Editorial: Keep AmeriCorps at its full strength

Tuesday, July 1, 2003 | 9:01 a.m.

AmeriCorps, the national community service program that last year had 50,000 volunteers, is hurting. Because of a shortfall within the program's budget, AmeriCorps will have to make drastic cuts, paring its force to just 30,000 volunteers for the coming year. The volunteers' contributions are invaluable: They serve community faith-based groups, nonprofit organizations, schools and and other groups. Some of them mentor children who are struggling in school and yet others help build and restore housing. Many of the members of AmeriCorps are college graduates, who in return receive a modest stipend and an education award of up to $4,725 to help them pay back their student loans.

Many Republicans initially resisted the program when it was formed in 1993, opposition due in large part to the fact it was President Clinton's idea to create a domestic version of the Peace Corps. But bipartisan support for the program has grown steadily as Republicans have seen the value of the initiative. States and local governments have been advocates of AmeriCorps because it has reduced some of the strain they've felt to provide needed social services. A bipartisan group in Congress wants to make sure AmeriCorps gets the annual funding it needs to pay for the 50,000 volunteers -- $200 million. Unfortunately the funding proposal has stalled in Congress. It's up to President Bush, who backs the program, to push Congress to pass the funding. The president hasn't been willing to help the states with their fiscal crises, but the least he could do is make sure AmeriCorps has the funding it deserves to carry out these good works.