,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cffe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #bh1 #bjah,ms4 ,duckworth 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 and ,ms4 ,baldwin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to provide for a more inclusive voluntary civilian national service program to promote civic engagement1 enhance national unity1 and foster a sense of shared sacrifice by helping young ,americans participate in national service1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,section #b7;a7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeja7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#g7 ,the number of ,americans applying to participate in national service programs each year significantly exceeds the number of available positions1 depriving hundreds of thousands of ,americans from participating in national and community service4 7#h7 ,by dramatically lowering the barriers to participating in national service and expanding the network of quality volunteer opportunities1 the ,united ,states can address important national priorities and promote a sense of shared purpose among the citizenry1 at a time when less than one percent of ,americans are serving as members of the ,armed ,forces4 4 #c4 ,exclusion from gross income of ,ameri,corps educational awards 7a7 ,in general ,section #aag of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf 7relating to qualified scholarships7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7e7 ,ameri,corps ,educational ,awards ,gross income shall not include any national service educational award described in subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfja et seq474 4 7b7 ,effective ,date ,the amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,income tax exclusion for living allowance 7a7 ,in general ,part ,,iii of subchapter ,b of chapter #a of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by inserting after section #aci;,g the following new section3 #aci;,h4 ,living allowance for national service participants ,gross income does not include the amount of any living allowance provided under section #adj of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for part ,,iii of subchapter ,b of chapter #a of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aci;,g the following new item3 ,sec4 #aci;,h4 ,living allowance for national service participants4 4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #e4 #bast ,century ,national ,service ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,corporation ,the term ,corporation has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeaa74 7#b7 ,eligible individual ,the term eligible individual means an individual who is eligible for a national service program4 7#c7 ,national service program ,the term national service program means a voluntary civilian national service program authorized under the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeja et seq47 or the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diej et seq474 7b7 ,program established 7#a7 ,in ,general ,the ,corporation shall develop a plan to establish a #bast ,century ,national ,service ,program to ensure that each eligible individual who applies to serve in a national service program will be provided an opportunity to serve in such program4 7#b7 ,development of the program ,in developing the #bast ,century ,national ,service ,program1 the ,corporation shall-- 7,a7 determine how the ,corporation will work with ,federal or ,state agencies and other entities to-- 7i7 contact each eligible individual upon such individual's #agth birthday to notify the individual about-- 7,i7 the individual's eligibility for national service programs2 7,,ii7 such national service programs and how to register for a specific program2 7,,iii7 other service programs for which the individual may be eligible1 including the ,peace ,corps 7as established by the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #beja et seq477 and military service2 and 7,,iv7 the individual's option to opt-out of receiving any notifications1 or just notifications in a paper format1 under clause 7ii72 and 7ii7 after contacting an eligible individual under clause 7i71 notify the eligible individual every #b years thereafter of the information described in subclauses 7,i7 through 7,,iv7 of clause 7i71 unless-- 7,i7 the individual is serving in a national service program2 or 7,,ii7 the individual has opted out of receiving such notifications under clause 7i77,,iv72 and 7,b7 determine how the ,corporation will enable eligible individuals to register for a specific national service program and ensure that such registration process is the most effective process for the purpose of registering for such a program4 7#c7 ,strategic plan 7,a7 ,plan for implementation ,the ,corporation shall develop a strategic implementation plan to fully implement the #bast ,century ,national ,service ,program1 which shall include-- 7i7 concrete timelines and milestones for an effective and phased implementation2 and 7ii7 beginning the notification under paragraph 7#b77;,a77i7 not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 to the greatest extent practicable4 7,b7 ,publication ,the ,corporation shall publish on the website of the ,corporation the information described in this paragraph4 7#d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,corporation such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4 #f4 ,living allowance amounts 7a7 ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc ,section #aje7;b7 of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diee7;b77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking #ie percent and inserting #aej percent2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking #aje percent and inserting #baj percent2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 7,a7 ,a stipend or allowance under this subsection shall not be increased as a result of amendments made by the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act1 or any other amendment made to this subsection unless the funds appropriated for carrying out this part are sufficient to maintain for the fiscal year in question a number of participants to serve under this part at least equal to the number of such participants serving during the preceding fiscal year4 7,b7 ,in the event that sufficient appropriations for any fiscal year are not available to increase any such stipend or allowance provided to the minimum amount specified in paragraph 7#b71 the ,director shall increase the stipend or allowance to such amount as appropriations for such year permit consistent with subparagraph 7,a74 4 7b7 ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij ,section #ahi of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfde;c7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by striking #ah1jjj and inserting #bh1bdd2 7#b7 in subsection 7e77#a71 by striking #ai1ejj and inserting #ci1jjj2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,insufficient appropriations ,notwithstanding the increased limitation on grant amounts per full-time equivalent position described in subsection 7a7 and the increased limitation described in subsection 7e77#a7 as a result of amendments made by the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act1 or any other amendment made to this section1 the amount of funds per full-time equivalent position approved by the ,corporation for a grant1 as described in those subsections1 shall not be increased unless the funds appropriated for carrying out this subtitle are sufficient to make such increase while maintaining for the fiscal year in question a number of approved national service positions at least equal to the number of such positions during the preceding fiscal year4 4 #g4 ,educational award amounts ,section #adg7;a7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfjc7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,except as provided and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in ,general ,except as provided 2 7#b7 by inserting twice before the maximum amount of a ,federal ,pell ,grant2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,insufficient appropriations 7,a7 ,no increase in educational award ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the national service educational award under this subsection shall not be increased as a result of amendments made by the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act1 or any other amendment made to this subsection1 unless the funds appropriated for carrying out this subtitle are sufficient to maintain for the fiscal year in question a number of such national service educational awards that is at least equal to the number of such awards during the preceding fiscal year4 7,b7 ,limited increase in educational award ,in the event that sufficient appropriations for any fiscal year are not available to increase any such national service educational award provided to the amount specified in paragraph 7#a71 the amount of such award shall be increased to such amount as appropriations for such year permit consistent with subparagraph 7,a74 4 #h4 ,authorization of appropriations ,section #eja7;a77#b7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfha7;a77#b77 is amended to read as follows3 7#b7 ,subtitles c and d 7,a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated1 for each fiscal year1 such sums as may be necessary to provide financial assistance under subtitle ,c of title ,i and to provide national service educational awards under subtitle ,d of title ,i for-- 7i7 the number of positions specified in section #aba7;f77#a7 for such fiscal year1 if that number is so specified for that fiscal year2 or 7ii7 otherwise1 the number of positions specified in section #aba7;f77#a7 for the most recent fiscal year4 7,b7 ,maintaining positions and awards ,for the purpose of authorizing appropriations under subparagraph 7,a7 for a fiscal year1 there are authorized to be appropriated-- 7i7 for supporting 7including providing living allowances for7 approved national service positions1 an amount sufficient to ensure that the amendments made by section #f of the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act may be carried out1 while supporting the number of positions determined under subparagraph 7,a7 for the fiscal year involved2 and 7ii7 for funding the national service educational awards associated with those positions1 an amount sufficient to ensure that the amendments made by section #g of the #bast ,century ,american ,service ,act may be carried out4 4