Congress Gives Big Boost to National Service

Action now moves to the Senate, which is expected to vote on the Serve America Act, S. 277, next week. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved it on Wednesday. A summary of the bill appears here.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which operates the national-service programs, said the action comes as interest in AmeriCorps is growing. The program received 9,371 online applications in February, more than triple the number in February 2008, it said in a statement.