REVIVE the CCC Act

Lamb, Conor

Restore Environmental Vitality and Improve Volatile Economy by the Civilian Conservation Corps Act or the REVIVE the CCC Act This bill permits AmeriCorps to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to address unemployment and environmental conservation and requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural workforce development program to incentivize apprenticeships in agriculture. The CCC must make grants to local host entities to allow those entities to select applicants to participate in conservation-related service projects. Local entities eligible for grants include, among others, state and local offices, nonprofit organizations, sponsors of apprenticeship programs, and individual farmers. A prospective CCC member must apply for placement with an approved local host for a service position hosted by that local entity. Applicants selected are considered CCC members but are not considered employees of the local host. The local host must provide CCC members with an allowance of $15 per hour of service and must provide a basic healthcare plan to full-time members. A CCC member who completes a term of service with a local host may be eligible to receive an award of up to $5,000 from AmeriCorps towards the costs of an apprenticeship program. These awards and allowances are not considered income for purposes of federal income taxation. The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural workforce development program to encourage agricultural businesses to employ apprentices by reimbursing up to 50% of apprenticeship costs.