David Price: “today we are considering a stripped-down supplemental appropriations bill that contains funding for FEMA disaster…”

“today we are considering a stripped-down supplemental appropriations bill that contains funding for FEMA disaster relief. As a representative from a State that benefits from this funding, I have no problem with including FEMA funding in an emergency supplemental, but I do have a problem with what is omitted from this bill. I am concerned about what we are failing to do for AmeriCorps and all of the faith-based and community-based groups who depend on AmeriCorps participants. The Senate supplemental appropriations bill which was completed 2 weeks ago contains $100 million for AmeriCorps, the amount needed to sustain 50,000 AmeriCorps participants this year. This funding has strong bipartisan support, in the Senate if not in the House. It was sustained on a 71-21 vote in the other body. Without this funding, AmeriCorps will see its numbers reduced by something like 40 percent, a drastic reduction to around 30,000 participants. Why has it taken so long for the House to act? The Committee on Appropriations did not even consider the supplemental until this past Monday, with no intention of actually bringing it to the floor. And where has the President been? The President spoke in this Chamber, urging us to increase AmeriCorps enrollment to 75,000 participants. But, up to now, he has hardly lifted a finger to maintain even the current enrollment of 50,000 participants.”