[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 140 (Thursday, August 6, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5328-S5332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2633. Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Blunt, Mrs.
Blackburn, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Cassidy, and
Mr. Graham) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to
the bill S. 178, to condemn gross human rights violations of ethnic
Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and calling for an end to arbitrary
detention, torture, and harassment of these communities inside and
outside China; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--CORPS ACT
SEC. __ 1. SHORT TITLE.--
This title may be cited as the ``Cultivating Opportunity
and Response to the Pandemic through Service Act'' or the
``CORPS 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
2,000,000 cases and 115,000 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 40,000,000 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) The pandemic and the associated economic consequences
have disproportionately impacted people of color across many
States.
(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) Experience has demonstrated the centrality of
community participation in pandemic response, to overcome
stigma and structural barriers and meet the full needs of all
members of a diverse community.
(15) 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 title are--
(1) to provide for annual growth of 250,000 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;
(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 (16), (17)
through (35), and (36) through (49), as paragraphs (14)
through (17), (19) through (37), and (39) through (52),
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.'';
(3) by inserting after paragraph (17), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(18) High-poverty area.--The term `high -poverty area'
means a census tract defined as high-poverty by the Bureau of
the Census.''; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (37), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(38) 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 paragraph (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 support for
isolation and quarantine activities;
``(ii) emergency logistics, such as the setup of alternate
care sites;
``(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) work that furthers the capacity of nonprofit and
community organizations to respond to the immediate needs of
individuals affected by COVID-19;
``(v) services that support economic opportunity;
``(vi) education, including enrichment and adult education
and literacy activities;
``(vii) services to address housing and food insecurity;
and
``(viii) jobs for youth in preserving and restoring nature;
``(B) who--
``(i) are--
``(I) 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) able to provide services directly related to the
response and recovery described in subparagraph (A); or
``(ii) are--
``(I) community-based organizations located in the rural or
high-poverty areas, or tribal communities, the organizations
propose to serve; and
``(II) able to provide services directly related to the
response and recovery described in subparagraph (A);
``(C) to the maximum extent practicable--
[[Page S5329]]
``(i) if the entities are proposing programs that serve, or
proposing to give priority for positions to applicants from,
underserved populations, such as individuals described in
section 129(a)(1)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3164(a)(1)(B)), 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;
``(ii) especially if the entities propose recruiting
applicants for positions to serve in the same metropolitan or
micropolitan statistical area or county as the area or
county, respectively, in which the applicants attended a
secondary school or institution of higher education; and
``(iii) especially if the entities propose programs that
serve populations in rural or high-poverty areas, or tribal
communities; 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 by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), during the COVID-19
emergency response and recovery period, the Director shall
set the subsistence allowance for volunteers under paragraph
(1) for each fiscal year so that--
``(A) the minimum allowance is not less than an amount
equal to 175 percent of such poverty line (as defined in
section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act) for
a single individual as expected for each fiscal year; and
``(B) the average subsistence allowance, excluding
allowances for Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Alaska, is
not less than 185 percent of such poverty line.
``(5)(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 Cultivating Opportunity
and Response to the Pandemic through 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 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12618) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Adjustment to Maximum Allowance During COVID-19
Response and Recovery Period.--Notwithstanding the limitation
on the allowance amount specified in subsection (b), during
the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period, the
amount of the allowance that the Director shall establish
pursuant to that subsection shall be any amount not in excess
of the amount equal to 175 percent of the poverty line that
is applicable to a family of 2 (as defined by the Office of
Management and Budget and revised annually in accordance with
section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42
U.S.C. 9902(2))).''.
(b) National Service Educational Awards.--Section 147 of
the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12603) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Adjustment to Educational Award During the COVID-19
Response and Recovery.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), an
individual described in section 146(a) who successfully
completes a required term of full-time national service in an
approved national service position during the COVID-19
emergency response and recovery period shall receive a
national service educational award having a value equal to
twice the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant under
section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070a) that a student eligible for such Grant may receive in
the aggregate (without regard to whether the funds are
provided through discretionary or mandatory appropriations),
for the award year for which the national service position is
approved by the Corporation.
``(2) Less than full-time service.--Notwithstanding
subsections (b) and (c), an individual described in section
146(a) who successfully completes a required term of part-
time national service in an approved national service
position during the COVID-19 response and recovery period, or
who is serving in an approved national service position and
is released, during that period, in accordance with section
139(c)(1)(A) from completing the full-time or part-time term
of service agreed to by the individual, shall receive that
portion of the national service educational award calculated
under paragraph (1) that corresponds to the quantity of the
term of service actually completed by the individual.
``(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:
[[Page S5330]]
``(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), as
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 or high-poverty areas, or tribal communities;
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) Priorities.--State Commissions participating in the
pilot program shall, to the extent practicable, prioritize
the placement of individuals in national service programs
that serve rural or high-poverty areas, or tribal
communities, especially such programs carried out by entities
that have not previously been service sponsors for
participants.
``(3) 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 Cultivating Opportunity
and Response to the Pandemic through 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 IV of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12671)
is amended--
(1) by striking the title IV title heading and all that
follows through the section heading for section 401 and
inserting the following:
``TITLE IV--RESPONSE PROJECTS
``SEC. 401. PROJECTS HONORING VICTIMS OF TERRORIST
ATTACKS.'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 402. 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 value
limit described in subsection (c), during the COVID-19
emergency response and recovery period, a participant who
received 2 national service educational awards for terms of
service concluding before the end of fiscal year
[[Page S5331]]
2020 may, as determined by the Corporation, be eligible for
an additional term of service and, on the successful
completion of that term, a third national service educational
award.''.
(g) Increase in Limitation on Grant Amounts.--
(1) Increase in limitation on total grant amount during
emergency response and recovery period.--Section 189 of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645c)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Increase in Limitation on Total Grant Amount During
COVID-19 Emergency Response and Recovery Period.--
Notwithstanding the limits described in subsections (a) and
(e), during the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery
period, the amount of funds approved by the Corporation for a
grant to operate a program authorized under the national
service laws, for supporting individuals serving in approved
national service positions, may not exceed, for each full-
time equivalent position--
``(1) an amount equal to the sum of--
``(A) $7,500; and
``(B) the living allowance established under section 140(a)
(including any adjustment attributable to section 105(b)(4)
of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C.
4955(b))); or
``(2) for a grant for a program meeting the requirements
described in subsection (e), an amount equal to the sum of--
``(A) $10,000; and
``(B) the living allowance established under section 140(a)
(including any adjustment referred to in paragraph
(1)(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 and the
living allowance established under section 140(a) (including
any adjustment referred to in subsection (f)(1)(B))''.
(h) Increase in Limitation on Total Grant Amount for
Educational Award Only Program During COVID-19 Emergency
Response and Recovery Period.--Section 129A of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12581a) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Increase in Limitation on Total Grant Amount for
Educational Award Only Program During COVID-19 Emergency
Response and Recovery Period.--Notwithstanding the limit
described in subsection (b), during the COVID-19 emergency
response and recovery period, the Corporation may provide the
operational support under this section for a program in an
amount that is not more than $1,600 per individual enrolled
in an approved national service position, or not more than
$2,000 per such individual if at least 50 percent of the
persons enrolled in the program are disadvantaged youth.''.
(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 title,
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 title, and to rapidly
enroll new individuals to serve in programs under the
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 Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the
Pandemic through Service Act, additional amounts of--
``(A) $10,300,000,000, to provide financial assistance
under subtitle C of title I; and
``(B) $3,659,000,000, 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 positions to 250,000 per year
by fiscal year 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 Cultivating
Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service Act
an additional amount of $592,000,000 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 Cultivating
Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through 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 Cultivating Opportunity and Response
to the Pandemic through Service Act, an additional amount of
$754,000,000 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 Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the
Pandemic through Service Act, and an additional portion of
$158,000,000,''; 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 an 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 Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the
Pandemic
[[Page S5332]]
through Service Act, an additional amount of $1,100,000,000
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 Cultivating Opportunity and Response to
the Pandemic through 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 2020.''.
SEC. _10. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) NCSA.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of the
National Community Service Act of 1990 is amended--
(1) by striking the item relating to section 154 and
inserting the following:
``Sec. 154. Seasonal national summer program.'';
(2) by striking the item relating to section 189A and
inserting the following:
``Sec. 189A. Matching requirements for severely economically distressed
communities; matching funds during COVID-19 response and
recovery period.'';
and
(3) by striking the item relating to the title heading for
title IV and all that follows through the item relating to
section 401 and inserting the following:
``TITLE IV--RESPONSE PROJECTS
``Sec. 401. Projects honoring victims of terrorist attacks.
``Sec. 402. COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period
augmentation and expansion grants.''.
(b) DVSA.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of the
National Community Service Act of 1990 is amended--
(1) in the items relating to part D of title II, by adding
at the end the following:
``Sec. 229. COVID-19 emergency response and recovery period.'';
(2) by inserting after the item relating to the title
heading for title IV the following:
``Sec. 401. Definitions.'';
and
(3) by striking the item relating to section 421 and
inserting the following:
``Sec. 421. Online service platform.''.
______