Domestic Volunteer Service Amendments

(Reported to House from the Committee on Education and Labor with amendment, H. Rept. 95-1152)

Domestic Volunteer Service Amendments - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to require VISTA volunteers with grievances to use the hearing procedures established by the Act.

Makes authorized stipends for volunteers mandatory and increases the maximum stipend from $75.00 to $90.00 per month. Authorizes the payment of end-of-service stipends to a volunteer, his family, or his designate prior to the end of such service under circumstances determined by the Director of ACTION.

Limits the amount of academic credit student volunteers may receive for their work for the University Year for ACTION program. States that service in such program shall be for not longer for one year.

Declares that a volunteer shall not be made to forfeit the rights to any government assistance to which he is otherwise entitled by reason of service in any Federal volunteer antipoverty program and the fact that such person fails to seek or refuses to accept employment or training during the period of volunteer service.

Sets the number of members of the National Voluntary Service Advisory Council at 15. Requires the Council to remain in existance until otherwise provided by law.

Declares employees of all full-time ACTION programs to be Federal employees for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code, Hatch, Social Security, and Federal Tort Claims Acts, and specified provisions of the United States Code relative to compensation of Federal employees. States that programs receiving services of ACTION volunteers shall be deemed to be receiving Federal financial assistance for purposes of equal employment opportunities provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Establishes the Urban Volunteer Programs to provide for special emphasis and demonstration programs of volunteer service to assist local community agencies and neighborhood groups to help relieve the serious social and economic decline of urban areas.

Authorizes the Director to make grants and contracts upon receipt of applications from sponsor agencies for urban volunteer programs. Creates an Urban Service Corps to mobilize part-time volunteers with special skills, and a Neighborhood Volunteer Fund to provide grants, not to exceed $15,000, to sponsor agencies.

Requires the Director to establish criteria by regulation for the the determination of eligibility for assistance. Sets forth criteria for approval of projects.

Proposes that in order to achieve optimal coordination with similar programs, the Director: (1) consult with other Federal, State, and local government agencies conducting similar programs and with private sector entities which ultilize volunteers, and (2) disseminate information about the availability of assistance under this Act.

Defines "sponsor agency" and "unit of general local government" for purposes of this Act.

Authorizes appropriations of $40,000,000 for Urban Volunteer programs for each of fiscal years 1979 and 1980.

Provides for authorizations of appropriations for National Volunteer Antipoverty programs for fiscal years 1979 and 1980. Requires that: (1) 80 percent of the such appropriated funds be spent on programs to eliminate poverty-related human, social, and environmental problems; and (2) 70 percent of such funds be expended on VISTA programs.

Authorizes appropriation for programs to assist small businesses and for the administration of this Act for fiscal years 1979 and 1980.

Amends the Peace Corps Act by striking out the provision concerning amendments authorizing appropriations that provides such amendments are to be effective for each fiscal year only to such extent and for such amounts as are specifically provided for such purpose in such appropriation Acts.