OVERSIGHT AND REAUTHORIZATION OF ACTION

AGENCY, 1979

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1979

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT EDUCATION,

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met at 9:30 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 2257, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Paul Simon, chairman of the subcommittee, presiding.

Members present: Representatives Simon, Miller, Hawkins, Stack, Kramer, Erdahl, Coleman, and Ashbrook.

Staff present: Judith Wagner, staff director; Allen Cissell, deputy director; Thomas Birch, counsel; Sylvia Corbin, executive secretary; and Rhonda Barovsky, secretary.

Mr. SIMON. The subcommittee hearings will come to order.

We begin 5 days of hearings today which will provide both an opportunity for discussion of the reauthorization as well as an oversight function for the ACTION agency.

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON, PAUL SIMON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Today we begin 5 days of hearings which will provide both an oversight function and opportunity for discussion of the reauthorization of ACTION Agency domestic programs proposed in H.R. 2859. Because I am a new chairman for this subcommittee and because the Domestic Volunteer Act is a new area of jurisdiction for this Subcommittee, there has been (and remains) a great deal to learn about the ACTION Agency and the functioning of programs that are under our jurisdiction.

One of the best ways to learn how programs are working is to go out and talk to people where the work is being done and to see first-hand whether the reality matches the description on paper. I've been looking at VISTA projects in three different parts of the country during the past few weeks and I've found that in almost every case, the reality of the project more than equals the written description. In San Francisco, I visited handicapped VISTA volunteers working to increase the level of independence of other handicapped individuals at the Center for Independent Living. I saw the results of an innovative VISTA program that brings people together to provide alternative treatment for juvenile offenders. In Cincinnati, I talked with a Proctor and Gamble executive and other management personnel who volunteer their time and expertise to make community organizations in the poorest part of Cincinnati function smoothly. In this Urban Volunteer Program demonstration, the leaders of the community organizations learn accounting, bookkeeping, and the necessary skills to keep themselves in operation. And the volunteers learn about a portion of our society about which they had little knowledge.

In New York City there is a wide variety of VISTA projects. Rep. Arlen Erdahl and I saw some illustrations there of the best in our native spirit. The Adopt-a

Building program of the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs, a VISTA national grant funded organization, in the depressed lower east side of the city is such an illustration. Through "sweat-equity" and a great deal of coordination among private and governmental agencies-in which the VISTAS play a large role abandoned and dilapidated buildings are being restored and are then owned by the previous tenants. Those tenants do most of the restoration work, learn valuable construction skills, and have a permanent stake in the maintenance of the building and the community.

I'm aware of some of the criticisms and problems in the VISTA program. These are matters I hope to become more fully informed of during these hearings. One full day will be devoted to hearing from both national and standard grant VISTA supervisors, recipients, and volunteers.

The House Appropriations Committee last year assigned a team of investigators to look into charges raised against the ACTION Agency. The six investigators spent seven months inside the Agency and produced a report which, although not yet accepted as an official report of the Appropriations Committee, has been widely distributed and has been responded to by the ACTION Agency. We will have an opportunity for further clarification of these issues during questioning of Administration witnesses.

The issue of the continued viability of the ACTION Agency is also an area that has been suggested for our review, particularly in response to the Foreign Affairs Committee reporting of legislation to establish an independent Peace Corps. Until recommendations for reorganization are put forward-if they are by the Administration, we should focus on the need or lack of it to keep the programs that are under our jurisdiction functioning. Whatever action we take in providing additional funds and legislative language for these programs will in no way lock them into a permanent arrangement. The suggestion that there may be a reshuffling of program authority sometime in the future is no reason to neglect the well-being of these programs right now.

The Administration proposal for an Urban Volunteer Program is a major part of H.R. 2859. I have introduced this proposal on the Administration's request both as a discussion item and because my instinct is that it has substantial potential for good.

The relationship of the ACTION Agency to the rest of the volunteer community in this country, the recommendation to end funding for the University Year for ACTION program, and the suggestion of ACTION as the focus for National Youth Service programs are additional areas we will look into in these hearings. I appreciate your presence and look forward to a thorough discussion of the issues.

Mr. SIMON. Here I might add that I have asked my colleague, Representative George Miller, to preside over much of the hearings because it so happens that during these very days, we are tied up in marking up the budget which is important to ACTION as well as every other agency of the Federal Government. I am going to be tied up in those budget hearings.

Because I am a new chairman for this subcommittee and because the Domestic Volunteer Act is a new area of jurisdiction for this subcommittee, I have taken the liberty of visiting ACTION programs in three different cities: San Francisco, Cincinnati, and New York. Representative Erdahl of our subcommittee joined me at the New York visit. I have to say that I was very impressed by what I saw.

I am also aware that there have been some criticisms of ACTION and some of the programs. We will be going into some of those criticisms and some of the problems during the hearings.

One full day will be devoted to hearing from both national and standard VISTA supervisors, recipients, and volunteers.

The House Appropriations Committee last year assigned a team of investigators to look into the charges raised against the ACTION

agency.

The six investigators spent 7 months inside the agency, and produced a report which, although not yet accepted as an official report of the Appropriations Committee, has been widely distributed, and has been responded to by the ACTION agency. We will have an opportunity for further clarification of the issues raised by that report. We will be taking a look at the whole question of the performance of ACTION, and how it should proceed.

One of the questions that has come up is whether we should get into the Peace Corps question, and it would be the ruling of the Chair that this would be the jurisdiction of another committee rather than of this committee.

The administration proposal for an urban volunteer program is a major part of H.R. 2859 which I have introduced, together with Chairman Carl Perkins, at the request of the administration.

My impression is that the program has the potential for a great deal of good.

[The text of H.R. 2859 follows:]

[COMMITTEE PRINT]

MAY 4, 1979

[Showing H.R. 2859, as reported by the Subcommittee on Select Education on May 2, 1979]

96TH CONGRESS

18T SESSION

H. R. 2859

To authorize appropriations for programs under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, to amend such Act to facilitate the improvement of programs carried out thereunder, to authorize urban volunteer programs, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 13, 1979

Mr. SIMON (for himself and Mr. PERKINS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

A BILL

To authorize appropriations for programs under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, to amend such Act to facilitate the improvement of programs carried out thereunder, to authorize urban volunteer programs, and for other purposes.

1

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa

2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

2

1 That this Act may be eited as the "Domestie Volunteer

2 Service Aet Amendments of 1979".

3

SEO. 2. Section 108(b) of the Domestie Volunteer Serv 4 iee Act of 1973 (Public Law 98-113); (hereinafter the 5 "Act") is amended by striking out "Prior to" in the second 6 sentence and inserting in lieu thereof "Within thirty days 7 after".

8

SEO. 3. Section 105(a)(2) of the Act is amended by 9 amending the first sentenee thereof to read as follows: "Sti10 pends shall be payable only upon completion of a period of 11 service, except that under such circumstances as the Director 12 shall determine, in accordance with regulations which the Di13 reeter shall prescribe, the accrued stipend, or any part there14 of, may be paid to the volunteer, or, on behalf of the volun15 teer, to members of the volunteer's family or others during 16 the period of the volunteer's service.".

SEO. 4. Section 114(a) of the Aet is amended by

(a) striking out “Of the funds appropriated for the operation of programs under this part, up to 10 per eentum may be used, notwithstanding any other provisions of this part," in the first sentence and inserting

in lieu thereof "The Direeter is authorized to conduct,

or make grants or contracts for programs"; and

(b) striking out the second sentence thereof.