April 22, 2009
"We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be. That's for you to discover. But I'm asking you to stand up and play your part. I'm asking you to help change history's course, put your shoulder up against the wheel. And if I - if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century."
- President Barack Obama at the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
I was privileged to be there yesterday when President Barack Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act - the largest federal expansion of national service since the New Deal.
To watch the President's speech click here. To read a transcript click here.
All of us at City Year are deeply grateful to President Barack Obama for making a bold expansion of national service a top priority of his first one hundred days in office, and to Senator Kennedy and Senator Hatch for authoring the bill and demonstrating the power of bipartisan leadership to move our nation forward. Their leadership, and that of Senators Enzi and Mikulski and Representatives Miller, McKeon, McCarthy and Platts in the U.S. House ensured strong bipartisan support for this historic legislation. The legislation builds upon the significant work of prior Administrations - of President George H. W. Bush, President William Jefferson Clinton, who launched AmeriCorps, and President George W. Bush - all who recognized the federal government's role in developing a robust national service initiative.
We are also deeply grateful to the thousands of people and organizations across the country who championed a dramatic expansion of national service in America.
It is especially meaningful to all of us at City Year that the legislation is named for Senator Edward Kennedy, who has dedicated his life to public service and to expanding service opportunities to others - and who has been City Year's greatest champion since our founding twenty years ago.
We are inspired, challenged and ready to move forward together to help realize the bold vision set forth in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act to meet the pressing problems in our communities and country by releasing the civic energy and idealism of the American people through service and social innovation.
Yours in Service,
Michael Brown
CEO and Co-Founder
City Year, Inc.