,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bghe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #aa1 #bjbe,mr4 ,kim introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to expand the financial1 health care1 and educational benefits received by ,peace ,corps and ,ameri,corps volunteers1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,a ,chance ,to ,serve ,act4 #b4 ,expanded benefits for current and former ,peace ,corps volunteers 7a7 ,extended non-,competitive eligibility ,during the #c-year period immediately following the termination of an individual's service as a ,peace ,corps volunteer1 such individual shall be granted non-competitive eligibility with respect to positions in the civilian career services4 7b7 ,non-,discrimination based on certain immigration statuses ,section #e7;a7 of the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bejd7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the first sentence1 by striking citizens and nationals of the ,united ,states and inserting citizens1 nationals1 and lawful permanent residents of the ,united ,states2 and 7#b7 in the fourth sentence1 by striking or color4 and inserting color1 or status as a refugee1 asylee1 or other lawfully admitted alien44 7c7 ,regularity of payments of monthly stipends ,the ,director of the ,peace ,corps shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that ,peace ,corps volunteers receive stipends on a regular and predictable basis 7and1 to the maximum extent practicable1 on the same numerical day of each month71 including in the event of a temporary partial or complete government shutdown4 7d7 ,extended health care 7#a7 #a-year eligibility for health benefits ,subchapter ,,viii of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #aghi;,a4 ,former ,peace ,corps volunteers ,during the one-year period beginning on the day after the final day of the service of a ,peace ,corps volunteer1 the ,secretary shall make available to such former volunteer such hospital care or medical services as the former volunteer may elect to receive at a medical facility of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,the cost of any care or services furnished under this section to such former volunteer shall be reimbursed at such rates as may be agreed upon by the ,secretary and the ,director of the ,peace ,corps1 based on the cost of the care or service furnished and in accordance with health care otherwise provided to volunteers under section #e7;e7 of the ,peace ,corps ,act4 ,such former volunteers may decline to receive any of the health benefits authorized under this section4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments ,section #e7;e7 of the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bejd7;e77 is amended-- 7,a7 by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence3 ,former volunteers shall also be entitled to such hospital care and medical services as may be provided in accordance with section #aghi;,a of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code42 and 7,b7 in the second sentence1 by inserting 7other than health care provided in accordance with such section #aghi;,a7 after such health care4 7#c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for chapter #ag of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding after the item relating to section #aghi the following new item3 #aghi;,a4 ,former ,peace ,corps volunteers4 4 7e7 ,readjustment allowances for volunteers and volunteer leaders ,section #e of the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bejd7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b71 by striking insure their health and inserting ensure their safety1 their health1 and2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by striking #abe and inserting #dbe2 7,b7 by striking his each place such term appears and inserting the volunteer's2 7,c7 by striking he and inserting the volunteer2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 ,the amount of the readjustment allowance authorized under this subsection may be periodically adjusted by the ,director of the ,peace ,corps to reflect the percentage increase 7if any7 in the ,consumer ,price ,index42 7#c7 by redesignating subsection 7e71 as amended by subsection 7b77#b7 of this ,act as subsection 7d72 7#d7 by inserting after subsection 7d71 as so amended and redesignated1 the following3 7e7 ,the ,director shall consult with health experts outside of the ,peace ,corps1 including experts licensed in the field of mental health1 and follow guidance by the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention regarding the prescription of medications to volunteers4 2 7#e7 in subsection 7h71 by striking he and inserting the ,president2 7#f7 in subsection 7n77#b7-- 7,a7 by striking subsection 7e7 each place such term appears and inserting subsection 7d72 and 7,b7 by striking he and inserting the ,president2 7#g7 in subsection 7o71 by striking his each place such term appears and inserting the volunteer's2 and 7#h7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7q7 ,suspension of payments and accrual of interest on federal loans during service 7#a7 ,in general ,if a volunteer receives a loan made under part ,d of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;a et seq47 before commencing service in the ,peace ,corps-- 7,a7 all payments due for such loans shall be suspended2 and 7,b7 interest shall not accrue on such loan for the duration of such service4 7#b7 ,deferment or forbearance ,notwithstanding any other provision of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq471 the ,secretary of ,education shall deem each month for which a loan payment was-- 7,a7 suspended under this subsection2 or 7,b7 subject to a deferment or forbearance under the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife1 as if the borrower of the loan had made a payment for the purpose of any loan forgiveness program or loan rehabilitation program authorized under part ,b or ,d of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajga et seq4 and #ajhg;a et seq47 for which the borrower would have otherwise qualified4 4 7f7 ,nontaxable status for readjustment allowances ,notwithstanding any other provision of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 a readjustment allowance received pursuant to section #e7;c7 of the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bejd7;c771 as amended by subsection 7e77#b7 of this section1 shall not be subject to taxation under chapter #a of such ,code4 #c4 ,expanded benefits for ,ameri,corps volunteers 7a7 ,increase in national service positions ,notwithstanding any provision of the national service laws1 on or after the date of enactment of this ,act1 not fewer than #ejj1jjj national service positions shall be available under the national service programs authorized under such laws4 7b7 ,increase in living allowance ,notwithstanding section #adj of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeid7 or any other provision of the national service laws1 any individual serving in a national service program authorized under a national service law shall receive a living allowance that is not less than #bjj percent of the poverty line 7as defined in section #fgc7b7 of the ,community ,services ,block ,grant ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #iijb7b777 and adjusted by the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service in the manner described in such section4 7c7 ,extended non-,competitive eligibility ,notwithstanding any other law1 rule1 or regulation1 the head of any agency in the ,executive branch may noncompetitively appoint1 to a competitive service position at such agency1 any individual who is certified by the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service as having satisfactorily completed service in a national service program authorized under a national service law4 ,such an individual may not be appointed under the authority provided under this section after the date that is #c years after the date such individual so completes such service4 7d7 #a-,year eligibility for health benefits ,notwithstanding section #adj of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeid7 or any other provision of the national service laws1 during the one-year period beginning on the day after the final day of a participant in a national service program authorized under a national service law1 the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service shall provide such former participant1 at no cost to such participant1 with the health care policy such participant received during the term of service in such program4 7e7 ,doubling of the ,segal ,ameri,corps ,education ,award ,section #adg7;a7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfjc7;a77 is amended by inserting twice before the maximum4 7f7 ,use of the ,segal ,americorps ,education ,award ,section #adh7;a77#d7 of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfjd7;a77#d77 is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following3 1 or for the purpose of obtaining a recognized post-secondary credential 7as defined in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7g7 ,suspension of payments and accrual of interest on ,federal loans during service 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any provision of a national service law1 if an individual receives a loan made under part ,d of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;a et seq47 before commencing service in a national service program under a national service law-- 7,a7 all payments due for such loans shall be suspended2 and 7,b7 interest shall not accrue on such loan for the duration of such service4 7#b7 ,deferment or forbearance ,notwithstanding any other provision of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq471 the ,secretary of ,education shall deem each month for which a loan payment was-- 7,a7 suspended under this subsection2 or 7,b7 subject to a deferment or forbearance under the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife1 as if the borrower of the loan had made a payment for the purpose of any loan forgiveness program or loan rehabilitation program authorized under part ,b or ,d of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajga et seq4 and #ajhg;a et seq47 for which the borrower would have otherwise qualified4 7h7 ,non-,discrimination based on certain immigration statuses ,notwithstanding any provision of a national service law1 a refugee1 asylee1 or other lawfully admitted alien may not be prohibited from serving in a national service program authorized under such a law1 or receiving an education benefit for such service1 on the basis of such status4 7i7 ,planning grants for underserved communities ,notwithstanding any provision of a national service law1 the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service may award planning grants to underserved communities to enable such communities to develop the capacity to carry out national service programs under national service laws4 ,any matching fund requirements under the national service laws shall be waived for the first #b years during which any such community carries out such a national service program4 7j7 ,availability of shorter term of service ,notwithstanding sections #aci7;b71 #adf1 and #adg of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeic7;b71 #abfjb1 and #abfjc71 the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service may determine the number of hours required to successfully complete any term of service in ,ameri,corps that is less than #a1gjj hours4 ,any reduction of the required term of service below #a1gjj hours shall include a corresponding reduction in the amount of any national service educational award that may be available under subtitle ,d of title ,i of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfja et seq47 with regard to such service4 7k7 ,national service laws defined ,in this section1 the term national service laws has the meaning given such term in section #aja of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeaa74 #d4 ,public service loan forgiveness ,section #dee7m77#c77;,b7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhg;e7m77#c77;,b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking or at the end of clause 7i72 7#b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 or2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 serving1 on a full-time basis1 in a national service program authorized under a national service law 7as defined in section #aja of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeaa77 or as a ,peace ,corps volunteer4 4 #e4 ,exclusion from gross income of certain payments for national service 7a7 ,in general ,part ,,ii of subchapter ,b of chapter #a of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by inserting after section #aci;,i the following new section3 #aci;,j4 ,certain payments for national service ,in the case of an individual1 gross income shall not include any amount received under a national service educational award under subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abfja et seq47 or any living allowance provided to such individual during participation in a national service program authorized under a national service law 7as defined in section #aja of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abeaa774 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for part ,,ii of subchapter ,b of chapter #a of such ,code is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aci;,i the following new item3 ,sec4 #aci;,j4 ,certain payments for national service4 4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this ,act4