For those of you wondering about the truth of the mandatory service requirement (notice the word volunteer has been taken out) section of this bill, here are the facts. “Mandatory service requirement” is back on the table.
This is the actual paragraph from HR1388 that was introduced into the House. When I originally looked at this bill earlier in the week, I could have sworn it was still in the passed House version that went onto the Senate, (and the bookmark for that page no longer works), but no more; a little scrubbing perhaps? From Thomas:
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.
This whole section; Congressional Commission on Civic Service was removed when it went over to the Senate. There was quite a bit of tuck and hide with this bill starting out as S3577 and then ending up bundled under Ted Kennedy’s S277 Serve America Act; which has now been renamed, “The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, an Act to reauthorize and reform the national service laws.” Do not even get me started on the ridiculousness of naming this bill after good, ‘ol Ted.
Now for more facts. The “reasonable mandatory service requirement” section of this bill has now been reintroduced by Rep. James McDermott (D-WA) as H.R. 1444; Congressional Commission on Civic Service Act; to establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service to study methods of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for other purposes.
If you go to the link above and click on text, you will find what I just read:
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
(a) General Purpose- The purpose of the Commission is to gather and analyze information in order to make recommendations to Congress to–
(1) improve the ability of individuals in the United States to serve others and, by doing so, to enhance our Nation and the global community;
(2) train leaders in public service organizations to better utilize individuals committed to national service and volunteerism as they manage human and fiscal resources;
(3) identify and offer solutions to the barriers that make it difficult for some individuals in the United States to volunteer or perform national service; and
(4) build on the foundation of service and volunteer opportunities that are currently available.
(b) Specific Topics- In carrying out its general purpose under subsection (a), the Commission shall address and analyze the following specific topics:
(1) The level of understanding about the current Federal, State, and local volunteer programs and opportunities for service among individuals in the United States.
(2) The issues that deter volunteerism and national service, particularly among young people, and how the identified issues can be overcome.
(3) Whether there is an appropriate role for Federal, State, and local governments in overcoming the issues that deter volunteerism and national service and, if appropriate, how to expand the relationships and partnerships between different levels of government in promoting volunteerism and national service.
(4) Whether existing databases are effective in matching community needs to would-be volunteers and service providers.
(5) The effect on the Nation, on those who serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all individuals in the United States were expected to perform national service or were required to perform a certain amount of national service.
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.
(7) The need for a public service academy, a 4-year institution that offers a federally funded undergraduate education with a focus on training future public sector leaders.
(8) The means to develop awareness of national service and volunteer opportunities at a young age by creating, expanding, and promoting service options for primary and secondary school students and by raising awareness of existing incentives.
(9) The effectiveness of establishing a training program on college campuses to recruit and educate college students for national service.
(10) The effect on United States diplomacy and foreign policy interests of expanding service opportunities abroad, such as the Peace Corps, and the degree of need and capacity abroad for an expansion.
(11) The constraints that service providers, nonprofit organizations, and State and local agencies face in utilizing federally funded volunteer programs, and how these constraints can be overcome.
(12) Whether current Federal volunteer programs are suited to address the special skills and needs of senior volunteers, and if not, how these programs can be improved such that the Federal government can effectively promote service among the ‘baby boomer’ generation.
(c) Methodology-
(1) PUBLIC HEARINGS- The Commission shall conduct public hearings in various locations around the United States.
Add McDermott’s name and the names of his four co-sponsors; Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), and Rep. James Moran (D-VA), to the list of elected government officials that are not upholding their oath to protect the Constitution.
When I have finished reading the whole bill, I will let you know if there are any other goodies inside that we need to start attending to. Are you aware of H.R. 875 and the 40 traitors backing that one?
On a lighter note, I would have to say that Michelle Obama was right about a few things:
Barack Obama will require you to work.
I have been working my butt off since March 2008.
He is going to demand that you shed your cyncism.
Not so much.
That you put down your division.
Uniting the country against the very people that are not upholding their Constitutional oath.
That you come out of your isolation.
I have made so many more new friends and contacts. Networking is gonna be a b**ch, Bambi.
That you come out of your comfort zone.
The trust comfort zone? That one Mishy? Where we believed that our elected officials would actually represent us and uphold the Constitution?
That you push yourselves to do better, and that you engage.
I would say that I am fully engaged as an American Patriot – are you?
Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed…
Thanks for that Bambi! I have learned more about the corruption in Washington, the UN, and the Central Banks than I can stomach.
HR1388, S277 Serve America Act, National Service Programs bill has passed -78 ayes, 20 nays. Now we get to watch them pat each other on the back.
Another situation where we get to say “we are so screwed”.
Update: Full vote on this bill at 5pm eastern today.
It is currently 4pm eastern and the senate is in a quorum call. This bill, HR1388, S277, Serve America Act will be voted on later today and then we will all have the answer. I will be updating this post as events unfold. For more information of what has previously occurred, go here.
Highlight of the Day? ACORN is going to be receiving taxpayer money.
(as expected, these amendments are being voted down partisan lines)
5:27pm
HR1388, S277 Serve America Act, National Service Programs bill has passed – 78 ayes, 20 nays. Now we get to watch them pat themselves on the back.
I have started a new thread – main page – go here.
4pm eastern. The Senate is in a quorum call currently and will be holding the vote on Serve America Act later today.
Hatch (R-UT) is complimenting Mikulski on her “leadership” on this bill, and is very pleased with this bill. Making his final pitch to get everybody to vote for this bill. Hatch has been muted on my tv; can’t take anymore of it.
Mikulski (D-Maryland) is moving toward final passage of this bill S277 after National Security Briefing.
Burr (R-NC) amendment cosponsored by Mikulskiproposes required FBI database check for all volunteers.Voice vote – ayes have it – amendment is passed.
Vitter (R-LA) amendment – No money to ACORN or it’s affiliates. Mikulski (D-Maryland) brutally opposes this amendment (ranting away). The vote is to kill this amendment – yays53- nays43. Amendment has been killed and taxpayer money will be going to ACORN.
Update: voting on Baucus (D) amendment – passed. Thune (R-SD) amendment next up (Continue 35% tax deduction rate for charitable contributions) – struck down 49-48.
Update: Kirsten Gillibrand is gushing about this bill, “…harness millions of American minds…” Go here for interesting info on Mrs. Gillibrand. Also, Mrs. Gillibrand is an alumni of Davis, Polk & Wardwell who visits the Monster often and who is the firm that Annette Nazareth of “withdrawing from the Deputy Treasury Secretary fiasco” is a partner. Annette Nazareth had a formidable role at the SEC in changing the rules that created the derivative problem we are now facing.
Update: 3/26/09 – Voting on Amendments to this bill will continue at 2:30pm eastern today.
Update: 6:38am 3/26/09: More debate today – this is tracking with the “vote later this week” comment I saw somewhere in my travels. I will continue to update this post as the day progresses.
********
(Update: The Senate is still debating this bill. No vote as of yet. The votes that they have had today are all on amendments. As an aside – America is waking up; I had over 800 “searches” yesterday for HR1388 and today the little site is up to over 300 for HR1388 and S277. America IS waking up and the Congress better start paying attention.)
For those of you (and you know who you are – 46 times on the same page) who are still using IE 6.0….WTF? Time to change to Firefox.
March 25, 2009 1:21 am Eastern
There are reports floating around the Internet that the GIVE ACT (HR1388)/National Service Reauthorization Act (S3577)/Serve America Act (S277) has been passed by the Senate in a 74-14 vote according to Kate Phillips of The Obama NY Times. Sorry for those of you that want us to stop burning up the Senate’s switchboard and are using Obama’s primary voter suppression tactics with the following article. S277 – Serve America Act HAS NOT BEEN VOTED ON YET. I am not putting up the link for good reason; Google the title of the Obama Times article by Kate Phillips.
Now pay attention people:
The House passed HR1388 last week, S3577 was voted cloture on the 19th, and now has been bundled into S277 and is expected to be voted on “later this week”. It almost seems like they want to confuse you, huh?
National Service Corps Bill Clears Senate Hurdle
Following overwhelming House passage last week, the Senate tonight voted 74 to 14 on a procedural move that essentially guarantees a major expansion of a national service corps, a cornerstone of volunteerism that dates back to the era of President Kennedy. It’s akin to a call to arms by President Obama, who has harkened back to those early days to demand giving back by those who voted for him.
The NY Times wants you to believe that this is a done deal and everything is over. Look at the wording, “…the Senate tonight voted 74 to 14 on a procedural move“…. Want to see what they actually voted on? The cloture motion to stop debate and filibustering.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 35.
3/19/2009:
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S3577; text: CR S3577)
3/23/2009:
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S3592-3601)
3/23/2009:
Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74 – 14. Record Vote Number: 108. (consideration: CR S3600-3601; text: CR S3600)
NATIONAL SERVICE REAUTHORIZATION ACT–MOTION TO PROCEED — (Senate – March 19, 2009)<p><center><pre>[Page: S. 3577]
Sen. Harry Reid [D-NV]: Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to proceed to Calendar No. 35, H.R. 1388, the National Service Reauthorization Act.
Chair: Without objection, it is so ordered.
Sen. Harry Reid [D-NV]: Mr. President, I now move to proceed to Calendar No. 35, H.R. 1388, and I send a cloture motion to the desk.
Chair: The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
Chair: The bill clerk read as follows:
Chair: Cloture Motion
Chair: We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 35, H.R. 1388, a bill to reauthorize and reform the national service laws.
Sen. Harry Reid [D-NV]: Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture vote occur on Monday, March 23 at 6 p.m.; and that if cloture is invoked, then postcloture time count as if cloture had been invoked at 3 p.m. that day; further, that the mandatory quorum be waived.
THE BILL HAS NOT BEEN VOTED ON YET – KEEP CALLING!!!!!
(And now I am going to get back to the G20, China and the super-reserve currency because nada is happening for a few hours with this scary liberal leftist crap.)
