[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDMENT 450 TO H.R. 1, CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2011

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                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2011

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the C.R. put forward 
by my Republican colleagues, and specifically to Amendment 450, offered 
by Mr. Mack of Florida. This amendment and the C.R. would eliminate 
funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and all 
of the programs it supports.
  As Americans, we share a common belief that volunteerism and 
community service make our country stronger. But we cannot be a leader 
in the world, if we are not leaders in our own communities.
  And as we speak, tens of thousands of Americans are involved in 
service projects across the country through one of several AmeriCorps 
programs. These volunteers are building houses, helping young people 
learn to read, collecting food and clothing, and much, much more.
  Through programs such as Learn and Serve, VISTA, Teach for America, 
Experience Corps, Youth Build, Habitat for Humanity, City Year, and 
Jumpstart, volunteers are using evidence-based research to make a 
tremendous impact in their communities.
  But federal funding for each one of these programs would be shut down 
if Amendment 450 and this C.R. were to be enacted.
  In my district of Sacramento, California--home to the NCCC Pacific 
Region--300 AmeriCorps*NCCC volunteers would be sent home. Although 
these volunteers have already committed to a year of service--and they 
have all already been deployed--this amendment would require the 
Corporation for National and Community Service to buy their plane 
tickets home. That process alone would make this a deficient program, 
and leave the federal government liable for the costs.
  Put simply: Amendment 450 and the cuts for AmeriCorps in the C.R. are 
ill-conceived.
  We see an enormous return in our investments in our national service 
programs. For every volunteer we help to support, we recruit another 10 
volunteers. And for every dollar the federal government invests, the 
organizations are able to leverage a matching dollar through local and 
private funding.

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