[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3796 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3796

To establish the AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps to carry out national 
 service projects that address the needs arising from the consequences 
    of Hurricane Katrina, and other major disasters and emergencies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2005

   Mr. Ford introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps to carry out national 
 service projects that address the needs arising from the consequences 
    of Hurricane Katrina, and other major disasters and emergencies.

    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 ``AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps Act 
of 2005''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY.

    The Corporation for National and Community Service (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Corporation''), pursuant to section 126(b) of the 
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12576(b)), shall 
carry out the activities authorized under this Act.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL AMERICORPS DISASTER RELIEF CORPS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an AmeriCorps Disaster 
Relief Corps, to be administered by the Corporation, to carry out full- 
or part-time service projects that provide food, clothing, shelter, and 
other humanitarian assistance for victims of major disasters and 
emergencies, projects involving cleaning, repair, and reconstruction of 
structures, facilities, and lands located within the disaster area, and 
other projects arising from the consequences of major disasters and 
emergencies.
    (b) Recruitment of Participants and Eligibility.--
            (1) Recruitment.--The Corporation shall endeavor to recruit 
        up to 10,000 additional eligible participants for the national 
        service program established under subsection (a).
            (2) Eligibility.--Eligibility to participate in the 
        national service program established under subsection (a) shall 
        be on the same basis as for participation in an approved 
        national service position authorized by subtitle C or E of 
        title I of the National and Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
        12571 et seq.) or by title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service 
        Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.). Individuals selected as 
        participants in the program shall be eligible for living 
        allowances, educational awards, and other support authorized 
        for participants in approved national service positions under 
        such Acts.
            (3) Priority.--In conducting recruiting under paragraph 
        (1), the Corporation and recipients of assistance to operate 
        projects shall give priority to those individuals dislocated as 
        a result of major disasters and emergencies and may permit 
        alternative documentation requirements relating to 
        demonstrating eligibility of such individuals.
    (c) Projects.--Participants for the national service program 
established under subsection (a) may serve on projects that--
            (1) help those affected by major disasters and emergencies 
        assess their needs;
            (2) assist in the construction of temporary housing for the 
        displaced victims of a major disaster or emergency;
            (3) provide relocation services for victims of the 
        hurricane, including food, water and clothing distribution and 
        housing location services;
            (4) conduct outreach to local businesses, building owners, 
        and others with applications for disaster relief and for other 
        assistance to be provided by Federal or State government;
            (5) provide employment services for victims, such as 
        identifying job training, job placement, and other 
        opportunities;
            (6) conduct environmental surveys, monitoring water quality 
        and determining the environmental impact on the affected 
        region;
            (7) provide teaching and administrative support functions 
        for school systems where displaced children have enrolled;
            (8) work with schools to identify and mentor students 
        coping with the impact of a major disaster or emergency;
            (9) work with public officials to prepare them for future 
        disasters or emergencies; and
            (10) otherwise assist with the rebuilding of the affected 
        regions.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES, CITIES, ORGANIZATIONS; COOPERATION WITH 
              FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    The Corporation may use funds authorized under this Act in support 
of projects or activities consistent with those specified in section 
3(c) to--
            (1) make grants to, or enter into agreements with States, 
        subdivisions of States, or other organizations to support 
        AmeriCorps projects under section 121 of the National and 
        Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 12571);
            (2) support the National Civilian Community Corps 
        authorized under subtitle E of title I of the National and 
        Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 12611);
            (3) support the VISTA program under title I of the Domestic 
        Volunteer Service Act (42 U.S.C. 4451 et seq.); and
            (4) enter into a contract or cooperative or other agreement 
        with another Federal agency.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act, the terms ``emergency'' and ``major disaster'' 
have the meaning given such terms in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C 5122(1) and (2)).

SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST.

    The Corporation shall transfer funds to the National Service Trust 
established in section 145 of the National and Community Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 12601) an amount required under the Strengthen AmeriCorps 
Program Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-45) (42 U.S.C. 12605 et seq.) to 
provide educational awards and related assistance authorized under 
subtitle D of title I of the National and Community Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 12601 et. seq.)

SEC. 7. AUTHORITY FOR THIRD-TERM BENEFITS AND EDUCATIONAL AWARD.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual serving 
in a program authorized by this Act may serve a third term of service 
in an approved national service position and may receive in-service 
benefits and a post-service educational award authorized under the 
national service laws on the same basis as an individual serving in a 
first or second term of service.

SEC. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

    The Corporation may use up to two percent of funds authorized under 
section 12 for the administration of this Act.

SEC. 9. ACCEPTANCE OF DONATED SERVICES.

    Section 196(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 12651g(a)(2)) of the National and 
Community Service Act is amended by striking ``money or property'' and 
inserting ``money, services, or property''.

SEC. 10. GRANTS NOT SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS LIMITATIONS.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds provided under 
this Act to administer, reimburse, or support any national service 
program authorized under the national service laws, shall not be 
considered in applying any limitation on funding for such programs in 
annual appropriations Acts.

SEC. 11. AUTHORITY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS OPERATED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Corporation may use 
funds authorized under this Act to enter into a contract or cooperative 
agreement with another Federal agency to support a national service 
program carried out by that agency consistent with section 121(b) of 
the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571(b)).

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Corporation 
$150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out this 
Act.
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