Supporting the designation of the second Friday of June as "National Service and Conservation Corps Day".

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1359 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1359

 Supporting the designation of the second Friday of June as ``National 
                 Service and Conservation Corps Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2026

Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Supporting the designation of the second Friday of June as ``National 
                 Service and Conservation Corps Day''.

Whereas there exists a network of National Service Programs (in this resolution 
        referred to as ``Service and Conservation Corps'') that receive funding 
        pursuant to subtitle C of the National and Community Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 12571 et seq.);
Whereas such network includes more than 140 Service and Conservation Corps 
        across the country;
Whereas these Service and Conservation Corps annually provide education, 
        workforce development, and support services to nearly 22,000 young 
        adults and post-9/11 veterans;
Whereas today's Service and Conservation Corps are locally based organizations 
        that engage young adults (generally ages 16 to 25) and veterans (up to 
        age 35) in service projects that address recreation, conservation, 
        disaster response, and community needs;
Whereas these Service and Conservation Corps are direct descendants of the 
        Civilian Conservation Corps, a Great Depression-era Federal work relief 
        program that mobilized 3,000,000 young men to dramatically improve the 
        Nation's public lands;
Whereas Civilian Conservation Corps participants received food, shelter, 
        education, and a $30-a-month stipend;
Whereas, from 1933 to 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps planted 
        3,000,000,000 trees and helped build trails, roads, campgrounds, and 
        other park infrastructure still in use today;
Whereas the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its founding 
        in 2026, a milestone that highlights the enduring importance of civic 
        engagement, public service, and stewardship of the Nation's natural and 
        cultural resources;
Whereas most modern Service and Conservation Corps are nonprofits or are 
        operated by units of State or local government;
Whereas, through public-private partnerships, Service and Conservation Corps 
        work with a range of organizations, government agencies, and 
        institutions to engage Corpsmembers in meaningful projects that address 
        local and national issues;
Whereas, through a term of service that could last from a few months to a year, 
        Corpsmembers experience the ``Corps Model'', where they gain work 
        experience and develop in-demand skills;
Whereas Corpsmembers are compensated with a stipend or living allowance and 
        often receive an education award or scholarship upon completing their 
        service;
Whereas, additionally, Corps provide participants with educational programming, 
        mentoring, and access to career and personal counseling, and some Corps 
        operate or partner with charter schools to help participants earn their 
        high school diploma or GED;
Whereas Corpsmembers contribute to the preservation of historic sites, cultural 
        resources, and public lands that reflect the Nation's 250-year history;
Whereas Corpsmembers complete thousands of community improvement, resilience, 
        and resource conservation projects every year, strengthening the 
        Nation's communities as it approaches its 250th anniversary;
Whereas Corpsmembers typically serve on crews alongside other young adults, or 
        in ``individual placement'' or internship positions that provide 
        additional capacity to Federal, State, and local resource management 
        agencies;
Whereas Service and Conservation Corps have longstanding partnerships with 
        Federal, State, and local community development and resource management 
        agencies to engage Corpsmembers in meaningful and necessary projects 
        across the country;
Whereas Service and Conservation Corps projects include--

    (1) the enhancement of neighborhoods and community public spaces, 
including urban gardens;

    (2) the preservation and protection of public lands, shorelines, 
waterways, habitat, and wildlife;

    (3) the preservation of historic structures;

    (4) providing access to and the enhancement of recreation on public 
lands and waters;

    (5) enhancing resilience to natural disasters;

    (6) mitigation, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, 
including hurricanes and wildfire;

    (7) improving energy efficiency and resource conservation; and

    (8) building and maintaining alternative transportation and sustainable 
infrastructure;

Whereas the United States needs to respond to decades of deferred maintenance on 
        public lands and waters and make its communities more resilient;
Whereas the United States also has millions of young people facing unemployment 
        and barriers to opportunity; and
Whereas the existing network of more than 140 Service and Conservation Corps are 
        ready to meet the needs of these young Americans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of a ``National Service and 
        Conservation Corps Day'';
            (2) congratulates the existing network of more than 140 
        Service and Conservation Corps on their contributions to the 
        United States;
            (3) urges the citizens of the United States to recognize 
        the importance of national service;
            (4) supports the continuation and expansion of the national 
        network of Service and Conservation Corps under the National 
        and Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.); and
            (5) recognizes the role of Service and Conservation Corps 
        in honoring the Nation's 250-year legacy of civic engagement 
        and public service.
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