September 11, 2025
Mr. Conaway introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To provide a direct appropriation of funds for the Learn and Serve America program of the Corporation for National and Community Service and to expand the eligibility of such program to additional entities.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Learn and Serve America Reinvestment Act
.
Sec. 2. Direct appropriation of funds for the Learn and Serve America program
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Corporation for National and Community Service for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—
(1)
$40,000,000, for subtitle B of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12521 et seq.), of which not less than 20 percent shall be used to carry out part I of such subtitle B and not less than 80 percent shall be used to carry out part II of such subtitle B; and
(2)
such sums as may be necessary to hire not less then 10 additional, full-time staff members at the Corporation for National and Community Service to assist with planning, program design, and technology advancements for purposes of carrying out such subtitle B.
Sec. 3. Expansion of eligibility for the Learn and Service America program
(a) Definitions
Section 111A of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12522) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively;
(2)
by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, the following:
(1) Local educational agency
The term local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).; and
(3)
in paragraph (3), as so redesignated—
(A)
by striking or
at the end of subparagraph (A);
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or
; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(C)
a local educational agency, or a consortium of 2 or more local educational agencies, in the State.
(b) Special rule
Section 112(d) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12523(d)) is amended to read as follows:
(d) Special rule
A State educational agency described in section 111A(3)(A) may designate, to receive an allotment or competitive grant for the State educational agency in accordance with section 112A, and carry out the functions of the agency under this part, a statewide entity that—
(1)
has demonstrated experience in supporting or implementing service-learning programs; and
(2)
is a community-based entity, a non-profit organization that provides training or direct support to teachers, youth workers, and students, or the State Commission on National and Community Service established for the State under section 178.
(c) Awards
Section 112A of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12524) is amended—
(1)
in the section heading, by striking Allotments
and inserting Awards
;
(2)
in subsection (a), by inserting through fiscal year 2025
after any fiscal year
;
(3)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), by striking for the fiscal year
and inserting for any fiscal year through fiscal year 2025
; and
(B)
in paragraph (2), by inserting through fiscal year 2025
after any fiscal year
;
(4)
in subsection (c), by inserting before fiscal year 2026
after a fiscal year
; and
(5)
by adding at the end the following:
(d) Reservation and grant awards for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year
(1) In general
Of the amounts appropriated to carry out this part for fiscal year 2026 and any succeeding fiscal year, the Corporation shall—
(A)
reserve an amount of not less than 2 percent and not more than 3 percent for payments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
(B)
award grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies, territories, and Indian tribes to carry out this part.
(2) Grant amount
The Corporation shall determine the amount of any grant made under paragraph (1)(B).
(3) Annual report to Congress
The Corporation shall submit to Congress a report, on an annual basis, that provides the percentage of funds appropriated for the preceding fiscal year to carry out this part that have been awarded under this section to each type of grantee, and how such grantees have used such grants.
(d) Conforming and clerical amendments
(1) Conforming amendments
Part I of subtitle B of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12521 et seq.) is amended—
(A)
in section 112(a) (42 U.S.C. 12523(a))—
(i)
in the subsection heading, by striking Allotments
and inserting Awards
; and
(ii)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking allotments
and inserting allotments or competitive grants, in accordance with section 112A,
;
(B)
in section 113(a) (42 U.S.C. 12525(a))—
(i)
in the subsection heading, by striking Allotments
and inserting Awards
; and
(ii)
in paragraph (1), by striking allotment under
and inserting allotment or competitive grant, in accordance with
;
(C)
in section 114(c) (42 U.S.C. 12526(c)), by striking allotment
and inserting allotment or competitive grant
;
(D)
in section 116(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 12528(a)(1)), by striking from an allotment
and inserting (including from an allotment)
; and
(E)
in section 117 (42 U.S.C. 12529), by striking allotment
and inserting allotment or competitive grant
.
(2) Clerical amendment
The table of contents of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 is amended by striking the item relating to section 112A and inserting the following: