I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1149
To amend the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to create as a compo-
nent of the Volunteers in Service to America program a technology
corps that uses VISTA volunteers and other persons with expertise
regarding information technology to facilitate the use of information
technology in schools, libraries, and community centers, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 21, 2001
Mr. HONDA (for himself and Mr. HORN) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to
create as a component of the Volunteers in Service to
America program a technology corps that uses VISTA
volunteers and other persons with expertise regarding
information technology to facilitate the use of informa-
tion technology in schools, libraries, and community cen-
ters, 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 ‘‘National Education
Technology Corps Act’’ or as the ‘‘NET Corps Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Elementary and secondary school students
who receive regular access in school to Internet-ac-
cessible computers enjoy higher quality educational
opportunities and are better prepared to succeed in
college or the workplace.
(2) Local educational agencies have made ex-
traordinary gains in the acquisition of computers
and other information technology equipment for
schools. The Department of Education reported in
January 2001 that each school contains on average
100 computers. In 1999, 63 percent of school rooms
used for the instruction of students had access to
the Internet.
(3) However, local educational agencies are
dedicating almost all of their information technology
resources to equipment acquisition, while informa-
tion technology training for teachers and other
school staff receives little financial support. A CEO
Forum on Education and Technology study indi-
cated that, in the 1997–1998 school year, schools
expended just five percent of their information tech-
nology budget on teacher training.
(4) The Department of Education reported in
1999 that only 33 percent of public school teachers
with access to computers and the Internet indicated
that they were ‘‘well prepared’’ to integrate the use
of computers and the Internet into their instruction.
(5) As new information technologies are intro-
duced into classrooms, teachers will need regular ac-
cess to professional technology training.
(6) The Corporation for National and Commu-
nity Service established by section 191 of the Na-
tional and Community Service Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12651) has a proven record of mobilizing the
most intelligent, qualified, and altruistic members of
our communities for the purpose of meeting our Na-
tion’s most urgent needs.
(7) The Volunteers in Service to America pro-
gram, commonly known as VISTA, which is admin-
istered by the Corporation to efforts to eliminate
and alleviate poverty and poverty-related problems in
the United States, would provide a ready means to
facilitate the expanded use of information technology
in schools, libraries, and community centers, particu-
larly in low-income areas, and to provide information
technology training for teachers and administrators
of school, library, and community center information
technology networks.
SEC. 3. CREATION OF NATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
CORPS AS A PART OF VISTA.
The Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 is
amended by inserting after section 109 (42 U.S.C. 4959)
the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 109A. NATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY CORPS.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—As part of the Volunteers in
Service to America program established under this part,
the Director shall establish a National Education Tech-
nology Corps for the purpose of developing, strengthening,
supplementing, and expanding efforts of the Federal Gov-
ernment, State and local governments, and public and
nonprofit organizations to mobilize local, State, Federal,
and private sector financial and volunteer resources—
‘‘(1) to improve the ability of teachers, staff,
students, and other persons to use information tech-
nology in schools, libraries, and community centers;
‘‘(2) to provide information technology training
for teachers so that teachers can incorporate the use
of computers and other information technologies in
classroom instruction; and
‘‘(3) to provide technical support to administra-
tors of school, library, and community center infor-
mation technology networks.
‘‘(b) RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS.—
‘‘(1) ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA.—In establishing
the recruitment procedures under section 103(b) ap-
plicable to the selection and placement of volunteers
for service in the National Education Technology
Corps, 
the 
Director 
shall 
limit 
selection 
to
individuals—
‘‘(A) who already have sufficient experi-
ence or expertise regarding information tech-
nology and its uses to permit their prompt par-
ticipation in the types of activities described in
subsection (a); or
‘‘(B) who, with minimal additional training
(as determined by the Director), would be ready
to participate in such activities.
‘‘(2) RELATIONSHIP TO AMERICORPS.—A par-
ticipant in a national service program assisted under
subtitle C of title I of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.), com-
monly known as the Americorps program, may be
selected to also serve in the National Education
Technology Corps if the participant meets the eligi-
bility criteria in paragraph (2).
‘‘(c) PLACEMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall assign
volunteers selected for the National Education Tech-
nology Corps to projects and programs that utilize
volunteers to perform the types of activities de-
scribed in subsection (a). Such programs and
projects may be administered by public or private
nonprofit agencies and organizations, community-
based nonprofit organizations, local and State edu-
cation agencies, local and State agencies admin-
istering information technology programs, edu-
cational institutions, libraries, and local, municipal,
and State governmental entities.
‘‘(2) TECHNOLOGY PLAN.—A volunteer serving
in the National Education Technology Corps may
not be assigned to a school to perform services de-
scribed in subsection (a) unless the school, or a local
educational agency on behalf of the school, submits
to the Director a technology plan that—
‘‘(A) outlines the goals for the school’s
education technology; and
‘‘(B) complies with such guidelines as the
Director may establish.
‘‘(3) PLACEMENT
PRIORITY.—In the assign-
ment of volunteers under this section, the Director
shall give priority consideration to programs and
projects to assist schools that—
‘‘(A) are located in urban or rural areas
with the highest concentrations of illiteracy and
of low income individuals and families; or
‘‘(B) have been unable to secure assistance
for information technology improvements and
training from other sources.
‘‘(d) PARTNERSHIPS WITH QUALIFIED NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS.—The Director is authorized and encour-
aged to enter into partnerships with qualified nonprofit
organizations that undertake the types of services de-
scribed in subsection (a) for schools, libraries, and commu-
nity centers to support and expand the efforts of these
organizations.
‘‘(e) COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF EDU-
CATION.—The Director shall coordinate with the Sec-
retary of Education in the training of volunteers for the
National Education Technology Corps to ensure that the
activities undertaken by the volunteers under this section
is consistent with the educational needs of schools.
‘‘(f) AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE SECTOR.—The Di-
rector may enter into an agreement with a private sector
business under which an employee of the business who has
experience or expertise regarding information technology
and its uses will assist, without financial remuneration
from the Director, on a full-time or part-time basis—
‘‘(1) the National Education Technology Corps
and programs and projects that receive volunteers to
undertake the types of activities described in sub-
section (a); and
‘‘(2) the Director in the training of National
Education Technology Corps volunteers.
‘‘(g) EFFECT OF FUNDING REDUCTION.—In any fis-
cal year in which the services provided under this part are
reduced, the services provided under this section shall be
proportionately reduced.’’.
SEC. 4. INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED
TO 
NATIONAL 
EDUCATION 
TECHNOLOGY
CORPS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart D of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (relating to business related credits) is amended by
inserting after section 45D the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 45E. NATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY CORPS AS-
SISTANCE.
‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—For purposes of section 38,
the National Education Technology Corps assistance cred-
it determined under this section for the taxable year is
an amount equal to 20 percent of the sum of —
‘‘(1) the wages paid or incurred by the taxpayer
during the taxable year for qualified employee serv-
ices, and
‘‘(2) the amount allowed as a deduction under
section 170 for the taxable year for qualified con-
tributions.
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM CREDIT.—
‘‘(1) NATIONAL LIMITATION.—The amount of
credit determined under this section for all taxable
years beginning in a calendar year shall not exceed
$75,000,000.
‘‘(2) TAXPAYER LIMITATION.—The amount of
credit determined under this section for a taxpayer
for a taxable year shall not exceed the portion of the
national limitation under paragraph (1) for the cal-
endar year in which such taxable year begins which
is allocated by the National Education Technology
Corps to such taxpayer for such year.
‘‘(3) PER EMPLOYEE LIMIT.—The credit deter-
mined under this section with respect to services
performed by an employee during a taxable year
shall not exceed $25,000 (or such lesser amount de-
termined under paragraph (2)).
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) QUALIFIED
EMPLOYEE
SERVICES.—The
term ‘qualified employee services’ means any service
furnished by an employee of the taxpayer through
the National Education Technology Corps, either di-
rectly as a volunteer in the National Education
Technology Corps or as a participant in a National
Education Technology Corps partnership entered
into under section 109A(d) of the Domestic Volun-
teer Service Act of 1973.
‘‘(2) QUALIFIED
CONTRIBUTION.—The term
‘qualified contribution’ means any contribution of
tangible personal property to or for the benefit of
the National Education Technology Corps.
‘‘(3) WAGES.—The term ‘wages’ has the mean-
ing given to such term by section 51.
‘‘(d) CONTROLLED GROUPS.—Rules similar to the
rules of section 1397(b) shall apply for purposes of this
section.’’.
(b) DENIAL OF DOUBLE BENEFIT.—Subsection (a)
of section 280C of such Code is amended by inserting
‘‘45E(a),’’ after ‘‘45A(a),’’.
(c) CREDIT MADE PART OF GENERAL BUSINESS
CREDIT.—
ing after paragraph (9) the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(10) the National Education Technology Corps
assistance credit determined under section 45E.’’.
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
for subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1
of such Code is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 45D the following new item:
‘‘Sec. 45E. National Education Technology Corps assistance.’’.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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