Bill Summary
The UNITE Act of 2020 aims to mobilize individuals in the United States to fight against the coronavirus by expanding volunteer opportunities in AmeriCorps, providing employment opportunities at FEMA, and utilizing the expertise of Peace Corps volunteers whose service ended due to the pandemic. It also calls for the full utilization of the Federal Government workforce and expansion of the CORE program. The legislation also prioritizes agreements with public and private organizations to direct volunteers to assist those most impacted by the pandemic and waives certain eligibility and matching fund requirements for volunteers. It also authorizes the appointment and training of 62,000 additional FEMA employees to address the pandemic and other disasters, as well as providing funding and outlining eligibility and hiring requirements for these employees. Lastly, it includes provisions for reenrollment and transition assistance for Peace Corps volunteers whose service ended involuntarily due to the pandemic.
Possible Impacts
1. Individuals in the United States will have expanded opportunities to volunteer with AmeriCorps and FEMA to assist with the coronavirus pandemic, as outlined in the UNITE Act of 2020.
2. The legislation prioritizes agreements with public and private organizations to direct volunteers to assist those most impacted by the pandemic, and also authorizes the recruitment of additional AmeriCorps volunteers with waived eligibility requirements.
3. The legislation authorizes the appointment and training of an additional 62,000 employees by FEMA to address the pandemic and other disasters, providing opportunities for employment and assistance during the crisis.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3642 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3642
To mobilize individuals in the United States in the fight against
coronavirus by expanding volunteer opportunities in AmeriCorps,
expanding employment opportunities at the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and utilizing the expertise of Peace Corps volunteer leaders
whose service ended on March 15, 2020, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 7, 2020
Mr. Van Hollen (for Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr.
Blumenthal)) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To mobilize individuals in the United States in the fight against
coronavirus by expanding volunteer opportunities in AmeriCorps,
expanding employment opportunities at the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and utilizing the expertise of Peace Corps volunteer leaders
whose service ended on March 15, 2020, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Undertaking National Initiatives to
Tackle Epidemic Act of 2020'' or the ``UNITE Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The outbreak of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2,
which causes COVID-19 (referred to in this Act as the
``coronavirus''), has disrupted the lives of all individuals in
the United States and required enormous sacrifice. In following
the guidance of public health officials, individuals in the
United States have and can continue to play a key role in
defeating their common, invisible enemy.
(2) The Corporation for National and Community Service
(referred to in this Act as ``CNCS''), through the health,
disaster, and poverty services administered by the CNCS under
the 3 flagship AmeriCorps programs (AmeriCorps VISTA,
AmeriCorps NCCC, and AmeriCorps State and National Volunteers),
is uniquely positioned to aid frontline workers and communities
most impacted by the coronavirus public health emergency if the
President of the United States fully mobilizes those 3
programs.
(3) The Federal Emergency Management Agency (referred to in
this section as ``FEMA''), tasked with leading aspects of the
whole-of-government response to the coronavirus outbreak, is
reportedly understaffed of those frontline workers that are
essential to responding to the public health emergency.
(4) On March 15, 2020, the Peace Corps involuntarily ended
the service of approximately 7,300 volunteers. Many of them
acquired public health skills in countries abroad, which may
also be applied to further service in AmeriCorps, service in
FEMA, or continuing service in the Peace Corps once operations
of the Peace Corps are to resume.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the President should fully utilize the competencies of
the Federal Government workforce to battle the outbreak of
coronavirus, the worst global health emergency the United
States has faced in a century, as well as make available
expanded opportunities for individuals in the United States
desiring to serve their country in its time of need;
(2) the President should elevate the role of CNCS within
the whole-of-government response to the coronavirus outbreak,
including by urging its Chief Executive Officer to--
(A) take steps to actively encourage volunteerism
and specifically encourage individuals in the United
States to serve as volunteers in AmeriCorps programs;
(B) prioritize AmeriCorps grants that provide
assistance to those most impacted by the coronavirus
public health emergency and recruit the maximum number
of volunteers authorized by law, particularly focusing
on the recently unemployed; and
(C) provide State Commissions, as defined in
section 101 of the National and Community Service Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511), with the flexibility to
award and amend grants and to remove undue burdens
relating to the onboarding of volunteers;
(3) the United States should expand the Cadre of On-Call
Response/Recovery Employees (CORE) program, administered by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, to enlist individuals in
the United States to solve public health and supply-management
challenges related to the coronavirus outbreak, as well as
challenges related to wildfires, hurricanes, and other
disasters; and
(4) bolstering the number full-time positions at the
Federal Emergency Management Agency will also expand national
service opportunities for qualified individuals in the United
States who have become unemployed or underemployed as a result
of the coronavirus outbreak, including the approximately 7,300
Peace Corps volunteers whose service ended on March 15, 2020.
SEC. 4. MOBILIZING PROGRAMS IN THE CORONAVIRUS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.
(a) Prioritizing Certain Agreements.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any provision of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.)
or the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12501 et seq.), the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
State governments, and State Commissions, as defined in section
101 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, shall,
for the period described in paragraph (2), prioritize existing
agreements, or enter into new agreements, with public and
private nonprofit organizations, that will direct volunteers in
programs administered by CNCS to assignments that assist
individuals most impacted by the coronavirus public health
emergency, including assignments--
(A) providing support services to veterans,
homeless populations, the elderly, and other
individuals who may be most vulnerable during the
coronavirus public health emergency;
(B) supporting health care professionals and
related positions;
(C) offering before- and after-school tutoring and
instruction for children in low-income areas, and
offering adult basic skills and literacy tutoring and
instruction, including through remote learning;
(D) expanding broadband infrastructure for
underserved and rural communities;
(E) performing functions consistent with
implementation of the decennial census; and
(F) performing other functions consistent with
addressing the coronavirus public health emergency,
including assisting with testing and contact tracing.
(2) Period.--The period described in this paragraph--
(A) shall begin on the date of enactment of this
Act; and
(B) shall end--
(i) not earlier than the date of the
conclusion of the coronavirus public health
emergency; and
(ii) not later than 2 years after the
conclusion of such emergency.
(b) Authorization for Additional Recruitment of AmeriCorps
Volunteers.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Increase in number of positions.--Section
121(f)(1)(B) of the National and Community Service Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571(f)(1)(B)) is amended--
(i) in clause (vi), by striking ``and'' at
the end;
(ii) in clause (vii), by adding ``and'' at
the end; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(viii) 500,000 for each of fiscal years
2020 through 2022;''.
(B) Reauthorizations.--
(i) Americorps vista.--Section 501(a)(1) of
the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42
U.S.C. 5081(a)(1)) is amended by striking
``$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such
sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal
years 2011 through 2014'' and inserting ``such
sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal
years 2020 through 2022''.
(ii) Americorps nccc.--Section 501(a)(1)(A)
of the National and Community Service Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12681(a)(1)(A)) is amended--
(I) by striking clauses (i) and
(ii); and
(II) by striking ``title I--'' and
inserting ``title I, such sums as may
be necessary for each of fiscal years
2020 through 2022.''.
(iii) Americorps state and national
volunteers.--Section 501(a)(2) of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12681(a)(2)) is amended by striking ``2010
through 2014'' and inserting ``2020 through
2022''.
(2) Requirement.--To fulfill the purposes of subsection
(a), the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS shall expedite the
recruitment and selection of volunteers for an assignment
described in subsection (a) who are--
(A) unemployed veterans;
(B) individuals who become unemployed or
underemployed as a result of the coronavirus public
health emergency; and
(C) AmeriCorps members, Peace Corps volunteers, and
United States Fulbright scholars, who have had their
service ended as a result of such emergency.
(3) Eligibility.--
(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law--
(i) any individual who is authorized to
work in the United States, including any
individual granted Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) pursuant to the
program announced by the Secretary of Homeland
Security on June 15, 2012, and any individual
granted Temporary Protected Status pursuant to
section 244(a)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(a)(1)), may not
be disqualified from being recruited or
selected for any assignment described in
subsection (a) based solely on his or her
citizenship or immigration status; and
(ii) any individual who has filed for
bankruptcy, or who has a poor credit rating,
determined by the Chief Executive Officer of
CNCS to be the result of the coronavirus public
health emergency may not be disqualified from
being recruited or selected for any assignment
described in subsection (a) based solely on
such bankruptcy or credit reporting.
(B) Clarification.--No individual described in
clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) who is recruited
or selected for an assignment described in subsection
(a) shall become disqualified from continuing to serve
in such assignment after the expiration of the period
described in subsection (a)(2) solely on the basis of
his or her citizenship or immigration status,
bankruptcy status, or credit score.
(c) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter through fiscal
year 2022, the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS shall submit a report,
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives, on the operating plan of the CNCS to carry out
subsections (a) and (b), including the amendments under subsection (b).
(d) Enhanced Stipend.--Section 105(b)(2)(A) of the Domestic
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4955(b)(2)(A)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(A) beginning for fiscal year 2020, the minimum allowance
is not less than an amount equal to 200 percent of the income
official poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management
and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section
673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902(2))) applicable to a family of 1; and''.
(e) Ceiling on Stipend for Grantees.--Section 189 of the National
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645c) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``$18,000'' and
inserting ``$25,000''; and
(2) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``$19,500'' and
inserting ``$30,000''.
(f) Waiver of Matching Funds Requirements.--Section 189A of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12645d) is
amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``; matching funds
during coronavirus public health emergency'' after
``communities'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) COVID-19 Response.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, an entity that receives assistance from the Corporation for any
program under the national service laws (including a State Commission
and an entity receiving subgrant funds) during the coronavirus public
health emergency, as defined in section 4(g) of the Undertaking
National Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act of 2020, shall not be
subject to any requirements to provide matching funds for any such
program, and the Federal share of such assistance for a recipient
(including for a State Commission and a subgrant recipient) may be 100
percent.''.
(g) Coronavirus Public Health Emergency Defined.--In this section,
the term ``coronavirus public health emergency'' means the public
health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on
January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION FOR SURGE CAPACITY FOR FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
(a) In General.--For fiscal years 2020 through 2022 and subject to
the appropriation of funds, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency shall appoint, administer, and expedite the training
of an additional 62,000 Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees,
under the Response and Recover Directorate (referred to in this section
as ``CORE employees'') under the Office of Response and Recovery, above
the level of such employees in fiscal year 2019, to address the
coronavirus public health emergency and other disasters and public
emergencies.
(b) Detail of CORE Employees.--A CORE employee may be detailed,
through mutual agreement and on a non-reimbursable basis, to any
Federal agency or to a State, local, or Tribal government to fulfill an
assignment consistent with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and emergency work
(as defined in section 206.225 of title 44, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor thereto), including--
(1) providing logistical support for the supply chain of
medical equipment and other goods involved in COVID-19 response
efforts;
(2) facilitating COVID-19 testing and surveillance
activities;
(3) tracing contacts of infected individuals and the status
of the individuals while being quarantined;
(4) providing nutritional assistance to vulnerable
populations; and
(5) carrying out other disaster preparedness and response
functions for other emergencies and natural disasters.
(c) Requirement.--As soon as feasible, the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall make public job announcements
to fill the CORE employee positions authorized under subsection (a),
which shall prioritize hiring from among the following groups of
individuals:
(1) Unemployed veterans of the Armed Forces.
(2) Individuals who have become unemployed or underemployed
as a result of the coronavirus public health emergency.
(3) AmeriCorps members, Peace Corps Volunteers, and United
States Fulbright Scholars who have had their service terms
ended as a result of the coronavirus public health emergency.
(4) Recent graduates of public health, medical, nursing,
social work, or related health-services programs.
(d) Hiring.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall--
(1) hire the employees authorized under this section in
accordance with section 306(b)(1) of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5149(b)(1)); and
(2) use relevant statutory authority in effect on the day
before the date of enactment of this Act to allow regional
offices and site managers to advertise for and hire employees
under this section.
(e) Training.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency may make appropriate adjustments to the standard
training course curriculum for employees under this section to include
on-site trainings at regional offices of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, virtual trainings, or trainings conducted by other
Federal, State, local, or Tribal agencies to fulfill functions
described in subsection (b).
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency $6,500,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022,
of which not less than $1,500,000,000 shall be used each fiscal year
for the administrative costs associated with carrying out this section.
(g) Eligibility for Hiring.--For the purposes of hiring employees
under this section--
(1) any individual who is authorized to work in the United
States, including any individual granted Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) pursuant to the program announced by
the Secretary of Homeland Security on June 15, 2012, and any
individual granted Temporary Protected Status pursuant to
section 244(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1254a(a)(1)), may not be disqualified from being hired
as an employee under this section based solely on his or her
citizenship or immigration status; and
(2) any individual who has filed bankruptcy, or who has a
poor credit rating, determined by the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency to be a result of the
coronavirus public health emergency may not be disqualified
from being hired as an employee under this section based solely
on such bankruptcy or credit rating.
(h) Coronavirus Public Health Emergency Defined.--In this section,
the term ``coronavirus public health emergency'' has the meaning given
the term in section 4(g).
SEC. 6. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER REENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY AND TRANSITION
ASSISTANCE.
(a) Assistance for Peace Corps Volunteers Whose Service Ended
Involuntarily.--Notwithstanding section 5 of the Peace Corps Act (22
U.S.C. 2504), with respect to any Peace Corps volunteer whose service
ended involuntarily on March 15, 2020 (or earlier, in the case of any
volunteer who was serving in China or Mongolia), when the Director of
the Peace Corps suspended all volunteer operations due to the
coronavirus public health emergency, the Director of the Peace Corps
shall--
(1) continue to provide the health care described in
section 5(e) of such Act to the volunteer during the period
beginning on March 15, 2020, and ending on the earlier of
September 15, 2020, or the date on which the volunteers begins
employment, to supplement the benefits to which the volunteer
is otherwise entitled under section 5 of such Act;
(2) waive all nonmedical application requirements for the
reenrollment of the volunteer during the 1-year period
beginning on March 15, 2020;
(3) expedite the medical clearance for such volunteer to
facilitate reenrollment;
(4) permit the volunteer, to the extent possible, to resume
the activity in which the volunteer had been serving at the
time of his or her involuntary end of service, or any other
activity, by mutual agreement; and
(5) provide the volunteer, beginning on the date of
reenrollment, with the compensation, allowances, benefits, and
other terms and conditions of service to which the volunteer is
entitled under such Act.
(b) Report on Restart of Peace Corps Operations Following End of
Public Health Emergency.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Peace Corps shall submit a
report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that
describes the efforts of the Peace Corps--
(1) to offer reenrollment to each Peace Corps volunteer
whose service ended involuntarily on March 15, 2020 (or
earlier, in the case of any volunteer who was serving in China
or Mongolia), due to the coronavirus public health emergency;
(2) to obtain approval from countries, as necessary, to
return reenrolled volunteers to their previous assignments;
(3) to provide additional measures necessary for the safety
and health of volunteers, including developing contingency
plans in the event overseas operations are disrupted by a
future COVID-19 outbreak;
(4) to maintain adequate volunteer recruitment levels for
future cohorts; and
(5) to identify the anticipated additional appropriations
or new statutory authorities that would be necessary to achieve
the goal of safely redeploying 7,300 Peace Corps volunteers
during the 1-year period beginning on the date on which Peace
Corps operations resume.
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