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Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that this week, President John F. Kennedy would have been 107 years old, yet his message and vision for our nation still remains forward-looking and relevant today. In his inaugural address, he challenged us to do better and elevate our communities, states, and the nation by using government in the most constructive way.
Today, national and community service helps hundreds of thousands of Americans each year through disaster relief, education initiatives, infrastructure and public works projects, public health efforts, and more. Just last year, more than 2,400 AmeriCorps volunteers served across Connecticut.
It was my honor to welcome AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith to the University of Hartford for the Connecticut Service Symposium on May 29th, President Kennedy’s birthday. During the symposium, we announced nearly $4 million in federal funding to support the work of approximately 50 AmeriCorps members and 30 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who will engage in service across the state.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Larson, AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith and AmeriCorps staff and alumni announce $3.8 million in funding to expand service opportunities in Connecticut.
Currently, service organizations turn away more applicants than they accept - and communities in need of their assistance sometimes have to go without. I introduced the ACTION for National Service Act to incentivize national service participation by providing AmeriCorps volunteers with two years of in-state college tuition for every year they serve. You can view my remarks on our legislation from this week’s symposium below.
I will continue to work in Congress to support our national service volunteers and ensure they have access to the resources they need to realize President Kennedy’s everlasting call to service. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.
Regards,
John B. Larson
Member of Congress
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