Protect National Service Act

This bill protects national service by stopping the federal government from using any money to shut down the Corporation for National and Community Service. It makes clear that only Congress can eliminate the agency, and nothing in the bill should be read to allow that. It also requires the agency’s leader to certify to Congress within 30 days, and then once a year for five years, that no funds were used to try to eliminate the agency.

Congress points to the impact of national service: every $1 invested in AmeriCorps and Senior Corps returns about $17.30 to society, and over 30 years more than 900,000 Americans have served 1.2 billion hours, valued at over $38 billion. The bill says any reforms should follow the law, keep support for national service strong, ensure the National Service Trust keeps its promises to AmeriCorps participants, and help meet human, educational, environmental, and public safety needs across the country.

• Who is affected: The Corporation for National and Community Service; people in programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps; communities with unmet human, educational, environmental, and public safety needs.
• What changes: No federal funds can be used to eliminate the agency; the agency must report yearly that it’s following this rule.
• When: Certification is due within 30 days after the bill becomes law, and then annually for five years.