One day after House passage, the Senate cleared H.R. 2471, a massive omnibus spending package for President Biden’s signature. The $1.5 trillion twelve-bill appropriations package funds the government through September 2022 and provides emergency aid to Ukraine.
The spending package includes $1.15 billion for the AmeriCorps agency, almost $30 million above FY21. The omnibus also increases the maximum Pell Grant by $400 (6.2%) to $6,895. A full-time AmeriCorps Education Award is the equivalent to the maximum value of the Pell Grant and AmeriCorps positions approved between October 2022-September 2023 will be eligible for this higher award.
Corporation for National and Community Service Budget
| Program | FY21 Enacted | FY22 Omnibus | Change |
| AmeriCorps State and National | $455.1M | $466.75M | + $11.65M |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | $97.4M | $100.29M | + $2.92M |
| AmeriCorps NCCC | $33.5M | $34.51M | + $1.01M |
| National Service Trust Fund | $185M | $190.55M | + $5.55M |
| AmeriCorps Seniors | $225M | $230.77M | + $5.75M |
| -RSVP | $53.4M | $53.96M | + $601K |
| -Foster Grandparents | $118.8M | $122.36M | + $3.56M |
| -Senior Companions | $52.9M | $54.45M | + $1.57M |
| Volunteer Generation Fund | $6.4M | $6.56M | + $160K |
| State Commission Support Grants | $18.5M | $19.09M | + $556K |
| Days of Service | $3.2M | $3.33M | + $130K |
| Salaries and Expenses | $86.5M | $88.08M | + $1.60M |
| Total CNCS | $1.121B | $1.151B | + $29.5M |
To enhance opportunities to serve, the bill also included the following legislative and report language:
- AmeriCorps VISTA members age 55 years and older are permitted to transfer their Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to a child, step-child, grandchild, step-grandchild or foster child in the same manner as those who complete a term of service with AmeriCorps State and National;
- The Agency is encouraged to be a convenor of the work surrounding service learning and must issue a report to Congress within 120 days detailing the steps necessary to restart service learning programs such as Summer of Service and Semesters of Service on a broader scale; and
- The Agency is instructed to collaborate with the Department of Defense, the Office of Personnel Management, the Peace Corps and the U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps to develop a strategy for a public awareness campaign on the various military, national and public service opportunities.
It is expected that President Biden will release his fiscal year 2023 budget request in the coming weeks. Upon release of the president’s request, Congress will begin the process of developing the FY23 appropriations bills.
H.R. 2471, FY2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill text
Joint Explanatory Statement for the Labor-HHS portion of the bill (Part 1 and Part 2)