I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3837
To establish the Silver Scholarship program to provide transferable edu-
cational awards to individuals 55 years of age and older who perform
certain volunteer services.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 4, 2002
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To establish the Silver Scholarship program to provide trans-
ferable educational awards to individuals 55 years of
age and older who perform certain volunteer services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SILVER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
Subtitle D of title I of the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 149. SILVER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Chief Executive Officer
is authorized to award grants to public agencies and pri-
vate nonprofit organizations with experience in admin-
istering volunteer programs (including the programs re-
ferred to or administered under title II of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act of 1973) to provide scholarships of
not more than $1,000 each in accordance with this sec-
tion.
‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible agency or organiza-
tion desiring a grant under this section shall submit to
the Chief Executive Officer an application in such form
and accompanied by such information as he may reason-
ably require.
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOLARSHIP.—A public
agency or nonprofit organization receiving a grant under
subsection (a) may award scholarships of $1,000 to each
individual designated by a senior volunteer who has met
the following requirements:
‘‘(1) Performed not less than 500 hours of vol-
unteer services of the type established to be appro-
priate under subsection (d)(2) during a 12-month
period (or a prorated amount for an individual who
completes not less than 250 hours but less than 500
hours in a 12-month period based on compelling per-
sonal circumstances)—
‘‘(A) after having attained the age of 55
years; and
‘‘(B) after the date of the enactment of
this section.
‘‘(2) Received fewer than 2 scholarships under
this section within the 5-year period preceding the
date that the scholarship is awarded.
‘‘(d) CRITERIA AND PRIORITIES.—The Chief Execu-
tive Officer shall—
‘‘(1) establish criteria and priorities for award-
ing grants under this section and for the award by
grantees of scholarships under this section; and
‘‘(2) establish which types of volunteer services
(including tutoring or mentoring in a school setting,
afterschool setting, or other community-based edu-
cational setting and assisting persons with special
needs to continue living independently) are appro-
priate to receive credit toward a scholarship awarded
under this section.
‘‘(e) USE OF SCHOLARSHIPS.—A scholarship award-
ed under this section may be used—
‘‘(1) by the recipient or any person designated
by the recipient;
‘‘(2) only for qualified tuition and related ex-
penses, as defined in section 117 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, and conditions set forth by
the Chief Executive Officer through regulation; and
‘‘(3) not later than 7 years after award of the
scholarship.
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
appropriated for this section $20,000,000 for the
first fiscal year beginning after the date of the en-
actment of this section and such sums as are nec-
essary for each fiscal year thereafter.
‘‘(2) USE
OF
FUNDS.—Of the funds appro-
priated under paragraph (1)—
‘‘(A) not more than 50 percent shall be
used for administrative purposes by the Chief
Executive Officer;
‘‘(B) not less than 40 percent shall be
granted for use in awarding scholarships to vol-
unteers who have performed the hours required
for the scholarship providing tutoring or men-
toring in a school setting, afterschool setting, or
other community-based educational setting, as
defined in rules promulgated by the Corpora-
tion; and
‘‘(C) not less than 10 percent shall be
granted for use in awarding scholarships to eli-
gible volunteers in assisting persons with special
needs to continue to live independently, includ-
ing those who are homebound, as defined in
rules promulgated by the Corporation.’’.
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