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UNITE Act of 2020

Introduced: April 21, 2020 Introduced by: Garamendi, John Democratic · California See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 22, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Apr 21, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 21, 2020
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Undertaking National Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act of 2020 or the UNITE Act of 2020

This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency by increasing volunteer opportunities within AmeriCorps and employment opportunities at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and requiring the re-enrollment of Peace Corps volunteers whose service ended involuntarily on March 15, 2020, or earlier for volunteers who were serving in China and Mongolia.

Among other things, the bill

  • reauthorizes through FY2022 Americorps programs;
  • increases recruitment levels of its volunteers to 500,000 in FY2020-FY2022;
  • sets the minimum compensation for Americorps volunteers, beginning in FY2020, at 200% of the poverty line applicable to a family of one; and
  • requires FEMA to appoint, administer, and expedite the training of an additional 10,000 Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees above the level of such employees in FY2019 to address the COVID-19 emergency.
What's happening now April 22, 2020

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4