Wicker, Coons, Hyde-Smith Work to Expand National Service to Bolster Pandemic Recovery
Press Release
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., on Thursday reintroduced the Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act, legislation that would expand national service programs significantly to help the country recover and rebuild from COVID-19.
The CORPS Act (S.1165) would increase the number of AmeriCorps positions available to support a variety of response and recovery efforts based on community needs, including expanding food bank capacity, mentoring and tutoring students recovering from learning loss, helping to improve housing, and more.
"Our nation's full recovery from the pandemic will require an all-hands approach," Wicker said. "Boosting the ranks of our service corps is a cost-efficient way to get communities the help they need. I am glad to join Senator Coons in reintroducing the CORPS Act, which would expand national service opportunities at a crucial time for our nation. The COVID-19 outbreak has presented many challenges for our nation, and national service can help us emerge even stronger from this crisis."
"The past year has shown us that America can overcome any challenge so long as we do so together -- when we look out for our neighbors, give back to our communities, and unite behind a common purpose," Coons said. "We still have work to do to end this pandemic, rebuild, and recover, and one of the best ways we can do that is by investing in our strengths -- in the thousands of young people who are eager to roll up their sleeves and serve their country, and in our locally-driven national service network that is already on the ground meeting urgent needs in our communities. I'm proud to introduce the CORPS Act with Senator Wicker and this impressive group of colleagues, and look forward to passing it into law so we can build back stronger than ever."
"National service organizations serve as valuable resources to communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas," Hyde-Smith said. "Expanding and strengthening programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps can do much to aid communities in overcoming the effects of the pandemic on their residents."
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Susan Collins, R-Maine, John Cornyn, R-Texas, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Angus King, I-Maine, Cory Booker, D-N.J., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.
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