Public Service Corps

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Terms defined in section 361 The terms civil service, Center, covered agency, Director, and Executive Director have the meanings given those terms in section 361. (2) Other terms (A) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). (B) Public Service Corps host; PSC host The term Public Service Corps host or PSC host means an institution of higher education that has been selected by the Center to host Public Service Corps members. (C) Public Service Corps host program; PSC host program The term Public Service Corps host program or PSC host program means a program operated by a PSC host under this section. (D) Public Service Corps member; PSC member The term Public Service Corps member or PSC member means a student at a Public Service Corps host who is awarded a Public Service Corps scholarship. (E) Public Service Corps scholarship The term Public Service Corps scholarship means a scholarship provided to an individual in exchange for a commitment from the individual to serve in the civil service upon— (i) completion of requirements established by the sponsoring agency; and (ii) graduation from the PSC host. (F) Sponsoring agency The term sponsoring agency means a covered agency that funds a Public Service Corps scholarship for an individual. (b) Establishment The Director shall establish within the Center a Public Service Corps Program. (c) Selection of Public Service Corps hosts (1) Selection The Executive Director shall select a PSC host through a competitive process using criteria established by the Executive Director, which shall include a demonstrated commitment by the institution of higher education concerned to foster public service careers. (2) Standards; consistency The Executive Director shall— (A) develop standards for PSC hosts; and (B) ensure consistency among PSC host programs. (3) Application requirements for PSC hosts An institution of higher education that desires to become a PSC host shall apply to the Center at such time and in such manner as required under the regulations issued under subsection (i). (4) PSC interaction with other training programs A PSC host that also supports a Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program under section 2102 of title 10, United States Code, or a Defense Civilian Training Corps established under chapter 113 of title 10, United States Code, shall— (A) establish joint leadership training opportunities; (B) offer joint courses; and (C) permit PSC members, members of the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, and members of the Defense Civilian Training Corps program to enroll in coursework from either of the other 2 programs, on a space-available basis. (5) Integration of State, local, and Tribal government service programs A PSC host shall consider the establishment of public service scholarship programs with State, local, and Tribal governments that are similar to the PSC host program, with the goal of integrating PSC members and State, local, and Tribal scholarship students in PSC programs on campus. (d) Selection of Public Service Corps members (1) Application A student interested in a PSC scholarship shall submit an application to the sponsoring agency at such time and in such manner as the Executive Director may require. (2) Selection A sponsoring agency shall select each student to whom the sponsoring agency will offer a PSC scholarship. (3) Eligibility An applicant may receive a PSC scholarship only if the applicant is enrolled in or admitted to a PSC host. (4) Scholarships (A) Duration A sponsoring agency may offer a scholarship with a duration of 2 years, 3 years, or 4 years to a PSC member. (B) Socioeconomic diversity To ensure socioeconomic diversity, a sponsoring agency shall reserve a portion of the scholarships offered by the agency for students who meet the eligibility requirements for a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a). (e) Requirements for Public Service Corps members (1) Contract A sponsoring agency shall enter into a contract with a PSC member in accordance with paragraph (2). (2) Requirements A contract entered into under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) a requirement that the PSC member be enrolled full-time as a student at a PSC host; (B) any conditions imposed by the sponsoring agency on the scholarship, including— (i) whether the PSC member must complete a specific academic program, major, certificate, or coursework relevant to the needs of the sponsoring agency; and (ii) the consequences if the PSC member does not comply with the terms and conditions of the scholarship; (C) any obligations imposed by the sponsoring agency on the PSC member to participate in structured academic and experiential leadership training, a community service project, or an internship with a Federal, State, local, or Tribal entity; (D) a requirement that the PSC member serve in the civil service for a 4-year period upon— (i) completion of requirements established by the sponsoring agency; and (ii) graduation from the PSC host; and (E) any other terms or conditions as determined by the sponsoring agency. (f) Responsibilities and authorities of sponsoring agencies (1) Selection of scholarship recipients A sponsoring agency shall interview and select scholarship recipients in accordance with procedures established by the Executive Director. (2) Amount of scholarship (A) Minimum The annual amount of a scholarship offered by a sponsoring agency may not be less than the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) that a student eligible for a Federal Pell Grant may receive in the aggregate (without regard to whether the funds are provided through discretionary or mandatory appropriations), for the award year for which the PSC scholarship is offered. (B) Relation to eligibility for other Federal student assistance The eligibility of an individual for Federal student assistance provided under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) shall not be affected by receipt of a PSC scholarship. (C) Other benefits Other benefits that may be accrued, such as pay for internships or travel allowances, shall not count toward the minimum amount of the scholarship required under subparagraph (A). (3) Coordination of internship opportunities A sponsoring agency shall coordinate internship opportunities for a PSC member during the term of the scholarship of the PSC member. (4) Security clearances A sponsoring agency shall coordinate, sponsor, and manage the process for a PSC member to obtain any necessary security clearances. (g) Public service employment (1) Noncompetitive appointments for internships An covered agency may noncompetitively appoint, for temporary employment, a PSC member for the purpose of completing an internship. (2) Other noncompetitive appointments A sponsoring agency may noncompetitively appoint to the competitive service, for other than temporary employment, a PSC member who has— (A) satisfactorily completed the requirements of the PSC scholarship; and (B) graduated from the PSC host. (3) Service commitment (A) In general If a sponsoring agency makes an offer of employment to a PSC member sponsored by the sponsoring agency after the PSC member satisfactorily completes the requirements of a PSC scholarship and graduates from a PSC host, the PSC member shall accept the offer. (B) No offer by sponsoring agency If a sponsoring agency does not make an offer of employment to a PSC member described in subparagraph (A), the PSC member— (i) shall be eligible for noncompetitive appointment to the competitive service by a covered agency during the 3-year period beginning on the date on which the PSC member graduated from the PSC host; and (ii) may fulfill the service commitment of the PSC member described in subsection (e)(2)(D) through employment with any covered agency. (h) Failure To complete scholarship requirements (1) Liability for restitution in case of noncompletion or declination of employment A PSC member who does not complete the required course of instruction, fails to graduate in accordance with the terms of the Public Service Corps scholarship, or fails to complete the 4-year service commitment described in subsection (e)(2)(D) shall, subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, repay the amount of the scholarship to the sponsoring agency. (2) Waiver of liability The Executive Director may, in extraordinary circumstances, waive some or all of the liability for the 4-year service commitment under subsection (d)(4)(B) or the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection. (i) Regulations The Director and the Executive Director shall jointly issue any regulations necessary to carry out this section. (j) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.