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Recognizing Americorps

Floor Speech

Date: June 9, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Infrastructure

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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 453, which recognizes the significant accomplishments of the AmeriCorps programs, encourages all citizens to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni, and helps raise awareness about the importance of national and community service to our country.

AmeriCorps Week is celebrated each year to honor the important work that AmeriCorps volunteers provide to our communities.

This year, we celebrated National AmeriCorps Week with a renewed sense of purpose after the passage of the Senator Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Already we have seen a rise in AmeriCorps applications and a tremendous interest in national and community service as a direct result of this legislation.

The Serve America Act restores the promise of our national service programs by expanding the AmeriCorps programs' volunteer capacity from 75,000 to 250,000 volunteers across the country, and reauthorizes the Corporation for National and Community Service for the first time in 15 years.

In my district of Sacramento, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, or as we say NCCC, volunteers provide immense benefits to our community and our region. Trained in CPR, first aid, disaster response and firefighting, NCCC teams have responded to every national disaster since the program was established.

As a Co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, it is a pleasure to call attention to the tremendous work of those involved at every level and in every AmeriCorps program.

As a result of the great work of these volunteers, extraordinary things are happening all around America. The service programs and new initiatives help address some of our nation's toughest problems, from poverty and unmet education needs, to natural disasters.

I urge my colleagues to continue to support AmeriCorps volunteers and take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication to our country and to their communities.

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