Since its inception in 1994, over 800,000 people have participated in AmeriCorps, totaling more than one billion hours of service across the country. As a Reuters reporter noted in 2013, for “graduates and others saddled with student loan debt, AmeriCorps is one of many programs that offer grants, cancellation or forgiveness that can reduce the burden.” As First Lady, Hillary Clinton pressed Congress to support AmeriCorps, and, as U.S. Senator, she helped preserve the program and worked to expand it.
Fighting to Protect AmeriCorps
Senator Clinton fought alongside America’s mayors and governors to protect AmeriCorps from budget cuts.
Senator Clinton stood with the nation’s governors and mayors in 2003 against budget reductions to the AmeriCorps program. Senator Clinton noted that 44 governors, “including Governor Bush from Florida,” and 145 mayors sent a letter to the President and Congress asking for additional funding for AmeriCorps. [Senator Clinton floor speech, 7/31/03 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton called for an emergency appropriation of $100 million to protect AmeriCorps.
Senator Clinton called for an “emergency appropriation of $100 million to save AmeriCorps and prevent 20,000 volunteers—including 1,300 New Yorkers—from being cut from the program.” Following the inclusion of such an appropriation in the Senate supplemental appropriations bill, Senator Clinton praised the appropriations committee for taking action and noted the “funds will mean a tremendous amount to New York communities across the state.” After Senator Session’s amendment to eliminate the additional AmeriCorps funding was rejected 71-21, the funding increase passed the Senate as part of the appropriations bill. The appropriation for AmeriCorps was not included in the final version of the bill that became law. [Senator Clinton press release, 7/9/03 (via archive.org); Vote #272, 7/11/03; Vote #273, 7/11/03]
Senator Clinton called the House Republican’s obstruction of increased AmeriCorps funding “wrong for America.”
Senator Clinton blasted the House Republican leadership for killing an effort to add $100 million for AmeriCorps to the House supplemental appropriations bill. Following this legislative action by the House, Senator Clinton called them out: “What the House Republican Leadership did was wrong. It was wrong for America, New York, and every young person who has a desire to give back to their community.” [Senator Clinton press release, 7/25/03 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton to House Republicans: “AmeriCorps works.”
Rebuking the House of Representatives for blocking $100 million for AmeriCorps, Senator Clinton said, “of most concern to me and to the New Yorkers I represent, the House bill fails to include $100 million in emergency spending for AmeriCorps. With the passage of this bill, we are telling 20,000 eager AmeriCorps members that their service is no longer needed. And I have to say that there is something wrong with this picture. Less than three weeks ago, 71 of us voted to provide $100 million to AmeriCorps.” Noting that 54 governors, 145 mayors, and 190 college and university presidents had called for additional AmeriCorps funding, Senator Clinton asked her Senate colleagues, “how do we account for this outpouring of support? Mr. President, I submit that it is for the simple reason that AmeriCorps works.” [Senator Clinton floor speech, 7/31/03 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton urged President Bush’s nominee for CNCS administrator to protect AmeriCorps from budget cuts.
“Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton conveyed her very serious concerns about the funding crisis facing AmeriCorps in a meeting with David Eisner, the Administration’s nominee for Chief Executive of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation manages AmeriCorps… In her visit with Eisner, Senator Clinton discussed her fear that some of the outstanding New York programs funded through AmeriCorps will be gravely hurt. ‘There are so many programs at risk. Everything from the Response to Love Center in Buffalo, which serves the homeless, to the Student Conservation Association in Saranac lake, to project ROSES, which is helping small upstate towns with homeland security issues. These and many more could go by the wayside if this crisis isn’t addressed,’ Senator Clinton said.” [Senator Clinton press release, 10/3/03 (via archive.org)]
Strengthening AmeriCorps
Senator Clinton pushed through a bill that revised AmeriCorps formulas to ensure every volunteer gets their education award.
SenatorClinton cosponsored the Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act. Enacted July 3, 2003, the Act revised the approval, accounting, and recording procedures used by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to manage AmeriCorps. Speaking to the legislation in the Senate, Ted Kennedy noted the bill would “ensure that every person who commits to a year of service to their community in AmeriCorps will receive the education award.” [S.1276, 6/18/03; Congressional Record, Page S8164, 6/18/03]
Senator Clinton cosponsored a bill to increase funding for AmeriCorps by $200 million for fiscal year 2002.
Senator Clinton cosponsored Senator Dodd’s Leave No Child Behind Act of 2001.This legislation would have increased fiscal year 2002 funding for AmeriCorps from $300 million to $500 million. [S.940, 5/23/01]
Expanding AmeriCorps
Senator Clinton proposed doubling the education award for AmeriCorps volunteers.
On the presidential campaign trail Senator Clinton proposed “doubling the education awards that AmeriCorps volunteers receive.” Explaining why the education awards should be expanded, Senator Clinton said the “young men and women are building homes, mentoring children, providing disaster relief, and so much more. They’re serving our country every day. And I want our country to serve them in return.” [Senator Clinton speech, 10/11/07 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton called for an AmeriCorps program in which recent college graduates would help encourage high school students to go to college.
Senator Clinton introduced the Coaching our Adolescents for College Heights (COACH) Act to “recruit, train and place recent college graduates in high schools to increase the number of low- and middle-income, high-achieving high school students who enroll in college.” The COACH Act would have created a pilot program within AmeriCorps to “train and place 100 coaches in five high-need” educational systems to build “a strong college-going culture within the school.” [S.3027, 5/15/08; Senator Clinton press release, 5/16/08 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton suggested creating an AmeriCorps program to connect high school seniors with community service opportunities.
Senator Clinton introduced the Senior Year Community Service Act to “promote community service among high school seniors by connecting them with service opportunities within their schools and communities.” Senator Clinton’s legislation would have created a pilot program within AmeriCorps to “use funds to establish partnerships with community based organizations, provide a service coordinator to assist participating high schools, and provide information regarding service opportunities to students in their junior years.” [S.3028, 5/15/08; Senator Clinton press release, 5/16/08 (via archive.org)]
Senator Clinton cosponsored a bill to base AmeriCorps’ education awards on the average public college tuition.
Senator Clinton cosponsored the AmeriCorps: Together Improving Our Nation Act. This legislation would have changed “the formula for determining the amount of the national service educational award to base the award on the average cost of attending a four-year institution of higher education.” [S.3037, 5/20/08]
Championing AmeriCorps in the White House
Hillary Clinton pressed Congress to extend AmeriCorps through 2002.
“Saying millions of Americans are learning ‘age-old, eternal’ lessons while giving back to their communities, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Congress Thursday to extend AmeriCorps and other national volunteer service programs. ‘These programs work,’ said Mrs. Clinton. The first lady was joined at a Capitol Hill news conference by a bipartisan group of lawmakers who are sponsoring a bill to extend the Corporation for National Service through 2002… Mrs. Clinton said every participant was learning important ‘age-old, eternal lessons about how much more we get when we give.’ ‘I think if every member of Congress heard just these three stories there wouldn’t be any doubt that the bill you are introducing today would pass unanimously,’ she said.” [Associated Press, 3/19/98]
Hillary Clinton unveiled a plan for AmeriCorps volunteers to help out in D.C. high schools.
“Hillary Rodham Clinton visited a District of Columbia high school Friday to push for projects that link students to community service and to unveil a plan to put AmeriCorps volunteers in all city high schools by the fall. The volunteers will help teachers and administrators coordinate service learning programs, which combine community service with classroom learning, in the troubled school system’s 20 high schools, she said. ‘Service learning is good for students and the community,’ Mrs. Clinton told volunteers, teachers and AmeriCorps administrators in a round-table discussion at Cardozo High School. ‘Service learning programs can help young people build their own sense of confidence and can inspire them to be active volunteers in communities throughout their lives.’ Around the country, 750,000 young people are involved in such projects, Mrs. Clinton said, adding that she hoped more schools and states would make community service part of the curriculum.” [Associated Press, 4/11/97]