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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§12653h National Service Reserve Corps

Title 42 › CHAPTER 129 — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER I — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE STATE GRANT PROGRAM › Part II — National Service Reserve Corps › § 12653h

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a National Service Reserve Corps to train and send people who finished a term of national service or are veterans to help in disasters and emergencies. National Service Reserve Corps member: someone who finished a term of national service or is a veteran, finished the required training within the last 2 years, does at least 10 hours of volunteer work each year (training can count), and has told the Corporation they want to respond quickly. Term of national service: a period of service under section 12573. The Corporation must set up the Corps with FEMA’s input. It can use grants or contracts with experienced disaster groups or send members directly. The Corporation must run yearly training that meets FEMA rules. It must pick experienced nonprofit partners and make sure they are ready, can use Corps members, and will respond quickly when asked. The Corporation must keep a database of Corps members and of designated nonprofits. For disasters the President declares under the Stafford Act, the FEMA Administrator, with the Corporation, may assign the Corps. For other incidents, the Corporation may deploy the Corps itself. Deployments can be up to 30 days. The Corporation can arrange travel and give money to partner groups to cover housing, stipends, and insurance for deployed members. Money from funds under section 12681(a)(4)(D) used for deployments must be kept in a separate fund, and unused amounts can pay members’ out-of-pocket allowances. The Corporation and partner agencies must tell new service completers and recently separated veterans about the Corps, avoid duplicating FEMA work, and coordinate with local disaster groups.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §12653h

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions
In this section
(1)
(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.
(2)Requirements
The Corporation shall ensure that every designated organization is—
(A)prepared to respond to disasters or emergencies;
(B)prepared and able to utilize National Service Reserve Corps members in responding to disasters or emergencies; and
(C)willing to respond in a timely manner when notified by the Corporation of a disaster or emergency.
(e)Databases
The Corporation shall develop or contract with an outside organization to develop—
(1)a database of all National Service Reserve Corps members; and
(2)a database of all nonprofit organizations that have been designated by the Corporation under subsection (d).
(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 (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.
(2)Other disasters or emergencies
For a disaster or emergency that is not declared a major disaster or emergency under section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Assistance Act 1 (42 U.S.C. 5122), the Corporation may directly, or through a grant or contract, deploy the National Service Reserve Corps.
(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);
(B)make travel arrangements for the deployed National Service Reserve Corps members to the site of the incident; and
(C)provide funds to those organizations that are responding to the incident with deployed National Service Reserve Corps members, to enable the organizations to coordinate and provide housing, living stipends, and insurance for those deployed members.
(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.
(B)Veterans
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall inform veterans who are recently discharged, released, or separated from the Armed Forces about the National Service Reserve Corps.
(6)Coordination
In deploying National Service Reserve Corps members under this subsection, the Corporation shall—
(A)avoid duplication of activities directed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
(B)consult and, as appropriate, partner with Citizen Corps programs and other local disaster agencies, including State and local emergency management agencies, voluntary organizations active in disaster, State Commissions, and similar organizations, in the affected area.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), referred to in subsec. (f)(1), (2), probably means section 102 of Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, known as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which is classified to section 5122 of this title. Division C of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (f)(5)(A), was in the original “subtitle C of this Act” which was translated as meaning subtitle C of title I of Pub. L. 101–610, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. The Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (f)(5)(A), is Pub. L. 93–113, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 394. Part A of title I of the Act is classified generally to part A of subchapter I (§ 4951 et seq.) of chapter 66 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4950 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 12653h, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 195H, as added Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1092(a)(1), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2528, which related to administration of the Corps, was renumbered section 159 of Pub. L. 101–610 and transferred to section 12619 of this title. Prior section 12653i and 12653j were renumbered by section 104(b) of Pub. L. 103–82 and transferred as follows: section 12653i, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 195I, as added Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1092(a)(1), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2530, which related to status of Corps members and Corps personnel under Federal law, was renumbered section 160 of Pub. L. 101–610 and transferred to section 12620 of this title. section 12653j, Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 195J, as added Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1092(a)(1), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2530, which provided for contract and grant authority of Corps Director, was renumbered section 161 of Pub. L. 101–610 and transferred to section 12621 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 12653h

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110