Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 22, 1993 TAG: 9309220025
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The law, a watered-down version of Clinton's initial plan, gives as many as 100,000 youths tuition money, modest stipends, health insurance and child care in exchange for community service.
The president, who promised during last year's campaign to press for such a program, said he had "harbored this dream for years." He dubbed the first new program of his administration "AmeriCorps" and appointed Eli Segal, his chief lobbyist for the legislation, as the program's new head.
Clinton used two historic pens to sign the legislation during a carefully choreographed campaign-style rally on the South Lawn of the White House. One was used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create the Civilian Conservation Corps and the other by President John F. Kennedy to set up the Peace Corps.
He was backed by members of youth conservation groups from Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
More than 1,000 people involved in various community service programs crowded under a massive white tent to watch the bill signing. Overhead, gray skies threatened more of the showers that had soaked the nation's capital overnight.
The new law will allow students who complete two years of community service work to earn $4,725 a year to apply toward college tuition or student loans. Participants also would earn living allowances of at least $7,400 a year and health-care and child day-care benefits.
The first programs could be up and running by the middle of next year.
by CNB