Building Community in America Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9766 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9766

   To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand
participation by underrepresented populations in service programs, and
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2026

   Mr. Smith of Washington introduced the following bill; which was
          referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand
participation by underrepresented populations in service programs, and
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Building Community in America Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN SERVICE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Purpose.--Section 2(b) of the National and Community Service
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (18), by striking ``; and'' and inserting
        a semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (19), by striking the period at the end
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(20) expand participation in national and community
        service among populations underrepresented in service programs,
        including young adults underrepresented in mentoring, coaching,
        youth development, and other community-building activities.''.
    (b) Priority.--
            (1) National and community service act of 1990.--The
        National and Community Service Act of 1990 is amended--
                    (A) in section 122(f) (42 U.S.C. 12572(f)), by
                adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) Required priority.--The national service priorities
        under paragraph (1) shall include a priority for programs that
        prioritize the recruitment and training of underrepresented
        participants, including men, for activities including--
                    ``(A) youth coaching or mentoring activities;
                    ``(B) school attendance or after-school support
                activities;
                    ``(C) activities in a national service position as
                part of a conservation corps;
                    ``(D) disaster response activities;
                    ``(E) public safety, violence interruption, or
                reentry support activities; or
                    ``(F) skilled-trades, apprenticeships, or
                workforce-linked services.''; and
                    (B) in section 157 (42 U.S.C. 12617), by adding at
                the end the following:
    ``(d) Priority.--In developing project proposals under subsection
(b)(1) and selecting projects to be performed under subsection (c)(1),
there shall be a priority for projects that prioritize the recruitment
and training of underrepresented participants, including men, for any
of the activities described in section 122(f)(5).''.
            (2) Domestic volunteer service act of 1973.--Section 103 of
        the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4953) is
        amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) In the assignment of volunteers under this section, the
Director shall give priority to projects or programs that prioritize
the recruitment and training of underrepresented participants,
including men, for any of the activities described in section 122(f)(5)
of the National and Community Service Act of 1990.''.
                                 <all>