I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3796 
To establish the AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps to carry out national 
service projects that address the needs arising from the consequences 
of Hurricane Katrina, and other major disasters and emergencies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 
Mr. FORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish the AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps to carry 
out national service projects that address the needs aris-
ing from the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, and 
other major disasters and emergencies. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘AmeriCorps Disaster 
Relief Corps Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY. 
The Corporation for National and Community Serv-
ice (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Corporation’’), pursu-
ant to section 126(b) of the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12576(b)), shall carry out 
the activities authorized under this Act. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL AMERICORPS DIS-
ASTER RELIEF CORPS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an 
AmeriCorps Disaster Relief Corps, to be administered by 
the Corporation, to carry out full- or part-time service 
projects that provide food, clothing, shelter, and other hu-
manitarian assistance for victims of major disasters and 
emergencies, projects involving cleaning, repair, and re-
construction of structures, facilities, and lands located 
within the disaster area, and other projects arising from 
the consequences of major disasters and emergencies. 
(b) RECRUITMENT
OF PARTICIPANTS
AND ELIGI-
BILITY.— 
(1) RECRUITMENT.—The Corporation shall en-
deavor to recruit up to 10,000 additional eligible 
participants for the national service program estab-
lished under subsection (a). 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—Eligibility to participate in 
the national service program established under sub-
section (a) shall be on the same basis as for partici-
pation in an approved national service position au-
thorized by subtitle C or E of title I of the National
and Community Service Act (42 U.S.C. 12571 et 
seq.) or by title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service 
Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.). Individuals 
selected as participants in the program shall be eligi-
ble for living allowances, educational awards, and 
other support authorized for participants in ap-
proved national service positions under such Acts. 
(3) PRIORITY.—In conducting recruiting under 
paragraph (1), the Corporation and recipients of as-
sistance to operate projects shall give priority to 
those individuals dislocated as a result of major dis-
asters and emergencies and may permit alternative 
documentation 
requirements 
relating 
to 
dem-
onstrating eligibility of such individuals. 
(c) PROJECTS.—Participants for the national service 
program established under subsection (a) may serve on 
projects that— 
(1) help those affected by major disasters and 
emergencies assess their needs; 
(2) assist in the construction of temporary 
housing for the displaced victims of a major disaster 
or emergency; 
(3) provide relocation services for victims of the 
hurricane, including food, water and clothing dis-
tribution and housing location services;