[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5678 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5678

  To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out grant programs to 
   encourage student participation in local government and volunteer 
                    service, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 2023

Mr. Kim of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred 
            to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out grant programs to 
   encourage student participation in local government and volunteer 
                    service, 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 ``Service Starts At Home Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO SUPPORT INTERNSHIPS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall carry out a program under 
which the Secretary makes grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
entities to support paid internships within units of local government 
for secondary school students and students who are qualified 
undergraduates at institutions of higher education in the State in 
which the entity is located.
    (b) Application.--To be considered for a grant under subsection 
(a), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary of 
Education at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Local Government Internship Program.--Each eligible entity that 
receives a grant under subsection (a) shall use such grant to carry out 
a program under which the entity--
            (1) identifies appropriate paid internship opportunities 
        within units of local government for secondary school students 
        and students who are undergraduates at institutions of higher 
        education in the State in which the entity is located;
            (2) establishes a process for the selection of students to 
        fill such internships;
            (3) determines hourly rates of pay and other terms and 
        conditions applicable to such internships;
            (4) pays the costs incurred in providing such internships.
    (d) Accommodations and Educational Standards.--In carrying out the 
internship program under subsection (c), an eligible entity shall--
            (1) work with institutions of higher education to ensure 
        that the work performed by interns has educational value and 
        meets applicable educational standards; and
            (2) seek to provide reasonable employment-related 
        accommodations to interns who have childcare needs, 
        transportation difficulties, or other such challenges, which 
        may include accommodations such as flexible work schedules for 
        interns and allowing interns to telework to the extent 
        determined practicable by the eligibility entity concerned.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.

SEC. 3. SCHOLARSHIP FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Funding.--
            (1) State programs.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Education shall carry out a program under which the 
                Secretary makes allocations to States, in accordance 
                with subparagraph (B), to carry out the scholarship 
                program under subsection (b).
                    (B) Allocations to states.--Of the amount 
                appropriated to carry out this section for each fiscal 
                year and not reserved under paragraph (2), each State 
                that has an application approved by the Secretary under 
                subparagraph (C) shall be allocated an amount in 
                proportion to number of students enrolled in the public 
                elementary and secondary schools in the State for the 
                previous school year relative to the total number of 
                students enrolled in the public elementary and 
                secondary schools for such school year in every State 
                that has an application approved by the Secretary under 
                such subparagraph.
                    (C) State application.--To be eligible to receive 
                an allocation under subparagraph (B) a State shall 
                submit an application to the Secretary of Education at 
                such time, in such manner, and containing such 
                information as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Federal program.--Of the amount appropriated to carry 
        out this section for each fiscal, the Secretary of Education 
        may reserve not more than 20 percent to carry out the Federal 
        supplemental scholarship program under subsection (c).
    (b) State Administered Scholarship Program.--
            (1) In general.--Each State that receives an allocation 
        under subsection (a)(2) shall use such allocation to carry out 
        a program under which the State awards scholarships, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible students who demonstrate a 
        commitment to volunteer service work.
            (2) Application.--A student who seeks a scholarship under 
        this subsection shall submit an application to the State at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the State may require.
            (3) Student eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a 
        scholarship under this subsection a student shall meet the 
        following criteria:
                    (A) First-time applicant.--In the case of a first-
                time applicant for a scholarship under this subsection, 
                the student shall--
                            (i)(I) be enrolled in a secondary school 
                        and be in the final year of a program of study 
                        leading to a regular high school diploma; or
                            (II) be enrolled in an institution of 
                        higher education; and
                            (ii) have completed at least 100 hours of 
                        volunteer service work in the preceding school 
                        year (or another one-year period determined by 
                        the Secretary of Education).
                    (B) Renewal applicant.--In the case of a student 
                who received scholarship under this subsection for an 
                academic year and who is seeking a scholarship for a 
                subsequent academic year, the student shall--
                            (i) be enrolled in an institution of higher 
                        education;
                            (ii) be in good academic standing (as 
                        determined by the institution); and
                            (iii) have completed at least 100 hours of 
                        volunteer service work in the preceding school 
                        year (or another one-year period determined by 
                        the Secretary of Education).
            (4) Renewal process.--Subject to the availability of funds 
        for such purpose, a State that receives an allocation under 
        subsection (a) shall--
                    (A) award a scholarship to each renewal applicant 
                who meets the requirements described in paragraph 
                (3)(B); and
                    (B) establish a streamlined process under which 
                renewal applicants can apply for such scholarships with 
                minimal documentation required.
            (5) Priority.--In awarding scholarships under this 
        subsection, a State shall--
                    (A) in accordance with paragraph (4), first award 
                scholarships to renewal applicants described in 
                paragraph (3)(B); and
                    (B) from any funds remaining after awarding such 
                scholarships, award scholarships to first-time 
                applicants described in paragraph (3)(A).
            (6) Use of funds.--A scholarship received by a student 
        under this subsection may be used by such student only to pay 
        the student's costs of attendance at an institution of higher 
        education.
            (7) Duration.--Each scholarship under this subsection shall 
        be awarded for a period of one academic year. A student may 
        receive a scholarship under this subsection for a total period 
        of not more than four academic years.
            (8) Amount.--The amount of each scholarship under this 
        subsection shall be--
                    (A) $1000, for a student who completed at least 100 
                hours, but less than 138 hours, of volunteer service 
                work in the preceding school year (or another one-year 
                period determined by the Secretary of Education);
                    (B) $1500, for a student who completed at least 138 
                hours, but less than 175 hours, of volunteer service 
                work in the preceding school year (or another one-year 
                period determined by the Secretary of Education);
                    (C) $2000, for a student who completed at least 175 
                hours, but less than 213 hours, of volunteer service 
                work in such period;
                    (D) $2500, for a student who completed at least 213 
                hours, but less than 250 hours, of volunteer service 
                work in such period; and
                    (E) $3000, for a student who completed at least 250 
                hours of volunteer service work in such period.
    (c) Federal Supplemental Scholarship Program.--
            (1) In general.--From amounts reserved under subsection 
        (a)(2), the Secretary of Education may carry out a program 
        under which the Secretary awards supplementary funds, on a 
        competitive basis, directly to eligible students who have 
        already received scholarships for volunteer service work.
            (2) Amount.--The amount of supplementary funds awarded to 
        each student under paragraph (1) shall be determined by the 
        Secretary of Education.
            (3) Priority.--In awarding scholarships under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the award of funds 
        to students who have not received a scholarship under 
        subsection (b).
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
            (2) The term ``eligible entity'' means a State or a unit of 
        local government.
            (3) The terms ``elementary school'', ``regular high school 
        diploma'', ``secondary school'', and ``State'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (4) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) The term ``unit of local government'' means--
                    (A) a county, municipality, town, township, 
                village, parish, borough, or other unit of general 
                government below the State level; or
                    (B) a governing body of an Indian tribe or tribal 
                organization.
            (6)(A) The term ``volunteer service work'' means unpaid 
        acts of volunteer service conducted for or on behalf of a 
        government or other nonprofit organization, which may include a 
        community-based organization, faith-based organization, school, 
        national service program, civic or fraternal service 
        organization, local government agency, or other such 
        organization.
            (B) Such term does not include acts of proselytizing, 
        conducting worship services, religious instruction, political 
        lobbying, court ordered service, or service conducted primarily 
        for the benefit of the family of a student eligible for a 
        scholarship under section 3.
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