WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to bring Americans together through service to the nation and their fellow citizens, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced legislation that would create a whole of government approach to addressing military, national, and public service needs.

This legislation is based on recommendations published by the bipartisan National Commission on Military, National and Public Service that Senator Reed and the late Senator John McCain established to review the military selective service process and consider methods to increase participation in military, national, and other public service to address the needs of the nation. 

The Commission published its final report and recommendations five years ago, just as the pandemic began to grip the nation, setting off a decline in the rates of volunteerism from 30 percent to 23.2 percent according to data from AmeriCorps.  The Commission called for a ten-year goal for five million Americans to begin participating in military, national, or public service each year.

Additionally, the Commission set targets for ensuring there are more than enough qualified individuals seeking to serve in the Armed Forces and for modernizing government personnel systems to attract and enable Americans with critical skills to enter public service. The Unity through Service Act would provide the architecture and focus to mobilize a collaborative approach across government to achieving these goals.

According to the latest research compiled by AmeriCorps, volunteerism has begun to rebound following the pandemic with 28.3 percent of Americans formally volunteering in 2023, giving nearly five billion hours of service with an economic value of $167.2 billion.

“Recent growth in volunteerism and service show that Americans are ready and willing to answer the call to serve, to come together and meet the challenges we are facing. We must create the conditions to mobilize them and strengthen opportunities to serve,” said Senator Reed. “That is why I am proud to join Senator Young in introducing the Unity through Service Act, reaffirming our national culture of service and elevating all forms of service by leveraging the strengths of our existing programs.”

“Civic engagement and giving back to the community are woven into the fabric of the American spirit. Our bill would increase Americans’ awareness of service opportunities that target community-specific needs, while also appropriately stewarding taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Young.

In addition to Senators Reed and Young, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Jack Bergman (R-MI-1), and Don Bacon (R-NE-2).

The Unity through Service Act would elevate all forms of service, making it easier for Americans to identify service opportunities that align with their skills and goals.

This bill would establish an Interagency Council on Service to coordinate and lead initiatives that extend across military, national, and public service. The Council will be tasked with preparing and submitting to the President a national strategy on service, including a review of current programs, initiatives and online content.

Furthermore, the Unity through Service Act would authorize a joint advertising, market research, and recruiting program with the Department of Defense (DOD), the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), and the Peace Corps to identify successful strategies and efficiently share this information across agencies. The bill would require a quadrennial report to Congress on initiatives to integrate military, national, and public service programs.

This legislation is endorsed by the Service Year Alliance, America’s Service Commissions, Voices for National Service, and With Honor Action.

“Service Year Alliance was proud to support the Unity Through Service Act when it was introduced, and we remain champions for the passage of this legislation today,” said Kristen Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Service Year Alliance. “Americans want to serve, and it’s paramount that we bridge our efforts on military, national, and public service, as the Unity Through Service Act calls for, to best harness this goodwill for our shared future. As advocates for national service, we know that service years develop leaders, build skills for success in a changing economy, and offer solutions for creating more resilient communities — and we should be doing everything in our power to make it an opportunity for all. The Unity Through Service Act is a vital next step that brings us closer to achieving this vision.”

“On behalf of our nation’s State and Territorial Service Commissions, we thank Sen. Reed (D-RI) and Sen. Young (R-IN) for their support of the bipartisan Unity Through National Service Act. National service enables Americans to address critical issues in our communities and instills a sense of mission and purpose in those that serve. We look forward to engaging with the Interagency Council on Service to advise the President on ways that national, military, and public service partners - and importantly our states - can work together to promote and expand opportunities to serve our country and improve those experiences,” said Kaira Esgate, CEO of America’s Service Commissions. “Critically, the Council would also develop new interagency partnerships to address national challenges and support the transition between branches of service and into careers. We urge Congress to advance this bipartisan legislation as soon as possible.”

“National service is a powerful force for uniting Americans in common purpose, and the Unity through Service Act represents an important step forward in ensuring more people can serve,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service. “By elevating service and fostering greater collaboration across agencies, this bill will help strengthen national service programs, open new pathways to service, and enable more Americans to contribute to their communities and country. The Voices for National Service community is grateful to Senators Reed and Young for their leadership and their continued commitment to expanding opportunities for service.”

“As we celebrate the fifth anniversary National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service’s Inspired to Serve report, With Honor Action is proud to endorse the Unity Through Service Act. As a veteran-founded and veteran-led organization, we strongly believe in the critical role that service, both in and out of uniform, plays in our democracy. By creating an Interagency Council on Service and coordinating efforts across federal agencies, this bill strengthens civic engagement and promotes service opportunities for all Americans,” said Rye Barcott, CEO of With Honor Action. “We applaud the leadership of Senator Reed for his continued service to our nation.”