Dem US House hopeful to propose expanding national service
MINT HILL, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Democrat in a U.S. House special election plans to propose broadly increasing national service programs to better tie the country together.
Dan McCready makes his pitch Wednesday in suburban Charlotte alongside retired U.S. Army four-star general Stanley McChrystal. He's the former head of the Joint Special Operations Command who later headed forces in Afghanistan.
McCready is expected to propose quadrupling the size of AmeriCorps, the program that now places 75,000 young people to work in early childhood education and environmental conservation. Participants get a living allowance and help paying for higher education.
McCready says he hopes increasing national service pulls people together, something he experienced in the Marine Corps.
A similar proposal by Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) could cost $20 billion over 10 years.
