§ 12653h — National Service Reserve Corps

(a) In this section— (1) the term “National Service Reserve Corps member” means an individual who— (A) has completed a term of national service or is a veteran; (B) has successfully completed training described in subsection (c) within the previous 2 years; (C) completes not less than 10 hours of volunteering each year (which may include the training session described in subparagraph (B)); and (D) has indicated interest to the Corporation in responding to disasters and emergencies in a timely manner through the National Service Reserve Corps; and (2) the term “term of national service” means a term or period of service under section 12573 of this title. (1) In consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Corporation shall establish a National Service Reserve Corps to prepare and deploy National Service Reserve Corps members to respond to disasters and emergencies in support of national service programs and other requesting programs and agencies. (2) In carrying out this section, the Corporation may enter into a grant or contract with an organization experienced in responding to disasters or in coordinating individuals who have completed a term of national service or are veterans, or may directly deploy National Service Reserve Corps members, as the Corporation determines necessary. (c) The Corporation shall conduct or coordinate annual training sessions, consistent with the training requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for individuals who have completed a term of national service or are veterans, and who wish to join the National Service Reserve Corps. (1) The Corporation shall designate organizations with demonstrated experience in responding to disasters or emergencies, including through using volunteers, for participation in the program under this section. (2) The Corporation shall ensure that every designated organization is— (A) prepared to respond to disasters or emergencies; (B) prepared and able to utilize National Service Reserve Corps members in responding to disasters or emergencies; and (C) willing to respond in a timely manner when notified by the Corporation of a disaster or emergency. (e) The Corporation shall develop or contract with an outside organization to develop— (1) a database of all National Service Reserve Corps members; and (2) a database of all nonprofit organizations that have been designated by the Corporation under subsection (d). (1) (42 U.S.C. 5122), the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in consultation with the Corporation, may task the National Service Reserve Corps to assist in response. (2) For a disaster or emergency that is not declared a major disaster or emergency under section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Assistance Act 1 (42 U.S.C. 5122), the Corporation may directly, or through a grant or contract, deploy the National Service Reserve Corps. (3) Under paragraph (1) or (2), the Corporation may— (A) deploy interested National Service Reserve Corps members on assignments of not more than 30 days to assist with local needs related to preparing or recovering from the incident in the affected area, either directly or through organizations designated under subsection (d); (B) make travel arrangements for the deployed National Service Reserve Corps members to the site of the incident; and (C) provide funds to those organizations that are responding to the incident with deployed National Service Reserve Corps members, to enable the organizations to coordinate and provide housing, living stipends, and insurance for those deployed members. (4) Any amounts that are utilized by the Corporation from funds appropriated under section 12681(a)(4)(D) of this title to carry out paragraph (1) for a fiscal year shall be kept in a separate fund. Any amounts in such fund that are not used during a fiscal year shall remain available to use to pay National Service Reserve Corps members an allowance, determined by the Corporation, for out-of-pocket expenses. (A) The Corporation, the State Commissions, and entities receiving financial assistance for programs under division C of this subchapter,1 or under part A of title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.), shall inform participants about the National Service Reserve Corps upon the participants’ completion of their term of national service. (B) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall inform veterans who are recently discharged, released, or separated from the Armed Forces about the National Service Reserve Corps. (6) In deploying National Service Reserve Corps members under this subsection, the Corporation shall— (A) avoid duplication of activities directed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and (B) consult and, as appropriate, partner with Citizen Corps programs and other local disaster agencies, including State and local emergency management agencies, voluntary organizations active in disaster, State Commissions, and similar organizations, in the affected area.