[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3837 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3837

  To establish the Silver Scholarship program to provide transferable 
educational awards to individuals 55 years of age and older who perform 
                      certain volunteer services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 4, 2002

Ms. Velazquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish the Silver Scholarship program to provide transferable 
educational awards to individuals 55 years of age and older who perform 
                      certain volunteer services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SILVER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    Subtitle D of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 149. SILVER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Chief Executive Officer is authorized to 
award grants to public agencies and private nonprofit organizations 
with experience in administering volunteer programs (including the 
programs referred to or administered under title II of the Domestic 
Volunteer Service Act of 1973) to provide scholarships of not more than 
$1,000 each in accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Applications.--An eligible agency or organization desiring a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Chief Executive Officer an 
application in such form and accompanied by such information as he may 
reasonably require.
    ``(c) Requirements for Scholarship.--A public agency or nonprofit 
organization receiving a grant under subsection (a) may award 
scholarships of $1,000 to each individual designated by a senior 
volunteer who has met the following requirements:
            ``(1) Performed not less than 500 hours of volunteer 
        services of the type established to be appropriate under 
        subsection (d)(2) during a 12-month period (or a prorated 
        amount for an individual who completes not less than 250 hours 
        but less than 500 hours in a 12-month period based on 
        compelling personal circumstances)--
                    ``(A) after having attained the age of 55 years; 
                and
                    ``(B) after the date of the enactment of this 
                section.
            ``(2) Received fewer than 2 scholarships under this section 
        within the 5-year period preceding the date that the 
        scholarship is awarded.
    ``(d) Criteria and Priorities.--The Chief Executive Officer shall--
            ``(1) establish criteria and priorities for awarding grants 
        under this section and for the award by grantees of 
        scholarships under this section; and
            ``(2) establish which types of volunteer services 
        (including tutoring or mentoring in a school setting, 
        afterschool setting, or other community-based educational 
        setting and assisting persons with special needs to continue 
        living independently) are appropriate to receive credit toward 
        a scholarship awarded under this section.
    ``(e) Use of Scholarships.--A scholarship awarded under this 
section may be used--
            ``(1) by the recipient or any person designated by the 
        recipient;
            ``(2) only for qualified tuition and related expenses, as 
        defined in section 117 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
        and conditions set forth by the Chief Executive Officer through 
        regulation; and
            ``(3) not later than 7 years after award of the 
        scholarship.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        for this section $20,000,000 for the first fiscal year 
        beginning after the date of the enactment of this section and 
        such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--Of the funds appropriated under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    ``(A) not more than 50 percent shall be used for 
                administrative purposes by the Chief Executive Officer;
                    ``(B) not less than 40 percent shall be granted for 
                use in awarding scholarships to volunteers who have 
                performed the hours required for the scholarship 
                providing tutoring or mentoring in a school setting, 
                afterschool setting, or other community-based 
                educational setting, as defined in rules promulgated by 
                the Corporation; and
                    ``(C) not less than 10 percent shall be granted for 
                use in awarding scholarships to eligible volunteers in 
                assisting persons with special needs to continue to 
                live independently, including those who are homebound, 
                as defined in rules promulgated by the Corporation.''.
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