Chris Dodd's web site includes a full description of his new national service plan to be announced formally in New Hampshire on Saturday. The Dodd American Community Initiative does not mandate service for young adults, though it does call for significant expansion of the voluntary service programs offered today and the creation of new programs. It's an ambitious approach, with something for everyone. Here are the main points:

• Promote the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNS) to Cabinet Status.
• Mandate School-Based Service as a Requirement for High School Graduation.
• Double the Size of the Peace Corps by 2011 and Again by 2050.
• Dramatically Increase the Number of AmeriCorps Members to 1,000,000 and Immediately Raise the Amount of the Education Award.
• Create a Rapid Response Reserve Corps.
• Build Corporate-Community Partnerships.
• Summer of Service for Middle and High School Students.
• Create a Senior Heroes Program.
• Expand the National Senior Volunteer Corps.
• Create a National Education Corps.
• Engage Every K-12 Student in America in Service-Learning.

The site provides some detail on each of these points. At first glance I give Senator Dodd credit for taking the national service question seriously and proposing an approach that while voluntary, calls for the participation of everyone from school children to seniors. Cheers to this level of commitment. Let's see others treat this subject with the same vigor.