[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 35 (Wednesday, March 25, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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        REAUTHORIZATION OF THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE

 Mr. REED. Mr. President, the New England Governors recently 
passed a resolution calling on Congress to adopt legislation to 
reauthorize the Corporation for National Service this year.
  As a strong supporter of national and community service, I am 
heartened by the New England Governors' enthusiasm for AmeriCorps, the 
National Senior Service Corps, the Learn and Serve program, and other 
Corporation for National Service initiatives. It is my hope that the 
Corporation for National Service reauthorization legislation will be 
considered by the Senate this year.
  Mr. President, I ask that the New England Governors' resolution be 
printed in the Record.
  The resolution follows:

                           Resolution No. 140

       Whereas, the citizens of New England have benefited in a 
     variety of ways from the important contribution made by the 
     service programs of the Corporation for National Service in 
     partnership with the states of the region; and
       Whereas, New England states have profited from the power 
     and promise of citizen service and traditional volunteers 
     through the efforts of 90,000 New Englanders who serve our 
     states each day through AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, 
     and the National Senior Service Corps programs of the 
     Corporation for National Service; and
       Whereas, New England states have been assisted by the 
     Corporation for National Service programs that use service as 
     a strategy to improve the quality of life in the region; and
       Whereas, AmeriCorps members and National Senior Service 
     Corps volunteers have improved education achievement, 
     enhanced our environment, made our neigbhorhoods safer, and 
     addressed other human needs; and
       Whereas, the students in Learn and Serve America have been 
     afforded the opportunity to serve their communities and 
     reflect on the meaning of that service; and
       Whereas, AmeriCorps and the other programs supported by the 
     Corporation for National Service have provided critical 
     resources to our states; and
       Whereas, the proposed reauthorization legislation, entitled 
     the National and Community Service Amendments Act of 1998 
     will devolve more authority and greater flexibility to states 
     in the implementation of programs funded by the Corporation 
     for National Service; and
       Whereas, the existing distribution of AmeriCorps grant 
     funds, two-thirds for AmeriCorps State and one-third for 
     AmeriCorps National, is retained in the proposed legilation; 
     and
       Whereas, New England has benefited substantially from the 
     law's existing allocation of state funds which redistribute 
     one-half through formula and one-half through national 
     competition; Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 
     Governors of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 
     Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, through their New 
     England Governors' Conference, Inc., urge their respective 
     Congressional delegations and the Congress to support the 
     National Community Service Amendments Act of 1998, 
     reauthorizing the Corporation for National Service, to 
     support the bill's devolution provisions that add authority 
     and flexibility to states and state commissions, to support 
     the bill's directives that AmeriCorps State funds provide 
     Governor-appointed state commissions more control over 
     program selection, and particularly to support the bill's 
     continuation of the existing 50/50 state funds disitribution 
     division between formula and nationally competitive 
     AmeriCorps grant funds.
       Adoption certified by the New England Governors' 
     Conference, Inc. on February 24, 1998.

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