I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5829 
To require in-State tuition for certain Americorps volunteers, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 10, 2020 
Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. PANETTA, and Mr. BACON) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require in-State tuition for certain Americorps volunteers, 
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 ‘‘The National Service 
GI Bill Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. IN-STATE TUITION FOR CERTAIN AMERICORPS VOL-
UNTEERS. 
Part C of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 138. IN-STATE TUITION FOR AMERICORPS VOLUN-
TEERS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—For a period of 7 years begin-
ning on the date of enactment of the National Service GI 
Bill Act, in the case of an individual who has served in 
an approved national service position (as defined in section 
101 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 12511)) for not less than 1,700 hours during 
a period of not more than 1 year, who meets the require-
ments of subsection (b), and whose domicile is in a State 
that receives assistance under this Act, such State shall 
not charge such individual (or the spouse or dependent 
child of such member) tuition for attendance at a public 
institution of higher education in the State at a rate that 
is greater than the rate charged for residents of the State. 
‘‘(b) STATE LAW
AND REGULATIONS.—Notwith-
standing State laws with respect to residency, to benefit 
from the provisions of this section, an individual shall 
meet the enrollment and financial-aid requirements under 
applicable State law and regulations. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take ef-
fect at each public institution of higher education in a 
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State that receives assistance under this Act for the first 
period of enrollment at such institution that begins on or 
after July 1, 2021.’’. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY 
SERVICE ACT OF 1990. 
(a) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STATES AND 
SUBDIVISIONS OF STATES.—Section 121(a) of the Na-
tional and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12571(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STATES 
AND SUBDIVISIONS OF STATES.—A State or subdivi-
sion of a State desiring to receive assistance under 
this subsection shall submit a plan to the Corpora-
tion— 
‘‘(A) to ensure that beginning not later 
than middle school, students in such State or 
subdivision— 
‘‘(i) are notified of and encouraged to 
commit to a term of service in the military, 
a national service program, or a public 
service job as an employee of a local, State, 
or Federal Government, or faith-based al-
ternative program; and 
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‘‘(ii) provided information relating to 
the various terms and benefits of such op-
tions; and 
‘‘(B) that includes assurances that in high 
school, each student would be requested to— 
‘‘(i) indicate the preference of the stu-
dent for military, a national service pro-
gram, or public service, or a faith-based al-
ternative program; and 
‘‘(ii) register the intent of the student 
to serve in such a program upon gradua-
tion from high school, or defer until com-
pletion of a program of study at an institu-
tion of higher education.’’. 
(b) EDUCATIONAL AWARD AMOUNT FOR FULL-TIME 
NATIONAL SERVICE.—Section 147(a) of the National and 
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12603) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘2 times the amount of the national 
average of the annual tuition and fees (as described in 
section 472(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1087ll(1))) at 2-year institutions of higher edu-
cation, except that such value shall be not less than’’ after 
‘‘value equal to’’. 
(c) NONCOMPETITIVE HIRING AUTHORITY.—Part III 
of subtitle C of title I of the National and Community 
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Service Act of 1990 is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 142. NONCOMPETITIVE HIRING AUTHORITY. 
‘‘Upon completion of a term of service in a national 
service position, an individual shall be eligible for appoint-
ment in the competitive service in the same manner as 
a Peace Corps volunteer as prescribed in Executive Order 
11103 (22 U.S.C. 2504 note, relating to Providing for the 
Appointment of Former Peace Corps Volunteers to the Ci-
vilian Career Services).’’. 
SEC. 4. EXCLUSION FROM GROSS INCOME OF AMERICORPS 
EDUCATIONAL AWARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 117(c) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph (B), by striking the 
period at the end of subparagraph (C) and inserting ‘‘, 
or’’, and by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(D) a national service educational award 
under subtitle D of title I of the National and 
Community Service Act of 1990.’’. 
(b) EXCLUSION OF DISCHARGE OF STUDENT LOAN 
DEBT.—Subsection (f) of section 108 of such Code is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
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‘‘(6) PAYMENTS
UNDER
NATIONAL
SERVICE 
EDUCATIONAL AWARD PROGRAMS.—In the case of 
an individual, gross income shall not include any 
amount received under a national service educational 
award under subtitle D of title I of the National and 
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12601 
et seq.).’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to taxable years ending after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
Section 2233(b) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6663(b)) is amended 
by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) shall— 
‘‘(A) show potential to improve the quality 
of student achievement in, and teaching of, 
American history, civics and government, or ge-
ography, in elementary schools and secondary 
schools; 
‘‘(B) demonstrate innovation, scalability, 
accountability, and a focus on underserved pop-
ulations; and 
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‘‘(C) include programs that educate stu-
dents about the history and principles of the 
Constitution of the United States, including the 
Bill of Rights; and 
‘‘(2) may include hands-on civic engagement ac-
tivities for teachers and students.’’. 
Æ 
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