I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2125
To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to create the 
Rite of Passage Community Service Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 15, 2003
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. FORD, Mr. PLATTS, Ms. BALD-
WIN, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FROST, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. OLVER, Ms. 
MCCARTHY of Missouri, Ms. LEE, Mr. MCNULTY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
CASE, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. CLAY, Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA´, Mr. MORAN of Vir-
ginia, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. BROWN of 
Ohio, Mr. KUCINICH, and Mr. FARR) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 
to create the Rite of Passage Community Service Program.
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 ‘‘Rite of Passage Com-
munity Service Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The teenage years are a pivotal time of life, 
when young people are making choices that will af-
fect them for the rest of their lives. 
(2) The ways in which young people spend their 
time during their teenage years may set them on a 
course of active citizenship and engaged learning, or 
down a path of risky behavior with the likelihood of 
failure. 
(3) Research suggests that when young people 
see that they are able to improve the lives of others 
they feel that they are able to control and improve 
their own lives. 
(4) If properly trained, organized, and super-
vised, teenagers are a resource that can make a sig-
nificant contribution to their communities. 
(5) Opportunities for volunteer service during 
the teenage years could become a rite of passage for 
future generations. 
(6) The National Academy of Sciences Report 
on Youth Development concluded that ‘‘the future 
well-being of the country depends on raising genera-
tions of skilled, competent, and responsible adults’’. 
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to—
(1) create a national network of service pro-
grams for middle school students to serve in their 
communities after school and during the summer; 
(2) provide students with opportunities to serve 
in their communities and participate in other pro-
grams such as workshops in leadership development, 
public speaking, conflict resolution, team-building, 
and other character-building programs; 
(3) provide young people an experience that re-
inforces their connection to the community, enriches 
their education, and strengthens their personal and 
civic values; and 
(4) instill an ethic of service in young people 
which will stay with them throughout their lifetimes. 
SEC. 3. RITE OF PASSAGE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 122(a) of the Na-
tional and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12572(a)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (15) as para-
graph (16); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (14) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(15) A community-based Rite of Passage after 
school and summer service corps program that 
would offer young people—
‘‘(A) the opportunity to perform service in 
their communities; 
‘‘(B) the opportunity to participate in ac-
tivities that would provide training in leadership 
development, public speaking, conflict resolu-
tion, team building, and other critical skills; 
‘‘(C) service-learning curricula linked to 
academic goals; and 
‘‘(D) the opportunity to work with older 
AmeriCorps members who can organize service 
projects and act as mentors.’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 137 of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 12591) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) SPECIAL RULES FOR RITE OF PASSAGE PRO-
GRAM.—An individual shall be considered to be a partici-
pant in a Rite of Passage community-based after school 
or summer service corps program described in section 
122(a)(15) (42 U.S.C. 12591) that is carried out with as-
sistance provided under section 121(a) (42 U.S.C. 12571) 
if the individual—
‘‘(1) satisfies the requirements of paragraphs 
(1), (2), and (6) of subsection (a); and 
‘‘(2) is between the ages of 12 and 16, inclu-
sive, at the time the individual begins the term of 
service.’’. 
(c) TERMS OF SERVICE.—Section 139(b) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 12593(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(4) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
RITE
OF
PASSAGE 
PROGRAM.—An individual participating in a Rite of 
Passage community-based after school or summer 
service 
corps 
program 
described 
in 
section 
122(a)(15) shall agree to participate in the program 
for not less than 150 hours during a period of not 
less than 2 months and not more than 1 year.’’. 
(D) NATIONAL SERVICE EDUCATIONAL AWARD.—
(1) SPECIAL RULE FOR RITE OF PASSAGE PRO-
GRAM.—Section 141 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12595) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR RITE OF PASSAGE PRO-
GRAM.—An individual participating in a Rite of Passage 
community-based after school or summer service corps 
program described in section 122(a)(15), upon completion 
of the required 150 hours of service shall receive an edu-
cation award of $500.’’.
(2) ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUALS.—Section 146 is 
amended—
(A) in subsection (a)(2) by striking ‘‘or a 
program described in section 122(a)(9);’’ and 
inserting ‘‘, a program described in section 
122(a)(9), or a program described in section 
122(a)(15);’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d)(2)—
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘or’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘period.’’ and inserting ‘‘period; or’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) participated in a program described 
in section 12572(a).’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than March 1 of each of the first 3 years 
following the date of enactment of this Act, the Corpora-
tion for National and Community Service shall transmit 
to the Congress a report and evaluation of the program 
authorized by this Act.
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