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323154842
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Community and Service Act, Washington, DC 11/16/90 [OA 8130]
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323154842
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Community and Service Act, Washington, DC 11/16/90 [OA 8130]
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13889-033
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Curt Smith Chronological Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Smith, Curt, Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1992
OA/ID Number:
13889
Folder ID Number:
13889-033
Folder Title:
Community and Service Act, Washington D.C., 11/16/90
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
18
29
1
5
(Smith/Garmey)
November 13, 1990
4 P.M.
SERVICE
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: COMMUNITY & SERVICE ACT
ROSE GARDEN
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1990
10 A.M.
Secretaries Dole, Lujan, and Yeutter. Senators Hatch,
Kennedy, Mikulski, and Pell. Congressmen Goodling and Hawkins.
It is a delight to welcome you to the White House, and to an
event which asks us to join hands, and link hearts, to light the
American sky. 11
That event is today's signing of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 -- a bill reminding us that from now on in
America, the definition of a successful life must include serving
others. 11 It seeks to aid those millions of Americans who give
of their time, and of themselves. Anywhere there is a need.
Anytime they are needed. //
( (Let me say that it's good to have all of you assembled
here. I've learned that one way to make my grandkids scatter in
all directions in a hurry is to say the words "any volunteers?""
( (Yet this is a great day for volunteers. Even though I had
to break it to Senator Gore this morning that it has nothing to
do with the Tennessee football team. 11 For this is the day the
thousand points of light switches to high voltage. )) 11
From the beginning, our Administration has sought to help
volunteers make a difference to those for whom the American Dream
has been an Impossible Dream. We call their involvement
2
national, or community, service. // They show what I mean by a
thousand points of light -- that vast galaxy of voluntary
associations and institutions working together to combat problems
in their own back yard. //
Emerson said of such volunteers, "The greatest gift is a
portion of thyself." De Tocqueville called them "America's
little platoons" -- groups and individuals, showing that we are
not defined by where we live, what we drive, or what kind of
clothes we wear. // They knew that America's greatness rests on
the goodness of her people. / And would rejoice -- as we should,
too -- that today there is no problem in America that is not
being solved somewhere. 11
The National Community and Service Act of 1990 will identify
programs that are working, and expand them across America. And I
want to thank those who made it reality -- a non- and bi-partisan
honor roll. // This Act will expand the ranks of America's
crusade to help drop-outs and pregnant teens. The hungry and the
homeless. It will issue a call to action that is individual and
collective. Summoning the young, and old, to become catalysts of
caring. 11
( (Let me tell a story which captures this concern. One day,
a man stepped abroad a train. As he did, a shoe slipped off and
landed on the track. Unable to retrieve it as the train was
moving, the man calmly took off his other shoe and threw it back
along the track in the direction of the first. / His fellow
passengers were amazed. Smiling, Mahatma Gandhi explained his
3
action: "The poor man who finds the shoe lying on the track will
now have a pair he can use. ) ) 11
That's the what of the Community and Service Act. / Here's
the how. // This legislation creates a Commission on National
Service to administer new grant programs from youth corps and
out-of-school youth to proven programs like foster grandparents
and the Peace Corps. / What's more, it provides Congressional
endorsement and funding for The Points of Light Foundation, of
which I am pleased to serve as Honorary Chairman. 11 By calling
on every business, union, school, place of worship, club, group
and organization to claim society's problems as their own, our
Foundation will help both sectors -- private and public -- and
all branches and levels of government -- extend public service
into every corner of America. 11
Already, almost half of all adult Americans -- 80 million -
- actively volunteer in some way in their community. The
National Community and Service Act can swell those figures, and
expand last year's almost $150 billion worth in man and woman
volunteer hours. It will help us reject the Me Generation in
favor of the We Generation. Building a movement -- bold, and
unprecedented -- that erects a cathedral of the spirit. //
As Americans, we measure life not by the sum of our
possessions -- but how we treat our neighbor. / In the soup
kitchen, day-care center, and corner church. As a tutor
combating illiteracy -- or teen visiting nursing homes. Proving
that volunteerism is one of the highest planes of patriotism. 11
4
So let us use "one on one" caring to solve problems. And
let me close with a story of how my wife Barbara met last year
with a group helping young Cambodians learn English. 11 While
she was there, an older lady told Barbara how lonely she had been
before she volunteered. Her eyes filled with tears at
remembering it. Then her face lit up as she told Barbara, "I've
never been lonely a day since.' " 11
More than two hundred years ago, Alexander Hamilton sent a
letter urging General Washington to seek the Presidency. He
wrote him, "The point of light in which you stand
will make
an infinite difference." //
National service can make an infinite difference. Aided by
legislation which can light the lives of a people, and a Nation.
Thank you for what you've done, and will do in the future. And
now, it is my great privilege to sign the National Community and
Service Act of 1990.
#
#
#
#
(Smith/Garmey)
November 14, 1990
2 P.M.
SERVICE
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: COMMUNITY & SERVICE ACT
ROOSEVELT ROOM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1990
10 A.M.
Secretaries Dole, Lujan, and Yeutter. Senators Hatch,
Kennedy and Mikulski. Congressmen Goodling and Hawkins. Welcome
to an event which reminds us that from now on in America, the
definition of a successful life must include serving others. //
That event is today's signing of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 -- a bill which seeks to aid encourage those millions
of Americans who give of their time, and of themselves. Anywhere
there is a need. Anytime they are needed. //
( (Let me say that it's good to have all of you assembled
here. I've learned that one way to make my grandkids scatter in
all directions in a hurry is to say the words "any volunteers?""
( (Yet this is a great day for volunteers. Even though I had
to break it to Senator Gore this morning that it has nothing to
do with the Tennessee football team. // For this is the day the
thousand points of light switches to high voltage. )) 11
the
Our Administration has long sought to help volunteers make a
difference to those for whom the American Dream has been an
Impossible Dream. We call their involvement national, or
community, service. // They show what I mean by a thousand
points of light -- that galaxy of voluntary eer groups and
individuals working to combat problems in their own back yard. //
2
De Tocqueville called such volunteers "little platoons" --
Americans showing that we are not defined by where we live, what
we drive, or what kind of clothes we wear. / He knew that a
Nation's greatness rests on the goodness of her people. And
would rejoice that today there is no problem in America that is
not being solved somewhere. //
The National Community and Service Act of 1990 will identify
programs that are working, and expand them across America.
And I
want to thank those who made it reality -- a bi-partisan honor
roll. // This Act will expand the ranks of America's crusade to
help drop-outs and pregnant teens. The hungry and the homeless.
Summoning the young, and old, to become catalysts of caring.
11d
That's the what of the Community and Service Act. / Here's
the how. // This legislation provides Congressional endorsement
and funding for The Points of Light Foundation, of which I am
pleased to serve as Honorary Chairman. // By calling on every
business, union, school, place of worship, and organization to
claim society's problems as their own, our Foundation will help
both sectors -- private and public -- and all branches of
government -- extend public service into every corner of America.
Already, almost half of all adult Americans -- 80 million -
- actively volunteer in some way in their community. The
National Community and Service Act can swell that total --
expanding last year's almost $150 billion worth in man and woman
volunteer hours. It will help us reject the Me Generation in
3
favor of the We Generation. Building a movement -- bold, and
unprecedented -- that erects a cathedral of the spirit. 11
As Americans, we measure life not by the sum of our
possessions -- but how we treat our neighbor. / In the soup
kitchen or corner church. As a tutor combating illiteracy -- or
teen visiting nursing homes. //
So let us use "one on one" caring. And let me close with a
story of how my wife Barbara last year met with a group helping
Cambodians learn English. While she was there, a lady told
Barbara how lonely she had been before she volunteered. Her eyes
filled with tears at remembering it. Then her face lit up as she
said, "I've never been lonely a day since. " //
More than two hundred years ago, Alexander Hamilton sent a
letter urging General Washington to seek the Presidency. He
wrote him, "The point of light in which you stand
...
will make
an infinite difference." //
National service can make an infinite difference. Aided by
legislation which can light the lives of a people, and a Nation.
Thank you for what you've done, and will do in the future. Now,
it is my privilege to sign the National Community and Service Act
of 1990.
#
#
#
#