Federal

ACTION for National Service Act

Source: Congress.gov · 12,595 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill creates an AmeriCorps Administration to replace the current Corporation for National and Community Service. It establishes a Civilian Climate Corps that would operate service projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The bill also aims to expand participation in national service programs and increase education award amounts for service participants. ##

Who It Affects

- Americans ages 17-30 who may participate in national service programs - People ages 55 and older who serve in senior service programs - Veterans and individuals with disabilities - Communities experiencing climate change impacts - Federal agencies (Interior, Agriculture, Labor, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency) - State and local governments - Nonprofit organizations receiving national service funding ##

Key Provisions

- The bill establishes an AmeriCorps Administration as an executive department with a Director who holds the same rank as a cabinet secretary (Sec. 101, 103) - An Advisory Board with seven members provides recommendations to the Director on policies, programs, and service program priorities (Sec. 102) - National service educational awards increase to twice the average yearly cost of in-state tuition and fees at public four-year colleges for the award year (Sec. 104) - The bill creates a National Service Foundation to accept gifts and donations to support the Administration's programs (Sec. 106) - Living allowances for volunteers increase to 175-210 percent of poverty guidelines under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act and 200 percent under AmeriCorps programs (Sec. 108) - A "21st Century American Service Outreach Program" directs the Administration to contact people at age 17 about national service opportunities and every two years thereafter, unless they opt out (Sec. 107) - The Civilian Climate Corps establishes service projects prioritizing disproportionately impacted communities and focused on climate adaptation, mitigation, and environmental restoration (Sec. 202-203) ##

What Changes

If this law passes, the "Corporation for National and Community Service" becomes the "AmeriCorps Administration" operating as an executive department instead of a government corporation. The Director (formerly called Chief Executive Officer) gains cabinet-level rank. The bill requires the Director to work with federal agencies to contact young people starting at age 17 about service opportunities and inform them every two years afterward. Young people can opt out of these notifications. Service participants would receive higher educational awards (double current amounts based on college tuition costs) and higher living allowances. Volunteers in domestic volunteer programs would receive 175-210 percent of poverty guidelines instead of 95-105 percent. A new National Service Foundation would accept charitable gifts and donations to support national service programs. The government aims to create 250,000 approved national service positions in fiscal year 2024, increasing to 1,000,000 participants annually by 2033. The Civilian Climate Corps would operate service projects across federal land and water, focusing on climate resilience, nature restoration, green infrastructure, and helping frontline communities affected by climate change. The Corps would prioritize work in disproportionately impacted communities or partner with existing youth conservation corps. ##

Important Definitions

**AmeriCorps Administration**: The executive department established to carry out national and volunteer service programs (replaces the Corporation for National and Community Service) **Disproportionately impacted community**: A community with significant representation from communities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal and Native American communities experiencing greater climate change impacts than other areas **Civilian Climate Corps**: Service programs established to address climate change through conservation and restoration projects **Covered individual**: A person not younger than 17 or older than 30 eligible to participate in national service programs **National service program**: Programs authorized under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 or title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 **Qualified youth service or conservation corps**: Corps programs carried out under the National and Community Service Act of 1990, the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970, or the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, including the Indian Youth Service Corps and Urban Youth Corps **Tribal or Native American community**: Members of federally recognized Indian Tribes, urban Indian communities, Native Hawaiian communities, or Native American Pacific Islander communities ##

Effective Date

National service educational awards and living allowance tax exclusions apply to taxable years ending after enactment (Sec. 111, 112). The 21st Century American Service Outreach Program and Civilian Climate Corps become effective upon enactment. Not specified in bill text for other provisions.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1588 To establish an AmeriCorps Administration to carry out the national and volunteer service programs, to expand participation in such programs, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 14, 2023 Mr. LARSON of Connecticut (for himself, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. KILMER, Mr. CASTEN, Ms. NOR- TON, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. CHU, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. TITUS, Mr. POCAN, Mr. SWALWELL, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. KUSTER, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. NEGUSE, Ms. DEGETTE, and Mr. MCGOVERN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addi- tion to the Committees on Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Ag- riculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned A BILL To establish an AmeriCorps Administration to carry out the national and volunteer service programs, to expand par- ticipation in such programs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 1588 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘America’s Call To Im- 2 prove Opportunities Now for National Service Act’’ or the 3 ‘‘ACTION for National Service Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS; REFERENCES. 5 (a) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 6 this Act is as follows: 7 Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents; references. TITLE I—AMERICORPS Sec. 101. Establishment of AmeriCorps Administration. Sec. 102. Advisory Board. Sec. 103. Director. Sec. 104. National service educational awards. Sec. 105. Interagency working group. Sec. 106. National Service Foundation. Sec. 107. 21st Century American service outreach program. Sec. 108. Living allowance amounts. Sec. 109. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 110. Report on matching requirements. Sec. 111. Exclusion from gross income of national service educational awards. Sec. 112. Income tax exclusion for living allowance. Sec. 113. Conforming amendments to the National and Community Service Act of 1990. Sec. 114. Conforming amendments to the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. Sec. 115. Conforming amendments to other laws. TITLE II—CIVILIAN CLIMATE CORPS Sec. 201. Definitions. Sec. 202. Civilian Climate Corps. Sec. 203. Requirements for corps service projects. Sec. 204. Diverse backgrounds of participants. (b) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly 8 provided in this Act, wherever in this Act an amendment 9 or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or 10 repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall 11 be considered to be made to that section or other provision 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 1588 IH of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 1 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.). 2 TITLE I—AMERICORPS 3 SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICORPS ADMINISTRA- 4 TION. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 191 (42 U.S.C. 12651) 6 is amended— 7 (1) by striking ‘‘a Corporation for National and 8 Community Service’’ and inserting ‘‘an AmeriCorps 9 Administration’’; and 10 (2) by striking ‘‘The Corporation shall be a 11 Government corporation, as defined in section 103’’ 12 and inserting ‘‘The Administration shall be an Exec- 13 utive department, as defined in section 101.’’. 14 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 101 of title 15 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 16 the following: 17 ‘‘The AmeriCorps Administration.’’. 18 SEC. 102. ADVISORY BOARD. 19 (a) APPOINTMENT AND TERMS.—Section 192 (42 20 U.S.C. 12651a) is amended— 21 (1) in subsection (a)— 22 (A) by striking paragraph (1) and insert- 23 ing the following: 24 ‘‘(1) ADVISORY BOARD.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 1588 IH ‘‘(A) INITIAL BOARD MEMBERS.— 1 ‘‘(i) BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS 2 ELECTING TO SERVE.—There shall be in 3 the Administration an Advisory Board ini- 4 tially composed of the voting members of 5 the Board of Directors of the Corporation 6 for National and Community Service (as in 7 existence the day before the date of enact- 8 ment of the ACTION for National Service 9 Act) who elect to serve on the Advisory 10 Board. 11 ‘‘(ii) APPOINTED INITIAL MEMBERS.— 12 If fewer than seven members of the Board 13 of Directors elect to serve, the Adminis- 14 trator shall appoint additional members to 15 achieve a total of seven members of the 16 Advisory Board, to serve for the term of 17 their predecessors. For purposes of this 18 section, members appointed under this 19 clause shall be treated as if they had been 20 voting members described in clause (i). 21 ‘‘(iii) BOARD OF SEVEN MEMBERS.— 22 After the expiration of the terms of the 23 members described in clauses (i) and (ii), 24 and the seven appointments set forth in 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 1588 IH subparagraph (B), the Advisory Board 1 shall be composed of seven members. 2 ‘‘(B) APPOINTMENT OF REPLACEMENT 3 MEMBERS.—Upon the expiration of the term of 4 any of the first seven members of the Advisory 5 Board whose term shall expire, a new member 6 of the Advisory Board shall be appointed as fol- 7 lows: 8 ‘‘(i) The first three members shall be 9 appointed by the President, and shall in- 10 clude— 11 ‘‘(I) an individual not younger 12 than 18 or older than 25 who— 13 ‘‘(aa) has served in a school- 14 based or community-based serv- 15 ice-learning program; or 16 ‘‘(bb) is or was a participant 17 or a supervisor in a program; and 18 ‘‘(II) an individual who— 19 ‘‘(aa) is age 55 or older; and 20 ‘‘(bb) has served in the Na- 21 tional Senior Service Corps, in a 22 program carried out under title 23 II of the Domestic Volunteer 24 Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •HR 1588 IH 5000 et seq.) or served in a serv- 1 ice-based or community-based 2 program under subtitle B of title 3 I. 4 ‘‘(ii) The next member shall be ap- 5 pointed by the Speaker of the House of 6 Representatives. 7 ‘‘(iii) The next member shall be ap- 8 pointed by the minority leader of the 9 House of Representatives. 10 ‘‘(iv) The next member shall be ap- 11 pointed by the majority leader of the Sen- 12 ate. 13 ‘‘(v) The next member shall be ap- 14 pointed by the minority leader of the Sen- 15 ate. 16 ‘‘(C) EXPIRATION OF THE TERM OF RE- 17 MAINING INITIAL MEMBERS.—Upon the expira- 18 tion of the terms on the Advisory Board of the 19 remaining members (after the first seven) who 20 served on the Board of Directors of the Cor- 21 poration for National and Community Service 22 (as in effect the day before the date of enact- 23 ment of the ACTION for National Service Act), 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •HR 1588 IH no new members shall be appointed to replace 1 those remaining members.’’; and 2 (B) in paragraph (2)(D), by striking ‘‘the 3 Board’’ and inserting ‘‘the Advisory Board (re- 4 ferred to in this subtitle as the ‘Board’)’’; and 5 (2) by striking subsections (c), (d), and (e) and 6 inserting the following: 7 ‘‘(c) TERMS.—Members appointed in accordance with 8 any of clauses (i) through (v) of subsection (a)(1)(B) or 9 under subsection (d) shall serve for a term of 5 years. 10 ‘‘(d) APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBERS AND VACAN- 11 CIES.—When the term of a member appointed in accord- 12 ance with any of clauses (i) through (v) of subsection 13 (a)(1)(B) expires, or if a vacancy occurs on the Advisory 14 Board, a new member shall be appointed by the appointing 15 individual and in the manner described in that clause, and, 16 in the case of a vacancy, shall serve for the remainder 17 of the term for which the predecessor of such member was 18 appointed. The vacancy shall not affect the power of the 19 remaining members to execute the duties of the Board.’’. 20 (b) MEETINGS AND DUTIES.—Section 192A (42 21 U.S.C. 12651b) is amended— 22 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘3 times each 23 year’’ and inserting ‘‘four times each year, with one 24 of the four meetings being an annual meeting to re- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •HR 1588 IH view the Administration’s long-term and strategic 1 goals,’’; and 2 (2) by striking subsections (e), (f), and (g) and 3 inserting the following: 4 ‘‘(e) ADVISORY DUTIES.—The Board shall have re- 5 sponsibility for making recommendations to the Director 6 concerning the programs and activities of the Administra- 7 tion and the overall policy for the Administration and 8 shall— 9 ‘‘(1) advise the Director with respect to policies, 10 programs, and procedures for carrying out the Di- 11 rector’s functions, duties, or responsibilities under 12 this Act; 13 ‘‘(2) advise the Director on establishing require- 14 ments and criteria for qualifying service programs, 15 and on monitoring and evaluating the performance 16 of personnel in carrying out programs and activities; 17 ‘‘(3) make recommendations regarding prior- 18 ities for the applications for service programs sub- 19 mitted for approval under this Act; 20 ‘‘(4) review and make recommendations to the 21 Director— 22 ‘‘(A) with respect to any grants, allot- 23 ments, contracts, financial assistance, or other 24 payment of the Administration; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •HR 1588 IH ‘‘(B) regarding the regulations, standards, 1 policies, procedures, programs, and initiatives of 2 the Administration; 3 ‘‘(5) review, and advise the Director regarding, 4 the actions of the Director with respect to the per- 5 sonnel of the Administration, and with respect to 6 such standards, policies, procedures, programs, and 7 initiatives as are necessary or appropriate to carry 8 out the programs and activities of the Administra- 9 tion, including those carried out under the national 10 service laws on the day before the date of enactment 11 of the ACTION for National Service Act; 12 ‘‘(6) make recommendations relating to a pro- 13 gram of research for the Administration with respect 14 to national and community service programs; 15 ‘‘(7) ensure effective dissemination of informa- 16 tion regarding the programs and activities of the Ad- 17 ministration; 18 ‘‘(8) prepare and make recommendations to the 19 Director and the appropriate committees of Con- 20 gress for changes in the national service laws result- 21 ing from the studies and demonstrations conducted 22 by the Administration, which recommendations shall 23 be submitted to the Director and the appropriate 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •HR 1588 IH committees of Congress not later than January 1 of 1 each year; 2 ‘‘(9) make recommendations to the Director on 3 candidates to serve on the Board of the National 4 Service Foundation described in section 199P; and 5 ‘‘(10) advise on such other matters as the Di- 6 rector may request.’’. 7 SEC. 103. DIRECTOR. 8 (a) APPOINTMENT.—Section 193(a) (42 U.S.C. 9 12651c) is amended— 10 (1) by striking ‘‘an individual who shall serve as 11 Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, and’’ 12 and inserting ‘‘a Director,’’; and 13 (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘and 14 who shall hold the same rank and status as the head 15 of an executive department listed in section 101 of 16 title 5, United States Code.’’. 17 (b) DUTIES.—Section 193A(b) (42 U.S.C. 18 12651d(b)) is amended— 19 (1) in paragraph (24), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 20 end; 21 (2) in paragraph (25) by striking the period 22 and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 23 (3) by adding at the end the following: 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 11 •HR 1588 IH ‘‘(26) notwithstanding any other provision of 1 law— 2 ‘‘(A) make grants to or contracts with 3 Federal and other public departments or agen- 4 cies, and private nonprofit organizations, for 5 the assignment or referral of volunteers under 6 the provisions of title I of the Domestic Volun- 7 teer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et 8 seq.) (except as provided in section 108 of such 9 Act (42 U.S.C. 4958)), which may provide that 10 the agency or organization shall pay all or a 11 part of the costs of the program; and 12 ‘‘(B) enter into agreements with other 13 Federal agencies or private nonprofit organiza- 14 tions for the support of programs under the na- 15 tional service laws, which— 16 ‘‘(i) may provide that the agency or 17 organization shall pay all or a part of the 18 costs of the program, except as is provided 19 in section 121(b); and 20 ‘‘(ii) shall provide that the program 21 (including any program operated by an- 22 other Federal agency) will comply with all 23 requirements related to evaluation, per- 24 formance, and other goals applicable to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:09 Apr 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1588.IH H1588 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 12 •HR 1588 IH similar programs under the national serv- 1 ice laws, as determined by the Administra- 2 tion.’’. 3 (c) INITIAL DIRECTOR.—The Chief Executive Officer 4 of the Corporation for National and Community Service 5 (as in existence the day before the date of enactment of 6 this Act) may serve as the initial Director of the 7 AmeriCorps Administration. 8 SEC. 104. NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATIONAL AWARDS. 9 Section 147(a) (42 U.S.C. 12603(a)) is amended— 10 (1) by striking ‘‘Except as provided’’ and in- 11 serting the following: 12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided’’; 13 ( [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]

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