• Grants for “Youth Engagement Zones”, “not less than $250k and not more than $1m. Eligible partnerships include: a community-based agency, local educational agency, a State Commission or State education agency, local government agency, office of the chief executive officer of a unit of general local government, institution of higher education. Priority given to “eligible partnerships that serve high percentages or numbers of low-income students.” “including partnerships that serve urban, and partnerships that serve rural, communities.” $20m, $30m, $30m, $40m, $40m appropriated for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 respectively. The funds must be used for: ’solve specific community challenges’, ‘improve student engagement, including student attendance and student behavior, and student achievement, graduation rates, and college-going rates in secondary schools’, ‘involve an increasing percentage of secondary school students and out-of-school youth in the community in school-based or community-based service-learning activities each year, with the goal of involving all students in secondary schools served by the local education agency and involving an increasing percentage of the out-of-school youth in service-learning activities over the course of 5 years’, ‘encourage participants to continue to engage in service throughout their lives.’
• Grants for “Campuses of Service”, not more than 30 annually. $10m for each fiscal years 2009 through 2013. For 2 or 4 year, public or private institution of higher education.
• Service-Learning Impact study. 10 year longitudinal study on the impact of the activities carried out. Examining student academic achievement, student engagement, graduation rates, the degree to which the participants in the activities engaged in subsequent national service, volunteering, or other service activities. Allocation “such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013.”
• Sec. 167. Establish the “Commission on Cross-Sector Solutions to America’s Problems.” 21 members. 9 appointed by the President, 3 by Senate majority leader, 3 by Senate minority leader, 3 by Speaker of the House, 3 by the House minority leader. No more than 11 from the same political party. “The Commission shall conduct a thorough study of all matters relating to was in which the Federal Government can work more efficiently and effectively with nonprofit organizations and philanthropic organizations… in achieving better outcomes.” “The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.” Terminates after 6 years
• Sec. 167A. “Community Solutions Fund grant program.” Make grants for periods of 5 years, and may renew for 5 years. Not less than $1m not more than $10m. For entities focused on improving measurable outcomes relating to: education for economically disadvantaged students in public schools, child and youth development, reductions in poverty or increases in economic opportunity for economically disadvantaged individuals, health including access to health care and education, resource conservation and local environmental quality, individual or community energy efficiency, civic engagement, reductions in crime. Funds must be matched not less than $1 to $1.
• Sec. 167B. “Innovation Fellowship grants.” “To individuals to pay for the Federal share of carrying out projects in which the individuals establish innovative nonprofit organizations to address national and local challenges.” For periods of 2 years. Not more than $100k. Not more than 25 in a fiscal year.
• To carry out section 167, such sums as necessary. Section 167A: $50m, $60m, $70m, $80m, $100m for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 respectively. For 167B: $3.5 for 2009, $5m each year after.
• 
  
  Read More…

http://thomas.loc.gov/…

S.3487

Serve America Act (Introduced in Senate)

• (a) Findings- Congress finds the following:
  • (1) Engaging in service-learning and community service activities at a young age makes individuals more likely to continue to volunteer and engage in service throughout their lives.
  • (2) High-quality service-learning programs keep students engaged in school and increase the likelihood that they will graduate.
  • (3) Since its creation, the Learn and Serve America program has allowed over 15,000,000 students to take part in service-learning activities to improve their communities and schools.
  • (4) Most schools do not offer service-learning activities, but many students, particularly students at risk of dropping out, express an interest in service-learning.
• (b) Purposes- The purposes of this section are–
  • (1) to provide increased high-quality service-learning opportunities for in-school and out-of-school youth in high-need, low-income communities as a strategy to retain and re-engage youth likely to drop out and youth who have dropped out;
  • (2) to encourage more individuals to engage in lifetimes of service by teaching young people the value of service early in their lives; and
  • (3) to establish youth engagement zones with the goal of involving all secondary school students served by a local educational agency in service-learning to solve a specific community challenge, through a program that can serve as a model for other communities.

I’ve not read it yet but if you happen to get a chance and find anything of quality please point it out in the comments.

Here are the sponsors:
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] - 9/12/2008
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS] - 9/12/2008
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] - 9/12/2008
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] - 9/12/2008
Sen McCain, John [AZ] - 9/12/2008
Sen Obama, Barack [IL] - 9/12/2008

Be the Change Inc YouTube channel

• McCain says he doesn’t support mandatory service.
• McCain says that if Target would have ran things during Katrina it would have gone better, there wouldn’t have been trucks of ice in Maine. If he really believes private organizations would do a better job than why would he advocate the federal government deal with natural disaster?
• McCain claims the reason the military is having a hard time keeping member and gaining more is because it’s not big enough. What?
• The guy from TIME is saying the US government should have mandatory service. McCain dodged the question asking if the US should have mandatory service for all and allow people to go into none military service.
• McCain says he would sign the Kennedy / Hatch Serve America Bill. Said he “love”s Ted Kennedy.
• We should send people to countries which don’t like us… but not money.
• McCain’s hero Teddy Roosevelt.
• Bring ‘all people are created equal’ to the world. Not necessarily military but in other ways. America is exception because of it.

• Obama gets a standing ovation several times longer than McCain’s.
• We believe in individual responsibility and ability… but also mutual responsibility.
• How to get more people into service? Start early with kids in school.
• He won’t have to pander to the union to get his national service plans through like Clinton did.
• The government should encourage voluntarism.
• Every student will get a $4k college credit by “giving back.”
• Big government suppresses private charity/voluntarism is an “old argument.”
• We have to have government. We have to have a FEMA that works. We need to encourage young people to serve so when they get older they are trained to work for those government programs.
• Government should expand the avenues of service.
• To keep more people in the military: restore peoples belief in service, inspiring people
• Universities which keep off ROTC should let them on campus
• Should provide full scholarships for math and science teachers and then make them go work in depressed communities.
• One of the primary aspects of his presidency would be to increase avenues for service in the nation.
• I want every young person to know that they won’t reach their potential unless they work with others.
• American voluntarism is what makes America great.
• Obama likes Teddy Roosevelt too.

All done. Check out the YouTube channel for the interviews.

I got in without any issues. Didn’t even need my FTL ID. The press packet had this as I walked in to the press room. I’m not seeing the release online.

KENNEDY AND HATCH RENEW CALL FOR NATIONAL SERVICE: “SERVE AMERICA ACT” WILL INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE FOR AMERICANS OF ALL AGES

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tomorrow, Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will introduce new legislation, the “Serve America Act,” to expand opportunities for service for all Americans. The Legislation will ask 175,000 more Americans to give a year to service to address specific national challenges, thereby expanding the number of national service participants to 250,000. The legislation will also increase opportunities for individuals to serve at every stage of their life and will support nonprofit organizations and social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to our most pressing problems.

“Time and again we’ve learned that large numbers of Americans are ready, willing, able, and even eager to be involved in service, and that all we have to do is ask them to do so. The Serve America Act will ask. It will connect every generation through service, and enable them to help tackle a wide range of national challenges, from the dropout crisis that plagues our schools to the lack of health care in our neediest communities to the energy and environmental crises that threatens our planet,” said Senator Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees existing national and community service programs. “Many Americans are already answering the call to such service, by weatherizing homes, mentoring students, or working to bring clean water and life-saving vaccines to peoples in many lands. This legislation will dramatically expand opportunities for Americans will to devote a year or more to address such challenges. It will draw the talents and skills of every age group, such as expanding opportunities for young people to improve their communities, and enabling retiring ‘baby boomers’ to transition to second careers in public service.”

Senator Hatch said, “Volunteer service is the lifeblood of our republic. It brings out the best in people and strengthens our communities. Throughout history, Americans have stepped forward and volunteered to meet every challenge. Within each of us is a desire to help and serve our neighbors the world over; and yet, the hectic lifestyle we all live often crowds out our natural ability to give service. That is why my longtime friend, Senator Kennedy, and I are introducing the Serve America Act. This historic legislation will inspire and provide opportunities for civic-minded Americans to raise the bar of service and fulfill the destiny of the immortal words of ‘America the Beautiful,’ to ‘more than self their country love. And mercy more than life!’”

“America faces more challenges today than ever before. And new challenges require a new level of commitment. By harnessing the talents and efforts of the American people, faith-based groups and nonprofit organizations, we can empower more people, improve more communities and tackle more of our nation’s greatest challenges. That is precisely the intent of this bill, and I’m pleased to be working alongside Senator Kennedy to champion this important legislation.

Read More…

From:
Be the Change, Inc.
Tim Zimmermann
(703) 850-0735
tzimmermann@bethechangeinc.org

Additional Contacts:
Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
Germaine Febles
(212) 843-8031
gfebles@rubenstein.com

TIME
Ali Zelenko 212.522.1502
ali_zelenko@timeinc.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BARACK OBAMA AND JOHN MCCAIN TO PARTICIPATE IN
FORUM ON SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ON SEPT. 11 IN NEW YORK CITY

* * *

FIRST JOINT APPEARANCE OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES FOLLOWING THE PARTY
CONVENTIONS

* * *

FORUM KICKS OFF HISTORIC SEPT. 11-12 SERVICENATION SUMMIT

August 21, 2008 [New York, NY] - Presidential candidates Barack Obama
and John McCain will discuss in depth their views on service and civic
engagement in the post-9/11 world during a primetime forum on the
evening of September 11 in New York City.

The Forum is being staged by ServiceNation, a dynamic new coalition of
110 organizations that has a collective reach of some 100 million
Americans and is dedicated to strengthening our democracy and solving
problems through civic engagement and service. It will be the opening
event of the bipartisan, Sept. 11-12, ServiceNation summit, which will
launch a one year grassroots campaign to expand voluntary community and
national service opportunities for all Americans; use proven service
strategies to tackle some of America’s most chronic social challenges;
and call on all Americans to make service a bedrock ideal in our
democracy

At the Forum, called “A Nation Of Service,” Senators McCain and Obama
will appear on stage separately to discuss their respective visions for
the role of service in America’s future. Richard Stengel, Managing
Editor of TIME, will moderate, and the event will be open to all
broadcast networks.

“I look forward to participating in the 9/11 service forum,” said
Senator Obama. “After September 11, Americans of every age, race, region
and walk of life were ready to step up and answer a new call of service
for their country. Making that call to service will be a central cause
of my presidency, because we need the active citizenship of the American
people to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”

“I am pleased to be participating in the ServiceNation Summit in New
York City. The Summit will be an important remembrance of those that
made the ultimate sacrifice serving their country and others as we focus
on how to inspire others to serve causes greater than their own
self-interest through national and community service,” said Senator
McCain.

The Forum audience will include 9/11 family members, young Americans,
military veterans, and thought leaders, and questions can be submitted
by the general public at http://tinyurl.com/6jmhd5. “The Presidential
Candidates’ Forum will serve as a call to action for the next
administration,” said Forum moderator and TIME managing editor Richard
Stengel. “I hope to have candid conversations with Senators McCain and
Obama about their plans for engaging more Americans in national
service.”

I’ve got media credentials now for the summit but I don’t know that I will be able to attend the forum as my confimation email said: “More detailed information, including a schedule of events open to the media and details on media availabilities will be provided shortly.” I’ve sent an email to the Director of Strategic Partnerships to be placed on the invitation waiting list to attend the actual summit. While it seems very unlikely I’ll get the invite I did include that I was a director of the Manhattan Libertarian Party to spice up the request. You can find the rest of the press report minus some quotes from affiliates after the jump.

Read More…