[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 71 (Monday, April 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2198-S2200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN:
  S. 1370. 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; to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1370

       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--

[[Page S2199]]

       (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) A project for the collection, storage, and propagation 
     of native seed and plant materials.
       (Q) 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

[[Page S2200]]

     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;
       (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, with preference to be 
     given for grants to eligible agencies or organizations 
     described in section 3(3)(D).
       (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.
                                 ______