Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act
Public Law 108-45 · S. 1276 · 108th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 3, 2003 · Social Welfare
Sponsor: Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)
Cosponsors (13): Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Sen. Arlen Specter,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act - Revises the manner in which the Corporation for National and Community Service (Corporation) approves, and records obligations relating to, national service positions (positions) under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (NCSA) and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (DVSA).
Directs the Corporation to approve a position at the time it: (1) enters into an enforceable agreement with an individual participant to serve in the Civilian Community Corps (under NCSA) or Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program (under DVSA); or (2) awards a grant to or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement with an entity to carry out a program for which such a national service position may be approved under NCSA.
Requires the Corporation to record as an obligation an estimate of the net present value of the national service educational award associated with the position, based on a formula, determined in consultation with the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, that takes into consideration historical rates of enrollment in, and of earning and using such awards for, such a program.
Directs the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation to report annually and certify to Congress that the Corporation is in compliance with this Act's requirements for position approval and obligation recording.
Applies such requirements to each position that the Corporation approves: (1) during FY 2003 (before or after the date of enactment of this Act); and (2) during any subsequent fiscal year.
Directs the Corporation to establish a reserve account within the National Service Trust and, to ensure the availability of adequate funds to support the awards of approved positions for each fiscal year, place into such account: (1) during FY 2003, a portion of the funds that were appropriated for FY 2003, or that remain available from a previous fiscal year, to carry out specified national service programs; and (2) during FY 2004 or a subsequent fiscal year, a portion of the funds that were appropriated for that fiscal year and made available to carry out such programs. Prohibits the Corporation from obligating reserve account funds until it: (1) determines that such funds will not be needed to pay awards associated with previously approved national service positions; or (2) obligates the funds to pay such awards for such previously approved positions.
Requires annual independent audits of Corporation accounts relating to the appropriated funds for approved positions and the records demonstrating the manner in which the Corporation has recorded estimates as obligations.
Requires, with a specified exception, all amounts included in the National Service Trust to be available for payments of national service educational awards under NCSA.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 2552Identical bill
Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Jul 3, 2003Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-45.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 24, 2003FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jun 19, 2003FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Boehner asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Jun 18, 2003FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate and read twice and ordered held at desk.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.