VICTORY Act

To utilize national service programs to directly respond to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID–19) outbreak. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Volunteers in Contract Tracing or Recovery Act VICTORY Act 2. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to utilize national service programs to directly respond to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID–19) outbreak declared as a national emergency by President Trump. 3. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) National service members and volunteers in the United States are a critical part of addressing the COVID–19 outbreak, including response activities related to health, education, nutrition, and infrastructure. (2) In accordance with section 177 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12637 (3) All volunteer activities should be carried out in a manner that complies with applicable privacy laws and laws relating to the protection of personal information. 4. Definitions In this Act: (1) CNCS terms The terms approved national service position Corporation Indian tribe national service laws territory 42 U.S.C. 12511 (2) VISTA terms The terms VISTA VISTA volunteer 42 U.S.C. 5061 (3) Eligible activity The term eligible activity (A) any activity directly related to the coronavirus pandemic emergency response that prioritizes public health needs, such as contact tracing; and (B) any other activity directly related to the coronavirus pandemic emergency response and recovery, which may include tutoring, delivering meals, or other activities. (4) National emergency The term national emergency (A) a public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d (B) an event for which the President declared a major disaster or an emergency under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 (C) a national emergency declared by the President under section 201 of the National Emergencies Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1601 5. Flexibility for existing grants (a) National emergency An entity receiving financial assistance from a program authorized under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12501 42 U.S.C. 4950 eligible funds (b) Flexibility during non-Emergency times (1) In General An entity receiving eligible funds may modify the purposes of the grant or subgrant and the activities carried out under the grant or subgrant during a time that is not a national emergency if the entity submits a plan and the plan is approved in accordance with this subsection. (2) Approval required for subgrant recipients In the case of an entity that receives eligible funds as a subgrant that desires to modify the purposes of the subgrant and the activities carried out under the subgrant, the subgrant recipient may carry out such modification only after receiving approval from the relevant entity that disburses funds for and oversees the subgrant. (3) Plan required In the case of an entity that receives eligible funds as a grant that desires to modify the purposes of the grant and the activities carried out under the grant, the entity shall submit a plan to the Corporation. The plan shall include each of the following, with respect to each project that the entity desires to modify: (A) A description of the existing project scheduled to be carried out using the eligible funds. (B) A description of how the existing project is no longer relevant or is overly burdensome. (C) A description of the phase down plan that involves— (i) incrementally decreasing the existing project activity to terminate the project; or (ii) modifying the project and using significantly less eligible funding. (D) A description of the planned new use of eligible funds and an explanation of how those activities are needed. (E) A description of how the entity will evaluate the modified project and how outcomes will be measured for the new activities carried out using eligible funds, including the evidence that will be required, if applicable. (4) Approval process As expeditiously as practicable after receipt of a plan under paragraph (3), the Corporation shall review the plan and issue an approval or denial notice to the entity that submitted the plan. Upon approval of a plan under paragraph (3), the evaluation requirements and other requirements that applied to a project before termination or modification shall be waived and the entity may use the remaining eligible funds to carry out the activities described in the plan. 6. Approved national service positions authorized (a) Funds appropriated There are authorized to be appropriated not less than $825,000,000 to carry out this section. (b) Distribution of funds (1) In General Of the funds made available to carry out this section, the Corporation shall determine the amount of funding necessary for eligible programs assisted under subtitle C and D of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12571 42 U.S.C. 4951 42 U.S.C. 12611 (2) Americorps Of the funds made available to carry out eligible programs assisted under subtitle C and D of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12571 (3) VISTA Of the funds made available to carry out the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program established under part A of title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 ( 42 U.S.C. 4951 (c) Approved National Before the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Corporation shall increase the number of approved national service positions by 55,000. Those additional approved national service positions shall be allocated as follows: (1) 48,000 approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs assisted under subtitle C of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12571 (2) 6,000 approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs assisted under the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program established under part A of title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 ( 42 U.S.C. 4951 (3) 1,000 approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs for individuals who will deploy to regions across the United States based on emergency need through eligible programs that are assisted under subtitle E of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12611 (d) Redistribution In the case of a State that does not want to accept additional approved national service positions in accordance with this section, such positions shall be reallocated evenly to the remainder of States accepting such additional positions. (e) Eligible programs In this section, the term eligible program 42 U.S.C. 12571 42 U.S.C. 12611 42 U.S.C. 4951 (f) Priority In allocating approved national service positions under this section, the Corporation shall give priority to eligible programs that are carrying out eligible activities. (g) Approved national service position benefits An individual in an approved national service position established under this section shall have the same benefits as an individual in an approved national service position established under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12501 7. VISTA waiver authority Notwithstanding section 108 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 ( 42 U.S.C. 4958 8. Increased coordination The Corporation shall ensure that recipients of funds under the national service laws— (1) that are carrying out health related services, have coordinated with the appropriate State and local health departments; and (2) that are carrying out other eligible activities, have coordinated with the appropriate Federal agencies, which may include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, or another relevant Federal agency, to ensure continuity in coronavirus response and recovery activities and to ensure the eligible activities are carried out in a manner that is aligned with the work of Federal agencies. 9. NCCC Season of Service Notwithstanding section 154 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12614 (1) take place during any months of the year; and (2) include individuals aged 18 through 26 years to serve in short term periods of service under that program. 10. Match waiver 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 (which period shall be determined by the Corporation) 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. 11. Increase in Limitation on Grant Amounts During COVID–19 Emergency Response and Recovery Period Notwithstanding the limits described in sections 189(a) and 189(e) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12645c 12. Augmentation and expansion grants Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the COVID–19 emergency response and recovery period (which period shall be determined by the Corporation), the Corporation may award noncompetitive augmentation and expansion grants under the national service laws, at such time and in such manner, and from such funds as the Corporation determines appropriate.

Summary: Volunteers in Contract Tracing or Recovery Act or the VICTORY Act This bill allows national service entities to modify existing grant programs to carry out activities to respond to a national emergency, including the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency.