishments with the individuals they serve;
Whereas, since 1994, more than 1,200,000 individuals have taken the AmeriCorps 
        pledge to ``get things done for America'' by becoming AmeriCorps members 
        through the AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, and 
        AmeriCorps NCCC programs;
Whereas AmeriCorps members nationwide, in return for the service of those 
        members, have earned more than $4,000,000,000 to use to further their 
        own educational advancement at colleges and universities across the 
        United States;
Whereas AmeriCorps is a proven pathway to employment, providing members with 
        valuable career skills, experience, and contacts to prepare them for the 
        21st century workforce and to help close the skills gap in the United 
        States;
Whereas, in 2009, Congress passed the bipartisan Serve America Act (Public Law 
        111-13; 123 Stat. 1460), which authorized the expansion of national 
        service, expanded opportunities to serve, increased efficiency and 
        accountability, and strengthened the capacity of organizations and 
        communities to solve problems;
Whereas national service programs have engaged millions of people in the United 
        States in results-driven service in the most vulnerable communities of 
        the United States, providing hope and help to individuals with economic 
        and social needs;
Whereas national service and volunteerism demonstrate the best of the spirit of 
        the United States, with people turning toward problems and working 
        together to find community solutions; and
Whereas AmeriCorps Week, observed in 2021 from March 7 through March 13, is an 
        appropriate time for the people of the United States--

    (1) to salute current and former AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps 
Seniors volunteers for their positive impact on the lives of people in the 
United States;

    (2) to thank the community partners of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps 
Seniors for making the programs possible; and

    (3) to encourage more people in the United States to become involved in 
service and volunteering: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) encourages the people of the United States to join in a 
        national effort--
                    (A) to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and 
                AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers; and
                    (B) to raise awareness about the importance of 
                national and community service;
            (2) acknowledges the significant accomplishments of the 
        members, alumni, and community partners of AmeriCorps and 
        AmeriCorps Seniors;
            (3) recognizes the important contributions made by 
        AmeriCorps members and alumni and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers 
        to the lives of the people of the United States; and
            (4) encourages individuals of all ages to consider 
        opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors.
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