Washington — Senator Evan Bayh introduced legislation today to make it more financially feasible for Hoosiers to give back to their communities, co-sponsoring a bill to increase the educational benefit offered under the AmeriCorps program to keep pace with the rising cost of college tuition.

Established in 1994, AmeriCorps funds opportunities for Americans to give back to their communities in areas such as disaster response, education, environmental protection, and public health and safety support. Nearly 8,500 Hoosiers answered the AmeriCorps call to service since the program’s inception.

“Hoosiers participating in the AmeriCorps program are tackling some of our nation’s toughest problems,” Senator Bayh said. “The investment we make in this program pays dividends many times over in the good works done in local communities. Unfortunately, many of our graduates today are saddled with significant debt when they get out of school. This is an important step we can take to ensure that public service does not become financially prohibitive for young people who want to give back.”

To encourage participation, AmeriCorps disburses funds through the Segal Education Award program to offset tuition costs or pay back qualified student loans. Bayh, a vocal advocate of public service programs, introduced legislation today with Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) to raise the educational award to $6,185, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2007-2008 year according to the College Board.

Currently, AmeriCorps members qualify for a $4,725 educational award, an amount unchanged since 1994. Bayh’s legislation also makes the AmeriCorps educational award tax-exempt.

The AmeriCorps Act of 2008 also will restore the Corporation’s ability to partner with other federal agencies, increasing service opportunities, and promote the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps’ parent organization, to a Cabinet level position.

More than a half-million Americans have contributed 705 million hours of community service since AmeriCorps’ inception.

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