Statement of Administration Policy: S. 1426 - Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1989

(Senate)
(Dodd (D) CT and 9 others)

The Administration supports reauthorization of the volunteer programs administered by the ACTION agency and has proposed legislation (S. 1298) for this purpose.

The Administration objects, however, to Senate passage of S. 1426 unless it is amended to (1) reduce the bill's appropriation authorizations and (2) eliminate restrictions on ACTION'S ability to administer its programs:

• The appropriation authorizations, which increase to $325.8 million for FY 1993, are excessive. For FY 1990, the level of $224.3 million compares with the Administration's request of $170.4 million, which was the FY 1989 appropriated level.

• The bill contains undesirable restrictions on administration of the VISTA program, including specifying a minimum amount that must be spent for recruitment activities; mandating recruitment of 20 percent of volunteers from those aged 18 to 27; prescribing a complex recruitment and placement plan; requiring a specified minimum number of volunteers each year; and retaining a separate VISTA Literacy Corps.