I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5308 
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out grant programs to encour-
age student participation in local government and volunteer service, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 
Mr. CONAWAY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out grant 
programs to encourage student participation in local gov-
ernment and volunteer service, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Service Starts At 
Home Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANTS TO SUPPORT INTERNSHIPS IN LOCAL GOV-
ERNMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall carry 
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out a program under which the Secretary makes grants, 
on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to support paid 
internships within units of local government for secondary 
school students and students who are qualified under-
graduates at institutions of higher education in the State 
in which the entity is located. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be considered for a grant 
under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit an ap-
plication to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(c) LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.— 
Each eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection 
(a) shall use such grant to carry out a program under 
which the entity— 
(1) identifies appropriate paid internship oppor-
tunities within units of local government for sec-
ondary school students and students who are under-
graduates at institutions of higher education in the 
State in which the entity is located; 
(2) establishes a process for the selection of 
students to fill such internships; 
(3) determines hourly rates of pay and other 
terms and conditions applicable to such internships; 
and 
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(4) pays the costs incurred in providing such in-
ternships. 
(d) ACCOMMODATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL STAND-
ARDS.—In carrying out the internship program under sub-
section (c), an eligible entity shall— 
(1) work with institutions of higher education 
to ensure that the work performed by interns has 
educational value and meets applicable educational 
standards; and 
(2) seek to provide reasonable employment-re-
lated accommodations to interns who have childcare 
needs, transportation difficulties, or other such chal-
lenges, which may include accommodations such as 
flexible work schedules for interns and allowing in-
terns to telework to the extent determined prac-
ticable by the eligibility entity concerned. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
SEC. 3. SCHOLARSHIP FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) FUNDING.— 
(1) STATE PROGRAMS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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(2) FEDERAL
PROGRAM.—From the amount 
appropriated to carry out this section for each fiscal, 
the Secretary may reserve not more than 20 percent 
to carry out the Federal supplemental scholarship 
program under subsection (c). 
(b) STATE
ADMINISTERED
SCHOLARSHIP
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State that receives an 
allocation under subsection (a)(2) shall use such al-
location to carry out a program under which the 
State awards scholarships, on a competitive basis, to 
eligible students who demonstrate a commitment to 
volunteer service work. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A student who seeks a 
scholarship under this subsection shall submit an ap-
plication to the State at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the State may 
require. 
(3) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to 
receive a scholarship under this subsection a student 
shall meet the following criteria: 
(A) FIRST-TIME APPLICANT.—In the case 
of a first-time applicant for a scholarship under 
this subsection, the student shall— 
(i) be enrolled— 
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(I) in a secondary school and be 
in the final year of a program of 
study leading to a regular high school 
diploma; or 
(II) in an institution of higher 
education; and 
(ii) have completed at least 100 hours 
of volunteer service work in the preceding 
school year (or another one-year period de-
termined by the Secretary). 
(B) RENEWAL APPLICANT.—In the case of 
a student who received a scholarship under this 
subsection for an academic year and is seeking 
a scholarship for a subsequent academic year, 
the student shall— 
(i) be enrolled in an institution of 
higher education; 
(ii) be in good academic standing (as 
determined by the institution); and 
(iii) have completed at least 100 hours 
of volunteer service work in the preceding 
school year (or another one-year period de-
termined by the Secretary). 
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(4) RENEWAL PROCESS.—Subject to the avail-
ability of funds for such purpose, a State that re-
ceives an allocation under subsection (a) shall— 
(A) award a scholarship to each renewal 
applicant who meets the requirements described 
in paragraph (3)(B); and 
(B) establish a streamlined process under 
which renewal applicants can apply for such 
scholarships with minimal documentation re-
quired. 
(5) PRIORITY.—In awarding scholarships under 
this subsection, a State shall— 
(A) in accordance with paragraph (4), first 
award scholarships to renewal applicants de-
scribed in paragraph (3)(B); and 
(B) from any funds remaining after award-
ing such scholarships, award scholarships to 
first-time applicants described in paragraph 
(3)(A). 
(6) USE OF FUNDS.—A scholarship received by 
a student under this subsection may be used by such 
student only to pay the student’s costs of attendance 
at an institution of higher education. 
(7) DURATION.—Each scholarship under this 
subsection shall be awarded for a period of one aca-
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demic year. A student may receive a scholarship 
under this subsection for a total period of not more 
than 4 academic years. 
(8) AMOUNT.—The amount of each scholarship 
under this subsection shall be— 
(A) $1,000, for a student who completed 
at least 100 hours, but less than 138 hours, of 
volunteer service work in the preceding school 
year (or another one-year period determined by 
the Secretary); 
(B) $1,500, for a student who completed 
at least 138 hours, but less than 175 hours, of 
volunteer service work in the preceding school 
year (or another one-year period determined by 
the Secretary); 
(C) $2,000, for a student who completed 
at least 175 hours, but less than 213 hours, of 
volunteer service work in such period; 
(D) $2,500, for a student who completed 
at least 213 hours, but less than 250 hours, of 
volunteer service work in such period; and 
(E) $3,000, for a student who completed 
at least 250 hours of volunteer service work in 
such period. 
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(c) FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL SCHOLARSHIP PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From amounts reserved 
under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary may carry out 
a program under which the Secretary awards supple-
mentary funds, on a competitive basis, directly to el-
igible students for volunteer service work. 
(2) AMOUNT.—The amount of supplementary 
funds awarded to each student under paragraph (1) 
shall be determined by the Secretary. 
(3) PRIORITY.—In awarding scholarships under 
this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the 
award of funds to students who have not received a 
scholarship under subsection (b). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
SEC. 4. RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMUNITY 
SERVICE. 
The Secretary shall carry out a program to recognize 
elementary schools, secondary schools, local educational 
agencies, and institutions of higher education based on 
their overall volunteer achievement and contributions to 
community service. 
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SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ESEA DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘elemen-
tary school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘regular 
high school diploma’’, ‘‘secondary school’’, ‘‘Sec-
retary’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given those 
terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) COST OF ATTENDANCE.—The term ‘‘cost of 
attendance’’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1087ll). 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a State or a unit of local government. 
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(5) UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 
‘‘unit of local government’’ means— 
(A) a county, municipality, town, township, 
village, parish, borough, or other unit of general 
government below the State level; or 
(B) a governing body of an Indian Tribe or 
Tribal organization. 
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