Congresswoman Matsuis Legislation Honoring AmeriCorps Volunteers Passes House of Representatives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 13, 2010
CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Resolution introduced by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) honoring and celebrating the important work that AmeriCorps volunteers provide to the American people. The bill passed with a bi-partisan vote and commemorates the goals and ideals of AmeriCorps Week 2010, which is celebrated through this Saturday, May 15th.
As a Co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, it is a pleasure to call attention to the tremendous work of those involved in service at every level and in every AmeriCorps program, said Congresswoman Matsui. House passage of H.Res. 1338, the resolution I introduced celebrating AmeriCorps Week 2010, honors the important work that AmeriCorps volunteers provide to our communities.
Through programs such as NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, and VISTA, service members address critical needs in our communities, Matsui continued. The work that our AmeriCorps volunteers do helps to educate future generations, teaches our youth to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, and fosters the growth of respect and compassion throughout our entire society. And we need to continue to make national service more accessible to the millions of Americans who want to serve their country by contributing to their community.
AmeriCorps Week 2010 offers us an opportunity to honor the important work of AmeriCorps volunteers in our own districts and in every corner of America. I would like to thank all of our nation's AmeriCorps volunteers especially those based in my hometown of Sacramento, California for their continued commitment of our national service programs and for improving our nation one neighborhood at a time.
Rep. Matsui will be joining local AmeriCorps volunteers at the Sacramento Food Bank to thank them for their work tomorrow, Friday, May 14th, where she will also be honored to serve as an AmeriCorps Member For A Day.
Co-sponsors of Rep. Matsui's legislation includes her fellow Co-Chairs of the Congressional National Service Caucus: David Price (NC-04); Todd Platts (PA-19); and Vernon Ehlers (MI-03). Co-sponsors also include Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee George Miller (CA-07), Chairwoman of the Rules Committee Louise Slaughter (NY-28), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joe Baca (CA-43), Earl Blumenauer(OR-03), Madeleine Bordallo (GU-AL), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Michael Capuano (MA-08), Steve Cohen (TN-09), John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13), Lloyd Doggett(TX-25), Keith Ellison (MN-05), Eni Faleomavaega (AS-AL), Sam Farr (CA-17), Chaka Fattah (PA-02), Bob Filner (CA-51), John Garamendi (CA-10), Paul Hodes (NH-02), Mike Honda (CA-15), Barbara Lee (CA-09), John Lewis (GA-05), David Loebsack (IA-02), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Edward Markey (MA-07), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McDermott (WA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-03), Grace Napolitano (CA-38), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Charles Rangel (NY-15), Laura Richardson (CA-37), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34), Tim Ryan (OH-17), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP-AL), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Jose Serrano (NY-16), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Mike Thompson (CA-01), Dina Titus (NV-03), Chris Van Hollen (MD-08), and Henry Waxman (CA-30).