Steyer Campaign Press Release - Tom Steyer Announces New National Public Service Plan

Steyer's plan would be the largest peacetime expansion of national public service in American history.

(SAN FRANCISCO, September 17, 2019) — Today, Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer rolled out his New National Public Service Plan, a proposal for the largest peacetime expansion of national and community public service in American history. The launch coincides with celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which brought together AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other public service programs to strengthen civic ties in communities across the nation. Steyer's work to mobilize young voters and climate activists inspired him to develop this plan to bring together Americans of diverse backgrounds to heal our country's growing economic and social divides.

Steyer accepts the Serve America Together Presidential Challenge and within his first 100 days in office will commit $50 billion in federal investment to grow the number of supported service opportunities to one million positions by 2025, and a million per year thereafter. His plan will create a new cabinet-level agency called the National and Community Service Agency that will be charged with executing an emboldened national service agenda addressing urgent local needs, and a Civilian Climate Corps to help tackle the threat of climate change. As part of the expansion, Steyer would enhance the living stipend and educational benefits for participants to help tackle the student debt crisis and ensure that participants from all zip codes, ethnicities, genders, financial situations, and legal statuses have equal opportunity to serve their communities.

Arnie Sowell, the senior policy advisor to the campaign, said:

"This is a bold, unparalleled investment in national public service programs to unify Americans and communities from across the country in the fight to overcome challenges at home and abroad — from the opioid crisis to the educational achievement gap to criminal justice recidivism rates to homelessness and so much more. The Civilian Climate Corps is a no-brainer for anyone serious about protecting the environment."

Steyer's proposal is a way to unify the country in the wake of President Trump's divisive rhetoric and his actions. Trump has tried to gut existing national service programs every year of his presidency.

"I understand the value of strengthening civic bonds through public service and will work hard to repair all the damage Trump has wrought on our communities when I win in 2020," said Steyer. "Both of my parents, particularly my mother, who taught incarcerated prisoners, instilled in me a deep sense of civic duty."

Today, Steyer will join Unity in the Community, a non-profit based in Southwest Philadelphia that works on community empowerment and gun violence outreach, to talk to local residents about how to address the gun violence epidemic. The staff of Unity in the Community are prime examples of the commitment to service that Tom hopes to encourage through this program, and Philadelphia, as the City of Brotherly Love and the birthplace of this nation, is the perfect launching point for this initiative.

Paid for by Tom Steyer 2020.