USA Freedom Corps was a White House office and fifth policy council (along with Domestic, Economic, National Security, and Homeland Security) within the Executive Office of the President of the United States under George W. Bush, who as President served as its chair. Bush announced its creation during his 2002 State of the Union Address, and the Corps was officially established the next day (30 January), describing itself as a "Coordinating Council... working to strengthen our culture of service and help find opportunities for every American to start volunteering."^[1]

A USA Freedom Corps Network and online clearinghouse promoted individual volunteer service opportunities within the United States and abroad and connected Americans to opportunities to serve in federal programs, such as AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and Senior Corps, or to find local service opportunities by zip code and interest. The council and office were also involved with U.S. federal government service programs and provided new support for these existing programs. AmeriCorps grew from 50,000 to 75,000 in 2004. The Peace Corps reached its highest levels in more than 30 years. Freedom Corps also created new programs such as the Citizen Corps for homeland security, Volunteers for Prosperity^[2] for international volunteering, and a President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which promoted the new President's Volunteer Service Award.

Henry C. Lozano was Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps from September 11, 2007 until July 25, 2008. He was preceded by Desiree Thompson Sayle and succeeded by Alison T. Young. The first director of the program was John Bridgeland, previously director of the Domestic Policy Council on George W. Bush's White House staff.

The USA Freedom Corps also announced it has begun to work "with educators and others to help increase civic awareness and participation" across the United States and hosted a White House Summit on American History, Civics and Service, resulting in new initiatives to support civic education at the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Archives. In his 2003 State of the Union Address, President Bush also announced that his USA Freedom Corps would provide new support school-based and community-based mentoring, including mentoring children of prisoners, working in partnership with his faith-based initiative. The goal to reach 100,000 children of prisoners with mentors was met.

Created within months of the 2001 September 11 attacks, the body sought in part to encourage volunteer participation in homeland security.

USA Freedom Corps put in place the first annual measurement of volunteer service at the Census Bureau. Volunteering rose from 59.8 million Americans from September 2001 to 65.4 million Americans by September 2005, sustaining the wave of volunteering that occurred after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.^[3]

The Corps came to international attention on January 3, 2005, when George W. Bush named former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to lead a major campaign, through the Corps, to raise funds from private individuals and businesses to provide humanitarian support for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. President Obama followed the USA Freedom Corps model by tapping Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to lead the fundraising efforts in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Key components of the USA Freedom Corps have been continued under the administration of President Obama, including the Volunteers for Prosperity program that was authorized under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act; the Citizen Corps for homeland security and its component programs—Volunteers in Police Service, Medical Reserve Corps, Community Emergency Response Teams, Fire Corps, and Citizen Corps Councils—the President's Volunteer Service Award; and the White House USA Freedom Corps office, now called the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which was under the USA Freedom Corps, was also continued by President Obama as the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

External links

References

^ "USA Freedom Corps: About USA Freedom Corps: Overview". Archived from the original on 14 January 2006. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
^ Office of the Press Secretary (September 30, 2003). "Volunteers for Prosperity" (PDF). Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: Federal Government of the United States. Archived from the original on September 30, 2003. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
^ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Volunteering in the U.S. 2002 -- 2005.

George W. Bush

43rd President of the United States (2001–2009)
46th Governor of Texas (1995–2000)

Presidency
(timeline)

Foreign policy	Bush Doctrine International trips Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement Trade Act of 2002 Trade promotion authority Australia Bahrain Chile Colombia Dominican Republic–Central America Morocco Oman Panama Peru Singapore South Korea 2002 steel tariff Darfur Peace and Accountability Act Mexico City policy PEPFAR Russia summits Slovenia Slovakia Space policy Vision for Space Exploration Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty USA Freedom Corps September 11 attacks Communication issues Military response Pre-attack intelligence Phoenix Memo August 2001 daily briefing War on terror 2001 AUMF Afghanistan War 2002 Iraq AUMF Iraq War financial cost 2008 Iraq SOFA Executive Order 13355 Executive Order 13470 H-1B Visa Reform Act of 2004 L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2004 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007
Domestic policy	Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act Amber alert Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Born-Alive Infants Protection Act Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Government response to September 11 attacks Rescue and recovery effort 9/11 Commission report criticism National Construction Safety Team Act NIST WTC Disaster Investigation Patriot Act President's Surveillance Program Terrorist Surveillance Program NSA warrantless surveillance Homeland Security Act of 2002 U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Security Entry-Exit Registration System No Fly List Secondary Security Screening Selection Terrorist Screening Center Terrorist Screening Database Real ID Act Protect America Act of 2007 FISA Amendments Act of 2008 Help America Vote Act Election Assistance Commission Higher Education Opportunity Act Higher Education Relief Opportunities For Students Act Hurricane Katrina Criticism of government response Disaster relief Medicare Modernization Act Medicare Part D No Child Left Behind Act Highly qualified teachers Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act President's Council on Service and Civic Participation award Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 Public Service Loan Forgiveness Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2006 VRA Amendments White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Economic policy	American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 Bush tax cuts Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Credit Rating Agency Reform Act Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 Energy Policy Act of 2005 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act Financial Literacy and Education Commission Red Flags Rule Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Forest Land Enhancement Program Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 Pension Protection Act of 2006 Public Law 110-343 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule SAFE Transportation Equity Act Sarbanes–Oxley Act Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006
Environmental policy	Clean Boating Act of 2008 Climate change policy Clear Skies Initiative Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration Executive Order 13432 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Healthy Forests Initiative Magnuson–Stevens Reauthorization Act Renewable Fuel Standard Renewable Identification Number Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act Water Resources Development Act of 2007

Life and
legacy

Speeches

September 20, 2001
Axis of evil
Mission Accomplished
State of the Union addresses
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008

Elections

U.S. House	1978
Gubernatorial	1994 1998
Presidential	2000 campaign primaries running mate selection convention debates election Bush v. Gore 2004 campaign primaries convention debates election

Public image

Books

Popular
culture

← Bill Clinton
Barack Obama →

Category

v t e Executive Office of the United States President
Executive Office	Advisory Boards (Council for Community Solutions, Corporation for National and Community Service, Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, President's Intelligence Advisory Board, President's Management Advisory Board) Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Digital Service Executive Residence (Committee for the Preservation of the White House, Office of the Curator, Office of the Chief Usher, Office of the Chief Floral Designer, Office of the Executive Chef, Graphics and Calligraphy Office) National Space Council National Security Council (Deputies Committee) Homeland Security Council Office of Administration (Office of Mail and Messenger Operations, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer) Office of Management and Budget (Office of the Chief Performance Officer, Office of E-Government and Information Technology, Office of Federal Financial Management, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs) Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of Science and Technology Policy (Office of the Chief Technology Officer, National Science and Technology Council) Office of the Trade Representative Office of the Vice President (Office of the Chief of Staff)
White House Office	Office of Cabinet Affairs Office of the Chief of Staff (Office of Senior Advisors) Office of Communications (Office of Media Affairs, Office of Research, Office of the Press Secretary, Office of Speechwriting) Counsel Counselor to the President Office of Digital Strategy Domestic Policy Council (Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Office of National AIDS Policy, Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, Rural Council) Fellows First Lady (Office of the Social Secretary) Office of the National Security Advisor (Homeland Security Advisor) Gun Violence Prevention Intergovernmental Affairs Legislative Affairs Management and Administration (White House Operations, White House Personnel, Visitors Office) National Economic Council National Trade Council Oval Office Operations (Personal Secretary) Office of Political Affairs Presidential Innovation Fellows Presidential Personnel Public Engagement (Council on Women and Girls, Jewish Liaison, Urban Affairs) Scheduling and Advance Staff Secretary (Executive Clerk, Presidential Correspondence, Office of Records Management) Military Office (Communications Agency, Medical Unit, Presidential Food Service, Transportation Agency)

See also

External links

References