[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1318-S1319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE TO AMERICA

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed 
to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 449, submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 449) Celebrating Volunteers in 
     Service to America on its 45th anniversary and recognizing 
     its contribution to the fight against poverty.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the 
preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table, 
with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 449) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 449

       Whereas Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) has made 
     an extraordinary contribution to alleviating poverty and 
     improving American society since the program began in 1965;
       Whereas more than 175,000 individuals of all ages and from 
     different walks of life have answered VISTA's call to devote 
     a year of full-time service living and working in low-income 
     communities to help eradicate poverty;
       Whereas VISTA members have helped create many successful 
     and sustainable community initiatives, including Head Start 
     centers, credit unions, and neighborhood watch groups, with 
     VISTA alumni going on to serve in leadership positions in 
     government, private, and nonprofit sectors throughout the 
     United States;
       Whereas VISTA, which became part of AmeriCorps in 1993 and 
     is administered by the Corporation for National and Community 
     Service, annually engages more than 7,000 members in helping 
     more than 1,000 local organizations build sustainable anti-
     poverty programs;
       Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members improve the lives of the 
     most vulnerable citizens in our Nation by fighting 
     illiteracy, improving health services, reducing unemployment, 
     increasing housing opportunities, reducing crime and 
     recidivism, and expanding access to technology;
       Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members develop programs, recruit 
     community volunteers, generate resources, manage projects,

[[Page S1319]]

     and enhance the ability of nonprofit organizations to become 
     and remain sustainable, thereby strengthening the nonprofit 
     sector in low-income communities across the United States; 
     and
       Whereas AmeriCorps VISTA members generate more than 
     $100,000,000 in cash and in-kind resources annually for 
     organizations throughout the Nation, as well as recruit and 
     manage more than 1,000,000 volunteers who provide 10,000,000 
     hours of community service for local organizations: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the more than 175,000 men and women who have 
     served in VISTA for their dedication and commitment to the 
     fight against poverty;
       (2) recognizes VISTA members for leveraging human, 
     financial, and material resources to increase the ability of 
     thousands of low-income areas across the country to address 
     challenges and improve their communities; and
       (3) encourages the continued commitment of VISTA members to 
     creating and expanding programs designed to bring individuals 
     and communities out of poverty.

                          ____________________