[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
             INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4194) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent 
     agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, and offices for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other 
     purposes:


  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in opposition to 
the provision in H.R. 4194 which removes all funding from AmeriCorps, 
the national service program that allows people of all ages and 
backgrounds to earn help paying their higher education expenses in 
exchange for a year of community service. This four-year-old program 
has met with great success throughout America. Currently, more than 
40,000 AmeriCorps members serve in over 600 programs across the 
country.
  In my district, AmeriCorps volunteers have helped residents in 
distressed neighborhoods develop a vision for their neighborhoods block 
by block, and acquire the necessary resources to achieve that vision. 
The number of neighborhoods being served in the City Building Blocks 
program has increased by 40 percent thanks to AmeriCorps. One block 
served by an AmeriCorps volunteer has successfully closed two drug 
houses and a methamphetamine lab. These structures are now being 
renovated by the Community Development Corporation, and they will soon 
be occupied by new residents. If AmeriCorps funding is cut this block 
and many others like it will lose the support that AmeriCorps 
volunteers have provided.
  Seniors for Schools is another successful AmeriCorps program in my 
district. Last year twenty AmeriCorps volunteers tutored 90 first, 
second, and third grade students in reading. At the beginning of the 
school year, these students were all below grade level in reading--45 
percent of them were two grade levels behind. After one year of 
AmeriCorps volunteers' help, each and every one of these students now 
reads at or above grade level.
  Gail Vessels oversees the Seniors for Schools program through the 
Kansas City YMCA, and she notes that AmeriCorps has ``allowed us to 
tackle the hardest issues in this community.'' She indicates that it 
would just not be possible to have these programs without AmeriCorps 
funding. I urge all members of the House to continue AmeriCorps 
funding, so that programs like those I have mentioned will continue in 
their own districts as well.
  AmeriCorps does more than rebuild communities. In my district, 
several AmeriCorps volunteers were actually able to leave welfare rolls 
because of AmeriCorps, and they were also able to go on to college, 
earn a degree, and gain employment--and thus stay off of welfare. These 
volunteers are often middle-aged, single parents who have been on 
welfare for several years. They have low self-esteem and not many 
skills. AmeriCorps allows them to gain valuable skills while serving 
their community. In addition, they earn an education award after one 
year of service that can be used to offset college or vocational 
training tuition costs. AmeriCorps has allowed one Kansas City 
volunteer Anna--a single parent who had been on welfare for many 
years--to earn her children's respect, attend college, and get off of 
welfare. Anna now works full time for a local neighborhood association.
  I strongly oppose eliminating this valuable program and urge my 
colleagues to restore funding in the Conference Committee. AmeriCorps 
strengthens America. We must support proactive programs that help to 
build communities and give individuals the opportunity to better 
themselves through education and giving back to their communities.




                          ____________________