[Dreamtwister]

Looks like Rahm "ironic" Emanuel got his wish today.

HR 1388, the "Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act" (GIVE for short) passed Congress today 321-105.

Enjoy your mandatory volunteer service, folks.

[smallpoxgirl]

Wanna give us the cliff notes version? Looks to me like a bunch of pork for non-profits. Sort of like Bush's "faith based initiatives" but without all the evangelism.

[Dreamtwister]

Sure, let's start with Sec 1203:

Look at how it rewrites Subtitle B of title I (42 U.S.C. 12521 et seq.) to include "Youth engagement zone programs"

(3) YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ZONE PROGRAM- The term `youth engagement zone program' means a service learning program in which members of an eligible partnership described in paragraph (4) collaborate to provide coordinated school-based or community-based service learning opportunities, to address a specific community challenge, for an increasing percentage of out-of-school youth and secondary school students served by local educational agencies where--

`(A) not less than 90 percent of the students participate in service-learning activities as part of the program; or

`(B) service-learning is a mandatory part of the curriculum in all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency.

The targeted institutions will only be eligible for this pork if they make the "service learning" programs mandatory.

Or how about Section 115?

`SEC. 115. PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

`(a) In General- To the extent consistent with the number of students in the State, Territory, or Indian tribe or in the school district of the local educational agency involved who are enrolled in private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools, such State, Territory, Indian tribe, or agency shall (after consultation with appropriate private school representatives) make provision--

`(1) for the inclusion of services and arrangements for the benefit of such students so as to allow for the equitable participation of such students in the programs implemented to carry out the objectives and provide the benefits described in this part; and

`(2) for the training of the teachers of such students so as to allow for the equitable participation of such teachers in the programs implemented to carry out the objectives and provide the benefits described in this part.

`(b) Waiver- If a State, Territory, Indian tribe, or local educational agency is prohibited by law from providing for the participation of students or teachers from private nonprofit schools as required by subsection (a), or if the Corporation determines that a State, Territory, Indian tribe, or local educational agency substantially fails or is unwilling to provide for such participation on an equitable basis, the Chief Executive Officer shall waive such requirements and shall arrange for the provision of services to such students and teachers. Such waivers shall be subject to the requirements of sections 9503 and 9504 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7883 and 7884).

So the agency in question must make arrangements to provide these programs. If they fail to do so, or are barred from doing so by state law, the federal government will do it for them.

Oh, and here's one for all of you "big brother" lovers:

SEC. 1710. STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CENTRALIZED ELECTRONIC CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION SYSTEM.

(a) Study- The Corporation for National and Community Service shall conduct a study to determine the effectiveness of a centralized electronic citizenship verification system which would allow the Corporation to share employment eligibility information with the Department of Education in order to reduce administrative burden and lower costs for member programs. This study shall identify--

(1) the costs associated with establishing this program both for the Corporation and for the Department of Education;

(2) the benefits or detriments of such a system both for the Corporation and for the Department of Education;

(3) strategies for ensuring the privacy and security of member information that is shared between agencies and member organizations;

(4) the information that needs to be shared in order to fulfill employment eligibility requirements; and

(5) recommendations for implementation of such a program.

(b) Consultation- The study shall be carried out in consultation with the Department of Education and other individuals and entities the Corporation considers appropriate.

(c) Report- Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Corporation shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study required by subsection (a), together with a plan for implementation of a pilot program using promising strategies and approaches identified in such study, if the Corporation determines such program to be feasible.

(d) Pilot Program- From amounts made available to carry out this section, the Corporation shall develop and carry out a pilot program based on the findings in the report submitted under subsection (c), if Congress deems such a program to be feasible.

(e) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

What exactly this has to do with a national "volunteer" program is beyond me, but it's in there.

There's even sections in there on compensation for their "volunteers" of up to $23,000/year and a uniform allowance. And notice the target markets? Students from primary school up, and aging (read: unemployed and desperate) baby boomers.

I'm sure there's more, but you get the idea.