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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3964 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3964

   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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 16, 2020

 Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Booker, Mr. Graham, Mr. Reed, 
Mr. Rubio, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Ms. Harris, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. 
    Baldwin, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. King, and Ms. Collins) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 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 one 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 Act 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 
                        section (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--
                            ``(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:
    ``(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), 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 
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 Act, 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 Act, 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 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.''.
                                 <all>
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