WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to improve our communities, address urgent national challenges, and encourage more Rhode Islanders to participate in national-service programs, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today unanimously approved the bipartisan Serve America Act. This legislation seeks to expand volunteerism nationwide and increases the number of participants in AmeriCorps from 75,000 to 250,000.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the HELP Committee and a cosponsor of the Serve America Act, worked with Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to ensure this legislation includes language that will help Rhode Islanders benefit from this important initiative. Reed successfully included language requiring a statutory small state minimum for AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve formula grants for the first time. Reed's language also ensures that the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) ensures small, innovative AmeriCorps programs -- which are found throughout Rhode Island -- have access to their fair share of competitive grant funding and can compete against larger, better funded programs.

The Serve America Act would also establish four new service corps to address key needs in low-income communities, including a Clean Energy Corps to encourage energy efficiency and conservation measures; an Education Corps to help increase student engagement, achievement and graduation; a Healthy Futures Corps to improve health care access; and a Veterans Service Corps to enhance services for veterans. In light of the foreclosure and housing crisis facing Rhode Island, Reed also worked with Senator Feingold (D-WI) to include language encouraging volunteers to focus on helping low-income individuals in their community find affordable housing.

"This legislation will help expand and improve national and community service opportunities in Rhode Island and across the nation," said Reed. "Building on the success of existing national service programs, the Serve America Act will create new, valuable Corps focused on areas of national need - turning around struggling schools and dropout prevention; enhancing energy efficiency; securing affordable housing; protecting the environment; and improving health care."

The bill would also expand service-learning opportunities for high school and college students through the creation of new Youth Engagement Zones and Campuses of Service, encouraging young people to address specific challenges in their communities and help them pursue careers in public service.

Some of these new programs could help more Rhode Island students and families pay for college through federal education grants. The bill contains a provision to raise the education award from $4,725 and tie it to the maximum Pell Grant, which was recently raised to $5,350. Individuals who successfully complete service in AmeriCorps may use this award to pay educational expenses at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training, or to repay qualified student loans.

Now that the bill has been approved by the HELP Committee, it goes to the full Senate for consideration. President Obama indicated his support for the measure during a speech to a joint session of Congress.