III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 98 

Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and alumni and 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to the lives of the people of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 9, 2021 

Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. CASSIDY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the contributions of AmeriCorps members and 

alumni and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to the lives 

of the people of the United States. 

Whereas, since their inceptions, each of the AmeriCorps and 

AmeriCorps Seniors national service programs have 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; 

Whereas, each year, nearly 270,000 individuals serve in 

AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors at 40,000 locations 

across the United States to give back in an intensive way 


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•SRES 98 IS 

to communities, States, Tribal nations, and the United 

States; 

Whereas AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors 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 and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers have provided millions of hours of service 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 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers 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, for more than 5 decades, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in the RSVP, Foster Grandparent, and Senior 

Companion programs have played an important role in 

strengthening communities by sharing their experience, 

knowledge, and accomplishments with the individuals 

they serve; 

Whereas, since 1994, more than 1,200,000 individuals have 

taken the AmeriCorps pledge to ‘‘get things done for 


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•SRES 98 IS 

America’’ by becoming AmeriCorps members through the 

AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, and 

AmeriCorps NCCC programs; 

Whereas AmeriCorps members nationwide, in return for the 

service of those members, have earned more than 

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

advancement at colleges and universities across the 

United States; 

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 

best of the spirit of the United States, with people turning toward problems and working together to find community solutions; and 

Whereas AmeriCorps Week, observed in 2021 from March 7 

through March 13, is an appropriate time for the people 

of the United States— 


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•SRES 98 IS 

(1) to salute current and former AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers for their positive 

impact on the lives of people in the United States; 

(2) to thank the community partners of AmeriCorps 

and AmeriCorps Seniors for making the programs 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 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers; 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 and AmeriCorps Seniors; 

11 (3) recognizes the important contributions 

12 made by AmeriCorps members and alumni and 

13 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to the lives of the 

14 people of the United States; and 

15 (4) encourages individuals of all ages to con16 sider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps and 

17 AmeriCorps Seniors. 

Æ 


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