EDITORIAL: Shut down Americorps Boondoggle still flunks audits.
No one opposes young people volunteering their time and energies to help the less fortunate.
But let U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., do his job as financial monitor of "Americorps" -- the cadre of college student "volunteers" being paid by the federal government to work at Democrat-approved projects (think they pay anyone to help Weyerhaeuser cut trees? To help poor children learn markmanship or gunsmithing?) -- and Mr. Clinton's apologists accuse the congressman of being "overzealous" and "unfair."
After seven years of trying to get it right, the Americorps boondoggle -- all they're supposed to do is pay small stipends and award scholarships to college volunteers -- still can't explain where the money goes.
Rep. Hoekstra has managed to figure out where some of the money goes. When the military base at San Francisco's Presidio was closed, many expected that valuable real estate might be released to the public sector, helping to relieve the city's desperate housing shortage.
Instead, the administration now spends $1.1 million per year operating the site as an Americorps training center -- the equivalent of using gold bricks from Fort Knox as fishing weights.
"How can you ask for more money for an organization that can't keep its books?" asked Mr. Hoekstra, after Americorps failed another audit on March 3.
The program's officers explain they're doing good works, and that seven years isn't long enough to hire competent bookkeepers. Problem is, that means they can't document that they're doing enough good works to justify an annual allocation of three-quarters of a billion dollars -- or even whether the college-age volunteering might continue unabated, even if Americorps were shut down completely.
Which is precisely what Congress should now do.
(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Rosie K. Mauk, a longtime champion of volunteer service on the state and national level, has been named Director of AmeriCorps, the national service program that engages 50,000 Americans annually in service to meet community needs.
Mauk, who worked with President Bush on service initiatives when he was Governor of Texas, takes office at a time of intense interest in AmeriCorps. Last night President Bush announced that AmeriCorps members will support homeland security efforts in the areas of public safety, public health and disaster preparedness. In October, AmeriCorps kicked off its eighth year of service with its largest class ever, and inquiries from potential members have jumped 30 percent since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Political leaders of all stripes are weighing proposals to expand AmeriCorps to provide more opportunities for Americans to serve their country.
"Since September 11, our nation has seen a tremendous outpouring of patriotism and civic pride, and people are asking what more they can do," Mauk said from her home in Fort Worth, Texas. "For many, we hope the answer is AmeriCorps. By helping our neighbors and taking responsibility for others, we reaffirm what's best about America. An active citizenry dedicated to community service is fundamental to our democracy."
Mauk has served on the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service since 1995, having twice been appointed by Governor Bush. She helped found and is chair of the American Association of State Service Commissions, and is president of Camp Fire USA's National Board of Directors.
"It's obvious from the President's speech last night that he is committed to expand opportunities for Americans to serve their nation," Mauk said. "I welcome the chance to help make the President's vision of involved citizens and communities of character a reality. National service transcends the agenda of any one political party. It is America's agenda, especially in these challenging times."
For the past 25 years, Mauk has been a strong advocate of community service and an active participant in many volunteer and charitable organizations. A longtime resident of Fort Worth, she has served on the boards of United Ways of Texas and the Preservation Society of Fort Worth, and has been president of the AIDS Outreach Center and a founding board member of the Volunteer Center of Tarrant County. Mauk spearheaded a fundraising drive for the YWCA of Tarrant County that raised $5 million to build a new homeless childcare center. She has won numerous awards, including the Governor's Volunteer Leadership Award, Fort Worth Woman of the Year, and a 1999 Daily Point of Light award. Born in Toledo, Ohio, Mauk is a graduate of University of Toledo.
"Rosie has committed her entire adult life to service and volunteerism. That experience will serve her well as she leads AmeriCorps into a new era of success," said Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers AmeriCorps. "I am especially looking forward to her building more connections between all levels of national service and making AmeriCorps an even more powerful resource to America's outstanding volunteer sector."
AmeriCorps has been operating under the direction of Robert Torvestad since January. Mauk will begin her assignment on November 13th. For more information about AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, visit www.nationalservice.org.