WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and 15 bipartisan colleagues reintroduced the Cultivating Opportunity and Response 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 would increase the number of AmeriCorps positions available with the goal of creating 250,000 new service opportunities nationwide. These positions could support a variety of response and recovery efforts based on community needs, including expanding food pantry capacity, mentoring and tutoring students experiencing learning loss, helping to improve housing and environmental resiliency, and more.
“National service organizations create opportunity for Americans of different backgrounds to engage in meaningful solutions that make our communities stronger,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This legislation supports that effort and charts a path forward for COVID recovery.”
“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,” said Senator Coons. “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.”
“Our nation’s full recovery from the pandemic will require an all-hands approach,” said Senator Wicker. “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.”
In addition to Cassidy, Coons, and Wicker, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
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