[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 44 (Monday, March 21, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E346-E347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE PROMOTING NATIONAL SERVICE AND REDUCING 
                            UNEMPLOYMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 21, 2016

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Promoting 
National Service and Reducing Unemployment Act, to address one of the 
greatest workforce tragedies resulting from today's economy--our 
unemployed young people--and to spur economic growth and alleviate 
strain on state and local governments. This tragedy is not only hurting 
our young people, it is costing our government $25 billion each year 
through lost tax revenue and other costs. Unemployment has reached a 
new low of 4.9 percent, but my bill targets the 2.2 million young 
people who have not had a fair chance to ever use their high school and 
college education, which this nation has strongly urged them to get.
  What is particularly disappointing is the high unemployment rate for 
young people who heeded our advice to graduate from high school and 
college, only to try to enter the workforce in the worst economy in 
generations. The total unemployment rate is currently 10.6 percent for 
young adults aged 16 to 24, and hundreds of thousands now compete for 
unpaid internships wherever they can find them. By significantly 
expanding AmeriCorps, my bill would need no new administrative 
structure or bureaucracy, and would allow unemployed young people to 
earn a stipend, obtain work experience, and develop a good work history 
to help them secure future employment. The net cost of the expansion 
would be low, because these young people would be providing urgently 
needed local services that are being dropped or curtailed because of 
federal, state, and local budget cuts, such as after-school programs, 
tutoring, and assistance for the elderly.
  The bill would significantly expand job opportunities for young 
people who have played by the rules but despite their best efforts 
remain unemployed in this economy. Participants receive a living 
allowance and are also eligible for an education award equal to the 
value of a Pell grant, for school-loan forbearance, health care 
benefits and child care assistance. By expanding the AmeriCorps 
program, we would reduce the number of unemployed young people, provide 
them with work skills and experience, and help cash-strapped states and 
local governments provide services that they would otherwise have to 
cut.
  For some time, it has been clear that policies to address the most 
stubborn forms of unemployment need to be targeted in order to be 
effective. Without significant targeting, young graduates will continue 
to face their first years as adults without jobs and with no way to 
acquire work experience. They deserve better. I ask my colleagues to 
support this urgently needed targeted assistance for young, unemployed 
Americans.

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