At Your Service: Proposal to Massively Expand AmeriCorps Helps Economy, Helps People

In a report from last Friday, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter got the jump on an important story that's very telling about the backgrounds and value systems of our new President and First Lady, the millions of young people -- Millennnials -- who voted for him -- and a (rare) bipartisan drive in Congress to create jobs, create opportunities for young people to help pay for their education through service activities.   

Writes Alter:

On Monday, Miller will announce that the GIVE Act (don't ask what the acronym means; too clunky) is on its way to passage by the House. Because representatives of the House, Senate and White House have been working together on a bipartisan basis for weeks, the skids are now greased for quick Senate passage of the Kennedy-Hatch Act for national service, the only specific piece of legislation the president mentioned in his address to Congress last month. Differences between the House and Senate versions will be minor.

By early April, Obama will sign landmark legislation expanding AmeriCorps from 75,000 participants to 250,000 over the next few years. This will take the national-service movement to a new level, create thousands of jobs and help young Americans pay for college. It's another sign that the president and his allies on Capitol Hill intend to redeem the promise of last year's campaign a helluva lot earlier than even his most ardent supporters expected...

...The outlines of what will pass, reported here for the first time:

• A boost in the educational stipend offered in exchange for service to $5,350, with the provision that it will continue to rise in tandem with Pell grants. (Pay for full-time AmeriCorps service is about $11,000 a year.)
• A $500 education award for middle-school and high-school students who take part in a "Summer of Service" or other service activities.
• The establishment of a Clean Energy Corps, Education Corps, Healthy Futures Corps and Veterans Services Corps.
• The establishment of new ServeAmerica Fellowships.
• The expansion of the Civilian Community Corps to include work on weatherization and other energy-conservation projects.
• The expansion of the Peace Corps (to 16,000) and other existing programs.
• The designation of September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

The Miller referenced above is U.S. Rep. George Miller, the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. First Lady Michelle Obama, a long-time champion of national service and volunteerism who worked at the non-profit, Public Allies, had buttonholed Miller earlier last week to tell him just how important the national service legislation is to her and the President.

Many of Obama's strongest supporters share the President's passion for giving back to the community. NDN Fellows Morley Winograd and Mike Hais -- co-authors of the critically acclaimed Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube & the Future of American Politics, have written two important essays for NDN on Millennials, national service and volunteerism.

On December 1, 2008, in "Reinforcing Obama's Millennial Army," Winograd and Hais wrote:

According to Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, almost 60 percent of Millennials are “personally interested in engaging in some form of public service to help the country.” The ethos of service among Millennials is strongly supported regardless of gender or party affiliation. While many of those surveyed see public service as working for government, or even running for office, there is no reason to channel the generation’s enthusiasm solely into these more politically oriented activities. Instead, the incoming Obama Administration should create an entity to help Millennials find ways to rebuild all of America’s civic institutions.

On January 9, 2009, in "National Service and National Pride: Obama/Powell Initiative Is Downpayment to Millennials," NDN's newest Fellows said:

The selection of former Secretary of State Colin Powell to announce the Obama Administration's national service initiative, "Renew America Together" (USAService.org), is much more than a smart political move. It’s a perfect down payment on the promises Obama made to his most ardent supporters, the Millennial Generation (born 1982-2003).

...By giving Powell this important and visible role, Obama simultaneously burnishes his bipartisan credentials and demonstrates his understanding that the United States has moved to a new era dominated by the outlook of a new generation determined to make America a stronger and more unified country.

...The willingness of Millennials to help make things better was reflected in their enthusiastic reaction to Obama’s call during the campaign for a program aimed at young people that would help them pay for college in exchange for two years of public service, either in the military or one of the federal civilian service organizations. While the financial concerns of a generation heavily burdened by educational debt may have partially accounted for the loud applause this idea always generated, there is far more to it than self-interest.

Expanding national service opportunities will help people and help the economy. It creates jobs and goodwill.

Recording artist Usher has weighed in, testifying before Miller's Committee last month. You can watch it here:

National service is in. Self service is out.