UNITE Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6853 To mobilize individuals in the United States in the fight against coronavirus by expanding volunteer opportunities in AmeriCorps, expanding employ- ment opportunities at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and utilizing the expertise of Peace Corps volunteer leaders whose service ended on March 15, 2020, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 13, 2020 Mr. PHILLIPS (for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. TONKO, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. SPANBERGER, Mr. HUFFMAN, and Mr. CROW) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Transpor- tation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with- in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To mobilize individuals in the United States in the fight against coronavirus by expanding volunteer opportunities in AmeriCorps, expanding employment opportunities at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and uti- lizing the expertise of Peace Corps volunteer leaders whose service ended on March 15, 2020, 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 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6853 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Undertaking National 2 Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act of 2020’’ or the 3 ‘‘UNITE Act of 2020’’. 4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 5 Congress makes the following findings: 6 (1) The outbreak of the novel coronavirus, 7 SARS–CoV–2, which causes COVID–19 (referred to 8 in this Act as the ‘‘coronavirus’’), has disrupted the 9 lives of all individuals in the United States and re- 10 quired enormous sacrifice. In following the guidance 11 of public health officials, individuals in the United 12 States have and can continue to play a key role in 13 defeating their common, invisible enemy. 14 (2) The Corporation for National and Commu- 15 nity Service (referred to in this Act as ‘‘CNCS’’), 16 through the health, disaster, and poverty services 17 administered by the CNCS under the 3 flagship 18 AmeriCorps programs (AmeriCorps VISTA, 19 AmeriCorps NCCC, and AmeriCorps State and Na- 20 tional Volunteers), is uniquely positioned to aid 21 frontline workers and communities most impacted by 22 the coronavirus public health emergency if the Presi- 23 dent of the United States fully mobilizes those 3 24 programs. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6853 IH (3) The Federal Emergency Management Agen- 1 cy (referred to in this section as ‘‘FEMA’’), tasked 2 with leading aspects of the whole-of-government re- 3 sponse to the coronavirus outbreak, is reportedly 4 understaffed of those frontline workers that are es- 5 sential to responding to the public health emergency. 6 (4) On March 15, 2020, the Peace Corps invol- 7 untarily ended the service of approximately 7,300 8 volunteers. Many of them acquired public health 9 skills in countries abroad, which may also be applied 10 to further service in AmeriCorps, service in FEMA, 11 or continuing service in the Peace Corps once oper- 12 ations of the Peace Corps are to resume. 13 SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 14 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— 15 (1) the President should fully utilize the com- 16 petencies of the Federal Government workforce to 17 battle the outbreak of coronavirus, the worst global 18 health emergency the United States has faced in a 19 century, as well as make available expanded opportu- 20 nities for individuals in the United States desiring to 21 serve their country in its time of need; 22 (2) the President should elevate the role of 23 CNCS within the whole-of-government response to 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6853 IH the coronavirus outbreak, including by urging its 1 Chief Executive Officer to— 2 (A) in cooperation with the White House 3 Coronavirus Task Force, take steps to actively 4 encourage volunteerism and specifically encour- 5 age individuals in the United States to serve as 6 a volunteer in an AmeriCorps program; 7 (B) prioritize AmeriCorps grants that pro- 8 vide assistance to those most impacted by the 9 coronavirus public health emergency and recruit 10 the maximum number of volunteers authorized 11 by law, particularly focusing on the recently un- 12 employed; and 13 (C) provide State Commissions, as defined 14 in section 101 of the National and Community 15 Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511), with 16 the flexibility to award and amend grants and 17 to remove undue burdens relating to the 18 onboarding of volunteers; 19 (3) the United States should expand the Cadre 20 of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE) 21 program, administered by the Federal Emergency 22 Management Agency, to enlist individuals in the 23 United States to solve public health and supply-man- 24 agement challenges related to the coronavirus out- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6853 IH break, as well as related to wildfires, hurricanes, and 1 other disasters; and 2 (4) bolstering the number of full-time positions 3 at the Federal Emergency Management Agency will 4 also expand national service opportunities for quali- 5 fied individuals in the United States who have be- 6 come unemployed or underemployed as a result of 7 the coronavirus outbreak, including the approxi- 8 mately 7,300 Peace Corps volunteers whose service 9 ended on March 15, 2020. 10 SEC. 4. MOBILIZING PROGRAMS IN THE CORONAVIRUS 11 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. 12 (a) PRIORITIZING CERTAIN AGREEMENTS.— 13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any provi- 14 sion of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 15 (42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.) or the National and Com- 16 munity Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et 17 seq.), the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS, in con- 18 sultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 19 Services, the Director of the Centers for Disease 20 Control and Prevention, the Administrator of the 21 Federal Emergency Management Agency, State gov- 22 ernments, and State Commissions, as defined in sec- 23 tion 101 of the National and Community Service Act 24 of 1990, shall, for the period described in paragraph 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 6853 IH (2), prioritize existing agreements, or enter into new 1 agreements, with public and private nonprofit orga- 2 nizations, that will direct volunteers in programs ad- 3 ministered by CNCS to assignments that assist indi- 4 viduals most impacted by the coronavirus public 5 health emergency, including assignments— 6 (A) providing support services to veterans, 7 homeless populations, the elderly, and other in- 8 dividuals who may be most vulnerable during 9 the coronavirus public health emergency; 10 (B) supporting health care professionals 11 and related positions; 12 (C) offering before- and after-school tutor- 13 ing and instruction for children in low-income 14 areas, and offering adult basic skills and lit- 15 eracy tutoring and instruction, including 16 through remote learning; 17 (D) expanding broadband infrastructure 18 for underserved and rural communities; 19 (E) serving as nonpartisan poll workers for 20 an election for public office; 21 (F) performing functions consistent with 22 implementation of the decennial census; and 23 (G) performing other functions consistent 24 with addressing the coronavirus public health 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 6853 IH emergency, including assisting with testing and 1 contact tracing. 2 (2) PERIOD.—The period described in this 3 paragraph— 4 (A) shall begin on the date of enactment of 5 this Act; and 6 (B) shall end— 7 (i) not earlier than the date of the 8 conclusion of the coronavirus public health 9 emergency; and 10 (ii) not later than 2 years after the 11 conclusion of such emergency. 12 (b) AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL RECRUIT- 13 MENT OF AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS.— 14 (1) IN GENERAL.— 15 (A) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF POSI- 16 TIONS.—Section 121(f)(1)(B) of the National 17 and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 18 12571(f)(1)(B)) is amended— 19 (i) in clause (vi), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 20 the end; 21 (ii) in clause (vii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at 22 the end; and 23 (iii) by adding at the end the fol- 24 lowing: 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 6853 IH ‘‘(viii) 500,000 for each of fiscal years 1 2020 through 2022;’’. 2 (B) REAUTHORIZATIONS.— 3 (i) AMERICORPS VISTA.—Section 4 501(a)(1) of the Domestic Volunteer Serv- 5 ice Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5081(a)(1)) is 6 amended by striking ‘‘$100,000,000 for 7 fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be 8 necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 9 through 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘such sums 10 as may be necessary for each of fiscal 11 years 2020 through 2022’’. 12 (ii) AMERICORPS NCCC.—Section 13 501(a)(1)(A) of the National and Commu- 14 nity Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 15 12681(a)(1)(A)) is amended— 16 (I) by striking clauses (i) and 17 (ii); and 18 (II) by striking ‘‘title I—’’ and 19 inserting ‘‘title I, such sums as may 20 be necessary for each of fiscal years 21 2020 through 2022.’’. 22 (iii) AMERICORPS STATE AND NA- 23 TIONAL VOLUNTEERS.—Section 501(a)(2) 24 of the National and Community Service 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 6853 IH Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12681(a)(2)) is 1 amended by striking ‘‘2010 through 2014’’ 2 and inserting ‘‘2020 through 2022’’. 3 (2) REQUIREMENT.—To fulfill the purposes of 4 subsection (a), the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS 5 shall expedite the recruitment and selection of volun- 6 teers for an assignment described in subsection (a) 7 who are— 8 (A) unemployed veterans; 9 (B) individuals who become unemployed or 10 underemployed as a result of the coronavirus 11 public health emergency; and 12 (C) AmeriCorps members, Peace Corps 13 volunteers and trainees, and United States Ful- 14 bright scholars, who have had their service 15 ended as a result of such emergency. 16 (3) ELIGIBILITY.— 17 (A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 18 other provision of law— 19 (i) any individual who is authorized to 20 work in the United States shall not be dis- 21 qualified from being recruited or selected 22 for any assignment described in subsection 23 (a) based solely on his or her citizenship 24 status; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 10 •HR 6853 IH (ii) bankruptcy or poor credit deter- 1 mined by the Chief Executive Officer of 2 CNCS to be arising from the coronavirus 3 public health emergency shall not dis- 4 qualify any individual from being recruited 5 or selected for any assignment described in 6 subsection (a) based solely on such bank- 7 ruptcy or credit reporting. 8 (B) CLARIFICATION.—No individual de- 9 scribed in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) 10 who is recruited or selected for an assignment 11 described in subsection (a) shall become dis- 12 qualified from continuing to serve in such as- 13 signment after the expiration of the period de- 14 scribed in subsection (a)(2) solely on the basis 15 of his or her citizenship or immigration status, 16 bankruptcy status, or credit score. 17 (c) BRIEFING TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 18 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 19 180 days thereafter, the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS 20 shall submit a report, to the Committee on Health, Edu- 21 cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Com- 22 mittee on Education and Labor of the House of Rep- 23 resentatives, on the operating plan of the CNCS to carry 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 11 •HR 6853 IH out subsections (a) and (b), including the amendments 1 under subsection (b). 2 (d) ENHANCED STIPEND.—Section 105(b)(2)(A) of 3 the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4 4955(b)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows: 5 ‘‘(A) beginning for fiscal year 2020, the min- 6 imum allowance is not less than an amount equal to 7 200 percent of the income official poverty line (as 8 defined by the Office of Management and Budget, 9 and revised annually in accordance with section 10 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act 11 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2))) applicable to a family of 1; 12 and’’. 13 (e) CEILING ON STIPEND FOR GRANTEES.—Section 14 189 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 15 (42 U.S.C. 12645c) is amended— 16 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘$18,000’’ 17 and inserting ‘‘$25,000’’; and 18 (2) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘$19,500’’ 19 and inserting ‘‘$30,000’’. 20 (f) WAIVER OF MATCHING FUNDS REQUIRE- 21 MENTS.—Section 189A of the National and Community 22 Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645d) is amended— 23 (1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘; 24 MATCHING FUNDS DURING CORONAVIRUS PUB- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:59 Jun 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6853.IH H6853 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 12 •HR 6853 IH LIC HEALTH EMERGENCY’’ after ‘‘COMMU- 1 NITIES’’; 2 (2) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub- 3 section (c); and 4 (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol- 5 lowing: 6 ‘‘(b) COVID–19 RESPONSE.—Notwithstanding any 7 other provision of law, an entity that receives newly award- 8 ed assistance, or previously awarded assistance still within 9 the period of performance for such assistance, from the 10 Corporation for any program under the national service 11 laws (including a State Commission and an entity receiv- 12 ing subgrant funds) during the coronavirus public health 13 emergency, as defined in se [Text truncated for display. 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