1. Block off 30 minutes in your daily schedule to take action in support of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act of 2009 (H.R. 1596).  We request you give this issue your undivided attention for that time frame.

Time required: 1 minute

 

 

2. If you do not know his/her name, locate your U.S. Congressperson using our Congressional locator tool.  If you already know the name of your U.S. Congressperson, please proceed directly to action step # 3.  If your Congressperson has already co-sponsored H.R. 1596 (see the list at bottom), simply call to thank your Congressperson for co-sponsoring the bill.

Time required: 2 minutes
 

 

3. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to be transferred to your U.S. Congressperson.  Use this call-in script as a guide to request his/her co-sponsorship of HR 1596 (Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act of 2009).  Be sure to ask to speak to the person in charge of national service, and make it clear you want your Congressperson to co-sponsor H.R. 1596.

Time Required: Time required: 4 minutes

 

 

4. Write  and fax a personal letter to your Congressperson explaining why you would like him/her to support H.R. 1596.  We encourage you to share your story of service, and describe how the taxation of the Education Award affected you.  Fax #'s are located on your Congressperson's website (access at www.house.gov.)  In your fax, please also include a copy of Rep. Lewis' Dear Colleague letter

Time required: 20 minutes

 

 

5. E-mail five of your alumni/ national service friends and ask them to take the above action steps as soon as possible.

Time required: 3 minutes

 

 

 

Through these actions, you can help aid the passage of H.R. 1596, a long overdue piece of national service legislation that will positively revamp the purchasing power of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.  If you have any questions or comments, contact Greg Heinrich at gheinrich@americorpsalums.org.

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