This is too bad.  Americorps provides important funding for many great programs like Teach for America.

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June 17, 2006

NYT Editorial

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/17/opinion/17sat3.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Keeping the Faith With AmeriCorps

Only lately recovered from devastating budget cuts imposed by Congress three years ago, the nation's flagship program for volunteers, AmeriCorps, is again on the chopping block. Unless the Senate rescues it, or President Bush displays a sudden and unexpected burst of leadership, this proven force for good stands to be seriously harmed.

The current crisis originated with Mr. Bush. He voices strong support for AmeriCorps. Yet, the budget proposal he submitted to Congress in March called for eliminating the National Civilian Community Corps, an elite arm of AmeriCorps that is based on five regional campuses and is positioned to rapidly deploy well-trained teams to help out in national emergencies, like Hurricane Katrina.

The president's budget proposal also requests $20 million less than last year to support the work of other AmeriCorps members across the country, though AmeriCorps says it will use $13 million left over from the previous budget and make other adjustments to close that hole...