I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2552
To improve the manner in which the Corporation for National and Community 
Service approves, and records obligations relating to, national service 
positions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2003
Mr. VAN HOLLEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To improve the manner in which the Corporation for Na-
tional and Community Service approves, and records obli-
gations relating to, national service positions.
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 ‘‘Strengthen 
AmeriCorps Program Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROCESS OF APPROVAL OF NATIONAL SERVICE PO-
SITIONS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act, the terms ‘‘approved 
national service position’’ and ‘‘Corporation’’ have the
meanings given the terms in section 101 of the National 
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511). 
(b) TIMING AND RECORDING REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subtitles C 
and D of title I of the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq., 
12601 et seq.), and any other provision of law, in 
approving a position as an approved national service 
position, the Corporation—
(A) shall approve the position at the time 
the Corporation—
(i) enters into an enforceable agree-
ment with an individual participant to 
serve in a program carried out under sub-
title E of title I of that Act (42 U.S.C. 
12611 et seq.) or title I of the Domestic 
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 
4951 et seq.); or 
(ii) except as provided in clause (i), 
awards a grant to (or enters into a con-
tract or cooperative agreement with) an 
entity to carry out a program for which 
such a position may be approved under 
section 123 of the National and Commu-
nity Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12573); and 
(B) shall record as an obligation an esti-
mate of the net present value of the national 
service educational award associated with the 
position, based on a formula that takes into 
consideration historical rates of enrollment in 
such a program, and of earning and using na-
tional service educational awards for such a 
program. 
(2) FORMULA.—In determining the formula de-
scribed in paragraph (1)(B), the Corporation shall 
consult with the Director of the Congressional Budg-
et Office. 
(3) CERTIFICATION REPORT.—The Chief Exec-
utive Officer of the Corporation shall annually pre-
pare and submit to Congress a report that contains 
a certification that the Corporation is in compliance 
with the requirements of paragraph (1). 
(4) APPROVAL.—The requirements of this sub-
section shall apply to each approved national service 
position that the Corporation approves—
(A) during fiscal year 2003 (before or after 
the date of enactment of this Act); and 
(B) during any subsequent fiscal year.
(c) RESERVE ACCOUNT.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT AND CONTENTS.—
(A) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—Notwithstanding 
subtitles C and D of title I of the National and 
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12571 et seq., 12601 et seq.), and any other 
provision of law, within the National Service 
Trust established under section 145 of the Na-
tional and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 12601), the Corporation shall establish 
a reserve account. 
(B) CONTENTS.—To ensure the avail-
ability of adequate funds to support the awards 
of approved national service positions for each 
fiscal year, the Corporation shall place in the 
account—
(i) during fiscal year 2003, a portion 
of the funds that were appropriated for fis-
cal year 2003 or a previous fiscal year 
under 
section 
501(a)(2) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
12681(a)(2)), and were made available to 
carry out subtitle C or D of title I of that 
Act, and remain available; and 
(ii) during fiscal year 2004 or a sub-
sequent fiscal year, a portion of the funds
that were appropriated for that fiscal year 
under section 501(a)(2) and were made 
available to carry out subtitle C or D of 
title I of that Act. 
(2) OBLIGATION.—The Corporation shall not 
obligate the funds in the reserve account until the 
Corporation—
(A) determines that the funds will not be 
needed for the payment of national service edu-
cational awards associated with previously ap-
proved national service positions; or 
(B) obligates the funds for the payment of 
such awards for such previously approved na-
tional service positions. 
(d) AUDITS.—The accounts of the Corporation relat-
ing to the appropriated funds for approved national serv-
ice positions, and the records demonstrating the manner 
in which the Corporation has recorded estimates described 
in subsection (b)(1)(B) as obligations, shall be audited an-
nually by independent certified public accountants or inde-
pendent licensed public accountants, certified or licensed 
by a regulatory authority of a State or other political sub-
division of the United States in accordance with generally 
accepted auditing standards. A report containing the re-
sults of each such independent audit shall be included in 
the annual report required by subsection (b)(3). 
(e) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—Except as provided 
in subsection (c), all amounts included in the National 
Service Trust under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of sec-
tion 145(a) of the National and Community Service Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601(a)) shall be available for pay-
ments of national service educational awards under section 
148 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12604).
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