COLUMBIA, SC – JUNE 22: Democratic presidential candidate South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg addresses the crowd at the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina.
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Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday proposed a plan to dramatically expand service opportunities for America’s youths while offering them financial incentives like debt relief.
“A New Call to Service” aims to create a network of 1 million national service members by 2026, Politico and other outlets reported.
Buttigieg said the plan was prompted by his own service in the US Naval reserve, which taught him valuable skills like how to engage with people of differing views.
“National service can help us to form connections between very different kinds of Americans, as was my experience in the military,” Buttigieg said in a statement. “I served alongside and trusted my life to people who held totally different political views.”
The South Bend, Ind., mayor’s plan combines opportunities for service with financial benefits for young adults who could be eligible for student debt forgiveness, vocational training and hiring preference.
The plan targets high schools, community colleges, vocational schools, and historically black colleges and universities, as well as young adults aged 16 to 24 who are not working or attending school, Politico reported.
The initiative would increase the ranks of national service members to 250,000, more than tripling the existing 75,000 positions, which would cost $20 billion over 10 years, according to AP. It’s unclear how those and others costs of the program would be covered.
Through the plan, Buttigieg would fund existing groups like Americorps and create new types of organizations akin to Climate Corps, Community Health Corps and the Intergenerational Service Corps.
The ultimate goal is to create a pipeline for up to 4 million high school students who would take part in the programs annually.
Previously, presidential candidate Seth Moulton released his own “National Service Education Guarantee,” a plan focused on the 33.4 million Americans between the ages of 17-24. His plan would also offer financial incentives like supplemental college tuition and vocational training.
Buttigieg’s plan offers a new approach to attack the issue of student debt. Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders announced a plan to forgive the country’s $1.6 trillion student loans and Sen. Elizabeth Warren has suggested legislation that would eliminate $50,000 in student loan debt for 42 million Americans.
The Buttigieg campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
