Colin Powell on Welfare & Poverty Secretary of State (Pres. Bush Cabinet)

America's Promise helped 15M disadvantaged kids

Promise Five: Opportunities for community service

Even though youth are more likely to volunteer than adults, fewer than half of all youth consistently serve others. A result is that they miss this powerful opportunity for growth. Giving children and adolescents opportunities to serve others is an important strategy in shaping America’s future. Besides school-based community service, youth can contribute via:
• Religious congregations
• Neighborhood teams
• Service clubs
• Family volunteering
• Youth organizations
• Schools

Powell says, “I believe to the depth of my heart that a teenager who has spent a few hours a week helping a younger child learn to read, or spent a few hours at a hospice helping an older person reach the end of their life in dignity, is a changed person.”

Teach kids volunteerism while young

Reform the entitlement state, not just the welfare state

Promote energy security with more LIHEAP spending.

The National Energy Policy seeks to lessen the impact on Americans of energy price volatility and supply uncertainty. Such uncertainty increases as we reduce America ’s dependence on foreign sources of energy. At the same time, however, we recognize that a significant percentage of our resources will come from overseas. Energy security must be a priority of US trade and foreign policy. We must look beyond our borders and restore America ’s credibility with overseas suppliers. In addition, we must build strong relationships with energy-producing nations in our own hemisphere, improving the outlook for trade, investment, and reliable supplies. Energy security also requires preparing our nation for supply emergencies, and assisting low-income Americans who are most vulnerable in times of supply disruption, price spikes, and extreme weather.

To ensure energy security for our nation and its families, our report includes these recommendations:
• Dedicate new funds to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by funneling a portion of oil and gas royalty payments to LIHEAP when oil and natural gas prices exceed a certain amount.
• Double funding for the Department of Energy ’s Weatherization Assistance Program, increasing funding by $1. 4 billion over 10 years.
• Direct the Federal Emergency Management Administration to prepare for potential energy-related emergencies.
• Support a North American Energy Framework to expand and accelerate cross-border energy investment, oil and gas pipelines, and electricity grid connections by streamlining and expediting permitting procedures with Mexico and Canada. Direct federal agencies to expedite necessary permits for a gas pipeline route from Alaska to the lower 48 states.