Thomas Mott Osborne: “since the events of September 11, our country has witnessed a surge of patriotism and a desire to serve. This morning…”

“since the events of September 11, our country has witnessed a surge of patriotism and a desire to serve. This morning the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford) and I introduced the Call to Service Act which attempts to harness some of this energy. I would like to emphasize three parts of this act which are particularly noteworthy. Number one, the act provides service opportunities all across the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas. An example is incentives for teachers to stay in rural and underserved areas. Secondly, the act creates a new short-term military service category: 18 months of active duty and 18 months of reserve duty. These troops will provide security at airports, bridges, nuclear facilities, and our Nation's borders. They would also provide technical assistance in case of a health emergency caused by bioterrorism. Lastly, the Call to Service Act will create thousands of opportunities to provide mentoring and tutoring for children who are desperately in need of a caring adult role model. Senior citizens will be especially helpful in this endeavor. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support the Call to Service Act.”