[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6702 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6702
To amend the national service laws to prioritize national service
programs and projects that are directly related to the response to and
recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 5, 2020
Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Houlahan, Mr.
Bera, Ms. Schrier, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Larson of
Connecticut, Ms. DeGette, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Blunt
Rochester, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Tonko, Mr.
Sarbanes, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. King of New York, and Ms. Kuster of New
Hampshire) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on
Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the national service laws to prioritize national service
programs and projects that are directly related to the response to and
recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pandemic Response and Opportunity
Through National Service Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has a strong history of citizen
response to national calls to service in order to help the
Nation recover in times of crisis.
(2) More than 80 years ago, the Nation rose to the
challenge of the Great Depression with the creation of citizen
service programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps (referred
to in this section as the ``CCC'') and the Works Progress
Administration (referred to in this section as the ``WPA'').
(3) Millions of participants benefitted from paid
employment and opportunities to develop their skills while
constructing national parks and public lands infrastructure and
producing cultural works still enjoyed today.
(4) Following decades of evolution, incorporating policies
of both political parties, today's national service programs
carry on the legacy of the CCC and WPA.
(5) Founded in 1990, the Corporation for National and
Community Service today coordinates national service by
individuals in the United States across every State and
territory, partnering with State-level commissions and
supporting locally driven services in partnership with
nongovernmental organizations and State governments.
(6) National service programs provide public health,
education, employment training, and nutrition services for
which the Nation has a critical need in the current crisis.
(7) The signature programs of the Corporation for National
and Community Service, which are the AmeriCorps State and
National, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps,
AmeriCorps VISTA, and National Senior Service Corps programs,
can and should be expanded to meet current needs.
(8) The novel coronavirus pandemic has infected and killed
individuals in every State and territory, causing more than
1,000,000 cases and 65,000 deaths so far.
(9) In response, States, tribal governments, and cities
across the country have closed down businesses, schools, and
public events, leading to a dramatic drop in economic activity
and a sharp projected decline in the United States economy.
(10) More than 30,000,000 applications for unemployment
benefits have been filed in recent weeks, with weekly filings
repeatedly exceeding historic record levels.
(11) More than 1 in every 10 adults in the United States
has applied for unemployment insurance since the crisis began.
(12) Public health leaders agree that to safely reopen the
Nation and revive its economy, a massive effort to test
millions of individuals in the United States and to trace
contacts of those who are or may be infected is needed.
(13) To recover, the Nation also needs meaningful
employment opportunities, as well as a significant expansion of
the human capital working to address community needs around
public health, behavioral health, hunger, education, and
conservation.
(14) As the Nation works to respond to and recover from the
current twin challenges of a public health pandemic and an
economic crisis, national service presents a unique opportunity
for flexible, locally driven responses to meet State and local
public health, employment, and recovery needs.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to provide for 750,000 participants, over 3 years, in
national service programs, such as the Public Land Corps (also
known as the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps) programs
and other AmeriCorps programs, that will provide services in
response to the pandemic and economic crisis, including to help
satisfy the projected need for as many as 300,000 additional
public health workers;
(2) to ensure that participant allowances cover the
reasonable cost of participation and provide participants with
economic and educational opportunity;
(3) to stabilize such national service programs during
economic crisis; and
(4) to support opportunities for all individuals in the
United States to engage in service.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
(a) NCSA.--Section 101 of the National and Community Service Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (13) through (35) and
paragraphs (36) through (49) as paragraphs (14) through (36)
and (38) through (51), respectively;
(2) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:
``(13) COVID-19 definitions.--
``(A) COVID-19 emergency response and recovery
period.--The term `COVID-19 emergency response and
recovery period' means the period beginning on the
first day of the COVID-19 public health emergency and
ending at the end of fiscal year 2023.
``(B) COVID-19 public health emergency.--The term
`COVID-19 public health emergency' means the public
health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services under section 319 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31,
2020, with respect to COVID-19.''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (36), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(37) Public land corps.--The term `Public Lands Corps'
means the Corps established in section 204 of the Public Lands
Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723).''.
(b) DVSA.--Section 421 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of
1973 (42 U.S.C. 5061) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (19), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (20), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(21)(A) the term `COVID-19 emergency response and
recovery period' means the period beginning on the first day of
the COVID-19 public health emergency and ending at the end of
fiscal year 2023; and
``(B) the term `COVID-19 public health emergency' means the
public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to
COVID-19; and
``(22) the term `Public Lands Corps' means the Corps
established in section 204 of the Public Lands Corps Act of
1993 (16 U.S.C. 1723).''.
SEC. 5. PRIORITIZING RESPONSE SERVICES.
(a) AmeriCorps State and National.--
(1) National service priorities.--Section 122(f) of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12572(f))
is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by adding at the
end the following: ``For fiscal years 2020
through 2023, the Corporation shall include, in
the national service priorities, the priorities
described in paragraph (5).''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the
end the following: ``For fiscal years 2020
through 2023, each State shall include, in the
State priorities, the priorities described in
section (5).''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Emergency priorities.--For fiscal years 2020 through
2023, the priorities established under paragraph (1) for
national service programs shall provide that the Corporation
and the States, as appropriate, shall give priority to entities
submitting applications--
``(A) that propose activities directly related to
the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public
health emergency, such as the provision of--
``(i) public health services, including
contact tracing and support for isolation and
quarantine activities;
``(ii) emergency logistics;
``(iii) work that furthers the capacity of
State (including territorial), tribal, and
local health departments and the
recommendations of the Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention;
``(iv) workforce investment activities and
reemployment services;
``(v) education, including enrichment and
adult education and literacy activities;
``(vi) jobs for youth in preserving and
restoring nature; and
``(vii) services to address food
insecurity;
``(B) who--
``(i) are current (as of the date of the
application submission) or former recipients of
financial assistance under the program for
which the application is submitted; and
``(ii) are able to provide services
directly related to the response and recovery
described in subparagraph (A);
``(C) to the maximum extent practicable, if the
entities are proposing programs that serve, or
proposing to give priority for positions to applicants
from, underserved populations, such as economically
disadvantaged individuals, minority individuals,
individuals who have had contact with the juvenile
justice system, Indians, veterans, and individuals
whose abilities are not typical, such as individuals
with intellectual or developmental disabilities; and
``(D) that propose to give priority for positions
to applicants who--
``(i) were serving outside of the United
States in the Peace Corps, the J. William
Fulbright Educational Exchange Program
referenced in section 112 of the Mutual
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2460), or the program under this
subtitle, subtitle E, or part A of title I of
the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42
U.S.C. 4951 et seq.); but
``(ii) ended their terms of service early,
or returned to the United States before the end
of their terms of service, due to the COVID-19
public health emergency.''.
(b) AmeriCorps NCCC.--Section 157 of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12617) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(1), by adding at the end the
following:
``(C) Surge capacity and priority projects.--
``(i) Surge capacity projects.--The
Corporation and the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention shall develop,
and the Corporation shall approve, a proposal
for public health surge capacity projects. In
carrying out the projects, the Corporation and
the Director shall develop and deploy public
health surge capacity teams.
``(ii) Priority projects.--For fiscal years
2020 through 2023, the Corporation shall give
priority to entities submitting applications
for projects under this subtitle in the same
manner as the Corporation gives priority to
entities submitting applications for national
service programs under section 122(f)(5).'';
and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``The campus''
and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (3),
the campus''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Surge capacity and priority projects.--The
Corporation shall assign the projects described in clauses (i)
and (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(C) to specified Corps
campuses.''.
(c) AmeriCorps VISTA.--Section 109 of the Domestic Volunteer
Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4960) is amended by adding at the end
the following: ``For fiscal years 2020 through 2023, the Corporation
shall give priority to entities submitting applications for projects or
programs under this part in the same manner as the Corporation gives
priority to entities submitting applications for national service
programs under section 122(f)(5) of the National and Community Service
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12572(f)(5)).''.
SEC. 6. STRENGTHENING OPPORTUNITY.
(a) Allowances.--
(1) Domestic volunteer service act of 1973.--Section 105(b)
of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C.
4955(b)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``95
percent'' and inserting ``175 percent''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``105
percent'' and inserting ``185 percent''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4)(A) A stipend or allowance under this section or an
allowance under section 140 of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12594) shall not be increased as
a result of amendments made by the Pandemic Response and
Opportunity Through National Service Act, or any other
amendment made to this section or that section 140,
respectively, unless the funds appropriated for carrying out
this part or subtitle C of the National and Community Service
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.), respectively, are
sufficient to maintain for the fiscal year involved a number of
participants to serve under this part or that subtitle C,
respectively, that is at least equal to the number of such
participants so serving during the preceding fiscal year.
``(B) In the event that sufficient appropriations for any
fiscal year (consistent with subparagraph (A)) are not
available to increase any stipend or allowance under this
section or allowance under section 140 of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 to the minimum amount specified
in this section or under that section 140, respectively, the
Director shall increase the stipend or allowance involved to
such amount as appropriations for such year permit consistent
with subparagraph (A).''.
(2) National and community service act of 1990.--Section
158(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12618(b)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``The Director'' the first place it
appears and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Director''; and
(B) by striking ``100 percent'' and inserting ``175
percent''.
(b) National Service Educational Awards.--Section 147(a) of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12603(a)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``Except as provided'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--Except as provided'';
(2) by striking ``shall receive a national service
educational award'' and all that follows through
``appropriations)'' and inserting ``shall be entitled to a
national service educational award equal to the award amount
specified in paragraph (2)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Award amount.--The award referred to in paragraph
(1), payable to an individual described in such paragraph,
shall be in an amount that is equal to twice the amount of the
national average of the cost for in-State tuition and fees at
public, 4-year institutions of higher education, for the award
year for which the national service position is approved by the
Corporation.
``(3) Definition.--In this subsection, the term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given the
term in section 148(h).''.
(c) Tax Provisions.--
(1) Income tax exclusion for living allowance.--
(A) In general.--Part III of subchapter B of
chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended by inserting after section 139H the following
new section:
``SEC. 139I. LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR NATIONAL SERVICE PARTICIPANTS.
``Gross income does not include the amount of any living allowance
provided under section 105(b) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of
1973 (42 U.S.C. 4955(b)) or section 140(a) or 158(b) of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12594(a), 12618(b)).''.
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for
part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 139H the following new item:
``Sec. 139I. Living allowance for national service participants.''.
(C) Effective date.--The amendments made by this
paragraph shall apply to taxable years beginning after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Exclusion from gross income of national service
educational awards.--
(A) In general.--Section 117 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to qualified
scholarships) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(e) National Service Educational Awards.--Gross income shall not
include any payments from the National Service Trust established under
section 145 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12601), including the national service educational award
described in subtitle D of title I of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12601 et
seq.).''.
(B) Exclusion of discharge of student loan debt.--
Subsection (f) of section 108 of such Code is amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(6) Payments under national service educational award
programs.--In the case of an individual, gross income shall not
include any amount received as a national service educational
award under subtitle D of title I of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 et seq.).''.
(C) Effective date.--The amendments made by this
paragraph shall apply to taxable years ending after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. INVITING PARTICIPATION.
(a) Coordination With Other Youth Programs.--Section 193A of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12651d) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Coordination With Other Youth Programs.--
``(1) Covered programs.--The term `covered program' means--
``(A) the YouthBuild program carried out by the
Secretary of Labor under section 171 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3226);
``(B) the program of the Indian Youth Service Corps
under section 210 of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993
(16 U.S.C. 1727b);
``(C) a youth conservation corps program under
title I of the Act entitled `An Act to establish a
pilot program in the Departments of the Interior and
Agriculture designated as the Youth Conservation Corps,
and for other purposes', approved August 13, 1970
(commonly known as the `Youth Conservation Corps Act of
1970'; 16 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
``(D) the National Guard Youth Challenge Program
under section 509 of title 32, United States Code.
``(2) Coordination.--The Chief Executive Officer, in
coordination with the Federal agency representatives for
covered programs, shall develop a plan and make recommendations
in the plan to improve coordination between covered programs
and programs of the Corporation to meet the needs of
underserved youth, such as economically disadvantaged youth,
minority youth, youth who left school without a secondary
school diploma, formerly incarcerated or court-involved youth,
youth who are children of an incarcerated parent, youth in
foster care (including youth aging out of foster care), migrant
youth, and other youth who are neither enrolled in secondary or
postsecondary school or participating in the labor market.''.
(b) Platform for National Senior Service Corps.--Title IV of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 421 (42 U.S.C. 5061), amended
by section 4(b), as section 401;
(2) by moving that section 401 so as to follow the title
heading for title IV; and
(3) by inserting after section 420 (42 U.S.C. 5059) the
following:
``SEC. 421. ONLINE SERVICE PLATFORM.
``(a) Establishment.--The Chief Executive Officer of the
Corporation shall establish an online service platform with a gateway
to connect volunteers in the National Senior Service Corps with service
projects and enable the volunteers to carry out distance volunteer
services. The platform shall be linked to and placed prominently on the
website of the Corporation. The Corporation may enter into a contract
with a public entity to create the platform.
``(b) Training Resources and Information.--
``(1) In general.--The Corporation shall provide training
resources, information, and guidance for the volunteers on the
platform.
``(2) Information.--The Corporation shall provide
information to regional offices of the Corporation about how to
get volunteers in the National Senior Service Corps connected
to the platform through the gateway.
``(3) Guidance.--The Corporation shall issue guidance for
the regional offices about how to transfer the programs of the
National Senior Service Corps to the platform.
``(4) Outreach.--The Corporation shall provide outreach
services to promote the platform including outreach to
institutions of higher education, the Department of Veterans
Affairs for mentorship projects, and State and local
governments for community engagement projects.''.
(c) Outreach and Promotion Campaign.--Section 193A(g) of such Act
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Outreach and promotion campaign.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out public awareness
functions under this subsection, the Corporation shall
carry out an outreach and promotion campaign to promote
programs under the national service laws with
opportunities to respond to the COVID-19 public health
emergency, with the goal of maximizing awareness of
those programs among individuals ages 17 through 30.
``(B) Report.--The Corporation shall prepare and
submit to Congress a report that--
``(i) evaluates the outreach and promotion
campaign; and
``(ii) contains--
``(I) an analysis of the measures
and resources that would be required
for the Corporation effectively to
notify individuals who are ages 17
through 30 every 2 years of
opportunities under the national
service laws and steps to take to apply
for those opportunities;
``(II) a description of how the
Corporation would ensure those measures
would enable the Corporation to provide
that notification to targeted
individuals from diverse geographic
areas, including individuals who are
ages 17 through 30 living in rural
areas and on Indian lands (as defined
in section 3 of the Native American
Business Development, Trade Promotion,
and Tourism Act of 2000 (25 U.S.C.
4302)); and
``(III) a recommendation regarding
whether the Corporation should make the
notifications described in subclause
(I).''.
(d) Volunteer Generation Fund.--Section 198P(d)(2) of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12653p(d)(2)) is amended
by adding at the end the following: ``With respect to grants made with
funds appropriated as an additional amount under section 501(a)(4)(F),
the minimum grant amount shall be not less than $250,000.''.
SEC. 8. ENSURING AGILITY.
(a) Waiver of Matching Funds Requirements.--Section 189A of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645d) is
amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``; matching funds
during covid-19 response and recovery period'' after
``communities''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) COVID-19 Response.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, an entity that receives assistance from the Corporation for any
program under the national service laws (including a State Commission
and an entity receiving subgrant funds) during the COVID-19 emergency
response and recovery period shall not be subject to any requirements
to provide matching funds for any such program, and the Federal share
of such assistance for a recipient (including for a State Commission
and a subgrant recipient) may be 100 percent.''.
(b) Pilot Program.--Section 126 of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12576) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(d) Direct Placements During the COVID-19 Response and Recovery
Period.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 178(h), during
the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, the
Corporation shall implement a pilot program allowing State
Commissions to directly place a portion of individuals who have
approved national service positions in State national service
programs in a manner to be determined by the Corporation.
``(2) Report.--The Corporation shall prepare and submit a
report to Congress at the end of the pilot program described in
paragraph (1), containing recommendations about whether and how
to continue such a program of direct placements.''.
(c) No Summer Limitation During COVID-19 Response and Recovery
Period.--Section 104 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42
U.S.C. 4954) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, during
the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, the Director may
enroll full-time VISTA associates in a program, during any months of
the year, under such terms and conditions as the Director shall
determine to be appropriate. Such individuals shall be assigned to
projects that address the needs of underserved communities as a result
of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
``(2) In preparing reports relating to programs under this Act, the
Director shall report on participants, costs, and accomplishments under
the program under this subsection separately.
``(3) The limitation on funds appropriated for grants and
contracts, as contained in section 108, shall not apply to the program
under this subsection.''.
(d) VISTA Limitation Applicability.--Section 108 of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4958) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Of funds
appropriated'' and inserting ``Subject to subsection (c), of
funds appropriated''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Rule for COVID-19 Response and Recovery Period.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), during the COVID-19 emergency response
and recovery period, in order to address the needs of underserved
communities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, of funds appropriated for
the purpose of this part under section 501, not more than 75 percent
may be obligated for the direct cost of supporting volunteers in
programs and projects (including new programs and projects that begin
after the date of enactment of the Pandemic Response and Opportunity
Through National Service Act) carried out pursuant to this part, and
such funds may be obligated regardless of when grant recipients
commenced such programs and projects.''.
(e) Augmentation and Expansion Grants.--Title VI of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 603. COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PERIOD
AUGMENTATION AND EXPANSION GRANTS.
``During the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, the
Corporation may award noncompetitive augmentation and expansion grants,
at such time and in such manner as the Corporation determines
appropriate.''.
(f) Term of Service During COVID-19 Emergency Response and Recovery
Period.--Section 146 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12602) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Term of Service During COVID-19 Emergency Response and
Recovery Period.--Notwithstanding the aggregate limit under subsection
(c), during the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, a
participant may be eligible for 2 terms of service and may receive a
national service educational award for each of those 2 terms of
service.''.
(g) Increase in Limitation on Grant Amounts.--
(1) Increase in limitation on total grant amount.--Section
189(a) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12645c(a)) is amended by striking ``$18,000 per full-
time equivalent position.'' and inserting ``for each full-time
equivalent position, an amount equal to the sum of--
``(1) $7,500; and
``(2) the living allowance established under section
140(b).''.
(2) Waiver authority for increased limitation.--Section
189(e)(1) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12645c(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``$19,500'' and
inserting ``an amount equal to the sum of $10,000 plus the
living allowance established under section 140(b)''.
(h) Increase in Limitation on Total Grant Amount for Educational
Award Only Program.--Section 129A(b) of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12581a(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``$800'' and inserting ``$1,600''; and
(2) by striking ``$1,000'' and inserting ``$2,000''.
(i) Seasonal Program.--
(1) Establishment of national civilian community corps
program.--Section 152(b)(2) of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12612(b)(2)) is amended by
striking ``summer'' and inserting ``seasonal''.
(2) Seasonal national service program.--Section 154 of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12614) is
amended--
(A) in the section heading by striking ``summer''
and inserting ``seasonal'';
(B) in subsection (a), by striking ``summer'' and
inserting ``seasonal'';
(C) in subsection (b), by striking ``50 percent of
the participants in the summer'' and inserting ``35
percent of the participants in the seasonal''; and
(D) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the
following:
``(c) Seasonal Program.--Persons desiring to participate in the
seasonal national service program shall enter into an agreement with
the Director to participate in the Corps for a period of not less than
3 months and not more than 6 months, as specified by the Director.''.
(j) National Senior Service Corps.--Part D of title II of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5021 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 229. COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PERIOD.
``(a) Age Requirements.--Notwithstanding section 201(a), during the
COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, in order to address
the critical needs of local communities across the country as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals who are 45 years of age or older
may be enrolled as volunteers to provide services under part A.
``(b) Income Requirements.--Notwithstanding section 211(d), during
the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, the terms `low-
income person' and `person of low income' under such section shall mean
any person whose income is not more than 400 percent of the poverty
line defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant
(42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) and adjusted by the Director in the manner
described in such section.''.
(k) Flexibility.--
(1) Policy of maximizing flexibility.--It is the sense of
the Senate that, in carrying out activities under this Act, the
Corporation for National and Community Service should,
consistent with the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42
U.S.C. 4950 et seq.) and the National and Community Service Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501), maximize the flexibility of State
Commissions (as defined in section 101 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
12511)) to award and amend grants, consistent with the purposes
of this Act, and to rapidly enroll new individuals to serve in
programs under th national service laws.
(2) Report on activities to maximize flexibility.--Not
later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
and in consultation with such State Commissions, the Chief
Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community
Service shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report
containing recommendations on what additional actions to
maximize flexibility for such State Commissions would
strengthen the work of State Commissions and their grantees.
(l) Further Expediting Rapid Enrollment.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Officer of
the Corporation for National and Community Service shall review the
Corporation's capacity and shall prepare and submit a report to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and
the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives
containing information about whether a new unit within the Corporation
for National and Community Service should be established to provide
additional assistance or manage the enrollment process to ensure
compliance with sections 189D and 199I of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645g; 12655i) for incoming
participants in national service programs, particularly new national
service programs receiving program assistance for the first time.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) AmeriCorps State and National; Educational Awards.--
(1) In general.--Section 501(a)(2) of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12681(a)(2)) is
amended by striking ``fiscal years 2010 through 2014'' and all
that follows and inserting ``fiscal year 2020, in addition to
any amount appropriated before the date of enactment of the
Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act,
additional amounts of--
``(A) $14,000,000,000, to provide financial
assistance under subtitle C of title I; and
``(B) $7,525,000,000, to provide national service
educational awards under subtitle D of title I for the
total of the number of participants described in
section 121(f)(1) for fiscal years 2020 through
2023.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 121(f)(1) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 12571(f)(1)) of such Act is amended by striking
subparagraphs (A), (B) and (C) and inserting the following:
``(A) increase the number of the approved positions
to 750,000 over the period of fiscal years 2021 through
2023; and
``(B) ensure that the increase described in
subparagraph (A) is achieved through an appropriate
balance of full- and part-time service positions;''.
(b) AmeriCorps NCCC.--Section 501(a)(3)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
12681(a)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ``such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.'' and inserting ``in
addition to any amount appropriated before the date of enactment of the
Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, an
additional amount of $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2020.''.
(c) Volunteer Generation Fund.--Section 501(a)(4) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 12681(a)(4)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``for each of fiscal
years 2010 through 2014'' and inserting ``for fiscal year
2020''; and
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``section 198P--'' and
all that follows and inserting ``in addition to any amount
appropriated before the date of enactment of the Pandemic
Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, an
additional amount of $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2020.''.
(d) Administration by the Corporation and State Commissions.--
Section 501(a)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12681(a)(5)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.'' and
inserting ``in addition to any amount appropriated before the
date of enactment of the Pandemic Response and Opportunity
Through National Service Act, an additional amount of
$2,769,000,000 for fiscal year 2020.'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``for a fiscal year, a
portion'' and inserting ``a portion (from the amounts
appropriated under subparagraph (A) before the date of
enactment of the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through
National Service Act, and an additional portion of
$1,000,000,000,''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) Outreach and promotion campaign for covid-19
response opportunities.--Of the amounts appropriated
under subparagraph (A), $10,000,000 shall be made
available to carry out a outreach and promotion
campaign under section 193A(g)(4).''.
(e) AmeriCorps VISTA.--Section 501 of the Domestic Volunteer
Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5081) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``$100,000,000 for
fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of
the fiscal years 2011 through 2014.'' and inserting ``, in
addition to any amount appropriated before the date of
enactment of the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through
National Service Act, an additional amount of $1,400,000,000
for fiscal year 2020.''; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking the period and inserting
``, except that any additional amount appropriated under an
amendment made by the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through
National Service Act shall remain available for obligation
through fiscal year 2023.''.
(f) National Senior Service Corps.--Section 502 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 5082) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Online Service Resources.--There are authorized to be
appropriated, to develop online service resources to carry out parts A,
B, C, and E of title II, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.''.
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