Overview
Title
To reauthorize the national service laws, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 9569 is a bill that wants to make it easier and better for people to join programs like AmeriCorps, so they can volunteer to help in their communities, learn new skills, and maybe get support for school. But, some parts of the plan aren't very clear about how the money will be spent and how some of the rules will work.
Summary AI
H.R. 9569, known as the "Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act," aims to reauthorize and modernize national service laws in the U.S. It proposes expanding service opportunities by creating new program flexibilities, increasing age eligibility for certain programs, and providing more educational award options. The Act also introduces changes to administrative practices, including a fund for unobligated funds and non-competitive hiring for certain service participants. Additionally, it seeks to establish new organizational structures, like the Office of Alumni Engagement, to support service participants and alumni.
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AnalysisAI
The Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act (PSA Act), introduced as H.R. 9569 in the 118th Congress, aims to update and modernize national service laws. Sponsored by Ms. Matsui and others, the legislation seeks to make national service more accessible and flexible for participants while updating administrative structures. The bill covers a broad range of revisions, including program modernization, member experiences, and miscellaneous provisions. Key changes involve shortening service commitments, improving educational award systems, and introducing non-competitive hiring for federal jobs.
General Summary
The PSA Act proposes to enhance national service programs like AmeriCorps through several modifications. First, it establishes shorter, more flexible service options, making national service roles more accessible for those with limited availability. Second, the act increases educational awards allowances and provides participants more choices in converting these awards into career or educational opportunities. The bill also introduces provisions to non-competitively hire former service members into federal roles, recognizing their prior contributions. Furthermore, it modernizes administrative roles, including creating an Office of Alumni Engagement to maintain connections between past and current service participants.
Summary of Significant Issues
One point of concern in the bill is the lack of specificity in funding limitations for future fiscal years as outlined in the "Authorization of Appropriations" section. This open-endedness might lead to potential overspending or mishandling of budgets. Furthermore, the bill introduces an option for current service members to receive stipends instead of educational awards. However, it lacks clearly defined criteria for when and why individuals might choose one option over another, potentially leading to inconsistencies. The reduction in service duration for the "Season of Service" from nine months to eight weeks is drastic and may warrant further exploration, as it risks the quality or depth of service outcomes.
Public Impact
Broadly, the bill could lead to increased participation in national service by making involvement more flexible and rewarding through shorter service commitments and enhanced benefits. If executed effectively, it could streamline transitioning service participants into federal jobs, which reflects a potential positive shift in federal employment practices acknowledging diverse experiences.
However, some challenges may arise in implementing these changes without clear guidelines on funding and benefits. If not addressed, this could lead to confusion or disparities in how opportunities are provided across the country.
Impact on Stakeholders
For potential participants, the bill makes service positions more appealing through reduced time commitments and increased benefits, which may result in higher participation rates. Educational institutions and career pathways might see an influx of participants utilizing awards for courses or training—a boon for these programs but one that requires oversight to ensure quality.
Federal agencies may benefit from a new influx of dedicated and previously vetted candidates for employment through relaxed hiring policies. However, there might be concerns among some stakeholders about the bypassing of traditional hiring methods, which are typically more competitive and rigorous.
Administratively, creating new offices like the Office of Alumni Engagement could increase continued engagement and support for the program’s participants, yet it also risks adding administrative overhead without a clear cost-benefit analysis.
Overall, while the goals of the PSA Act to improve accessibility and benefits in national service are commendable, the bill’s successful implementation will depend on addressing its outlined concerns with specific, clear regulations and oversight.
Issues
The lack of specificity in funding limits in Section 302 'Authorization of appropriations' could lead to overspending due to the language 'such sums as may be necessary' for fiscal years 2025 through 2029, which does not provide clear financial constraints.
The authority to invest unobligated and expiring funds under Section 106 'Spending flexibility' can result in indefinite use of funds without annual review, potentially leading to inefficient or unchecked spending.
The significant reduction in service duration from 'nine months' to 'eight weeks' in Section 101 'Expansion of national service positions with shorter periods of service' is not explained, potentially leading to reduced program effectiveness without a clear rationale.
The increase in administrative cost cap from 5% to 10% in Section 105 'Administrative costs' is not justified, which raises concerns about potential wasteful spending or inefficient use of funds.
The term 'eligible career pathway program' introduced in Section 202 'Workforce development' is only partially defined, leading to potential ambiguity and inconsistent application of the educational award for nontraditional educational opportunities.
The introduction of a 'Stipend' option in place of an educational award in Section 204 'Alignment of benefits' lacks specific conditions or criteria for selection, which might result in inconsistent application among participants.
Clarification of the 5-year term for Board of Directors appointees in Section 112 and the lack of specification on whether it applies retroactively could lead to misunderstandings or disputes regarding current members' terms.
The increase in the matching requirement for the Volunteer Generation Fund to 75% in Section 107 is not accompanied by an explanation, potentially leading to questions about its necessity.
The establishment of the Office of Alumni Engagement in Section 111 may lead to additional administrative expenses without a specified budget or cost analysis, which could be considered wasteful.
Section 205 'Non-competitive hiring eligibility' allows individuals to be noncompetitively appointed to service positions, which might bypass traditional merit-based hiring processes and could be seen as favoritism.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill states that it can be called the "Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act" or simply the "PSA Act."
2. Table of contents Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text provides the table of contents for an Act, detailing its main sections, including the titles and subtitles. It covers program modernization, member experience enhancements, and miscellaneous provisions, focusing on aspects such as national service position flexibility, educational awards, and administrative updates.
101. Expansion of national service positions with shorter periods of service Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill proposes changes to the National and Community Service Act of 1990 by creating a 1,500-hour national service program that can be completed within one year, offering participants an educational award that is 88% of the value given for the 1,700-hour program. It also adjusts the "Season of Service" duration from nine months to eight weeks and clarifies terms for service period agreements.
102. National Civilian Community Corps term extension authority Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section amends the National and Community Service Act to allow individuals in disaster relief roles or certain other approved programs to extend their service terms, with approval, up to 180 days or 90 days beyond the usual duration, depending on the program.
103. Increased age eligibility range for the National Civilian Community corps Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section changes the age eligibility for the National Civilian Community Corps from 24 years old to 26 years old by modifying the National and Community Service Act of 1990.
104. Timekeeping Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires the CEO and Inspector General of the Corporation for National and Community Service to report to Congress within 180 days on the organization's timekeeping practices for national service positions. They must also assess the impact of applying federal standards for salary documentation to service benefits and suggest improvements to ensure federal funds are used properly.
105. Administrative costs Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section changes the National and Community Service Act by increasing the number mentioned from five to ten in both the heading and the introductory text of Section 121(d).
106. Spending flexibility Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill allows the Corporation for National and Community Service to reinvest unobligated funds instead of letting them expire at the end of the fiscal year. These funds can be used to administer national service laws, modernize technology, provide training, or be deposited into the National Service Trust, with specific rules on how investment income from the Trust can be spent.
107. Volunteer generation fund Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill proposes changes to the National and Community Service Act of 1990: it updates the matching requirement to not exceed 75% of the cost, and increases the allowed administrative costs from 5% to 10%.
111. Office of alumni engagement Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Office of Alumni Engagement is created within the Corporation, led by an Officer of Alumni Engagement appointed by the CEO. This office's duties include connecting alumni with service participants to foster a service culture, creating pathways linking service with education and jobs, strengthening ties between various types of service, and collecting data on the long-term effects of national service on alumni. Here, "alumni" are defined as individuals who have completed their term in a national service program.
198T. Office of Alumni Engagement Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes an Office of Alumni Engagement within the Corporation, led by an Officer of Alumni Engagement. The Office's responsibilities include promoting service culture among alumni, linking service with education and job opportunities, enhancing relationships between different types of service, and collecting data on service impacts while maintaining alumni engagement beyond their service period.
112. Clarification regarding 5-year terms for all Board of Directors appointees Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section makes changes to the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to clarify that all appointees to the Board of Directors will serve 5-year terms starting from when they take office. The new rule applies to anyone appointed after the law is enacted.
201. Educational awards Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill section amends the National and Community Service Act to remove certain restrictions on transferring educational awards by allowing more flexibility in who can receive them, and clarifies how transferred awards are treated regarding the overall limits on educational awards an individual can receive.
202. Workforce development Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text describes amendments to the National and Community Service Act of 1990, extending the period for using educational awards from 7 years to 10 years and allowing these awards to be used for nontraditional education pathways, such as career and job training programs. It defines such programs and aligns them with established educational acts to ensure they meet specific criteria.
203. Increasing education award limit Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section of the bill amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to increase the number of times an individual can serve in a national service program from 2 to 4 terms. It also allows the Corporation to waive this limit if requested by a State Commission.
204. Alignment of benefits Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section of the bill amends various parts of the National and Community Service Act to allow participants in national service programs to choose to receive a stipend instead of an educational award. It specifies conditions under which these stipends can be given and aligns the stipend amounts with those provided under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act.
149A. Stipend Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section explains that individuals who complete a full-time term of national service can choose to receive a stipend instead of an educational award. If the service term is only partially completed, a stipend reflecting the proportion of the term completed may be given. The amount and terms of the stipend align with those set for volunteers under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973.
205. Non-competitive hiring eligibility Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes that individuals who have completed certain national or community service roles, such as AmeriCorps participants or domestic volunteers, can be appointed to federal jobs without competing through the normal hiring process. These individuals must be certified, and the appointment must occur within a certain timeframe after their service, with extensions allowed for those engaged in activities like military service or education.
189E. Non-competitive hiring eligibility Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines a process for federal agencies to non-competitively hire certain individuals who have completed specific service programs, like AmeriCorps or volunteer work, under regulations set by the Office of Personnel Management. These individuals can be considered for permanent positions if they meet certain service requirements, with appointments typically made within one year of completing their service, or up to three years later if they were engaged in activities like military service or higher education.
301. Clerical amendments Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The clerical amendments section of the bill updates the table of contents in the National and Community Service Act of 1990. It changes and adds new sections and subtitles, including those related to educational awards, stipends, non-competitive hiring eligibility, and alumni engagement.
302. Authorization of appropriations Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section authorizes funding for the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 for the fiscal years 2025 through 2029. It updates the applicable sections of the laws to allow for "such sums as may be necessary" during these years, replacing previous references to fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
303. Effective date Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The act will apply to individuals who are chosen to participate in a national service position, as defined in existing law, starting from the day the act is officially enacted.