I note that all 476 pages of Senate bill 277, named in honor of a poor swimmer, has been passed and signed. This bill is “to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand and improve opportunities for service, and for other purposes.” It appears there was some disagreement as to what purposes, since after that line, 160 pages of the bill’s text have been crossed out. Many pages follow, outlining programs for increased education and funding, until some interesting paragraphs on page 241.

These define some other types of national service programs.

Part A addresses rural poverty, health services and job training. Part B, though, is a bit more broad in scope. “A program (i) that engages participants in public health, emergency and disaster preparedness, and other public safety activities; (ii) that may include the recruitment of qualified participants for, and placement of the participants in, positions to be trainees as law enforcement officers, firefighters, search and rescue personnel, and emergency medical services workers; and (iii) that may engage Federal, State, and local stakeholders, in collaboration, to organize more effective responses to issues of public health, emergencies and disasters, and other public safety issues.”

That’s rather odd wording, finding participants to be trainees for law enforcement officers, etc. Who could these participants be? One group, according to part F, is a program “(i) that has as 1 of its primary purposes the recruitment and acceptance of court-involved youth and adults as participants, volunteers, or members; and (ii) that may serve any purpose otherwise permitted under this Act.” That can’t really mean what it says, can it? It sure sounds like “court-involved youth” could become trainees for law enforcement officers. I’m not quite sure what that would hope to accomplish.

By page 304, we reach the National Civilian Community Corps. This is defined as “residential and other service programs that combine the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service, including leadership and team building, to meet national and community needs. The needs to be met under such programs include those needs related to (1) natural and other disasters; (2) infrastructure improvement; (3) environmental stewardship and conservation; (4) energy conservation; and (5) urban and rural development.” Who are the members of this group? Page 307 says an enrollee must be between 18 and 24 years old, and by 2012, 50% of those enrolled must be “disadvantaged youth.”

Since this bill is amending an earlier bill, there is are a lot of directions on how that earlier bill is amended, as an example this kind of statement is often found “by amending the subsection heading to read….” Or something like “in paragraph (1), by inserting…” In this section on the Community Corps, the tone of the old bill is changed greatly. Where there was “superintendent,” there is now “campus director.” “Camp” has become “Campus.” Makes it sound very educational. And these camps/campuses are to be located “such that each Corps unit in a region can be easily deployed for disaster and emergency response to such region.” There are many natural disasters across the United States in a given year, but it seems that our current emergency personnel have done a good job of dealing with them – I didn’t realize we needed an entire civilian Corps to assist. We do already have the National Guard.

Not everyone can be part of this Serve America Act. If the individual is going to receive any kind of money (and there is a lot of money in this Act), then he or she must have a criminal history check. How many criminal offenses will disqualify one? How about two. If the person is a sex offender, or if the person has been convicted of murder. That leaves a lot of criminal activity on the “good” list. Theoretically, the Corps members who would show up at a problem might be bringing bigger problems with them.

I won’t begin to speculate on whether this Act is a good thing or a bad thing, but much of what I read sounds ominous. It’s like there’s another agenda hidden in it and I can’t quite see it. Surely I am mistaken and the government knows what is best for us. But, I doubt it.