A bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives supported the reauthorization of the National and Community Service Act, but the measure fell one vote short of the two-thirds needed for passage.

The measure, officially known as the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education, or GIVE, Act fell victim to partisan wrangling, after Republican legislators introduced unrelated amendments. Rep. George Miller brought the bill up under parliamentary rules that prevented such amendments, but required a two-thirds vote. The measure received 277 votes, including from all Democrats and 53 Republicans.

The bill was aimed at increasing community service in areas such mentoring at-risk young people, tutoring schoolchildren, improving public safety, and rebuilding communities devastated by natural disasters. Such programs will continue under existing legislation.

John Gomperts, chief executive of Experience Corps, said the broad bipartisan support for national service and volunteer action is encouraging. He called on House leaders to bring up the bill again, "so that the will of the clear majority of the House supporting the extension and expansion of national service can be heard and acted on."

Rep. Miller, D-Calif., chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, was less diplomatic. "The Republican leadership decided to hold community service programs hostage to its petty partisan political agenda," he said in a statement.