Virginia Senator John Warner's (R) request for a $2 million appropriation for the University's Center for Governmental Studies made headway in Congress last week.
The Senate passed the Labor Health and Human Services Bill, which contained "favorable committee report language indicating the Center's Youth Leadership Initiative as a worthy organization that has done important work," said Warner's press secretary Carter Cornick.
This means increased federal funding could become a reality for the Youth Leadership Initiative. Next, a conference committee composed of both Senate and House members will iron out a budget plan that satisfies both houses. The finalized budget will be presented to Congress, and if the appropriation has made it onto the legislation and Congress passes it, the Center will get the funding.
YLI director Ken Stroupe said Congress should make a decision about the appropriation by the beginning of October.
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Stroupe said the Senate's legislation last week "is a great first step in a long process" to get funding for the Center.
YLI is the signature program of the Center, founded by Larry J. Sabato, University government and foreign affairs professor.
Sabato said he is "delighted" about the Senate's inclusion of the Center in the bill.
YLI's mission is to educate American high school and middle school students about politics and to encourage kids to participate in the electoral process.
Last year, Warner helped secure $1 million for the Center, which enabled it to offer the Youth Leadership program to all Virginia middle and high schools.
One of the highlights of the Initiative is an online mock election that teenage students can vote in after learning about the current races and candidates.
Stroupe said that last fall the program broke a record for holding the largest Internet mock election ever.
He said the Initiative also held a mock online primary last February, won by Texas Gov. George W. Bush.
Stroupe said the Center would use the appropriation for expanding the Youth Leadership Initiative to secondary schools across the nation.
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