To reauthorize the national service laws, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill reauthorizes AmeriCorps and national service programs through 2029, creating more flexible service options and enhanced benefits. It creates a new 1,500-hour service option (in addition to the standard 1,700 hours), raises the age limit for National Civilian Community Corps from 24 to 26, and allows participants to choose cash stipends instead of educational awards.
Who Benefits and How
AmeriCorps participants gain expanded options including cash stipends instead of education awards, ability to use awards for career training programs, and eligibility for non-competitive federal hiring. Alumni can now transfer awards to designated individuals (not just family), serve up to 4 terms (up from 2), and have 10 years to use awards (up from 7). National service organizations benefit from doubled administrative cost allowances (5% to 10%).
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Corporation for National and Community Service must implement new timekeeping standards, establish an Office of Alumni Engagement, and administer expanded award flexibility. Federal agencies may face increased hiring from the non-competitive appointment pathway.
Key Provisions
- Creates new 1,500-hour service option with 88% educational award
- Allows participants to choose cash stipend instead of educational award
- Establishes non-competitive federal hiring eligibility for alumni
- Extends award usage period from 7 to 10 years and increases term limit from 2 to 4
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Reauthorizes and modernizes AmeriCorps national service programs by creating flexible service terms, expanding educational award usage, establishing cash stipend alternatives, and providing federal hiring advantages for alumni
Key Policy Areas
National Service, Education, Workforce Development
Primary Purpose
Reauthorizes and modernizes AmeriCorps national service programs by creating flexible service terms, expanding educational award usage, establishing cash stipend alternatives, and providing federal hiring advantages for alumni
Policy Domains
Title I - National Service Program Improvements
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- AmeriCorps participants
- National service organizations
- National Civilian Community Corps members
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Corporation for National and Community Service administration
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title II - Educational Awards and Workforce Development
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- National service alumni
- Participants seeking career training
- Participants preferring cash over education awards
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal agencies subject to non-competitive hiring
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title III - Technical Amendments and Authorization
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- National service programs
- VISTA volunteers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal budget
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Reed, Mr. Wicker, …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
AmeriCorps participants completing full-time service, Certified national service alumni, Current and future AmeriCorps participants
Positive-direction: AmeriCorps participants completing full-time service, Certified national service alumni, Current and future AmeriCorps participants, Future national service participants, National Service Trust beneficiaries, National service alumni, National service alumni seeking federal employment, National service alumni with unused awards, National service participants preferring cash, National service participants seeking flexibility, National service participants with unused awards, Participants released early for valid reasons
Negative-direction: Current national service participants
Federal agencies recruiting employees, Federal budget, National Service Trust
National Service Trust faces effects in multiple directions
National service programs, National service programs receiving federal funds, Volunteer recruitment organizations
Positive-direction: National service programs, Volunteer recruitment organizations
Negative-direction: National service programs receiving federal funds
Individuals receiving transferred educational awards, Other job seekers competing for federal positions, Participants not planning higher education
Positive-direction: Individuals receiving transferred educational awards, Participants not planning higher education
Negative-direction: Other job seekers competing for federal positions
Career pathway and job training providers
State and local volunteer commissions
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_corporation"
- → Corporation for National and Community Service
- "chief_executive_officer"
- → Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service
- "the_director"
- → Director of the Office of Personnel Management
- "the_corporation"
- → Corporation for National and Community Service
- "the_corporation"
- → Corporation for National and Community Service
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Individuals who have successfully completed a term of service in a national service program
A program meeting Higher Education Act requirements, listed on WIOA provider list, part of a career pathway, and aligned to CTE program of study
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology