WEDNESDAY JANUARY 30, 2002
USA Freedom Corps 1

Foreword by President George W. Bush

September 11 was a tragic day in our Nation’s history and the history of the world. No

American, and no civilized person, would wish the evil of that day on anyone. So much grief

and sorrow were inflicted on so many of our fellow citizens, and people around the world. Yet

we also know that out of tragedy, strength and hope and even good can come. One of the best

ways to counter evil is through the gathering momentum of millions of acts of service and

decency and kindness.

Since September 11, Americans have responded magnificently, with courage and compassion,

unity and purpose, resolve and fierce determination. We have seen the true character of the

American people reveal itself in unity and generosity, patriotism and civic pride. The deep bonds

of affection that we have seen in people helping people in need have blessed our land. Our great

challenge now is to encourage this outpouring of service and civic pride – and to harness it to a

great national purpose. This is the underlying principle of the USA Freedom Corps.

The USA Freedom Corps will encourage and support those who want to serve their country.

Countless Americans now serve in countless ways to improve our Nation and our world. The

USA Freedom Corps values this spirit and seeks to build upon it. The USA Freedom Corps will

provide opportunities and create incentives for Americans to become even more involved in

serving their communities and country – and in serving the people of other nations.

Volunteerism and community service are central to the history of our Nation. Americans have

always been a decent and deeply generous people, willing to help those in need. That was true

before September 11. It is truer today. The Federal Government did not create this civic spirit;

but we do have a responsibility to help support and encourage it where we can. The USA

Freedom Corps is another way in which my Administration will work to contribute to that great

cause.
USA Freedom Corps 2

Table of Contents

Page

Executive Summary 3

Key Elements of USA Freedom Corps 4

USA Freedom Corps Overview 5

The Call To Service 9

Establishing the USA Freedom Corps 11

Establishing a Citizens Corps: Engaging Citizens in Homeland Security 13

Enhancing National and Community Service 18

Strengthening the Peace Corps 27

USA Freedom Corps Executive Order 28
USA Freedom Corps 3

Executive Summary

A commitment to serve our neighbors and our Nation is an essential part of the American

character. We have always believed in an ethic of citizenship that includes helping those in need

and promoting the common good. We know this makes America stronger and the world better.

The USA Freedom Corps builds on this great American ethic. The USA Freedom Corps will

promote a culture of responsibility, service, and citizenship. It will work with key service

agencies in government and the nonprofit sector to provide incentives and new opportunities to

serve at home and abroad. The USA Freedom Corps will draw on help from Americans of all

ages and of every background. It is an integrated citizen service initiative – and the

Administration believes it can and will do great good.

Americans serve their country in extraordinary and countless ways. Most of our Nation’s civic

work is being done without the aid of the Federal Government. But we believe the Federal

Government can work to enhance opportunities for Americans to serve their neighbors and their

Nation. The Administration is therefore proposing to create and expand activities that will

enhance homeland security, provide additional community-based service and volunteer

opportunities, and assist people around the world.

President Bush is calling on all Americans to serve their country for the equivalent of two

years -- or 4,000 hours -- over a lifetime. Some Americans -- such as those just graduating

from high school or college or those beginning their retirement -- may want to perform one or

more years of uninterrupted service. Other Americans may wish to commit service hours over

many years. Some citizens will serve for many more than two years, others for less. This

initiative is not a Federal mandate – it is profound individual commitment and a worthy national

goal.

The tragic events of September 11 reminded Americans that, as citizens, we bear essential

obligations to each other, to our country, and to history. The USA Freedom Corps is one way

President Bush’s Administration intends to help Americans fulfill these individual obligations.
USA Freedom Corps 4

Key Elements of USA Freedom Corps

The USA Freedom Corps initially will have three major components:

ÿ A newly created Citizen Corps to engage citizens in homeland security: The new Citizen

Corps will consist of Citizen Corps Councils. It will engage Americans in specific homeland

security efforts in communities throughout the country. These initiatives include a Medical

Reserve Corps, a Volunteers in Police Service Program, a doubling of Neighborhood Watch,

a new Terrorist Information and Prevention System, and a tripling of Community Emergency

Response Team members.

ÿ An improved and enhanced AmeriCorps and Senior Corps: The Administration will

provide additional community-based service opportunities and will leverage hundreds of

thousands of additional volunteers through 25,000 new AmeriCorps participants, 100,000

new Senior Corps participants, and removing barriers to service. The 25,000 new

AmeriCorps participants will generate at least 75,000 additional volunteers.

ÿ A strengthened Peace Corps: The President’s plan will double the number of Peace Corps

volunteers over the next 5 years, returning the number of volunteers to near its historic high,

which was 15,000 in June of 1966.

The President is requesting more than $560 million in new funds in Fiscal Year 2003 to

support this new citizen service initiative.

The citizen service initiative will be managed by a new USA Freedom Corps Council and

an Assistant to the President within the White House. The Council and White House Office

will make further policy recommendations to the President to enhance service, help agencies

recruit and mobilize volunteers, study how better to chart civic progress, and find ways to

recognize the participation of Americans in serving their communities, country, and nations

around the world.
USA Freedom Corps 5

USA Freedom Corps Overview

SUPPORT FOR THE USA FREEDOM CORPS 

ÿ The USA Freedom Corps will have a Council and Office within the Executive Office of

the President. The Council will be chaired by the President and include the heads of key

departments and agencies with public service programs and components. The Office will be

headed by an Assistant to the President, reporting directly to the President, and will include a

staff to help coordinate the service initiative;

ÿ The Council will make policy recommendations to the President on additional service

opportunities and ways in which Federal and community-based programs can provide

incentives and information to foster better citizenship and more service to the Nation and to

communities;

ÿ The USA Freedom Corps will work with appropriate Federal departments and agencies

to establish baseline data for measuring participation in service programs, identifying

serious needs, and tracking progress resulting from additional resources and opportunities

made possible through the USA Freedom Corps;

ÿ “USA Freedom Corps” awards and certificates will be issued to participants in the three

service programs; and

ÿ The USA Freedom Corps will coordinate this new service initiative with appropriate

federal departments and agencies, and help work with the Congress to secure the more

than $560 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to support this initiative.

CITIZEN CORPS – Engaging Citizens in Homeland Security 

ÿ Establish Citizens Corps Councils representing citizens in local communities, provide

appropriate community designations, and encourage recruitment of Citizen Corps volunteers.

The Councils would include leaders from law enforcement, fire and emergency medical

services, businesses, community-based institutions, schools, places of worship, health care

institutions, public works, and other key sectors. The Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA) will coordinate with states and local communities to support the

establishment of the Councils. The Administration is requesting $144 million for Fiscal Year

2003 in matching grants to help support Citizen Corps Councils through training, materials,

and certification. Certification will include responsibilities for maintaining the Councils and

programs. The Councils will coordinate the Citizen Corps programs at the local level, such

as:

 ̧ Volunteers In Police Service Program: Building on successful local programs, in which

civilian volunteers help local police departments and free up police officers to perform

their front-line duties, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will coordinate with State and

local police departments on best practices, providing training and information on specific

non-sworn functions, and liability issues. The Administration has requested $3 million

for Fiscal Year 2003 to support this initiative;
USA Freedom Corps 6

 ̧ Double Neighborhood Watch Programs and Add a Terrorism Prevention

Component: The Department of Justice will work with the Neighborhood Watch

Program (NWP) to incorporate terrorism prevention into its mission. The goal would be

to double the number of NWPs over the next two years. DOJ will make grant funding

available to Neighborhood Watch for additional training and increased capacity through

the National Sheriffs’ Association. The Administration has requested $6 million for

Fiscal Year 2003 to support this initiative;

 ̧ Medical Reserve Corps: A community-based Medical Reserve Corps would be created

as part of the local Councils to recruit and train retired healthcare professionals to

augment local health care capacity during an emergency. The Department of Health and

Human Services will coordinate training, information, emergency procedures, and

communications. The Administration has requested $10 million for Fiscal Year 2003 for

this initiative;

 ̧ Triple Community Emergency Response Team Members: The Federal Emergency

Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a

program conducted by a specially trained team of first responders. The training prepares

individuals in neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools to take a more active part in the

emergency management planning for their area and to prepare themselves and others for

disasters. CERT training includes: disaster preparedness; disaster fire suppression;

disaster medical operations; and light search and rescue operations. FEMA will work to

increase three-fold training capacity, equipment, and information dissemination. The

Administration has requested $61 million for Fiscal Year 2003 for this initiative;

 ̧ Operation TIPS: Terrorist Information and Prevention System: Operation TIPS will

be a nationwide mechanism for reporting suspicious activity -- enlisting millions of

American transportation workers, truckers, letter carriers, train conductors, ship captains,

and utility employees in the effort to prevent terrorism and crime. Operation TIPS, a

project of the U.S. Department of Justice, will be initiated as a pilot program in ten cities

in America. DOJ will establish a 1-800 Hotline for participants in Operation TIPS to

report information. The Administration has requested $8 million for Fiscal Year 2003;

and

 ̧ Citizens’ Preparedness Guidebook and PSA Campaign: A national information

campaign will carry the President’s message of citizen preparedness. Building on what is

effective in crime prevention and responding to natural disasters, the Guidebook will

provide information to citizens on how to prepare for potential terrorism, and a PSA

campaign will help Americans implement the suggestions in the Guidebook. The

Guidebook and PSA campaign will give Americans guidance on how best to prepare at

home, in the community, at work, at the airport, in places of worship, and in other public

places. DOJ is carrying out the initiative with existing resources.

ÿ More than $230 million has been requested in FY ’03 for all of these initiatives.
USA Freedom Corps 7

NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 

AmeriCorps

ÿ Provide service opportunities for 25,000 new AmeriCorps participants (a 50 percent

increase), leveraging at least 75,000 additional volunteers;

 ̧ Enhance opportunities for service in public health and safety and emergency

preparedness and broaden service opportunities more generally;

 ̧ Reform Education Awards in AmeriCorps so the awards can be used for education,

down payment on a home, job training, and health care costs;

 ̧ Permit Education Awards for seniors to include transferability of a $4,725 Silver

Scholarship to a grandchild or someone else for education;

 ̧ Provide for more leveraging of volunteers as a part of evaluating and funding

programs;

 ̧ Assure more accountability for results by ensuring that grantees meet performance

measures; and

 ̧ Empower local community and faith-based organizations through service volunteers.

ÿ More than $230 million has been requested in FY ’03 to support these initiatives.

ÿ Greater Public and Private Support for Teaching and Other National Service

Programs. The FY 2003 budget will provide $10 million for the first-time use of challenge

grants to support the expansion of teaching and other national service programs. Under these

new challenge grants, private sources will provide at least 50 percent of the amount required

to expand existing effective national service programs. The Corporation for National and

Community Service has supported effective teacher programs in the past, such as Teach for

America, but has not used an authority that targets Federal funds to challenge the private

sector to help expand these efforts.

Senior Corps

ÿ Provide service opportunities for 100,000 new Senior Corps Volunteers

 ̧ Leverage additional volunteers;

 ̧ Enhance service opportunities for seniors to participate in programs by changing

eligibility requirements, such as lowering the age to 55 for participating in all programs;

 ̧ Increase service opportunities in public health, safety, and emergency preparedness;

and

 ̧ Provide greater flexibility to local communities by easing burdensome requirements

governing the activities of volunteers.

ÿ More than $50 million has been requested in FY ’03 to support these initiatives.
USA Freedom Corps 8

Greater Service Opportunities During College: Federal Work Study Program

ÿ Every college and university will be required to devote 50 percent of its Federal Work Study

funds to community service (currently it is only 7 percent) and specify that in any given year

at least 5 percent of the students would be expected to work in fields of public safety, public

health and emergency preparedness. This would mean that an additional 250,000 to

300,000 students would serve an average of 10 hours a week in non-profit organizations

across the country.

PEACE CORPS 

ÿ Double the number of Peace Corps volunteers over the next 5 years; this would boost the

Peace Corps to near its historic high of 15,000 volunteers last achieved in June of 1966. The

Peace Corps currently has 7,000 volunteers in 70 countries, the majority of whom are

working in the areas of education, environment, and health.

ÿ Support Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan through the Crisis Corps. Part of the

Peace Corps, the “Crisis Corps” recruits former volunteers, who know the language, culture,

and traditions of the countries in which they work. The Crisis Corps will aim to assist in the

reconstruction of Afghanistan as quickly as possible, consistent with the safety and security

of volunteers.

ÿ Enter More Countries in 2002. The Administration is sending Peace Corps volunteers to

re-enter Peru. The Administration will also work to provide Peace Corps volunteers to more

Islamic countries and to other countries, such as East Timor, the first nation to be created in

the 21st century. All decisions will be made in a manner consistent with the safety and

security of volunteers.

ÿ More than $200 million has been requested in Fiscal Years 2003-2007 for these initiatives.
USA Freedom Corps 9

The Call to Service

The President calls on all citizens to perform some form of service to the Nation for at least two

years of their lives. That service can be military or non-military; it can meet large national

purposes or local community needs; it can be domestic or international; and it can be done over

an uninterrupted period or by accumulating service hours over many years. The intent is to

promote civic ties and to foster a lifelong ethic of good citizenship and service among Americans

of all ages.

As part of that effort, the Administration will create, expand, and revise service opportunities

and will seek to strengthen the Nation’s extensive volunteer and civic networks. The USA

Freedom Corps initially will have three principal components: 1) a newly created Citizen Corps

to engage citizens in homeland security; 2) an enhanced AmeriCorps and Seniors Corps; and 3)

a strengthened Peace Corps. The Administration is moving forward with these efforts

immediately and has requested support in its fiscal year 2003 budget. The Administration will

also propose legislation to the Congress, entitled the Citizen Service Act of 2002, which will do

the following:

ÿ Support the greater engagement of citizens in volunteering;

ÿ Provide greater support to organizations meeting the homeland security needs of the

Nation;

ÿ Provide greater assistance to secular and faith-based community organizations;

ÿ Make Federal support more accountable and effective; and

ÿ Make Federal funds more responsive to state and local needs.

A Strong Civic Sector

The strength of American democracy has long rested on the spirit of Americans and a foundation

of voluntary civic institutions. The formation of voluntary associations to deal with the various

needs of communities in our fledgling Nation was the aspect of American democracy that most

impressed the French observer Alexis de Tocqueville during his visit to America in the 1830s,

and it has distinguished our Nation in the years since.

There are troubling signs, however, that civic ties and social connectedness in America have

been on the wane. In his book Bowling Alone, the social scientist Robert Putnam points to a

decline in membership in service-oriented organizations such as churches, Rotary Clubs, and

PTAs. Moreover, the percentage of people who volunteer in their communities to help solve

social problems remains low. According to Independent Sector, only about 44 percent of

Americans volunteer. Professor Putnam recently noted that “in the aftermath of September’s

tragedy, a window of opportunity has opened for a sort of civil renewal that occurs only once or

twice a century. But though the crisis revealed and replenished the wells of solidarity in

American communities, so far those wells remain untapped.”

There is more that we can do to tap this spirit, and one key strategy is for individuals in

communities to seek greater involvement from fellow citizens. Data from Independent Sector

(2001 Giving and Volunteering in the United States) indicate that 50 percent of all adults in the

country were asked to volunteer. Those who were asked to volunteer were much more likely to

volunteer (63 percent) than were those who had not been asked (25 percent).
USA Freedom Corps 10

For America to remain strong, more citizens need to be active, and the great majority of

Americans, especially the rising generation, must recognize that they are expected to contribute

to the well-being of our society through service. Every American should come to realize that

they are able, through service, to repay the debt they owe the country – a repayment that reflects

a Nation’s appreciation for the blessings of liberty.

Call to Service

Americans are generous people with a long tradition of service to one another, their communities

and their Nation. The President’s call to service aims to further encourage that ethic of good

citizenship and a lifetime of service. Some social observers have called for the institution of a

national service draft, which would obligate every young American between the ages of 18 and

25 to put in a year or more of national or community service. As the Administration has noted

on several occasions, a draft is neither necessary nor appropriate, but the time is right to foster a

climate where the great majority of Americans engage in national and community service.

The President calls for all Americans to give at least two years of service to their country – a

period of time roughly equivalent to 4,000 hours over their lifetimes. Individuals can best

determine their unique contributions to family, community, and the country. A national service

goal is simply that – to inspire all Americans to ask once again what great service they can

perform to better the lives of others and to strengthen America.

Some individuals may be inspired to volunteer for full-time service in the military and serve their

country in a single uninterrupted period; other Americans may be interested in service

opportunities in full-time programs such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps. Many Americans

will want to continue to seek volunteer opportunities in their local communities over an extended

period of time.

The following provides examples of the types of service that Americans may wish to undertake.

These are examples only.

ÿ Military service, including the National Guard and Reserves

ÿ Volunteering at a hospital or health clinic

ÿ Volunteering through service clubs

ÿ AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, or other service programs

ÿ Peace Corps

ÿ Volunteering at charities or faith-based organizations

ÿ Volunteering at schools

ÿ Service-learning activities done as part of your school’s curriculum

ÿ Coaching or serving as a mentor to youth

Participation in volunteer efforts can instill the ethic of service for a lifetime in a growing

proportion of Americans and add to the nation’s civic connectedness. Americans can continue to

work together to strengthen our families, neighborhoods, and country.
USA Freedom Corps 11

Establishing the USA Freedom Corps

The USA Freedom Corps is the President’s tool for enlisting Americans in public service at

home and abroad. It will have a Coordinating Council and a White House Office to carry out its

specific functions. Initially, the USA Freedom Corps will support the work of, and recognize

participants in, three service efforts – the newly created Citizen Corps, AmeriCorps and Senior

Corps, and the Peace Corps. The Citizen Corps will be coordinated by FEMA; AmeriCorps and

Senior Corps will be run by the Corporation for National and Community Service; and the

Peace Corps will be run by its Director.

Each of these service components will benefit from a serious, focused effort to recruit and

mobilize volunteers into various service efforts, track and measure progress in meeting service

goals (e.g., doubling Neighborhood Watch programs and adding 100,000 Senior Corps

participants), and work together to make policy recommendations to enhance service. The USA

Freedom Corps will support the President’s call for all Americans to serve their country for at

least 2 years (4,000 hours) and help design ways to measure civic participation.

Americans serving in any of the three service efforts will be recognized appropriately as

members of the USA Freedom Corps.

Mission

The mission of the USA Freedom Corps is to enlist Americans in service to their country at the

national, state, or community level at home or abroad.

Functions

1) Provide a mechanism to coordinate efforts to enlist Americans in service to their country and

give priority to these efforts within the Administration.

2) Work with agencies to recruit and mobilize volunteers and provide information on service

opportunities.

3) Recognize volunteers and participants in USA Freedom Corps programs.

4) Track and measure progress in public service programs.

5) Make policy recommendations on how Departments and programs can provide incentives

and break down barriers to increase service in the United States.

USA Freedom Corps Council

The USA Freedom Corps Council will be created by executive order. The President will chair

the Council. The Council will include the following as members:

(i) Vice President;

(ii) Attorney General;

(iii) Secretary of State;
USA Freedom Corps 12

(iv) Secretary of Commerce;

(v) Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(vi) Secretary of Education;

(vii) Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(viii) Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(ix) Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service;

(x) Director of the Peace Corps;

(xi) Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development;

(xii) Director, USA Freedom Corps Office; and

(xiii) Director, Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

The heads of each of the participating agencies are accountable for their specific programs and

responsibilities within this integrated citizens service initiative.

Office of the USA Freedom Corps

An Office of the USA Freedom Corps will be created by executive order and funded by the

Executive Office of the President. The Office will support the functions of the USA Freedom

Corps. The Director will have authority to manage this effort and will report directly to the

President.

Funding

The Administration is requesting $2.6 million for FY 2003 to support the offices and staff of the

USA Freedom Corps.

Initial Volunteer Recruitment

Volunteer recruitment by the USA Freedom Corps will initially include:

ÿ Website: The website, www.usafreedomcorps.gov, will be available to the public. The site

will link potential volunteers to all the service options that are part of the USA Freedom

Corps and will provide information on local service options outside the USA Freedom Corps.

ÿ 1-800 Number: For information about the USA Freedom Corps, Americans can call 1-877-

USA-CORPS.
USA Freedom Corps 13

Establishing a Citizen Corps: Engaging Citizens in Homeland Security

The Citizen Corps will harness the power of citizens to help prepare their local communities for

the threats of terrorism. The Citizen Corps will be a locally-driven initiative managed by the

newly created Citizen Corps Councils (Councils), supported at the state level by Governors, and

coordinated nationally by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA will

coordinate with Governors and Mayors and their Emergency Management Offices to spur the

creation of the Councils and distribute matching funds. The Citizen Corps builds on existing

crime prevention, natural disaster preparedness, and public health response networks.

The Citizen Corps will initially consist of members of the Councils and participants in the local

programs, including: the Volunteers in Police Service Program; an expanded Neighborhood

Watch Program; the Medical Reserve Corps; and Community Emergency Response Teams.

Additional programs created by the local Citizen Corps Councils will be considered by FEMA

for recognition as components of the Citizen Corps. FEMA will recognize citizens in these

programs as Citizen Corps members.

FEMA will coordinate with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Corporation for

National and Community Service, and other Federal departments and agencies to provide

additional support, including special training programs and materials.

At the local level, the Citizen Corps will be organized by pursuing the following actions:

Establish Citizen Corps Councils

Citizen Corps Councils (Councils) will be created at the local level throughout the country.

Councils will have flexibility to determine the jurisdictions they cover, and FEMA will

coordinate with the Governors and their state Emergency Management Offices and, where

applicable, state homeland security offices, to ensure councils represent citizens throughout the

state. Mayors, Members of Congress, County Administrators, or other officials working at the

local level would help lead the Councils. In areas where similar efforts are already underway,

the Councils would build on these existing local homeland security efforts.

Other members of the Councils would include leaders from law enforcement, state, and local fire

and emergency offices, businesses (especially security firms), school officials, faith-based

groups, public health organizations, mental health and educational groups, veterans groups, and

neighborhood watch organizations. Other participants may include representatives from nonprofit organizations, community foundations, and other institutions with local presence and the

ability to build capacity. The Citizen Corps Councils are intended to reach all segments of

American society and should represent the diversity of each local community. Federal

representatives from key agencies with local and regional offices, especially FEMA, DOJ, HHS,

VA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA), Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS),

and the U.S. Postal Service will also be involved as appropriate and work with their state and

local counterparts to help support the work of the Councils.
USA Freedom Corps 14

The Councils will be responsible for developing a community action plan, including a local

assessment of infrastructure vulnerabilities and possible threats, available local resources, and

how to best organize and expand local efforts. The community action plan will coordinate the

community-based prevention and preparedness efforts, such as Volunteers in Police Service,

Neighborhood Watch (with a new terrorism prevention focus), Medical Reserve Corps, and

Community Emergency Response Teams.

FEMA will provide $144 million in matching funds in Fiscal Year 2003 to help create and

maintain the efforts of the Councils. Funds can be used for staff, training, and equipment,

program materials and other costs. The funds will be drawn down by the Governors to use for

the creation of the Citizen Corps and the Councils and programs that support it.

Each Council will appoint a coordinator who will serve as executive director of the Council or

design other ways to ensure Council efforts are strongly supported over time. FEMA, in

coordination with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, will provide

materials and training to the Councils on how to organize such efforts, to recruit and train

volunteers, and to create the following programs.

Develop a Volunteers In Police Service Program (VIPS)

Since September 11, the demands on state and local law enforcement have immeasurably

increased. Resources are being stretched further than ever at a time when the country needs

every available officer out on the beat. Some local police departments are turning to civilian

volunteers to supplement their forces. These programs draw on the time and considerable talents

of civilian volunteers and allow law enforcement professionals to better perform their front-line

duties.

For example, Anne Arundel County, Maryland has a local initiative in which volunteers serve in

the following capacities appropriate for non-sworn officers: taking police reports; making

follow-up phone calls to victims; doing finger printing; helping with neighborhood watch;

engaging in crowd/parking control at special events; acting as crossing guards; and performing

other administrative tasks that free officers to do front line work.

In Henderson County, North Carolina, the sheriff’s office actively recruits volunteers

(particularly senior citizens) who serve subpoenas, serve in courthouses in uniform as volunteers

to run metal detectors and give tours of the Police Academy, perform search and rescue

missions, do mounted patrols in parking lots at high school football games, and work with local

communities on crime prevention measures.

The VIPS Program will include a tool kit developed to assist local law enforcement in

incorporating community volunteers into the activities of the law enforcement agency. This tool

kit would outline a series of “best practices” to help state and local law enforcement design

strategies to recruit, train, and deploy citizen volunteers in their departments. The U.S.

Department of Justice will provide $3 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to support the VIPS program.
USA Freedom Corps 15

Double the Number of Neighborhood Watch Programs and Add a Terrorism

Prevention Component

The Neighborhood Watch Program (NWP) will incorporate terrorism prevention into its routine

mission and operate as a distribution mechanism for anti-terrorism information circulated by the

Councils and other agencies. The goal is to double the number of NWPs over the next two years.

In existence for 30 years, the NWP is a highly successful program that has played an important

role in preventing crime. The National Sheriffs’ Association estimates that approximately 7,500

communities representing nearly 30 million people around the country participate in grassroots

crime prevention under Neighborhood Watch. As the “eyes and ears” of local communities, the

NWP is a unique infrastructure that brings together local law enforcement and citizens for the

protection of communities.

The Citizen Corps Councils will encourage the creation of NWPs in communities that do not

have them and enhance the capacity and relevance of NWPs for those that do. The NWPs would

receive materials from the Department of Justice, working in conjunction with the National

Sheriffs’ Association, on how to incorporate the new focus. To ensure that existing NWPs are

incorporated into these new efforts, Neighborhood Watch Program Coordinators or their

designees will organize the efforts of the local NWPs and would be appointed to sit on the

Citizen Corps Councils.

DOJ will provide $6 million in Fiscal Year 2003 for the expanded Neighborhood Watch

Program.

Create a Medical Reserve Corps

A Community-based volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will be created as part of local

Council efforts throughout the United States and supported by the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The objective of the

community-based Medical Reserve Corps will be to harness the strength of retired healthcare

professionals to augment local health care capacity during an emergency. At present, no

structured, coordinated system exists at the national level to incorporate the talent and knowledge

of inactive physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals who are eager to volunteer during

emergency situations. HHS will work with state and local jurisdictions to address issues of

licensing and liability.

The MRC will provide state and local public health officials with a corps of volunteers to help

expand capacity for the delivery of care and remove some of the burdens placed upon physicians,

nurses, and others responding to a large-scale emergency affecting local communities. The

MRC will assist communities in the delivery of necessary public health services during a crisis.

The Department of Health and Human Services will provide guidance on how to create the MRC

at the local level, and Veterans’ Affairs Hospitals in local communities will provide additional

support, such as training, for the MRC. HHS will provide $10 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to

support the initiative.
USA Freedom Corps 16

MRC members could assist emergency response teams in triaging patients – sending the most

seriously affected to hospitals and emergency rooms and providing care directly to those with

less serious injuries. The MRC could also become another resource that could be deployed to

other areas within states or regions in cases of extreme emergencies.

Triple the Capacity of Community Emergency Respose Teams (CERT)

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) provides training in emergency

preparedness and in disaster response techniques. The training prepares members of

neighborhoods, workplaces and schools to take a more active part in the emergency management

planning for their areas and to prepare themselves and others for disasters. The CERT course is

taught in the community by a trained team of first responders who have completed a CERT

Train-the-Trainer (TTT) course conducted by their State Training Office for Emergency

Management or FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. CERT training includes: disaster

preparedness; disaster fire suppression; disaster medical operations; and light search and rescue

operations.

Responding to terrorism will be incorporated into the training for the CERT Teams, and the

number of participants will be tripled over next two years, representing an additional 400,000

trained individuals across the country. Nationwide, approximately 200,000 individuals have

completed the 18-plus hours of training. Communities in 28 States have initiated CERT training.

FEMA will provide $61 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to support this CERT initiative.

Create Community Designation Program

Although no community can protect against all threats, we can provide incentives for local

communities to take comprehensive steps and to maintain those efforts over time. The “USA

Freedom Communities” program will be a voluntary initiative that will give a special designation

to communities meeting certain criteria related to preventing and responding to terrorist threats.

The criteria can include, among other things, the following measures: creation of a Citizen Corps

Council; operation of VIPS, Neighborhood Watch, Medical Reserve Corps, and CERT training;

strengthening all-hazard community planning; improving public awareness and education; and

persuading citizens to support local first responders. Governors, working in cooperation with

Mayors, other local officials, and FEMA, will determine whether or not a community has met the

criteria for designation.

FEMA, DOJ, and HHS will jointly create criteria for this voluntary recognition within six

months. The criteria will be adjusted based on coordination with organizations such as the

National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislators, the National

Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, the

International City Managers Association, and the Council of State Governments.
USA Freedom Corps 17

Create Operation TIPS: Terrorist Information and Prevention System

As part of the Citizen Corps, Operation TIPS – the Terrorist Information and Prevention System

– will be a nationwide mechanism for reporting suspicious terrorist activity – enlisting millions

of American transportation workers, truckers, letter carriers, train conductors, ship captains and

utility employees. Operation TIPS, a project of the U.S. Department of Justice, will start first as

a pilot program in ten cities in America, affecting more than 1 million workers.

Operation TIPS will establish a national reporting system that would allow these workers, who

have routines and are well positioned to recognize unusual events, to report suspicious activity to

the appropriate authorities. Every participant in this new program will be given a Citizen Corps:

Operation TIPS information sticker that could be affixed to the cab of the vehicle or placed in

some other public location so that the toll free reporting number would be readily available to

report any suspicious activity.

Everywhere in America a concerned worker will be able to call the 1-800 Hotline that can route

calls immediately to law enforcement or a responder organization when appropriate.

Importantly, this number will not supplant the existing 911 emergency system. Instead, it will

take the stress off already burdened local systems needed for emergencies. The U.S. Department

of Justice will provide $2 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to establish the hotline and assist with

training and $6 million for the pilot programs and outreach materials.

Operation TIPS builds on the success of programs such as Highway Watch, which is a crime

prevention partnership among the American Trucking Association and six states, and security

training at the Global Maritime and Transportation School, which includes enhancing the ability

of mariners aboard American vessels in island waterways and the Great Lakes to track and

record potential threats.

Develop a "Citizens’ Preparedness Guidebook" and PSA Campaign

Preparing People in their Homes, Neighborhoods, Schools, Workplaces, Places of Worship,

on Airlines, in Public Places

A national information campaign will carry the President’s message of citizen preparedness and

public education. One of the resources of the Citizen Corps will be a Guidebook with tips on

how to prepare for potential terrorism and a PSA campaign to encourage Americans to

implement the suggestions in the Guidebook. The Guidebook and PSAs merge what is effective

in crime prevention and in responding to natural disasters with the latest information on terrorism

to give Americans guidance on how to prepare at home, in the community, at work, at the

airport, in places of worship, and in public places.

The Citizens’ Preparedness Guidebook will be released by the Attorney General, and the related

PSA campaign will run on the weeks following the release of this Guidebook.
USA Freedom Corps 18

Enhancing National and Community Service

Enhancing Service Opportunities through an Improved AmeriCorps

The Corporation for National and Community Service will revise and strengthen its AmeriCorps

programs, starting with an increase of 25,000 members in 2003. CNCS will be asked to leverage

government funds to produce more volunteerism, which will allow more people to contribute

even more to their communities in a meaningful way.

The Administration will submit legislation -- the Citizen Service Act of 2002 -- that will enable

AmeriCorps to be more responsive to community needs, focus the activities of AmeriCorps

members to organize and support part-time volunteers, and revise post-service benefits to make

national service more attractive.

The Citizen Service Act of 2002

In support of the challenge to every American to serve, the Administration will submit proposed

legislation, the Citizen Service Act of 2002, with the following objectives:

ÿ To support and encourage the greater engagement of citizens in volunteering;

ÿ To provide greater assistance to secular and faith-based community organizations,

including those that address the homeland security needs of the nation;

ÿ To make Federal support more accountable and effective; and

ÿ To make Federal funds more responsive to state and local needs.

The principal mechanism for achieving those objectives is re-authorizing the Corporation for

National and Community Service and updating its programs and procedures. Changes to other

legislation, including the Higher Education Act, are also proposed.

Background

Created in 1993, but incorporating programs that date back to the 1960s, the Corporation for

National and Community Service oversees three major programs that engage 1.5 million

Americans in meeting community needs each year – AmeriCorps, National Senior Service

Corps, and Learn and Serve America. In every corner of the country, Americans are engaged in

service supported through these programs.

AmeriCorps, its members, and the programs in which they serve provide a solid foundation upon

which to build an expanded system of Federal support for service. By incorporating the program

within the USA Freedom Corps, and by making the improvements identified below, there will be

greater opportunities for Americans to serve.
USA Freedom Corps 19

AmeriCorps engages Americans in intensive, results-driven service each year. AmeriCorps

members mobilize, manage, and train volunteers. The members, and the volunteers they help

organize, teach children to read, make neighborhoods safer, mentor children, and help build

affordable homes for low-income families.

Most AmeriCorps members are selected by and serve with projects such as Habitat for

Humanity, Neighborhood Watch organizations, the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs,

local faith-based organizations, and many more local community organizations. State service

commissions, appointed by the Nation's governors, allocate resources to these organizations

within their respective states. After their term of service, AmeriCorps members receive

education awards to help finance college or pay back student loans.

There are three main components to AmeriCorps: 1) AmeriCorps*State and National, which

provides grants to states and national organizations to support members in local nonprofit

organizations across the country; 2) AmeriCorps*VISTA, in which members focus their

activities on supporting community and faith-based organizations in meeting the needs of lowincome communities; and 3) AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC),

which is a ten-month, full-time residential service program for men and women that combines

the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service, including

leadership and team building. Slightly more than 50 percent of AmeriCorps members serve fulltime and receive a small stipend, generally at the poverty level, in order to be able to serve. The

other one-half serve part-time; they generally do not receive any living allowance but do receive

an education award at the end of service.

In 2002, 50,000 AmeriCorps members will serve their country, including providing support for

homeland security in programs that promote public safety, public health, and emergency

preparedness. Current activities in support of homeland security include:

ÿ Public Safety. Public safety is one of the four primary service activities for AmeriCorps.

Members carry out vital tasks including organizing neighborhood watch groups,

community policing, victim assistance, fingerprinting, and other administrative tasks that

free officers to do front line work. In five years, AmeriCorps has organized 46,000 safety

patrols, and last year alone senior volunteers carried out 131,000 patrols that freed up

540,000 hours of police time.

ÿ Public Health. AmeriCorps members provide a variety of public health services

including immunizing children and adults, serving as case managers, distributing health

information, and providing health screenings. Last year alone, AmeriCorps members

distributed health information to 500,000 people and conducted health screenings of

181,000 individuals, while Senior Corps volunteers assisted in immunizing 270,000

children and adults.
USA Freedom Corps 20

ÿ Disaster Preparedness and Relief. AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers

specially trained in disaster relief have responded to disasters in more than 30 states. The

Corporation has a long track record of working with FEMA and other relief agencies in

helping run emergency shelters, assisting law enforcement, providing food and shelter,

managing donations, and helping families and communities rebuild. Hundreds of national

service volunteers have directly assisted victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks by

providing family services, organizing blood drives, and raising funds and counseling

victims families.

The New AmeriCorps

The strengthened AmeriCorps will be one key component of the USA Freedom Corps. The

President proposes to provide community-based service opportunities through the AmeriCorps

program, which has a current enrollment of 50,000, by an additional 25,000 members (+50

percent) in FY 2003. In turn, these members will leverage an additional 75,000 volunteers by

using the AmeriCorps members to help recruit and manage volunteers for nonprofit

organizations.

The new AmeriCorps will support:

ÿ Public safety. Under this proposal more members will serve with and in support of

police departments and land management agencies. They will not be armed, or make

arrests, but they will carry out vital tasks including organizing neighborhood watch

groups, community policing, victim assistance, fingerprinting, and other tasks that free

officers and other professionals to do front line work.

ÿ Public Health. Additional members will serve in public health organizations, primarily

in low-income communities, to provide outreach to community members to make sure

that adequate and accurate health information and support is available.

ÿ Disaster Preparedness and Relief. Additional AmeriCorps members and the volunteers

they support, will help run emergency shelters, provide food and shelter, manage

donations, assess and repair damage, and help families and communities rebuild

following disasters.

ÿ Greater Public and Private Support for Teaching and Other National Service

Programs. The FY 2003 budget will provide $10 million for the first-time use of

challenge grants to support the expansion of teaching and other national service

programs. Under these new challenge grants, private sources will provide at least 50

percent of the amount required to expand existing effective national service programs.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has supported effective teacher

programs in the past, such as Teach for America, but has not used an authority that

targets federal funds to challenge the private sector to help expand these efforts.

ÿ Civilian Community Corps. The FY 2003 budget expands the National Civilian

Community Corps, a residential national service program modeled after the Civilian

Conservation Corps, by 40 percent.
USA Freedom Corps 21

ÿ Community and Faith-Based Organizations. Additional AmeriCorps members will

provide full-time or intensive service in support of small community and faith-based

organizations, which often operate with limited resources. In particular, this

Administration will expand and reshape AmeriCorps*VISTA, a component of

AmeriCorps, for this purpose.

Legislative Changes That Will Strengthen AmeriCorps

In addition to expanding the number of service opportunities, the Administration will propose

legislation to strengthen national service. The bill makes a number of changes that are intended

to strengthen the roles of states and communities and achieve greater accountability in the use of

public funds, including:

ÿ Strengthening the role of states consistent with principles of new federalism. This

bill will strengthen the role of states and seeks to provide state commissions and other

partners within the state with greater flexibility to coordinate the federal, state, and local

resources, both public and private, that are available to promote service and volunteerism.

ÿ Providing for volunteer generation and mobilization as an explicit criterion for

evaluating and funding programs. Federal resources will be targeted to support

volunteer efforts within the community.

ÿ Assuring accountability for results. Grantees must meet accountability measures

established by the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer is given authority to

terminate or reduce funding for those organizations not meeting the standards.

ÿ Promoting greater sustainability of programs. The Chief Executive Officer of the

Corporation is given authority to take additional measures to assure the sustainability of

programs with non-Federal resources.

The bill will also propose:

ÿ Making resource mobilization a fundamental purpose of AmeriCorps. Currently,

many AmeriCorps members focus on providing direct service and do not link adequately

with volunteer programs in the communities. Further, members are limited by statute in

carrying out resource mobilization activities, such as organizational capacity building and

fundraising. This provision will set resource mobilization as a fundamental purpose of

AmeriCorps and increase the types of support AmeriCorps members can provide to the

nonprofit organization in which they serve.

ÿ Expanding residential programs and creating "reserve" service corps, in

conjunction with states, to support homeland security throughout the country. The

activities of these residential corps and reserves will include support for public safety,

public health, and disaster relief and preparedness.
USA Freedom Corps 22

ÿ Allowing seniors to earn scholarships that can be given to their grandchildren or

designated individuals.

ÿ Enhance uses of current postservice benefits to allow a volunteer to have not only

education awards but also options to use the funds for a downpayment on a home, job

training, or health care costs.

ÿ Working with Congress to eliminate the taxation of the education award to make it

comparable to other programs, such as the GI Bill, where financial aid for education is

provided in exchange for service to the Nation.

ÿ Using more cost-effective approaches, the Corporation for National and Community

Service will provide a range of support to nonprofit organizations depending upon their

needs and financial capacities. Currently, some low-cost approaches are limited to

demonstration projects.

ÿ Empowering local community and faith-based organizations through better

utilization of and changes to AmeriCorps*VISTA, a component of AmeriCorps that

focuses on antipoverty strategies. Local organizations will recruit, select, place, and

provide benefits to AmeriCorps*VISTA members, thereby providing greater authority to

nonprofit organizations in program design and delivery.

ÿ Pilot alternative approaches to the delivery of AmeriCorps. Innovative and flexible

programs need to be created which will allow more people to volunteer in more

organizations. To date, the Corporation has employed a limited number of strategies and

models for national service. In order to make service a common expectation and to

support more types of nonprofit organizations, there is a need to explore additional

models and approaches.
USA Freedom Corps 23

Supporting Senior Corps

The Corporation for National and Community Service will expand senior service opportunities

by an additional 100,000 members in 2003 so that more seniors will have more opportunities to

participate in volunteer activities within their communities.

As part of the Citizen Service Act of 2002, the Administration will propose to revise and

strengthen the senior service programs administered by the Federal Government so that older

Americans will have expanded opportunities to serve in their communities, including supporting

the efforts of public organizations charged with public safety, health, and emergency

preparedness.

Expanding Senior Service by 100,000 Members

The Corporation for National and Community Service administers the National Senior Service

Corps, which provides opportunities today for approximately 500,000 older Americans to serve

their communities. The Senior Corps is comprised of three major programs: the Retired and

Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP); the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP); and the

Senior Companion Program (SCP). The Corporation makes grants to nonprofit organizations

and public entities to support these programs.

ÿ RSVP matches older Americans who are willing to help with local problems in their

communities. RSVP volunteers choose how and where they want to serve, and they

determine how many hours a week they serve. RSVP volunteers provide a wide range of

important services, such as tutoring youth, responding to natural disasters, serving as

citizen patrols for local police departments, teaching parenting skills to teen parents,

getting children immunized, and mentoring troubled youth. RSVP volunteers serve

without stipend for an average of four hours per week.

ÿ Foster Grandparents provide valuable aid to children and youth with exceptional needs.

Foster Grandparents serve in schools, hospitals, drug treatment centers, correctional

institutions, and Head Start and day care centers. Foster Grandparents help abused and

neglected children, mentor troubled teenagers and young mothers, and care for premature

infants and children with physical disabilities.

ÿ Senior Companions provide assistance to frail, homebound individuals, most of them

elderly. These clients have difficulties with daily living tasks, and Senior Companions

help them retain their dignity and independence.

In both the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs, members are low-income,

serve 20 hours per week, and receive a modest stipend of $2.65 per hour.

In addition, if we create new roles, opportunities, and institutions built on the best from our past

experience and incorporating emerging knowledge about the preferences of coming waves of

retirees, we will enable communities to meet some of their most pressing needs.
USA Freedom Corps 24

The approach being proposed includes engaging seniors in high-impact service activities, an

emphasis on the use of teams, opportunities for combining learning and service, development of

leadership among the participants, flexible options for involvement, and low unit cost.

The FY 2003 budget will call for providing senior service opportunities for more than 100,000

volunteers. These individuals will support the following efforts:

ÿ Public safety. Seniors will volunteer part-time with and for police departments and

nonprofit organizations supporting public safety. They will carry out vital tasks

including organizing neighborhood watch groups, community policing, victim assistance,

fingerprinting and other tasks that free officers and other professionals to do front line

work.

ÿ Public Health. Seniors will volunteer in hospitals and public health clinics, expanding

the capacity of these entities to provide for healthy communities.

ÿ Disaster Preparedness and Relief. Veterans and senior volunteers will provide food

and shelter and help families and communities rebuild following disasters.

ÿ Other Community Needs. An expanded number of senior volunteers will provide a

wide range of important services in communities such as tutoring youth, teaching

parenting skills to teen parents, mentoring troubled youth, helping other seniors complete

income tax forms, conducting groundwater protection surveys, providing in-home respite

care with the frail elderly, providing support services to youth ex-offenders, teaching

computer classes at elementary schools, reading to hospitalized children, managing grief

counseling groups, bringing meals to the terminally ill, testing water for pollutants and

tracking down their sources, driving the blind to doctors appointments, and providing a

human touch to AIDS babies.

Strengthening Senior Service

In addition to expanding service opportunities, the Bush Administration will propose a series of

changes to strengthen opportunities for senior service, including:

ÿ Lowering the age for participation from 60 to 55 in the National Senior Service

Corps.

ÿ Introducing new incentives for participation by seniors in AmeriCorps, including

earning scholarships through service that may be transferred to grandchildren or another

designated individual, as well as piloting the use of awards for prescription drugs.

ÿ Expanding training. The Administration will support additional training for projects

and senior volunteers in areas such as homeland security.

ÿ Authorizing new research. The Administration will support new research on the best

practices for, and benefits of, engaging seniors in service to their community.
USA Freedom Corps 25

ÿ Providing greater flexibility to local communities in the use of Federal resources. The

Administration will ease requirements that govern the activities of volunteers, such as

making more flexible the number of hours per week that individuals must serve in the

stipended programs under the National Senior Service Corps.

ÿ Reducing the administrative burden placed on projects for carrying out volunteer

programs. The Administration will support streamlined grants that eliminate

administrative requirements and tie support to outcomes.
USA Freedom Corps 26

Providing Greater Service Opportunities for College Students

The Administration will submit legislation to amend the Higher Education Act to require every

college and university to devote 50 percent of its Federal Work Study funds to community

service, commonly known as Serve Study. In any given year, at least five percent of the students

will be expected to work in the homeland security fields of public safety, public health, and

emergency preparedness.

Currently, in addition to allowing students to finance their education through on-campus jobs

such as working in college libraries, cafeterias, and administrative offices, the Federal Work

Study Program offers opportunities for students to serve in nonprofit and public organizations,

and more than 100,000 students do so. They tutor children, work in public health clinics, help

staff homeless shelters, and provide valuable assistance to nonprofit organizations.

The Higher Education Act currently mandates that institutions of higher education devote at least

7 percent of their Federal Work Study funds to community service, though the average devoted

to community service across the country is approximately 14 percent. Many institutions devote

an even higher percentage.

The recommended increase to a minimum of 50 percent of Work Study resources for community

service will mean that 250,000 to 300,000 additional students will serve an average of 10 hours a

week in nonprofit organizations across the country. A portion of these additional students will

help provide homeland security by serving in the areas of public safety, public health, and

emergency preparedness.

The proposal will include incentives for institutions of higher education to implement these

changes, which will occur over time.
USA Freedom Corps 27

Strengthening the Peace Corps

Established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps has mobilized more

than 160,000 volunteers in 135 countries to “promote world peace and friendship.” Over the

past 40 years, Americans of all ages have given two or more years of service to help meet the

need for trained men and women in developing countries and to promote a better understanding

between Americans and citizens of other nations. President Kennedy’s idea captivated the

Nation and continues to instill in new generations of Americans the importance of serving

citizens throughout the world.

In June of 1966, the Peace Corps had more than 15,000 volunteers working in the field,

the largest number in its history. Today, the number of volunteers is less than half that. We have

an obligation to carry on this noble mission, to provide more service opportunities, and to inspire

a new generation of Americans to serve abroad.

The Peace Corps has also launched innovative new programs to address important needs.

One example is the Crisis Corps, which allows returning volunteers to provide short-term

assistance during natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Crisis Corps volunteers have worked

on reconstruction efforts in the Caribbean and Central American countries devastated by

Hurricanes Georges and Mitch, provided assistance to refugees in Guinea, and are working today

in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Former volunteers can be rapidly deployed to meet urgent needs

because they know the language, culture, and traditions of the areas in which they serve.

In order to strengthen the Peace Corps, continue its Crisis Corps mission of serving

urgent needs, and provide new opportunities in other countries, the Administration is proposing

the following initiatives as part of the USA Freedom Corps:

ÿ Double the number of Peace Corps volunteers within 5 years, returning the number of

volunteers to near its historically high level of 15,000.

ÿ Support Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan through the Crisis Corps. The Peace

Corps will soon send an assessment team to Afghanistan to determine the type of

assistance volunteers can provide to help in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The goal

will be to deploy Crisis Corps volunteers to Afghanistan as quickly as possible, consistent

with the safety and security of Crisis Corps volunteers.

ÿ Enter More Countries in 2002. The Administration is sending Peace Corps volunteers

to re-enter Peru. The Administration will work with other countries that do not have

Peace Corps volunteers, including more Islamic countries and East Timor, the first nation

to be created in the 21st Century. All decisions will be made in a manner consistent with

the safety and security of volunteers.

ÿ The Administration is requesting more than $200 million in Fiscal Years 2003 –

2007 for these initiatives.
USA Freedom Corps 28

EXECUTIVE ORDER

-------------

ESTABLISHING THE USA FREEDOM CORPS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the

United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. Building on our Nation’s rich tradition of citizen service, this

Administration's policy is to foster a culture of responsibility, service, and citizenship by

promoting, expanding, and enhancing public service opportunities for all Americans and by

making these opportunities readily available to citizens from all geographic areas, professions,

and walks of life. More specifically, this Administration encourages all Americans to serve their

country for the equivalent of at least 2 years (4,000 hours) over their lifetimes. Toward those

ends, the executive departments, agencies, and offices constituting the USA Freedom Corps shall

coordinate and strengthen Federal and other service opportunities, including opportunities for

participation in homeland security preparedness and response, other areas of public and social

service, and international service. The executive branch departments, agencies, and offices also

will work with State and local governments and private entities to foster and encourage

participation in public and social service programs, as appropriate.

Sec. 2. USA Freedom Corps. The USA Freedom Corps shall be an interagency

initiative, bringing together executive branch departments, agencies, and offices with public

service programs and components, including but not limited to programs and components with

the following functions:

(i) recruiting, mobilizing, and encouraging all Americans to engage in public service;

(ii) providing concrete opportunities to engage in public service;
USA Freedom Corps 29

(iii) providing the public with access to information about public service opportunities

through Federal programs and elsewhere; and

(iv) providing recognition and awards to volunteers and other participants in public

service programs.

Sec. 3. USA Freedom Corps Council. (a) Establishment and Mission. There shall be a

USA Freedom Corps Council (Council) chaired by the President and composed of heads of

executive branch departments, agencies, and offices, which shall have the following functions:

(i) serving as a forum for Federal officials responsible for public service programs to

coordinate and improve public service programs and activities administered by

the executive branch;

(ii) working to encourage all Americans to engage in public service, whether through

Federal programs or otherwise;

(iii) advising the President and heads of executive branch departments, agencies, and

offices concerning the optimization of current Federal programs to enhance public

service opportunities;

(iv) coordinating public outreach and publicity of citizen service opportunities

provided by Federal programs;

(v) encouraging schools, universities, private public service organizations, and other

non-Federal entities to foster and reward public service;

(vi) studying the availability of public service opportunities provided by the Federal

Government and elsewhere; and

(vii) tracking progress in participation in public service programs.

(b) Membership. In addition to the Chair, the members of the Council shall be the heads

of the executive branch departments, agencies, and offices listed below, or their designees, and

such other officers of the executive branch as the President may from time to time designate.

Every member of the Council or designee shall be a full-time or permanent part-time officer or

employee of the Federal Government. Members shall not be compensated for their service on
USA Freedom Corps 30

the Council in addition to the salaries they receive as employees or officers of the Federal

Government.

(i) Vice President;

(ii) Attorney General;

(iii) Secretary of State;

(iv) Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(v) Secretary of Commerce;

(vi) Secretary of Education;

(vii) Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(viii) Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(ix) Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service;

(x) Director of the Peace Corps;

(xi) Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development;

(xii) Director of the USA Freedom Corps Office;

(xiii) Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

(c) Chair. The President shall be the Chair of the USA Freedom Corps Council, and in

his absence, the Vice President shall serve as Chair. The Director of the USA Freedom Corps

Office may, at the President’s direction, preside over meetings of the Council in the President’s

and Vice President's absence.

(d) Honorary Co-Chair. The President may, from time to time, designate an Honorary

Co-Chair or Co-Chairs, who shall serve in an advisory role to the Council and to the President on

matters considered by the Council. Any Honorary Co-Chair shall be a full-time or permanent

part-time employee or officer of the Federal Government.

(e) Meetings. The Council shall meet at the President’s direction. The Director of the

USA Freedom Corps Office shall be responsible, at the President’s direction, for determining
USA Freedom Corps 31

the agenda, ensuring that necessary papers are prepared, and recording Council actions and

Presidential decisions.

(f) Responsibilities of Executive Branch Departments, Agencies, and Offices.

(i) Members of the Council shall remain responsible for overseeing the programs

administered by their respective departments, agencies, and offices. Each such

department, agency, and office will retain its authority and responsibility to

administer those programs according to law;

(ii) Each executive branch department, agency, or office with responsibility for

programs relating to the functions and missions of the USA Freedom Corps as

described in section 2 of this order shall be responsible for identifying those

public service opportunities and coordinating with the USA Freedom Corps

Council to ensure that such programs are, if appropriate, publicized and

encouraged by the Council; and

(iii) Upon the request of the Chair, and to the extent permitted by law, the heads of

executive branch departments and agencies shall provide the Council with

relevant information.

Sec. 4. USA Freedom Corps Office . (a) General. The USA Freedom Corps also shall

be supported by a USA Freedom Corps Office (Office), which shall be a component of the

White House Office. The USA Freedom Corps Office shall have a Director who shall be

appointed by the President. The Director shall be assisted by an appropriate staff within the

White House Office.

(b) Presidential Recognition to Participants in USA Freedom Corps Programs. In

addition to supporting and facilitating the functions of the Council listed in section 3 of this

order, the Office shall support the President in providing recognition to volunteers and other

participants in programs and activities relating to the functions and missions of the USA

Freedom Corps as described in section 2 of this order.
USA Freedom Corps 32

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) The White House Office shall provide the Council and

Office with such funding and administrative support, to the extent permitted by law and subject

to the availability of appropriations, as directed by the Chief of Staff to the President to carry out

the provisions of this order.

(b) This order does not alter the existing authorities or roles of executive branch

departments, agencies, or offices. Nothing in this order shall supersede any requirement made

by or under law.

(c) This order does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable

at law or equity, against the United States, its departments, agencies, or other entities, its officers

or employees, or any other person.