[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 45 (Friday, March 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E573-E574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      NATIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION

                                 ______


                         HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 10, 1995
  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, a controversy has arisen recently over a 
protest staged by ACORN, a membership and advocacy group for low- and 
moderate-income families. The Washington Times, in a March 7 editorial, 
asserted that AmeriCorps members--whose stipends are subsidized by the 
Federal Government--may have worked for ACORN and therefore 
participated in the protest. Unfortunately, the newspaper got its facts 
wrong.
  No AmeriCorps members work for ACORN, and none took part in the 
protest. Rather, 42 AmeriCorps members are serving with ACORN Housing 
Corporation, an entirely different organization that helps working 
families find homes.
  Eli Segal, the CEO of the National Service Corporation, clarified the 
facts in his March 7 letter to the Washington Times. I have submitted 
his letter to set the record straight. I would like to express my 
disappointment that members of the press and of this body would spread 
misinformation to discredit a program as innovative, productive, and 
important as AmeriCorps.
                                  AmeriCorps National Service,

                                    Washington, DC, March 7, 1995.
     Tod Lindberg,
     Editor of the Editorial Page,
     Washington Times.
       Dear Mr. Lindberg: In your editorial today (Federally 
     funded Newt-bashing), you asked whether AmeriCorps Members 
     participated in the disruption of Monday's NACO luncheon, 
     which prevented Speaker Gingrich from addressing the 
     gathering. There is a simple answer: Absolutely not.
       AmeriCorps doesn't support advocacy. Our statute and 
     Regulations clearly prohibit it. Advocacy aims to make change 
     through politics, and is therefore inherently a process of 
     winners and losers. National service brings about positive 
     change by helping local communities solve common problems 
     through collective effort--where everyone ends up benefiting.
       This is much more than rhetoric. Advocacy organizations 
     were furious when our Regulations came out, but we didn't 
     budge. We have also made it clear to all of our grantees that 
     this is a matter of principle, not technicality. We will cut 
     off funding to programs that do not comply. I have reminded 
     all of our programs of these matters, today, in writing.
       AmeriCorps aims to re-kit community. That can't happen when 
     basic freedoms of speech are trampled. In the wake of 
     yesterday's disruption, we immediately investigated. Here's 
     what we learned: No AmeriCorps Members participated in the 
     incident (written conformation attached). In fact, the 
     protesting organization is an entirely separate organization 
     from our grantee--legally, and in Board, budget, staff and 
     mission.
       [[Page E574]] AmeriCorps Members serve not with ACORN, but 
     with ACORN Housing Corporation. The latter is not an advocacy 
     organization, but an entirely separate non-profit helping 
     working families find housing--especially buying their own 
     homes. In the three months our AmeriCorps program has been 
     operating, AmeriCorps Members have already assisted hundreds 
     of families interested in home ownership--and 84 families now 
     have secured mortgages for their first homes.
       This is the AmeriCorps mission: getting things done. And 
     this is the American Dream: helping working families afford a 
     home.
       We agree with the Washington Times that federal funds must 
     not be abused, and that service must be distinct from 
     advocacy. AmeriCorps is proud of its record--and unshakable 
     in its adherence to these principles.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Eli J. Segal,
                                          Chief Executive Officer.
     

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