The advisory committee appointed by President Bush to develop legislation promoting community service and volunteerism will release its recommendations before Christmas, a spokesman for the panel said last week.
The aide to Gov. Thomas H. Kean of New Jersey, who chairs the Points of Light Foundation advisory committee, said the panel would meet here this week to give final approval to its proposals, which would then be sent to the President.
Mr. Bush has called for spending $100 million over four years on the foundation, which would foster service opportunities for all Americans.
As described by Mr. Bush, the foundation would be a nonprofit government corporation run by a 19- to 25-member board of directors appointed by the White House.
At the advisory committee’s first meeting in October, Gregg Petersmeyer, assistant deputy to the President for national service, described a plan to focus on three areas: youth, literacy, and substance abuse.
The focus on youths will use schools to “mobilize young people, parents, teachers, and community leaders to band together to engage in problem-solving within their own communities,” Mr. Petersmeyer explained.
Mr. Bush will “challenge” students to set up school partnerships with local businesses and religious and civic groups to work on local problems, the aide said.
A task force representing each partnership would provide service opportunities for young people outside of school, Mr. Petersmeyer suggested, as well as enable adults to volunteer in schools.
The foundation also will offer recognition to outstanding young volunteers and ask leaders of successful school-based programs to promote such efforts in other schools.
The advisory committee was asked to develop a specific strategy for the foundation to meet those goals.
Legislation to implement the panel’s recommendations probably will be introduced early next month, White House sources said.
House Bill Drafted
Meanwhile, draft legislation on youth service is circulating in the House, according to aides.
The draft bill is described as a compromise incorporating elements from the several bills on the topic that have won approval from various subcommittees over the past year.
The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee in August approved a bill providing $330 million to create a service network through schools, colleges, and a full-time youth-service corps.--lj
