Service Year Alliance released the following statement in response to the House Appropriations L-HHS Subcommittee’s Proposed Cuts to AmeriCorps in the FY24 Budget:
“Service Year Alliance is deeply disheartened by the House Appropriations Labor, Health, and Human Services FY24 Subcommittee markup released last week, which would cut funding for AmeriCorps by 50 percent from FY23 levels — the lowest level of resources for the agency in nearly three decades. If enacted, the bill would remove tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members from communities nationwide, devastating nonprofits as well as faith-based and community organizations that rely on them to meet local needs. To make matters worse, the bill also shockingly cuts the entirety of the National Service Trust, a critical tool to increase postsecondary education access and affordability for those who serve, leaving AmeriCorps members empty-handed, without the education awards they rightfully earned.
National service has a long history of bipartisan support and a track record of results, from supporting local communities in the wake of fires, floods, and natural disasters to combating the opioid crisis, lowering energy costs for families, assisting veterans and military families, and tutoring and mentoring students. It also equips young people who serve with highly sought-after professional and leadership skills and puts them on pathways to careers and higher education. National service is a proven investment in youth workforce training that boosts our economy and remains a critical tool to meet urgent needs in communities large and small.
We urge Congress to reject these detrimental cuts that would slash the number of AmeriCorps members serving on the ground, eliminating pathways to opportunity for the next generation and leaving communities stranded and struggling. Service Year Alliance is committed to working alongside our partners and legislative champions in Congress, including the bipartisan leadership of the National Service Caucus, to ensure that a year of national service is an expectation and opportunity for all young Americans.”
