{"id":2959,"date":"2025-04-18T16:46:58","modified":"2025-04-18T16:49:13","slug":"the-washington-post-sen-john-fetterman-criticizes-trumps-gutting-of-americorps","link":"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/the-washington-post-sen-john-fetterman-criticizes-trumps-gutting-of-americorps\/","title":{"rendered":"The Washington Post: Sen. John Fetterman criticizes Trump\u2019s gutting of AmeriCorps"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In The Press<\/strong><\/p>\n

April 17, 2025<\/p>\n\n

By:\u00a0Mariana Alfaro<\/a><\/p>\n\n

The Washington Post: Sen. John Fetterman criticizes Trump\u2019s gutting of AmeriCorps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Washington, D.C.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Sen. John Fetterman on Thursday criticized President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to\u00a0slash AmeriCorps<\/a>, an organization that deploys thousands of young people to work on community service projects across the United States \u2014 and one that the Pennsylvania Democrat was once part of.<\/p>\n\n

After graduating from college in 1995, Fetterman joined AmeriCorps as a member of its second class. Through the program, Fetterman worked in Pittsburgh helping young parents earn their GEDs and installing the first computer lab in a community that he said would have otherwise struggled to afford a full-time staff. A stipend Fetterman received through AmeriCorps helped him pay for graduate school at Harvard University.<\/p>\n\n

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A photo of the computer lab Sen. John Fetterman taught in during his time in AmeriCorps.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

After getting his graduate degree, Fetterman moved to Braddock, a town neighboring Pittsburgh, and started a program helping youths finish their GEDs. Through AmeriCorps, he was also able to fund a program helping young people find jobs in the community, which has been ongoing since 2006. By then, Fetterman had been elected Braddock\u2019s mayor.<\/p>\n\n

In a call with The Washington Post, Fetterman said Trump\u2019s decision to gut AmeriCorps \u2014 staff there began\u00a0receiving notices<\/a>\u00a0Wednesday placing them on paid administrative leave \u201ceffective immediately\u201d \u2014 will put an end to civic engagement programs like that.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThis is just \u2026 absolutely stupid and punitive,\u201d Fetterman said. \u201cIt\u2019s not DEI, it\u2019s not woke, it\u2019s just \u2014 it\u2019s essentially the domestic Peace Corps, and it\u2019s national service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

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Fetterman said AmeriCorps allowed young people interested in civil service to work in communities across the country that needed attention and staffing but that could not fully afford it. The program, he said, made communities safer and provided income for young people starting out. Cutting it, he said, will not save the government much money.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s part of the very best of us,\u201d Fetterman said. \u201cIf you destroy national service, what kind of a statement [does] that make?\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false}}