This was a vote on an amendment offered by Rep. Loebsack (D-IA) to H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act (the “GIVE Act”). H.R. 1388 provided federal funds for local community service and volunteer efforts. The amendment authorized additional grants, above those that were already in the bill, for nonprofit groups, including faith-based organizations, and to States, to increase the supply of volunteers, and to strengthen volunteer infrastructure organizations throughout the country.

Rep. Loebsack said his amendment would add funding to the bill for grants to groups that will coordinate volunteers.  He described the additional funding as a “modest but critical Federal investment in a new volunteer generation fund that builds capacity and access for millions of new volunteers (that will) leverage billions of dollars in volunteer services to some of the country's neediest citizens.”

Rep. McKeon (R-CA) stated the reason for the Republican opposition to the amendment. He said: “(M)embers on both sides of the aisle have worked hard to strike a balance on this legislation. We have produced a major reorganization and renewal of national service programs, and we've done so without layering on unnecessary new programs.” McKeon characterized the amendment as “redundant” and noted: “The purpose of this amendment is to generate volunteers, which is the purpose of the whole bill . . . Rather than creating a new program, which this amendment does, we should work to achieve the goal of generating volunteers under the existing programs authorized in this legislation.”

The amendment passed by a vote of 261-168. Two hundred and fifty Democrats and eleven Republicans voted “aye”.  One hundred and sixty-three Republicans and five Democrats voted “nay”. As a result, additional funds to generate and coordinate volunteers and to strengthen volunteer organizations were added to the GIVE Act.