III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 540 

Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni to the 

lives of the people of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 11, 2020 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. KING, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, Ms. HASSAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. REED, Mr. CARPER, Mr. WYDEN, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MANCHIN, 

Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. KAINE, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. MARKEY, 

Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BROWN, Mr. PETERS, 

Mr. TESTER, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SANDERS, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. SMITH, and Mr. BENNET) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and 

alumni to the lives of the people of the United States. 

Whereas, since its inception in 1994, the AmeriCorps national service program has proven to be a highly effective 

way— 

(1) to engage the people of the United States in 

meeting a wide range of local and national needs; and 

(2) to promote the ethics of service and volunteerism; 


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Whereas, since 1994, more than 1,100,000 individuals have 

taken the AmeriCorps pledge to ‘‘get things done for 

America’’ by becoming AmeriCorps members; 

Whereas, each year, AmeriCorps, in coordination with State 

service commissions, provides opportunities for approximately 75,000 individuals across the United States to 

give back in an intensive way to communities, States, 

Tribal nations, and the United States; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members have served more than 

1,600,000,000 hours nationwide, helping— 

(1) to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people of the United States; 

(2) to protect the environment; 

(3) to contribute to public safety; 

(4) to respond to disasters; 

(5) to strengthen the educational system of the 

United States; and 

(6) to expand economic opportunity; 

Whereas, since 1994, AmeriCorps funds have been invested 

in nonprofit, community, educational, and faith-based 

groups, and those funds leverage hundreds of millions of 

dollars in outside funding and in-kind donations each 

year; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members recruit and supervise millions 

of community volunteers, demonstrating the value of 

AmeriCorps as a powerful force for encouraging people to 

become involved in volunteering and community service; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members serve at more than 21,000 locations across the United States, including at nonprofit 

organizations, schools, and faith-based and community 

organizations; 


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Whereas AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps 

campuses in the States of Mississippi, Iowa, California, 

and Colorado strengthen communities and develop future 

leaders through team-based service; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members nationwide, in return for the 

service of those members, have earned nearly 

$4,000,000,000 to use to further their own educational 

advancement at colleges and universities across the 

United States; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members, after their terms of service 

with AmeriCorps end, have been more likely to remain 

engaged in their communities as volunteers, teachers, and 

nonprofit professionals than the average individual; 

Whereas AmeriCorps is a proven pathway to employment, 

providing members with valuable career skills, experience, 

and contacts to prepare them for the 21st century workforce and to help close the skills gap in the United 

States; 

Whereas, in 2009, Congress passed the bipartisan Serve 

America Act (Public Law 111–13; 123 Stat. 1460), 

which authorized the expansion of national service, expanded opportunities to serve, increased efficiency and 

accountability, and strengthened the capacity of organizations and communities to solve problems; 

Whereas national service programs have engaged millions of 

people in the United States in results-driven service in 

the most vulnerable communities of the United States, 

providing hope and help to individuals with economic and 

social needs; 

Whereas national service and volunteerism demonstrate the 

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ing toward problems and working together to find community solutions; and 

Whereas AmeriCorps Week, observed in 2020 from March 8 

through March 14, is an appropriate time for the people 

of the United States— 

(1) to salute current and former AmeriCorps members for their positive impact on the lives of people in the 

United States; 

(2) to thank the community partners of AmeriCorps 

for making the program possible; and 

(3) to encourage more people in the United States 

to become involved in service and volunteering: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) encourages the people of the United States 

3 to join in a national effort— 

4 (A) to salute AmeriCorps members and 

5 alumni; and 

6 (B) to raise awareness about the impor7 tance of national and community service; 

8 (2) acknowledges the significant accomplish9 ments of the members, alumni, and community part10 ners of AmeriCorps; 

11 (3) recognizes the important contributions 

12 made by AmeriCorps members and alumni to the 

13 lives of the people of the United States; and 


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1 (4) encourages individuals of all ages to con2 sider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps. 

Æ 


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