§ 12653h. National Service Reserve Corps
(a)
Definitions
In this section—
(1)
the term “National Service Reserve Corps member” means an individual who—
(2)
the term “term of national service” means a term or period of service under section
12573 of this title.
(b)
Establishment of National Service Reserve Corps
(1)
In general
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)
Grants or contracts
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)
Annual training
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.
(d)
Designation of organizations
(1)
In general
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.
(f)
Deployment of National Service Reserve Corps
(1)
Major disasters or emergencies
If a major disaster or emergency is declared by the President pursuant to section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Assistance Act [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.
(3)
Deployment
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);
(4)
Allowance
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.
(5)
Information
(A)
National service participants
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.
[1] See References in Text note below.