[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3220 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3220
To establish a Restore Employment in Natural and Environmental Work
Conservation Corps in the Department of the Interior and the Department
of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 13, 2021
Mr. Rush introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on
Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and
Infrastructure, 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 establish a Restore Employment in Natural and Environmental Work
Conservation Corps in the Department of the Interior and the Department
of Agriculture, 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 ``Restore Employment in Natural and
Environmental Work Conservation Corps Act'' or the ``RENEW Conservation
Corps Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic, more than 40,000,000 people in the United States have
filed claims for unemployment benefits since March 2020, which
is a level of unemployment not seen since the Great Depression;
(2) investments in fish, wildlife, and habitat restoration
and outdoor recreation infrastructure generate as many as 33
jobs per $1,000,000 invested, as demonstrated by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5; 123
Stat. 115);
(3) the outdoor recreation economy--
(A) generates $887,000,000,000 in economic activity
each year, which is 2.2 percent of the gross domestic
product of the United States, according to the Bureau
of Economic Analysis; and
(B) was 1 of the fastest growing sectors of the
United States economy before the Coronavirus Disease
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic;
(4) the demand for outdoor recreation has increased
dramatically during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic;
(5) the Federal Government and State and local governments
and agencies have many ``shovel-ready'' projects and green
infrastructure maintenance backlog projects that would--
(A) improve the quality of life and outdoor
experiences of people of the United States;
(B) make communities, especially communities that
are traditionally underserved, more resilient to
climate change, natural disasters, and wildfires; and
(C) provide access to outdoor recreation
opportunities to all people of the United States;
(6) many facilities and natural resources located on
dedicated conservation land are in disrepair or degraded and in
need of labor-intensive rehabilitation, restoration, and
enhancement work that cannot be carried out at existing
staffing levels;
(7) enhancing and maintaining environmentally and
recreationally important land and waters through the
participation of unemployed individuals in the United States in
a conservation corps could--
(A) provide critical employment, education, and
skill development opportunities to the individuals;
(B) prepare the individuals for permanent jobs in
the conservation field; and
(C) benefit the economy and environment of the
United States; and
(8) existing networks of conservation corps are in place
but need additional resources in order to scale up the
activities of the conservation corps to meet growing deferred
maintenance needs on public land.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to employ, during the 5-year period beginning on the
date of enactment of this Act, a total of 1,000,000 people in
the United States in dedicated conservation land projects to
support the growing backlog of deferred conservation land
projects;
(2) to expose Participants to public service while
furthering the understanding and appreciation of the
Participants of the natural and cultural resources of the
United States;
(3) to stimulate interest among Participants in
conservation careers by exposing the Participants to
conservation professionals in land management agencies; and
(4) to build on the existing network of conservation corps
organizations working across the United States while providing
for expanded participation in urban centers.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Corps.--The term ``Corps'' means the Restore Employment
in Natural and Environmental Work Conservation Corps
established by section 4(a).
(2) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the National
Council on the Restore Employment in Natural and Environmental
Work Conservation Corps established under section 6(a).
(3) Eligible agency or organization.--The term ``eligible
agency or organization'' means--
(A) a unit of local government;
(B) a land trust;
(C) a conservation nonprofit organization; or
(D) a qualified youth service and conservation
corps, including--
(i) an organization established under--
(I) the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et
seq.);
(II) title I of Public Law 91-378
(commonly known as the ``Youth
Conservation Corps Act of 1970'') (16
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or
(III) the Public Lands Corps Act of
1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.),
including the Indian Youth Service
Corps authorized under section 210 of
that Act (16 U.S.C. 1727b);
(ii) the Urban Youth Corps authorized under
section 106 of the National and Community
Service Trust Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 12656);
(iii) a qualified urban youth corps (as
defined in section 106(c)(3) of the National
and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (42
U.S.C. 12656(c)(3))); and
(iv) the Healthy Futures Corps established
under section 122(a)(2)(A) of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12572(a)(2)(A)).
(4) Eligible participant.--The term ``eligible
participant'' means an individual who--
(A) is 16 years of age or older at the time the
individual begins the term of service as a Participant;
and
(B) is a citizen or national of the United States
or lawful permanent resident alien of the United
States.
(5) Eligible project.--The term ``eligible project'' means
any of the following:
(A) A project to plant trees.
(B) A project for the restoration and management of
wildlife habitat.
(C) A project to control invasive species.
(D) A project for the conduct of prescribed burns,
hazardous fuels reduction, or invasive species removal.
(E) A project for the restoration of streams,
wetlands, and other aquatic ecosystems, including the
Great Lakes and coastal areas.
(F) A project to monitor water quality in streams
and lakes.
(G) A project to assist with the conduct of fish
and wildlife surveys.
(H) A project for the construction or maintenance
of trails, bridges, campgrounds, picnic shelters, or
other recreational amenities for use by the public.
(I) A project for the construction or maintenance
of parks and playgrounds.
(J) A project to restore brownfield sites (as
defined in section 101 of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601)) in urban areas.
(K) A project to construct rain gardens, grass
waterways, pollinator gardens, or green schoolyards.
(L) A project for the development of urban gardens
and farms.
(M) A project to plant native grasslands.
(N) A project to provide environmental
interpretation or outdoor education.
(O) A project to improve community resiliency to
climate change and natural disasters, such as the
installation of bioswales and permeable surfaces.
(P) Any other project determined to be appropriate
by the Secretaries.
(6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(7) Opportunity youth.--The term ``opportunity youth''
means an individual who--
(A) is not younger than the age of 16 or older than
the age of 24; and
(B) is not enrolled in school or participating in
the labor market.
(8) Participant.--The term ``Participant'' means an
eligible participant enrolled in the Corps.
(9) Program partner.--The term ``Program partner'' means--
(A) a State or Indian Tribe administering a program
for eligible projects or a grant program under
subsection (a) or (b) of section 5, as applicable; and
(B) an eligible agency or organization carrying out
eligible projects under section 5(a)(3)(B).
(10) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior,
acting jointly.
(11) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and any other territory or possession of the United
States.
SEC. 4. RESTORE EMPLOYMENT IN NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORK
CONSERVATION CORPS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of the
Interior and the Department of Agriculture the Restore Employment in
Natural and Environmental Work Conservation Corps program under which
Participants shall carry out--
(1) eligible projects administered by the Secretaries under
this section; and
(2) eligible projects administered by Program partners
under subsection (a) or (b) of section 5.
(b) Participants.--
(1) In general.--The Corps shall consist of--
(A) eligible participants who are enrolled in the
Corps by the Secretaries; and
(B) eligible participants who are enrolled in the
Corps by Program partners.
(2) Requirement.--In enrolling eligible participants in the
Corps under paragraph (1), the Secretaries and Program partners
shall ensure that Participants reflect the demographics of the
area in which the Participants are carrying out an eligible
project.
(3) Work experience.--The Secretaries and Program partners
shall provide Participants--
(A) meaningful, full-time, productive work in a
natural or cultural resource setting;
(B) a mix of work experience, basic and life
skills, education, training, and support services; and
(C) the opportunity to develop an ethic of
citizenship, community service, and environmental
stewardship through service to the community and the
United States.
(c) Terms and Compensation.--
(1) Term.--Participants shall serve for a term of at least
12 weeks, but not more than 1 year.
(2) Compensation.--
(A) Wages.--Participants shall be compensated at a
wage rate that is appropriate for the type of work
performed by the Participant, but not less than $15 per
hour (to be increased each year based on increases in
the Consumer Price Index for the year).
(B) Educational credit; tuition assistance.--If a
Participant completes at least 1 year of service in the
Corps, the Participant shall be eligible for--
(i) an educational credit that may be
applied toward a program of postsecondary
education at an institution of higher education
that agrees to award the credit for
participation in the Corps; and
(ii) not more than $5,500 in tuition
assistance to the Participant for purposes of
continuing education.
(d) Training; Apprenticeships.--The Secretaries and Program
partners shall--
(1) ensure that 20 to 50 percent of the term of a
Participant in the Corps is dedicated to education, training,
and workforce readiness activities; and
(2) provide curricula to Participants that improve the
future job prospects of Participants, including through making
available to Participants registered apprenticeships and other
professional licenses or certifications.
(e) Additional Duties and Responsibilities of Program Partners With
Respect to Opportunity Youth.--A Program partner that enrolls
Participants that are opportunity youth--
(1) shall provide to the opportunity youth--
(A) supervision and training;
(B) adult mentoring; and
(C) education, which may include--
(i) basic instruction and remedial
education;
(ii) language instruction for individuals
with limited English proficiency;
(iii) secondary education services and
activities, including dropout prevention and
tutoring; and
(iv) other activities that are delivered in
conjunction with project-based service-learning
to the maximum extent practicable; and
(2) may provide to the opportunity youth--
(A) services to assist in the preparation for, and
access to, postsecondary education opportunities,
including--
(i) counseling; and
(ii) assistance with applying for student
financial aid;
(B) employability training, which may include--
(i) development of basic skills, such as--
(I) arriving on time to work;
(II) being prepared to work;
(III) following directions;
(IV) working independently;
(V) working with others;
(VI) working safely; and
(VII) demonstrating a commitment to
produce high-quality work;
(ii) career counseling and job search
assistance; and
(iii) pathways to family sustaining jobs;
and
(C) supportive services, which may include--
(i) health care, including mental health
care, such as drug and alcohol abuse
counseling;
(ii) child care; and
(iii) transportation.
(f) Certificate of Completion.--The Secretaries shall provide each
Participant with a certificate of completion bearing the signature of
the Secretaries on the completion of a term of service in the Corps.
SEC. 5. STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL FUNDING PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.
(a) Apportionment to States.--
(1) In general.--For each fiscal year, subject to
paragraphs (2) and (3), of the amounts made available for
apportionment to the States for that fiscal year under section
7(a)(2), the Secretaries shall apportion--
(A) 66 \2/3\ percent among States based on the
proportion that--
(i) the number of unemployed individuals in
each State, as determined based on the most
recent data available; bears to
(ii) the total number of unemployed
individuals in all States as so determined; and
(B) 33 \1/3\ percent among States based on the
proportion that--
(i) the population of each State; bears to
(ii) the population of all States.
(2) Minimum apportionment.--No State shall receive an
apportionment under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year in an
amount less than $42,000,000.
(3) Use of funds.--Of the amounts apportioned to a State
under this subsection for a fiscal year--
(A) 50 percent shall be used by the State to
administer a program for the conduct of eligible
projects by Participants enrolled in the program by the
States; and
(B) 50 percent shall be used by the State to
administer a grant program in the State under which the
State provides grants to eligible agencies or
organizations in the State for the conduct of eligible
projects by Participants enrolled by the eligible
agencies or organizations.
(b) Tribal Program.--For each fiscal year, the Secretaries shall
apportion, in accordance with a formula established by the Secretaries,
amounts made available under section 7(a)(3) to Indian Tribes to
administer a program for the conduct of eligible projects by
Participants enrolled in the program by the Indian Tribe.
(c) Use of Funds.--Of the amounts provided to a Program partner for
the conduct of eligible projects under this section, the Program
partner--
(1) may use not more than 20 percent for administrative
costs of administering and carrying out eligible projects
(including costs of recruiting and hiring individuals to carry
out eligible projects);
(2) may use not more than 14 percent to provide continuing
education to individuals administering or carrying out eligible
projects;
(3) may use not more than 8 percent for the cost of
equipment and supplies for eligible projects; and
(4) shall use the remainder of the amounts for the costs of
salaries of individuals administering or carrying out eligible
projects.
(d) Reallocation.--Any funds made available to a State or Indian
Tribe under subsection (a) or (b) that are not obligated by the State
or Indian Tribe at the end of the third fiscal year beginning after the
fiscal year during which the funds were made available shall be
withdrawn from the State or Indian Tribe and reallocated by the
Secretaries to other States and Indian Tribes on the basis of need, as
determined by the Secretaries, and in amounts that the Secretaries
determine would best accomplish the purposes described in section 2(b).
SEC. 6. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE RESTORE EMPLOYMENT IN NATURAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL WORK CONSERVATION CORPS.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of
Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Chair of the Council on
Environmental Quality, the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and
Community Service, and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil
Works, through the execution of a memorandum of understanding, shall
establish a National Council on the Restore Employment in Natural and
Environmental Work Conservation Corps.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Council shall be composed of--
(A) the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(B) the Director of the Bureau of Land Management;
(C) the Commissioner of Reclamation;
(D) the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service;
(E) the Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service;
(F) the Director of the National Park Service;
(G) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration;
(H) the Director of the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement;
(I) the Chief of Engineers;
(J) the Chief of the Forest Service;
(K) the Director of the Office of Personnel
Management;
(L) the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency;
(M) the Chair of the Council on Environmental
Quality;
(N) the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation
for National and Community Service; and
(O) other members that the signatories to the
memorandum of understanding under subsection (a)
determine to be appropriate for membership on the
Council, including--
(i) the Secretary of Labor;
(ii) the Secretary of Education;
(iii) the Secretary of Health and Human
Services;
(iv) the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development;
(v) the Secretary of Transportation; and
(vi) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Chair.--
(A) In general.--The Council shall select a Chair
of the Council from among the members of the Council
described in subparagraphs (A) through (M) of paragraph
(1).
(B) Term.--The Chair of the Council shall serve for
a term of 1 year.
(c) Annual Meeting.--The Chair of the Council shall convene annual
meetings of the Council during which the Council shall conduct an
assessment of--
(1) the Corps; and
(2) eligible projects carried out by the Corps.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act $55,800,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2021
through 2025, of which--
(1) 37.5 percent shall be made available to the Secretaries
to carry out eligible projects under section 4(a)(1);
(2) 57.5 percent shall be made available to the Secretaries
for apportionment to States under section 5(a); and
(3) 5 percent shall be made available to the Secretaries
for apportionment to Indian Tribes under section 5(b).
(b) Matching Funds Waiver.--Any otherwise applicable matching funds
requirements, including under section 212(a)(1) of the Public Lands
Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1729(a)(1)), shall be waived for projects
carried out using amounts made available under this Act.
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