III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 282 

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Corporation 

for National and Community Service. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 31, 2013 

Mr. NELSON (for himself, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. WICKER, Mrs. 

MURRAY, Mr. WARNER, Mr. COONS, Mr. BROWN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. 

BENNET, Mr. HARKIN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. BEGICH, Ms. STABENOW, 

Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. TESTER, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

JOHNSON of South Dakota, Ms. WARREN, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, 

Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. HATCH, Mr. BAUCUS, and Mr. JOHANNS) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the establishment 

of the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

Whereas the Corporation for National and Community Service (in this preamble referred to as the ‘‘CNCS’’) was established under section 191 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12651), as added by 

section 202 of the National and Community Service 

Trust Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–82; 107 Stat. 873); 

Whereas, since 1993, the CNCS has operated as an independent Federal agency, overseeing all national and community service programs authorized by the National and 

Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et 


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seq.) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 

(42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.); 

Whereas the CNCS connects people of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their communities and the United States; 

Whereas programs conducted by the CNCS strive to address 

national and local needs, while renewing an ethic of civic 

responsibility and community spirit in the United States 

by encouraging citizens to participate in service; 

Whereas, since 1993, millions of people in the United States 

have served in AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn and 

Serve America, and other CNCS programs, addressing 

the most pressing challenges facing the United States, 

from helping students graduate and supporting veterans 

and military families to preserving the environment and 

helping communities recover from natural disasters; 

Whereas participants serve in tens of thousands of locations 

across the country, bolstering the civic, neighborhood, 

and faith-based organizations that are so vital to the economic and social well-being of the people of the United 

States; 

Whereas national service expands economic opportunity by 

creating more sustainable, resilient communities and providing education, career skills, and leadership abilities for 

those who serve; 

Whereas national service represents a partnership between 

public and private organizations, invests in community 

solutions, and leverages State and local resources to 

strengthen community impact; 

Whereas, in 2009, Congress passed the Serve America Act 

(Public Law 111–13; 123 Stat. 1460), authorizing the 


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expansion of national service, expanding opportunities to 

serve, increasing efficiency and accountability, and 

strengthening the capacity of organizations and communities to solve problems through the Social Innovation 

Fund, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other initiatives; 

Whereas AmeriCorps and Senior Corps support the military 

community by engaging veterans in service, helping veterans readjust to civilian life, and providing support to 

military families; 

Whereas more than 17,000 veterans have served as 

AmeriCorps members and have helped veterans and military families access benefits and services, conduct job 

searches, and provide safe and affordable housing; 

Whereas the CNCS is working to increase the number of veterans and military families served by and engaged in programs supported by the CNCS; 

Whereas, since 1994, CNCS programs and members have 

provided critical services to millions of people in the 

United States who have been affected by floods, fires, 

hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters and emergencies, helping families and communities rebuild their 

lives; 

Whereas the CNCS has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to launch FEMA Corps, 

which strives to strengthen the disaster response capacity 

of the United States, increase the reliability and diversity 

of the disaster response workforce, promote an ethic of 

service, and prepare young people for careers in emergency management; and 


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Whereas the Task Force on Expanding National Service established in July 2013 is working to expand national 

service opportunities: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commemorates the 20th anniversary of the 

3 establishment of the Corporation for National and 

4 Community Service; 

5 (2) recognizes that, for 20 years, the Corpora6 tion for National and Community Service has 

7 worked to improve lives, strengthen communities, ex8 pand economic opportunity, foster innovation and 

9 civic engagement, and engage millions of people in 

10 the United States in solving critical problems 

11 through national service; 

12 (3) recognizes that, since the inception of 

13 AmeriCorps in 1994, more than 820,000 people 

14 have served as AmeriCorps members, serving ap15 proximately 1,000,000,000 hours, mobilizing millions 

16 of volunteers, and improving the lives of countless 

17 people in the United States; 

18 (4) welcomes the efforts of the Corporation for 

19 National and Community Service to increase the in20 volvement of veterans and military families in na21 tional service and to expand services to the military 

22 community; 


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1 (5) recognizes the goal of the Serve America 

2 Act (Public Law 111–13; 123 Stat. 1460) to in3 crease the number of approved national service posi4 tions to 250,000 by 2017; and 

5 (6) recognizes and thanks all those who have 

6 served in AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other pro7 grams conducted by the Corporation for National 

8 and Community Service for demonstrating commit9 ment, dedication, and patriotism through their serv10 ice to the people of the United States. 

Æ 


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