The GIVE Act’ H.R.1388 — “To reauthorize and reform the national service laws” — was introduced March 9 by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (N.Y.) with 12 co-sponsors (Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Del. Gregorio Sablan (I-MP), Rep. Phil Hare (D-Ill.), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Penn.), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas), Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)).
It should come as no surprise to RBO readers that four of the original co-sponsors (33%) — Grijalva, Hare, Hirono, and Miller — are current members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; Grijalva is CPC co-chair.
There are 25 co-sponsors, eight more of which are also CPC members: Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Penn.); Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.); Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), CPC vice chair; Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.); Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.); Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.); Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.); and Rep. Lynne Woolsey (D-Calif.), CPC co-chair.
You can almost expect more of the same 2002 crowd from the Congressional Progressive Caucus to sign on: Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.); Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.); Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.); Rep. Rosa DaLauro (D-Conn.) — or others who have taken the place of former CPC members. http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?ContentID=166&ParentID=0&SectionID=4&SectionTree=4&lnk=b&ItemID=164
The bill appears to be on the House vote fast track. “Because representatives of the House, Senate and White House have been working together on a bipartisan basis for weeks, the skids are now greased for quick Senate passage of the Kennedy-Hatch Act for national service, the only specific piece of legislation the president mentioned in his address to Congress last month. Differences between the House and Senate versions will be minor.”
Not only that, three guesses as to the membership of the Education and Labor Committee. Here’s a clue — Miller is Committee Chair. The others? Andrews, Clarke, Grijalva, Hare, Hinojosa, Hirono, Kildee, McCarthy, Payne, Polis, Sestak, Tierney, Tonko, and Woolsey.
There are three more co-sponsors who are not members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — but are members of the Education and Labor Committee: Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.); Rep. Gregorio Sablan (MP); Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.).
Want to take any bets against this bill passing in the House? Any takers?
So. What’s the big deal? What’s this all about?
Let’s look at what the blogosphere has to say: