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HR 1479 100th Congress House Labor and Employment Armed Forces and National Security Education Employment and training programs Military personnel National service Public service employment Student aid Volunteer workers

National Service Act

Introduced: March 9, 1987 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 100th Congress ended
It never became law before the 100th Congress (1987–1988) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 11 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 12, 1987
Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From DOD.
Jul 6, 1987
Executive Comment Requested from HHS.
Jun 30, 1987
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Mar 30, 1987
Referred to Subcommittee on Employment Opportunities.
Mar 30, 1987
Referred to Subcommittee on Select Education.
Mar 13, 1987
Referred to Subcommittee on Military Personnel and Compensation.
Mar 13, 1987
Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
Mar 9, 1987
Referred to House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 9, 1987
Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
Mar 9, 1987
Referred to House Committee on Armed Services.
Mar 9, 1987
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

National Service Act - Directs the President to establish a program of voluntary national service under which participants provide civilian or military service and become eligible for educational assistance upon completion of such service.

Requires the President to designate an agency to be responsible for administering this Act.

Requires participants in the national service program to be at least 17 and not more than 26 years of age. Authorizes the waiver of maximum age requirements to allow for individual circumstances.

Entitles participants who complete the national service program to educational assistance benefits in the same manner as veterans. Authorizes the President to adjust the benefit rates as considered appropriate for the purposes of this Act. Declares the benefit rate of participants in the program through civilian service to be 60 percent of the rates otherwise applicable.

Provides for the phasing out of existing educational assistance programs after the end of the two-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.

Requires participants who elect to perform civilian service to perform one year of service for which there is a national, regional, or local need, as determined by regulations prescribed by the President. Requires employment of participants, to the maximum extent practicable, to be through entities outside the Federal Government. Requires the Government to reimburse such entities for the costs of pay and benefits.

Requires participants who elect to perform military service to enlist in the armed forces for a period of 24 months. Provides that such individuals: (1) shall receive basic pay at 50 percent of the rate otherwise applicable; (2) shall not be eligible for basic quarters and subsistence allowances; and (3) shall not have the length of their service count toward military retirement.

What's happening now August 12, 1987

Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From DOD.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1479: National Service Act. 100th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1479/
MLA
"H.R. 1479: National Service Act." 100th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1479/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1479, 100th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1479/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1479: National Service Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1479/)
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