I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3220 
To establish a Restore Employment in Natural and Environmental Work 
Conservation Corps in the Department of the Interior and the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2021 
Mr. RUSH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, 
Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a Restore Employment in Natural and Environ-
mental Work Conservation Corps in the Department of 
the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, 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 ‘‘Restore Employment 
in Natural and Environmental Work Conservation Corps 
Act’’ or the ‘‘RENEW Conservation Corps Act’’. 
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(4) the demand for outdoor recreation has in-
creased dramatically during the Coronavirus Disease 
2019 (COVID–19) pandemic; 
(5) the Federal Government and State and local 
governments and agencies have many ‘‘shovel-ready’’ 
projects and green infrastructure maintenance back-
log projects that would— 
(A) improve the quality of life and outdoor 
experiences of people of the United States; 
(B) make communities, especially commu-
nities that are traditionally underserved, more 
resilient to climate change, natural disasters, 
and wildfires; and 
(C) provide access to outdoor recreation 
opportunities to all people of the United States; 
(6) many facilities and natural resources lo-
cated on dedicated conservation land are in disrepair 
or degraded and in need of labor-intensive rehabili-
tation, restoration, and enhancement work that can-
not be carried out at existing staffing levels; 
(7) enhancing and maintaining environmentally 
and recreationally important land and waters 
through the participation of unemployed individuals 
in the United States in a conservation corps could— 
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(A) provide critical employment, education, 
and skill development opportunities to the indi-
viduals; 
(B) prepare the individuals for permanent 
jobs in the conservation field; and 
(C) benefit the economy and environment 
of the United States; and 
(8) existing networks of conservation corps are 
in place but need additional resources in order to 
scale up the activities of the conservation corps to 
meet growing deferred maintenance needs on public 
land. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to employ, during the 5-year period begin-
ning on the date of enactment of this Act, a total 
of 1,000,000 people in the United States in dedi-
cated conservation land projects to support the 
growing backlog of deferred conservation land 
projects; 
(2) to expose Participants to public service 
while furthering the understanding and appreciation 
of the Participants of the natural and cultural re-
sources of the United States; 
(3) to stimulate interest among Participants in 
conservation careers by exposing the Participants to 
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conservation professionals in land management 
agencies; and 
(4) to build on the existing network of con-
servation corps organizations working across the 
United States while providing for expanded partici-
pation in urban centers. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CORPS.—The term ‘‘Corps’’ means the Re-
store Employment in Natural and Environmental 
Work Conservation Corps established by section 
4(a). 
(2) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Council’’ means the 
National Council on the Restore Employment in 
Natural and Environmental Work Conservation 
Corps established under section 6(a). 
(3) ELIGIBLE AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION.—The 
term ‘‘eligible agency or organization’’ means— 
(A) a unit of local government; 
(B) a land trust; 
(C) a conservation nonprofit organization; 
or 
(D) a qualified youth service and conserva-
tion corps, including— 
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(i) 
an 
organization 
established 
under— 
(I) the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 
et seq.); 
(II) title I of Public Law 91–378 
(commonly known as the ‘‘Youth Con-
servation Corps Act of 1970’’) (16 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or 
(III) the Public Lands Corps Act 
of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.), in-
cluding the Indian Youth Service 
Corps authorized under section 210 of 
that Act (16 U.S.C. 1727b); 
(ii) the Urban Youth Corps authorized 
under section 106 of the National and 
Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (42 
U.S.C. 12656); 
(iii) a qualified urban youth corps (as 
defined in section 106(c)(3) of the Na-
tional and Community Service Trust Act of 
1993 (42 U.S.C. 12656(c)(3))); and 
(iv) the Healthy Futures Corps estab-
lished under section 122(a)(2)(A) of the 
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National and Community Service Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12572(a)(2)(A)). 
(4) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble participant’’ means an individual who— 
(A) is 16 years of age or older at the time 
the individual begins the term of service as a 
Participant; and 
(B) is a citizen or national of the United 
States or lawful permanent resident alien of the 
United States. 
(5) ELIGIBLE
PROJECT.—The term ‘‘eligible 
project’’ means any of the following: 
(A) A project to plant trees. 
(B) A project for the restoration and man-
agement of wildlife habitat. 
(C) A project to control invasive species. 
(D) A project for the conduct of prescribed 
burns, hazardous fuels reduction, or invasive 
species removal. 
(E) A project for the restoration of 
streams, wetlands, and other aquatic eco-
systems, including the Great Lakes and coastal 
areas. 
(F) A project to monitor water quality in 
streams and lakes. 
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(G) A project to assist with the conduct of 
fish and wildlife surveys. 
(H) A project for the construction or main-
tenance of trails, bridges, campgrounds, picnic 
shelters, or other recreational amenities for use 
by the public. 
(I) A project for the construction or main-
tenance of parks and playgrounds. 
(J) A project to restore brownfield sites 
(as defined in section 101 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601)) in 
urban areas. 
(K) A project to construct rain gardens, 
grass waterways, pollinator gardens, or green 
schoolyards. 
(L) A project for the development of urban 
gardens and farms. 
(M) A project to plant native grasslands. 
(N) A project to provide environmental in-
terpretation or outdoor education. 
(O) A project to improve community resil-
iency to climate change and natural disasters, 
such as the installation of bioswales and per-
meable surfaces. 
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(P) Any other project determined to be ap-
propriate by the Secretaries. 
(6) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(7) OPPORTUNITY YOUTH.—The term ‘‘oppor-
tunity youth’’ means an individual who— 
(A) is not younger than the age of 16 or 
older than the age of 24; and 
(B) is not enrolled in school or partici-
pating in the labor market. 
(8) PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘Participant’’ 
means an eligible participant enrolled in the Corps. 
(9) PROGRAM PARTNER.—The term ‘‘Program 
partner’’ means— 
(A) a State or Indian Tribe administering 
a program for eligible projects or a grant pro-
gram under subsection (a) or (b) of section 5, 
as applicable; and 
(B) an eligible agency or organization car-
rying 
out 
eligible 
projects 
under 
section 
5(a)(3)(B). 
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(10) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 
means the Secretary of Agriculture and the Sec-
retary of the Interior, acting jointly. 
(11) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other terri-
tory or possession of the United States. 
SEC. 4. RESTORE EMPLOYMENT IN NATURAL AND ENVI-
RONMENTAL WORK CONSERVATION CORPS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agri-
culture the Restore Employment in Natural and Environ-
mental Work Conservation Corps program under which 
Participants shall carry out— 
(1) eligible projects administered by the Secre-
taries under this section; and 
(2) eligible projects administered by Program 
partners under subsection (a) or (b) of section 5. 
(b) PARTICIPANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Corps shall consist of— 
(A) eligible participants who are enrolled 
in the Corps by the Secretaries; and 
(B) eligible participants who are enrolled 
in the Corps by Program partners. 
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(2) REQUIREMENT.—In enrolling eligible par-
ticipants in the Corps under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retaries and Program partners shall ensure that 
Participants reflect the demographics of the area in 
which the Participants are carrying out an eligible 
project. 
(3) WORK EXPERIENCE.—The Secretaries and 
Program partners shall provide Participants— 
(A) meaningful, full-time, productive work 
in a natural or cultural resource setting; 
(B) a mix of work experience, basic and 
life skills, education, training, and support serv-
ices; and 
(C) the opportunity to develop an ethic of 
citizenship, community service, and environ-
mental stewardship through service to the com-
munity and the United States. 
(c) TERMS AND COMPENSATION.— 
(1) TERM.—Participants shall serve for a term 
of at least 12 weeks, but not more than 1 year. 
(2) COMPENSATION.— 
(A) WAGES.—Participants shall be com-
pensated at a wage rate that is appropriate for 
the type of work performed by the Participant, 
but not less than $15 per hour (to be increased 
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each year based on increases in the Consumer 
Price Index for the year). 
(B) EDUCATIONAL
CREDIT; TUITION
AS-
SISTANCE.—If a Participant completes at least 
1 year of service in the Corps, the Participant 
shall be eligible for— 
(i) an educational credit that may be 
applied toward a program of postsecondary 
education at an institution of higher edu-
cation that agrees to award the credit for 
participation in the Corps; and 
(ii) not more than $5,500 in tuition 
assistance to the Participant for purposes 
of continuing education. 
(d) TRAINING; APPRENTICESHIPS.—The Secretaries 
and Program partners shall— 
(1) ensure that 20 to 50 percent of the term of 
a Participant in the Corps is dedicated to education, 
training, and workforce readiness activities; and 
(2) provide curricula to Participants that im-
prove the future job prospects of Participants, in-
cluding through making available to Participants 
registered apprenticeships and other professional li-
censes or certifications. 
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(e) ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF 
PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH RESPECT TO OPPORTUNITY 
YOUTH.—A Program partner that enrolls Participants 
that are opportunity youth— 
(1) shall provide to the opportunity youth— 
(A) supervision and training; 
(B) adult mentoring; and 
(C) education, which may include— 
(i) basic instruction and remedial edu-
cation; 
(ii) language instruction for individ-
uals with limited English proficiency; 
(iii) secondary education services and 
activities, including dropout prevention and 
tutoring; and 
(iv) other activities that are delivered 
in conjunction with project-based service- 
learning to the maximum extent prac-
ticable; and 
(2) may provide to the opportunity youth— 
(A) services to assist in the preparation 
for, and access to, postsecondary education op-
portunities, including— 
(i) counseling; and 
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(ii) assistance with applying for stu-
dent financial aid; 
(B) employability training, which may in-
clude— 
(i) development of basic skills, such 
as— 
(I) arriving on time to work; 
(II) being prepared to work; 
(III) following directions; 
(IV) working independently; 
(V) working with others; 
(VI) working safely; and 
(VII) demonstrating a commit-
ment to produce high-quality work; 
(ii) career counseling and job search 
assistance; and 
(iii) pathways to family sustaining 
jobs; and 
(C) supportive services, which may in-
clude— 
(i) health care, including mental 
health care, such as drug and alcohol 
abuse counseling; 
(ii) child care; and 
(iii) transportation. 
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(f) CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.—The Secretaries 
shall provide each Participant with a certificate of comple-
tion bearing the signature of the Secretaries on the com-
pletion of a term of service in the Corps. 
SEC. 5. STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL FUNDING PROGRAM 
FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECTS. 
(a) APPORTIONMENT TO STATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, subject 
to paragraphs (2) and (3), of the amounts made 
available for apportionment to the States for that 
fiscal year under section 7(a)(2), the Secretaries 
shall apportion— 
(A) 66 2⁄3 percent among States based on 
the proportion that— 
(i) the number of unemployed individ-
uals in each State, as determined based on 
the most recent data available; bears to 
(ii) the total number of unemployed 
individuals in all States as so determined; 
and 
(B) 33 1⁄3 percent among States based on 
the proportion that— 
(i) the population of each State; bears 
to 
(ii) the population of all States. 
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(2) MINIMUM
APPORTIONMENT.—No State 
shall receive an apportionment under paragraph (1) 
for a fiscal year in an amount less than 
$42,000,000. 
(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts appor-
tioned to a State under this subsection for a fiscal 
year— 
(A) 50 percent shall be used by the State 
to administer a program for the conduct of eli-
gible projects by Participants enrolled in the 
program by the States; and 
(B) 50 percent shall be used by the State 
to administer a grant program in the State 
under which the State provides grants to eligi-
ble agencies or organizations in the State for 
the conduct of eligible projects by Participants 
enrolled by the eligible agencies or organiza-
tions. 
(b) TRIBAL PROGRAM.—For each fiscal year, the 
Secretaries shall apportion, in accordance with a formula 
established by the Secretaries, amounts made available 
under section 7(a)(3) to Indian Tribes to administer a 
program for the conduct of eligible projects by Partici-
pants enrolled in the program by the Indian Tribe. 
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(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts provided to a 
Program partner for the conduct of eligible projects under 
this section, the Program partner— 
(1) may use not more than 20 percent for ad-
ministrative costs of administering and carrying out 
eligible projects (including costs of recruiting and 
hiring individuals to carry out eligible projects); 
(2) may use not more than 14 percent to pro-
vide continuing education to individuals admin-
istering or carrying out eligible projects; 
(3) may use not more than 8 percent for the 
cost of equipment and supplies for eligible projects; 
and 
(4) shall use the remainder of the amounts for 
the costs of salaries of individuals administering or 
carrying out eligible projects. 
(d) REALLOCATION.—Any funds made available to a 
State or Indian Tribe under subsection (a) or (b) that are 
not obligated by the State or Indian Tribe at the end of 
the third fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year during 
which the funds were made available shall be withdrawn 
from the State or Indian Tribe and reallocated by the Sec-
retaries to other States and Indian Tribes on the basis 
of need, as determined by the Secretaries, and in amounts 
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that the Secretaries determine would best accomplish the 
purposes described in section 2(b). 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE RESTORE EMPLOY-
MENT IN NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
WORK CONSERVATION CORPS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior, 
the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy, the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, 
the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Chief 
Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and 
Community Service, and the Assistant Secretary of the 
Army for Civil Works, through the execution of a memo-
randum of understanding, shall establish a National Coun-
cil on the Restore Employment in Natural and Environ-
mental Work Conservation Corps. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall be com-
posed of— 
(A) the Director of the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs; 
(B) the Director of the Bureau of Land 
Management; 
(C) the Commissioner of Reclamation; 
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(D) the Chief of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service; 
(E) the Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service; 
(F) the Director of the National Park 
Service; 
(G) the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration; 
(H) the Director of the Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; 
(I) the Chief of Engineers; 
(J) the Chief of the Forest Service; 
(K) the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management; 
(L) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(M) the Chair of the Council on Environ-
mental Quality; 
(N) the Chief Executive Officer of the Cor-
poration for National and Community Service; 
and 
(O) other members that the signatories to 
the memorandum of understanding under sub-
section (a) determine to be appropriate for 
membership on the Council, including— 
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(i) the Secretary of Labor; 
(ii) the Secretary of Education; 
(iii) the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services; 
(iv) the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development; 
(v) the Secretary of Transportation; 
and 
(vi) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) CHAIR.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall select 
a Chair of the Council from among the mem-
bers of the Council described in subparagraphs 
(A) through (M) of paragraph (1). 
(B) TERM.—The Chair of the Council 
shall serve for a term of 1 year. 
(c) ANNUAL MEETING.—The Chair of the Council 
shall convene annual meetings of the Council during which 
the Council shall conduct an assessment of— 
(1) the Corps; and 
(2) eligible projects carried out by the Corps. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $55,800,000,000 for the pe-
riod of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, of which— 
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