,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dcjb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bc1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,young 7for himself and ,mr4 ,cassidy7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to utilize national service programs to directly respond to the novel coronavirus disease 7,,covid-#ai7 outbreak4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,volunteers in ,contract ,tracing or ,recovery ,act or the ,,victory ,act4 #b4 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to utilize national service programs to directly respond to the novel coronavirus disease 7,,covid-#ai7 outbreak declared as a national emergency by ,president ,trump4 #c4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,national service members and volunteers in the ,united ,states are a critical part of addressing the ,,covid-#ai outbreak1 including response activities related to health1 education1 nutrition1 and infrastructure4 7#b7 ,in accordance with section #agg of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfcg71 national service members and volunteers should never displace workers from employment in the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,all volunteer activities should be carried out in a manner that complies with applicable privacy laws and laws relating to the protection of personal information4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,,cncs terms ,the terms approved national service position1 ,corporation1 ,indian tribe1 national service laws1 and territory have the meaning given those terms in section #aja of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeaa74 7#b7 ,,vista terms ,the terms ,,vista and ,,vista volunteer have the meaning given those terms in section #dba of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ejfa7 7#c7 ,eligible activity ,the term eligible activity means-- 7,a7 any activity directly related to the coronavirus pandemic emergency response that prioritizes public health needs1 such as contact tracing2 and 7,b7 any other activity directly related to the coronavirus pandemic emergency response and recovery1 which may include tutoring1 delivering meals1 or other activities4 7#d7 ,national emergency ,the term national emergency means-- 7,a7 a public health emergency declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services pursuant to section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d72 7,b7 an event for which the ,president declared a major disaster or an emergency under section #dja or #eja1 respectively1 of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj and #eaia72 or 7,c7 a national emergency declared by the ,president under section #bja of the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq474 #e4 ,flexibility for existing grants 7a7 ,national emergency ,an entity receiving financial assistance from a 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 seq471 including subgrant funds1 that are appropriated for fiscal year #bjbj or a subsequent fiscal year 7referred to in this ,act as eligible funds7 may modify the purposes of the grant or subgrant and the activities carried out under the grant or subgrant in order to carry out activities to respond to a national emergency4 7b7 ,flexibility during non-,emergency times 7#a7 ,in ,general ,an entity receiving eligible funds may modify the purposes of the grant or subgrant and the activities carried out under the grant or subgrant during a time that is not a national emergency if the entity submits a plan and the plan is approved in accordance with this subsection4 7#b7 ,approval required for subgrant recipients ,in the case of an entity that receives eligible funds as a subgrant that desires to modify the purposes of the subgrant and the activities carried out under the subgrant1 the subgrant recipient may carry out such modification only after receiving approval from the relevant entity that disburses funds for and oversees the subgrant4 7#c7 ,plan required ,in the case of an entity that receives eligible funds as a grant that desires to modify the purposes of the grant and the activities carried out under the grant1 the entity shall submit a plan to the ,corporation4 ,the plan shall include each of the following1 with respect to each project that the entity desires to modify3 7,a7 ,a description of the existing project scheduled to be carried out using the eligible funds4 7,b7 ,a description of how the existing project is no longer relevant or is overly burdensome4 7,c7 ,a description of the phase down plan that involves-- 7i7 incrementally decreasing the existing project activity to terminate the project2 or 7ii7 modifying the project and using significantly less eligible funding4 7,d7 ,a description of the planned new use of eligible funds and an explanation of how those activities are needed4 7,e7 ,a description of how the entity will evaluate the modified project and how outcomes will be measured for the new activities carried out using eligible funds1 including the evidence that will be required1 if applicable4 7#d7 ,approval process ,as expeditiously as practicable after receipt of a plan under paragraph 7#c71 the ,corporation shall review the plan and issue an approval or denial notice to the entity that submitted the plan4 ,upon approval of a plan under paragraph 7#c71 the evaluation requirements and other requirements that applied to a project before termination or modification shall be waived and the entity may use the remaining eligible funds to carry out the activities described in the plan4 #f4 ,approved national service positions authorized 7a7 ,funds appropriated ,there are authorized to be appropriated not less than #hbe1jjj1jjj to carry out this section4 7b7 ,distribution of funds 7#a7 ,in ,general ,of the funds made available to carry out this section1 the ,corporation shall determine the amount of funding necessary for eligible programs assisted under subtitle ,c and ,d of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abega71 programs assisted under the ,volunteers in ,service to ,america 7,,vista7 program established under part ,a of title ,i of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diea et seq471 and eligible programs that are assisted under subtitle ,e of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfaa74 7#b7 ,americorps ,of the funds made available to carry out eligible programs assisted under subtitle ,c and ,d of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abega71 #a percent of funds shall be reserved for ,indian tribes1 #a percent of funds shall be reserved for territories1 and #ce4c percent of funds shall be allocated to ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico in an amount that bears the same ratio to the remaining funds as the population of the ,state1 the ,district of ,columbia1 or the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico bears to the total population of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4 7#c7 ,,vista ,of the funds made available to carry out the ,volunteers in ,service to ,america 7,,vista7 program established under part ,a of title ,i of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diea et seq471 the ,corporation shall1 to the extent practicable1 endeavor to award funds to ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico in an amount that bears the same ratio to such available funds as the population of the ,state1 the ,district of ,columbia1 or the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico bears to the total population of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4 7c7 ,approved ,national ,before the date that is #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,corporation shall increase the number of approved national service positions by #ee1jjj4 ,those additional approved national service positions shall be allocated as follows3 7#a7 #dh1jjj approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs assisted under subtitle ,c of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abega72 7#b7 #f1jjj approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs assisted under the ,volunteers in ,service to ,america 7,,vista7 program established under part ,a of title ,i of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diea et seq472 and 7#c7 #a1jjj approved national service positions shall be made available for eligible programs for individuals who will deploy to regions across the ,united ,states based on emergency need through eligible programs that are assisted under subtitle ,e of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfaa74 7d7 ,redistribution ,in the case of a ,state that does not want to accept additional approved national service positions in accordance with this section1 such positions shall be reallocated evenly to the remainder of ,states accepting such additional positions4 7e7 ,eligible programs ,in this section1 the term eligible program means a national service program under subtitle ,c or subtitle ,e of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abega et seq2 #db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfaa et seq47 or part ,a of title ,i of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #diea et seq471 as the case may be4 7f7 ,priority ,in allocating approved national service positions under this section1 the ,corporation shall give priority to eligible programs that are carrying out eligible activities4 7g7 ,approved national service position benefits ,an individual in an approved national service position established under this section shall have the same benefits as an individual in an approved national service position established under the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeja et seq474 #g4 ,,vista waiver authority ,notwithstanding section #ajh of the ,domestic ,volunteer ,service ,act of #aigc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dieh71 in order to address the needs of underserved communities during the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 not more than #ge percent of funds appropriated under section #eja of that ,act to carry out part ,a of title ,i of that ,act may be obligated for the direct cost of supporting ,,vista volunteers in programs and projects1 including new programs and projects1 carried out pursuant to grants or contracts made under part ,a of title ,i of that ,act1 and such funds may be obligated without competition regardless of when grant recipients commenced such programs and projects4 #h4 ,increased coordination ,the ,corporation shall ensure that recipients of funds under the national service laws-- 7#a7 that are carrying out health related services1 have coordinated with the appropriate ,state and local health departments2 and 7#b7 that are carrying out other eligible activities1 have coordinated with the appropriate ,federal agencies1 which may include the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency1 the ,department of ,labor1 the ,department of ,education1 or another relevant ,federal agency1 to ensure continuity in coronavirus response and recovery activities and to ensure the eligible activities are carried out in a manner that is aligned with the work of ,federal agencies4 #i4 ,,nccc ,season of ,service ,notwithstanding section #aed of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfad71 during the period of national emergency related to the novel coronavirus 7,,covid-#ai71 the ,corporation may carry out a pilot program through which the summer national service program carried out under such section may be modified in order to carry out eligible activities that-- 7#a7 take place during any months of the year2 and 7#b7 include individuals aged #ah through #bf years to serve in short term periods of service under that program4 #aj4 ,match waiver ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 an entity that receives assistance from the ,corporation for any program under the national service laws 7including a ,state ,commission and an entity receiving subgrant funds7 during the ,,covid-#ai emergency response and recovery period 7which period shall be determined by the ,corporation7 shall not be subject to any requirements to provide matching funds for any such program1 and the ,federal share of such assistance for a recipient 7including for a ,state ,commission and a subgrant recipient7 may be #ajj percent4 #aa4 ,increase in ,limitation on ,grant ,amounts ,during ,,covid-#ai ,emergency ,response and ,recovery ,period ,notwithstanding the limits described in sections #ahi7;a7 and #ahi7;e7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfde;c7 or any other limitation imposed by the ,corporation1 during the ,,covid-#ai emergency response and recovery period 7which period shall be determined by the ,corporation71 the ,corporation may award additional funds on a grant to operate a program authorized under the national service laws4 #ab4 ,augmentation and expansion grants ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 during the ,,covid-#ai emergency response and recovery period 7which period shall be determined by the ,corporation71 the ,corporation may award noncompetitive augmentation and expansion grants under the national service laws1 at such time and in such manner1 and from such funds as the ,corporation determines appropriate4