House Committee Approves National-Service Bill

The House Education and Labor Committee today approved a bill to expand the country’s national-service programs — the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act — by a vote of 34 to 3.

The legislation, H.R. 1388, is expected to go to the full House for a vote next week.

A summary of the bill is available on the committee’s Web site.

It excludes one provision that was in the original text — a Volunteer Generation Fund, which would provide grants to help nonprofit groups recruit and manage volunteers. But a House aide said that measure would be added as an amendment from the House floor.

The Senate is debating a similar bill, the Serve America Act, which is expected to be voted on next week by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.