I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1444 
To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service to study methods 
of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 11, 2009 
Mr. MCDERMOTT (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, 
Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service 
to study methods of improving and promoting vol-
unteerism and national service, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Commis-
sion on Civic Service Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The social fabric of the United States is 
stronger if individuals in the United States are com-
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mitted to protecting and serving our Nation by uti-
lizing national service and volunteerism to overcome 
our civic challenges. 
(2) A more engaged civic society will strengthen 
the Nation by bringing together people from diverse 
backgrounds and experiences to work on solutions to 
some of our Nation’s major challenges. 
(3) Despite declines in civic health in the past 
30 years, national service and volunteerism among 
the Nation’s youth are increasing, and existing na-
tional service and volunteer programs greatly en-
hance opportunities for youth to engage in civic ac-
tivity. 
(4) In addition to the benefits received by non-
profit organizations and society as a whole, volun-
teering and national service provide a variety of per-
sonal benefits and satisfaction and can lead to new 
paths of civic engagement, responsibility, and up-
ward mobility. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established in the legislative branch a com-
mission to be known as the ‘‘Congressional Commission 
on Civic Service’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’). 
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SEC. 4. DUTIES. 
(a) GENERAL PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Com-
mission is to gather and analyze information in order to 
make recommendations to Congress to— 
(1) improve the ability of individuals in the 
United States to serve others and, by doing so, to 
enhance our Nation and the global community; 
(2) train leaders in public service organizations 
to better utilize individuals committed to national 
service and volunteerism as they manage human and 
fiscal resources; 
(3) identify and offer solutions to the barriers 
that make it difficult for some individuals in the 
United States to volunteer or perform national serv-
ice; and 
(4) build on the foundation of service and vol-
unteer opportunities that are currently available. 
(b) SPECIFIC TOPICS.—In carrying out its general 
purpose under subsection (a), the Commission shall ad-
dress and analyze the following specific topics: 
(1) The level of understanding about the cur-
rent Federal, State, and local volunteer programs 
and opportunities for service among individuals in 
the United States. 
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(2) The issues that deter volunteerism and na-
tional service, particularly among young people, and 
how the identified issues can be overcome. 
(3) Whether there is an appropriate role for 
Federal, State, and local governments in overcoming 
the issues that deter volunteerism and national serv-
ice and, if appropriate, how to expand the relation-
ships and partnerships between different levels of 
government in promoting volunteerism and national 
service. 
(4) Whether existing databases are effective in 
matching community needs to would-be volunteers 
and service providers. 
(5) The effect on the Nation, on those who 
serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all 
individuals in the United States were expected to 
perform national service or were required to perform 
a certain amount of national service. 
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable 
mandatory service requirement for all able young 
people could be developed, and how such a require-
ment could be implemented in a manner that would 
strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and over-
come civic challenges by bringing together people 
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from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational back-
grounds. 
(7) The need for a public service academy, a 4- 
year institution that offers a federally funded under-
graduate education with a focus on training future 
public sector leaders. 
(8) The means to develop awareness of national 
service and volunteer opportunities at a young age 
by creating, expanding, and promoting service op-
tions for primary and secondary school students and 
by raising awareness of existing incentives. 
(9) The effectiveness of establishing a training 
program on college campuses to recruit and educate 
college students for national service. 
(10) The effect on United States diplomacy and 
foreign policy interests of expanding service opportu-
nities abroad, such as the Peace Corps, and the de-
gree of need and capacity abroad for an expansion. 
(11) The constraints that service providers, 
nonprofit organizations, and State and local agencies 
face in utilizing federally funded volunteer programs, 
and how these constraints can be overcome. 
(12) Whether current Federal volunteer pro-
grams are suited to address the special skills and 
needs of senior volunteers, and if not, how these pro-
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grams can be improved such that the Federal gov-
ernment can effectively promote service among the 
‘‘baby boomer’’ generation. 
(c) METHODOLOGY.— 
(1) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—The Commission shall 
conduct public hearings in various locations around 
the United States. 
(2) REGULAR
AND
FREQUENT
CONSULTA-
TION.—The Commission shall regularly and fre-
quently consult with an advisory panel of members 
of Congress appointed for such purpose by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
majority leader of the Senate. 
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 8 members appointed as follows: 
(A) 2 members appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives. 
(B) 2 members appointed by the minority 
leader of the House of Representatives. 
(C) 2 members appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate. 
(D) 2 members appointed by the minority 
leader of the Senate. 
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