Dirksen Senate Office Building
Room SD-430

Chairwoman, Ranking Member Enzi, and Members of the Committee:

Good afternoon. Thank you for this opportunity to testify, and for this Committee’s longstanding bipartisan support for national service. I especially thank you, Chairwoman – the Godmother of National Service -- for your passionate advocacy and strong oversight over the past sixteen years.

Dear Colleagues,

Following on last month's hearing on national service in the House Education and Labor Committee, today at 2:30 the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing on "The Next Generation of National Service"

Dirksen Senate Office Building
Room SD-430

Chairwoman, Ranking Member Enzi, and Members of the Committee,

Thank you for this opportunity to testify, and for the Committee’s long history of leadership and support for national and community service.

Now is the right time to update our national service laws and unleash the energy and ingenuity of the American people to solve community problems. This hearing comes at a critical moment of both need and opportunity for our nation:

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier today President Obama released his budget request for Fiscal Year 2010. I am pleased to report that the budget proposes $1.13 billion for the Corporation and its programs, an increase of $241 million from the 2009 likely enacted level. This request demonstrates the President’s strong commitment to national service and his belief in the critical importance of engaging citizens in tackling the tough challenges facing our nation. The budget request would:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Peace Corps and the Corporation for National and Community Service have signed an agreement to promote joint recruiting efforts and will work together to strengthen institutional ties.

Dear Colleagues:

This is another important week for national service, and we wanted to give you some quick updates.

Dear Colleagues,

I want to provide an update on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law yesterday by President Obama.

Dear Colleagues,

As we head into the President’s Day weekend, we wanted to give you a quick update on Congressional action on H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

This afternoon, the House approved the Conference Report on H.R. 1, and the Senate is planning to vote tonight. If the Senate approves the measure, it goes to President Obama for his signature.

The Conference Report contains $201 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, with top line numbers as follows:

This afternoon the full Senate passed the American Recovery and Investment Act by a 61 to 37 vote. The Senate bill contains $201 million for the Corporation and its programs, broken down as follows:

(Washington DC) – The Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service Tuesday elected Alan D. Solomont, as its chairman. .

The Corporation is the nation’s largest grant maker for volunteering and service, engaging more than four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, and Learn and Serve America programs. The agency provides vital support for America’s voluntary and nonprofit sector through grants, volunteers, training, research, and other support.