[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 94 (Monday, June 3, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE PROMOTING NATIONAL SERVICE AND REDUCING YOUTH 
                            UNEMPLOYMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 3, 2024

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Promoting National 
Service and Reducing Youth Unemployment Act to address one of the 
greatest workforce tragedies--our unemployed young people--while 
filling vacancies in the public sector. Youth unemployment is harming 
our young people and costing our country billions of dollars each year 
in lost productivity and tax revenue, among other costs. Although the 
total unemployment rate has reached a relative low (3.9 percent), the 
youth unemployment rate is 8.2 percent. These young people have not had 
a fair chance to use the high school or college education we strongly 
urged them to obtain.
  By adding 500,000 new members to AmeriCorps, this bill would need no 
new administrative structure or bureaucracy, and would allow unemployed 
youth to earn a stipend, obtain work experience and develop a good work 
history to help secure future employment. This bill would significantly 
expand job opportunities for young people who have done what they could 
to get a job, but, despite their best efforts, remain unemployed. 
AmeriCorps participants receive a living allowance and are also 
eligible for an education award equal to the value of a Pell grant, 
school-loan forbearance, health care benefits and childcare assistance. 
By expanding AmeriCorps, we would reduce the number of unemployed young 
people, provide them work skills and experience and help understaffed 
state and local governments provide services.
  This bill would also establish that the minimum wage for any 
AmeriCorps State and National member would be 200 percent of the 
federal poverty line, and would not allow for a decrease in that 
amount, as is allowed under current law. AmeriCorps members serve their 
country and gain skills, but we should increase the minimum wage for 
everybody, including national service members.
  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, many young people will 
continue to face their first years as adults without jobs and with no 
way to acquire necessary work experience. They deserve a better start 
in life as adults.
  I ask my colleagues to support this urgently needed, targeted 
assistance for our unemployed youth.

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