Program Would Train Vets for Public Service

July 05,2007

Ed and Labor Committee Passes Hare Amendment to Train Returning Veterans for Public Service

Passed Unanimously as Part of the GIVE Act

WASHINGTON, DC- On Wednesday evening, the House Committee on Education and Labor unanimously approved an amendment authored by Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) to the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act that establishes a grant program for organizations to train returning veterans to become public servants.

"The transition from the battlefield back into the workforce can be a stressful one," Hare said. "This amendment would simply give our best and brightest men and women the tools they need to fully reintegrate themselves into society following their service."

The amendment provides money to develop service learning curricula that promotes a better understanding of the principles of the Constitution and how the U.S. government functions. It also adds a grant program for organizations to meet the unique needs of veterans and their families.

"Many recent veterans, including my friend Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania who served in Iraq, have proven to be extremely valuable public servants," Hare said. "By investing in service-learning programs, we can create opportunities for even more veterans."

Additionally, the GIVE Act (H.R. 2857) would:

• Increase the number of AmeriCorps volunteers from 25,000 to 100,000 by 2012
• Increase stipends for AmeriCorps volunteers from $4,725 to $5,225 by 2012  
• Initiate a "Summer of Service" program for young people from middle school through high school to give them the opportunity to spend a summer in service to their community, for which they would receive a $500 stipend for college or for college preparation.
• Create an AmeriCorps Alumni Reserves Network aimed at tapping into the skills and experience of alumni volunteers, with a particular focus on assisting during emergencies or natural disasters.