Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery from the Pandemic through Service Act or the CORPS Act
This bill makes several changes to AmeriCorps programs during the COVID-19 health emergency. Specifically, the bill:
The bill also excludes AmeriCorps living allowance payments and educational awards from taxable income for program participants.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4100 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4100
To amend the national service laws to prioritize national service
programs and projects that are directly related to the response to and
recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 23, 2021
Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Cole, Mr.
Waltz, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Suozzi,
Ms. Houlahan, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr.
San Nicolas, Mr. Evans, Mr. Carson, Ms. Schrier, Mr. Kilmer, Mrs.
Trahan, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Meijer,
Mr. Kahele, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Taylor, Mr.
Harder of California, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Sherrill, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Crow, Mr. Neguse, and Mr. Baird) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the national service laws to prioritize national service
programs and projects that are directly related to the response to and
recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency, 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 ``Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery
from 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.
(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) 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.
(5) National service programs provide public health,
education, employment training, and nutrition services for
which the Nation has a critical need in the current crisis.
(6) The signature programs of the Corporation for National
and Community Service, which are the AmeriCorps State and
National, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps,
AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (referred to in
this Act as ``VISTA''), and National Senior Service Corps
programs, can and should be expanded to meet current needs.
(7) The novel coronavirus pandemic has infected and killed
individuals in every State and territory, causing more than
31,000,000 cases and 560,000 deaths so far.
(8) In response, States, Tribal governments, and cities
across the country have closed down businesses, schools, and
public events, leading to dramatic swings in the economy.
(9) Millions of people in the United States have filed for
unemployment benefits since the start of the pandemic, with
unemployment rates peaking at an unprecedented level.
(10) More than 1 in every 10 adults in the United States
has applied for unemployment insurance since the crisis began.
(11) The pandemic and the associated economic consequences
have disproportionately impacted people of color across many
States.
(12) To recover, the Nation 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.
(13) 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.
(14) 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
employment and recovery needs.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to provide for annual growth in the number of
participants, over 3 years, in national service 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, including by supporting adaptations to service
models in light of the crisis; and
(4) to support opportunities for all individuals in the
United States to engage in service, including through the
recruitment of increasingly diverse and representative
participants.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) National and community service act definitions.--The
terms ``approved national service position'', ``Corporation'',
``disadvantaged youth'', ``national service laws'',
``participant'', ``service sponsor'', and ``State Commission''
have the meanings given such terms in section 101 of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511).
(2) COVID-19 emergency recovery period.--The term ``COVID-
19 emergency recovery period'' means the period beginning on
the date of enactment of this Act and ending at the end of
fiscal year 2024.
(3) High-poverty area.--The term ``high-poverty area''
means a census tract defined as high-poverty by the Bureau of
the Census.
SEC. 5. ECONOMIC EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY.
(a) Living Allowance.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 105(b) of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4955(b)) and
section 140 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12594), during the COVID-19 emergency recovery
period, the minimum subsistence or living allowance for an
individual under section 105 of the Domestic Volunteer Service
Act of 1973 and section 140 of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 shall, subject to paragraph (3), be an
amount equal to 175 percent of the poverty line (as defined in
section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42
U.S.C. 9902(2))) for a single individual as expected for each
fiscal year.
(2) Grants for living allowance increases.--Notwithstanding
the limits described in subsections (a) and (e) of section 189
of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12645c) or any other limitation imposed by the Corporation,
during the COVID-19 emergency recovery period, the Corporation
shall, for purposes of paragraph (1), award supplemental grant
funds to entities operating a program receiving grant funds
under the national service laws (referred to in this paragraph
as ``grantees''), including continuing grantees, to--
(A) increase the minimum subsistence or living
allowance provided under section 105(b) of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4955(b)) or
section 140 of the National and Community Service Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12594); and
(B) cover additional costs associated with the
increase to the minimum subsistence or living allowance
required under paragraph (1).
(3) Limitation.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a
stipend or allowance under section 105 of the Domestic
and Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4955) or
an allowance under section 140 of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12594) shall
not be increased by this Act unless the funds
appropriated for carrying out part A of the Domestic
and Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et
seq.) 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 that part A or that subtitle C, respectively,
that is at least equal to the number of such
participants so serving during the fiscal year
preceding such fiscal year involved.
(B) Adjustment for insufficient appropriations.--In
the event that sufficient appropriations for any fiscal
year are not available to increase any stipend or
allowance under section 105 of the Domestic and
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 or allowance under
section 140 of the National and Community Service Act
of 1990 to the minimum amount specified under paragraph
(1), the Corporation shall increase the stipend or
allowance involved to such amount as appropriations for
such year permit consistent with subparagraph (A).
(b) Concurrent COVID-19 Educational Award.--
(1) In general.--The Corporation shall award to any
individual who successfully completes a term of service
resulting in an educational award under section 147 of the
National and Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 12603), with any
part of such term of service occurring within the COVID-19
emergency recovery period, a concurrent COVID-19 educational
award for an amount described under paragraph (2).
(2) Amount of award.--The concurrent COVID-19 educational
award awarded under this subsection shall be in an amount which
bears the same proportion to the full amount of the education
award the individual received under section 147 of such Act as
the length of time of the term of service of such individual
that occurs within the COVID-19 emergency recovery period bears
to the total length of time of the term of service of such
individual.
(c) National Senior Service Corps.--Notwithstanding section 201,
subsections (d) and (e) of section 211, and section 213(a) of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5001, 5011, 5013(a)),
to address the critical needs of local communities across the United
States, during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency recovery period--
(1) individuals age 45 or older may be enrolled as
volunteers to provide services under part A of title II of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5001); and
(2) for purposes of parts B and C of title II of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5002, 5003),
the terms ``low-income person'' and ``person of low income''
mean a 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 of the Retired and Senior Volunteer and Foster
Grandparent programs in the manner described in such parts.
(d) 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 139I the following
new section:
``SEC. 139J. 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 139I the following new item:
``Sec. 139J. 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. 6. SUPPORTING EXPANSION.
(a) Grants and Pilot Program.--
(1) Priority.--The Corporation, in awarding grants under
paragraph (2), and State Commissions, in directly placing
individuals in approved national service positions under
paragraph (3), shall--
(A) give priority to--
(i) entities serving communities--
(I) disproportionately impacted by
COVID-19;
(II) using culturally competent and
multilingual strategies in the
provision of services; and
(III) with proposals for activities
directly related to recovery from the
COVID-19 public health emergency and
the attendant economic and social
consequences of such public health
emergency, such as--
(aa) work that furthers the
capacity of nonprofit and
community-based organizations
to respond to the immediate
needs of individuals affected
by COVID-19;
(bb) services that support
economic opportunity;
(cc) educational
activities, including
enrichment and adult education
and literacy activities;
(dd) services to address
housing and food insecurity;
and
(ee) jobs for youth in
preserving and restoring
nature, including ensuring
environmental resiliency; and
(ii) community-based organizations located
in rural or high-poverty areas, or community-
based organizations that serve Tribal
communities, with greater priority for
community-based organizations that propose
recruiting applicants for positions to serve in
the same metropolitan or micropolitan
statistical area or county as the area or
county in which such applicants attended a
secondary school or institution of higher
education; and
(B) take into account the diversity of communities
and participants served by entities seeking funding
under this Act, including racial, ethnic,
socioeconomic, linguistic, or geographic diversity.
(2) Augmentation and expansion grants.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, during the COVID-19 emergency recovery
period, the Corporation may award noncompetitive augmentation
grants to meet the compelling needs of grantees or subgrantees
and expansion grants under the national service laws, at such
time and in such manner and from such funds as the Corporation
determines appropriate.
(3) Pilot program.--
(A) In general.--
(i) Establishment.--Notwithstanding section
178(h) of the National and Community Service
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12638(h)), during the
COVID-19 emergency recovery period, the
Corporation shall implement a pilot program
under section 121 and 122 of such Act allowing
State Commissions to directly place individuals
in approved national service positions.
(ii) Application and review process.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Corporation may establish the time, place, and
manner of the application and review process
for the pilot program established under this
paragraph.
(B) Priorities.--In addition to the priorities
under paragraph (1), State Commissions participating in
the pilot program shall, to the extent practicable,
prioritize the placement of individuals in national
service programs carried out by entities that have not
previously been service sponsors for participants.
(C) Report.--The Corporation shall prepare and
submit a report to Congress at the end of the pilot
program described in subparagraph (A), containing
recommendations about whether and how to continue such
a program of direct placements.
(b) Flexibility During the COVID-19 Emergency Recovery Period.--
(1) Match waiver.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, an entity (including a State Commission and an entity
receiving subgrant funds) that receives assistance from the
Corporation for any program under the national service laws,
including under sections 5(a)(2) and 6(a)(2), during the COVID-
19 emergency 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.
(2) Vista limitation applicability.--Notwithstanding
subsections (a) and (b) of section 108 of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4958), during the
COVID-19 emergency recovery period, in order to address the
needs of underserved communities related to the COVID-19
pandemic, of funds appropriated for the purposes of part A of
title I of such Act (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.) under section 501
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5081), 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 this Act) carried out
pursuant to part A of title I of such Act, and such funds may
be obligated regardless of when grant recipients commenced such
programs and projects.
(3) Seasonal program.--Notwithstanding sections 152(b)(2)
and 154 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12612(b)(2), 12614), during the COVID-19 emergency
recovery period, members of the National Civilian Community
Corps established under subtitle E of title I of such Act (42
U.S.C. 12611 et seq.) may receive training and perform service
in a seasonal national service program established under
section 154 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12614) with service lasting
for a period of not less than 3 months and not more than 6
months, as specified by the Director appointed pursuant to
section 159(c)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12619(c)(1)).
(4) Increase in limitation on total grant amount for
educational award only program during covid-19 emergency
recovery period.--Notwithstanding the limit described in
section 129A(b) of the National and Community Service Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12581a(b)), during the COVID-19 emergency
recovery period, the Corporation may provide operational
support under section 129A of such Act for a program in an
amount that is not more than $1,600 per individual enrolled and
serving in an approved national service position, or not more
than $2,000 per such individual if at least 50 percent of the
persons enrolled and serving in the program are disadvantaged
youth.
(5) No summer limitation.--
(A) Enrollment.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of part A of title I of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.), during
the COVID-19 emergency recovery period, the Director of
the VISTA program may enroll full-time VISTA associates
in a program, during any months of the year, under such
terms and conditions as such Director shall determine
to be appropriate. Such individuals shall be assigned
to projects that address the needs of underserved
communities impacted by the COVID-19 public health
emergency.
(B) Reports.--In preparing reports relating to
programs under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act (42
U.S.C. 4950 et seq.), the Director of the VISTA program
shall report on participants, costs, and
accomplishments under the program under this subsection
separately.
(C) Limitation.--The limitation on funds
appropriated for grants and contracts, as contained in
section 108 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act (42
U.S.C. 4958), shall not apply to the program under this
subsection.
(c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this
Act, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and
Community Service 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
recommendations on--
(1) how to improve grant programs related to the national
service laws, including those under subtitle C of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.),
such as any recommended changes to--
(A) the requirements of section 121(e) such Act and
section 2521.60 of title 45, Code of Federal
Regulations (as in effect on the day before the date of
enactment of this Act); and
(B) the fixed-amount grants awarded under section
129(l) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12581(l)), including
improvements to account for start-of-year costs and to
ensure robust member benefits and the long-term
strength and viability of such program;
(2) 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 such Act (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; and
(3) actions to maximize flexibility for State Commissions
that would strengthen the work of State Commissions and their
grantees.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
In addition to any amounts appropriated to carry out activities or
programs under the national service laws (including under the American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2)), there is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $8,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2021,
which shall remain available to be expended through fiscal year 2024.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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