Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1983

passedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

20 April 1983

Last action

28 October 1983 · Vote

Status

Other Measure S.1129 (Amended) Passed House in Lieu.

Summary

Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1983 - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to expand the purpose of the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program so as to: (1) encourage persons with low-income and from all geographic areas to participate; (2) encourage part-time volunteer service at the local level; and (3) generate the commitment of private sector resources. Eliminates the requirement that VISTA volunteers be supervised by nonprofit institutions in their work with the handicapped. Allows VISTA volunteers to work to address the problems of the jobless, homeless, hungry, and low-income youth. Requires the Director of the ACTION agency to assure that at least 20 percent of all VISTA volunteers are 60 years of age or older. Requires the Director to: (1) coordinate efforts with an appropriate private industry council to channel volunteers into jobs; and (2) provide for educational and vocational counseling to encourage volunteers to use the skills developed through the VISTA program in the national interest and to promote the development of opportunities for the use of such skills. Allows VISTA volunteers to be assigned to a community project or program only if the application for such program or project contains evidence of local support. Requires the Director to provide volunteers with necessary preservice and inservice training. Expands the purpose of the University Year for ACTION program to include assisting students to undertake volunteer service to low- income communities in such a way as to enhance the educational value of the service experience. Authorizes the Director to conduct, enter into contracts for, or make grants for special volunteer programs to provide career development, employment, and educational opportunities for unemployed and underemployed veterans. Requires recipients of grants or contracts for new special volunteer projects to be selected through a competitive process which includes public announcement of the availability of funds for such projects, general criteria for the selection of recipients, and a description of the application and review process. Authorizes the technical and financial assistance provided by the Director to Federal, State, and local agencies and nonprofit organizations for volunteer antipoverty programs to be used to facilitate and improve: (1) national technical assistance and training programs; (2) the development of new voluntary programs; and (3) the development of a financially secure base for emerging and established voluntary organizations. Requires the Director to appoint three Associate Directors of the ACTION Agency to be responsible, respectively, for: (1) VISTA and the other volunteer antipoverty programs; (2) liaison activities with private voluntary organizations; and (3) Older American Volunteer Programs. (Currently one Associate Director is appointed by the President and is responsible for all volunteer programs.) Establishes certain personnel restrictions for the ACTION Agency. Terminates the National Voluntary Service Advisory Council. Requires the Director's annual report to the President on the activities of the ACTION Agency to reflect the findings and actions taken as a result of the Director's evaluation of the volunteer antipoverty programs, the Older American Volunteer Programs, and the projects under such programs. Requires that such evaluation: (1) be conducted biennially; and (2) measure compliance with the requirement that program benefits be distributed equitably between residents of rural and urban areas. Prohibits the Director from denying refunding under any contract or grant providing assistance for any program unless the recipient agency has been afforded reasonable notice and opportunity for a full and fair hearing. Requires the ACTION agency to pay the reasonable costs incurred by recipient agencies for hearings or meetings concerning the suspension, termination, or refunding of assistance. Eliminates a provision which provides for the payment of the legal expenses of part-time volunteers in programs conducted by the Small Business Administration who are parties to administrative or judicial proceedings arising out the performance of program activities. Repeals the authority of the Director to waive the requirements that: (1) 30 days be provided between the publication and effective dates of a proposed regulation for the administration of a volunteer program for public comment; and (2) 45 days be provided between the publication and effective dates of a final regulation for congressional consideration thereof. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1986: (1) to carry out the volunteer antipoverty programs, with a specified amount allocated for the VISTA program; and (2) for the administration of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

20 April 1983
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
20 April 1983
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
Source: IntroReferral
20 April 1983
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
26 April 1983
Committee
Executive Comment Requested from ACTION.
Source: Committee
26 April 1983
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Source: Committee
26 April 1983
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
26 April 1983
Referred
Referred to Subcommittee on Select Education.
Source: Committee
4 May 1983
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Source: Committee
4 May 1983
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
4 May 1983
Committee
For Previous Action See H.R.1719.
Source: Committee
16 May 1983
Calendars
Placed on Union Calendar No: 99.
Source: Calendars
16 May 1983
Reported
Reported to House (Amended) by House Committee on Education and Labor. Report No: 98-161.
Source: Committee
16 May 1983
Reported
Reported to House (Amended) by House Committee on Education and Labor. Report No: 98-161.
Source: Committee
3 August 1983
Reported
Rules Committee Resolution H.Res.301 Reported to House.
Source: Floor
3 August 1983
Floor
Committee on Rules Granted an Open Rule Providing One Hour of Debate; Making in Order the Education and Labor Committee Amendment as an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute; Waiving all Points of Order Against Clause 7, Rule XVI.
Source: Floor
13 September 1983
Committee
Executive Comment Received From Justice.
Source: Committee
6 October 1983
Passed
Rule Passed House.
Source: Floor
17 October 1983
Floor
Called up by House by Rule.
Source: Floor
28 October 1983
Floor
Committee Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute Considered as an Original Bill for the Purpose of Amendment.
Source: Floor
28 October 1983
Floor
Laid on Table in House by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
28 October 1983
Vote
Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 312 - 30 (Record Vote No: 430).
Source: Floor
28 October 1983
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 312 - 30 (Record Vote No: 430).
Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

3 official files

Passed House amended
summary · EN · 28 October 1983
Open at official source
Reported to House with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 16 May 1983
Open at official source
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 20 April 1983
Open at official source

Related records

related to → Older Americans Volunteer Programs Amendments of 1983
related to → A resolution providing for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 2655) to extend and improve the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973.
related to ← Domestic Volunteer Service Act Amendments of 1984

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/house-bill/2655
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/98/hr/2655
us · 98-hr-2655 · source updated 21 July 2025