110 HR 393 IH: Universal National Service Act of
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-01-10
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Universal National Service Act of
2007
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—National Service
Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. National service obligation.
Sec. 103. Induction to perform national service.
Sec. 104. Two-year period of national service.
Sec. 105. Implementation by the President.
Sec. 106. Examination and classification of
persons.
Sec. 107. Deferments and postponements.
Sec. 108. Induction exemptions.
Sec. 109. Conscientious objection.
Sec. 110. Discharge following national service.
Sec. 111. Registration of females under the Military Selective
Service Act.
Sec. 112. Relation of title to registration and induction
authority of Military Selective Service Act.
Title II—Favorable Treatment of Combat Pay Under Earned Income
Tax Credit Made Permanent
Sec. 201. Favorable treatment of combat pay under earned income
tax credit made permanent.
<enum>I</enum><header>National
Service</header>
<section id="HFC320A0D27DF451E84517945EAE1D762"><enum>101.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text>
<paragraph id="HF454540A1AA1431FB5EC12FDE9CDFD1C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The term
<quote>contingency operation</quote> has the meaning given that term in section
101(a)(13) of title 10, United States Code.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFAC9226C30E4416593011F8DA2E1E551"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The term
<term>military service</term> means service performed as a member of an active
or reserve component of the uniformed services.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H74072225A8BF4048BC5F00CEDDAF46B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The term
<quote>national service</quote> means military service or service in a civilian
capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense,
including national or community service and service related to homeland
security.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBF3792B7B0DD45C790810064EFFEC58E"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The term
<term>Secretary concerned</term> means the Secretary of Defense with respect to
the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Secretary of Homeland Security
with respect to the Coast Guard, the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, with respect to the Public Health Service.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H03965BA2F987495388CC3986FD3F88ED"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The term
<term>United States</term>, when used in a geographical sense, means the
several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and
Guam.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H149B069127E44C37B5002F25619D7F71"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The term
<term>uniformed services</term> means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps,
Coast Guard, commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HFCBD9AA4BE7D466088218671DCA277C7"><enum>102.</enum><header>National
service obligation</header>
<subsection id="H56C5F639927C4DF3858D758E866FBA2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Obligation for
service</header><text>It is the obligation of every citizen of the United
States, and every other person residing in the United States, who is between
the ages of 18 and 42 to perform a period of national service as prescribed in
this title unless exempted under the provisions of this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H60599F3A446240BE92348FA57B9B9DA2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Forms of
national service</header><text>The national service obligation under this title
shall be performed either—</text>
<paragraph id="HD329C5E5E76C441789C8AE4F59D1B4BD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>as a member of an
active or reserve component of the uniformed services; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H472C8529797646EA81B5F2B7D0C2F6A0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in a civilian
capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense,
including national or community service and service related to homeland
security.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDF5723E29EA0471B87ECA5927DEB6D87"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Age
limits</header><text>A person may be inducted under this title only if the
person has attained the age of 18 and has not attained the age of 42.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H3675838FAB944716A265364569DA8514"><enum>103.</enum><header>Induction to
perform national service</header>
<subsection id="H2090318D46E145B5919900B766DED9D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Induction
requirements</header><text>The President shall provide for the induction of
persons described in section 102(a) to perform their national service
obligation.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2DA7A189447B4BE28550B2FEBA9E53C2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Limitation on
induction for military service</header><text>Persons described in section
102(a) may be inducted to perform military service only if—</text>
<paragraph id="H940CEDD06EE648A1A421C6E51DA36BAC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a
declaration of war is in effect;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H08778FCDAB80449287662124767EF9A9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the President
declares a national emergency, which the President determines necessitates the
induction of persons to perform military service, and immediately informs
Congress of the reasons for the declaration and the need to induct persons for
military service; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1FB7972736B94CA8B40919C200B3EABC"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or
Marine Corps are engaged in a contingency operation pursuant to a congressional
authorization for the use of military force.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HB5288BCAC6F642B2A6CA5217835E64DE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Limitation on
number of persons inducted for military service</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">When the induction of persons for military
service is authorized by subsection (b), the President shall determine the
number of persons described in section 102(a) whose national service obligation
is to be satisfied through military service based on—</text>
<paragraph id="H6C3D5DD103B34C21B3CDFB6E63946B14"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the authorized end
strengths of the uniformed services; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBFBBED3637EE4A7BAAA7D41F70A8EC56"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the feasibility of
the uniformed services to recruit sufficient volunteers to achieve such
end-strength levels.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA577209B1A764EF396DE52BB7F8BBD8B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>provide a
mechanism for the random selection of persons to be inducted to perform
military service.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0492218B284B4972A4D326FCBB73AAF3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Selection for
induction</header>
<paragraph id="H5BA02EAF9E6E4FD19780EAA4F91EDE94"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Random selection
for military service</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">When the
induction of persons for military service is authorized by subsection (b), the
President shall utilize a mechanism for the random selection of persons to be
inducted to perform military service.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H899E17D823C146C2A5D1593748FBCCE2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Civilian
service</header><text>Persons described in section 102(a) who do not volunteer
to perform military service or are not inducted for military service shall
perform their national service obligation in a civilian capacity pursuant to
section 102(b)(2).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD6B1AD6E79634A3DB33D07BFC02FAE87"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Voluntary
service</header><text>A person subject to induction under this title
may—</text>
<paragraph id="HD5D8AF9DDDA14271824BE8A8597CEE2F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>volunteer to
perform national service in lieu of being inducted; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE825EDDE586A4DF3B41F1E7BACD24DDB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>request permission
to be inducted at a time other than the time at which the person is otherwise
called for induction.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H8552FC67D29A43F88B2820A4B90DB29"><enum>104.</enum><header>Two-year period
of national service</header>
<subsection id="HF3423AF894F04F95B800C8498D82869C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General
rule</header><text>Except as otherwise provided in this section, the period of
national service performed by a person under this title shall be two
years.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H8D25FC4451024F239427663841DCE521"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Grounds for
extension</header><text>At the discretion of the President, the period of
military service for a member of the uniformed services under this title may be
extended—</text>
<paragraph id="HD44DFAFD3BE34677A1C823B5671EDCF3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>with the consent
of the member, for the purpose of furnishing hospitalization, medical, or
surgical care for injury or illness incurred in line of duty; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDC96E2F15B9F4F80BE2DA6729E000A7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>for the purpose of
requiring the member to compensate for any time lost to training for any
cause.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HB57357EACD024638AC94C7FAEBE11C9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Early
termination</header><text>The period of national service for a person under
this title shall be terminated before the end of such period under the
following circumstances:</text>
<paragraph id="HA6516CFA49314088974F8E3480DFB844"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The voluntary
enlistment and active service of the person in an active or reserve component
of the uniformed services for a period of at least two years, in which case the
period of basic military training and education actually served by the person
shall be counted toward the term of enlistment.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA9C6F62505D44C1BAABD981827C52F6B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The admission and
service of the person as a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military
Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy,
the Coast Guard Academy, or the United States Merchant Marine Academy.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA5E9EE36CC704F81004BE8FDEF14417"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The enrollment and
service of the person in an officer candidate program, if the person has signed
an agreement to accept a Reserve commission in the appropriate service with an
obligation to serve on active duty if such a commission is offered upon
completion of the program.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H276479F23A364B38ADF731551E1D28"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Such other grounds
as the President may establish.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H64B91799DBC94C8E0042A1D461639068"><enum>105.</enum><header>Implementation
by the President</header>
<subsection id="H92F49E301BE7484A8E625043E161A211"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The President shall prescribe such regulations as are
necessary to carry out this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H49F06EA2D2034121A92300F4D949BD70"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Matter to be
covered by regulations</header><text>Such regulations shall include
specification of the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H9B16FEA5FC3C4A109BD790454C00D2AB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The types of
civilian service that may be performed in order for a person to satisfy the
person’s national service obligation under this title.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1A60191F516348669BB80496473E3D98"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Standards for
satisfactory performance of civilian service and of penalties for failure to
perform civilian service satisfactorily.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCA9DC88B0F7D409FAECAADBFBF3FD2CC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The manner in
which persons shall be selected for induction under this title, including the
manner in which those selected will be notified of such selection.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC1DBCC13DDD74E5FA4B7739DA4B81455"><enum>(4)</enum><text>All other
administrative matters in connection with the induction of persons under this
title and the registration, examination, and classification of such
persons.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2F9BEE21BAF5418ABEB500203B5EA800"><enum>(5)</enum><text>A
means to determine questions or claims with respect to inclusion for, or
exemption or deferment from induction under this title, including questions of
conscientious objection.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC5E1AC6865B540C8B6452F8B5588DBB5"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Standards for
compensation and benefits for persons performing their national service
obligation under this title through civilian service.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF7B5788C685E417DB20758D6F073EC1E"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Such other matters
as the President determines necessary to carry out this title.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HB81CE49E26A7432E85EC159BEBFABF00"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Use of prior
Act</header><text>To the extent determined appropriate by the President, the
President may use for purposes of this title the procedures provided in the
Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.), including
procedures for registration, selection, and induction.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HCE890B016DB444829F648F7C25736BC9"><enum>106.</enum><header>Examination and
classification of persons</header>
<subsection id="H5C5314666D1A43568FA84F87A3355E45"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Examination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Every person subject to induction under
this title shall, before induction, be physically and mentally examined and
shall be classified as to fitness to perform national service.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H7E5FA6B7CB0B42E38E35D17F45AAAF2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Different
classification standards</header><text>The President may apply different
classification standards for fitness for military service and fitness for
civilian service.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H2F01F1254EA8462DB273E8C12B919388"><enum>107.</enum><header>Deferments and
postponements</header>
<subsection id="HC4C87134EA514271B1BE763248AA2300"><enum>(a)</enum><header>High school
students</header><text>A person who is pursuing a standard course of study, on
a full-time basis, in a secondary school or similar institution of learning
shall be entitled to have induction under this title postponed until the
person—</text>
<paragraph id="H36B96524C42D4E4B892CB60009DE1EBD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>obtains a high
school diploma;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H082D6856DCD340748B32A6C3490018F1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>ceases to pursue
satisfactorily such course of study; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H06FB8436A5F3457FB3A9AD064C4F002B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>attains the age of
20.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H04C8E6EB09BA418B8D66DAD8C14428AC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Hardship and
disability</header><text>Deferments from national service under this title may
be made for—</text>
<paragraph id="HFF70B7C0A7F04E63B8D0A974FBDFDB00"><enum>(1)</enum><text>extreme hardship;
or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H12538877C4BB460E8FAF5F6818C4E4B7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>physical or mental
disability.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H169357440315426492054C412C414900"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Training
capacity</header><text>The President may postpone or suspend the induction of
persons for military service under this title as necessary to limit the number
of persons receiving basic military training and education to the maximum
number that can be adequately trained.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H7B8AA602DEBD48528F928B4795B6D2DB"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Termination</header><text>No
deferment or postponement of induction under this title shall continue after
the cause of such deferment or postponement ceases.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H008E3F38C3F74FB9BAD05454C85495EC"><enum>108.</enum><header>Induction
exemptions</header>
<subsection id="H67B68867F5E84D519EB97451BCEF7759"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Qualifications</header><text>No
person may be inducted for military service under this title unless the person
is acceptable to the Secretary concerned for training and meets the same health
and physical qualifications applicable under <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/10/505">section 505</external-xref> of title 10, United
States Code, to persons seeking original enlistment in a regular component of
the Armed Forces.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H96DB7BF4CC0C4A96A7C933512659AA73"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Other military
service</header><text>No person shall be liable for induction under this title
who—</text>
<paragraph id="HD1E2E69E25A848179705865875D54FA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>is
serving, or has served honorably for at least six months, in any component of
the uniformed services on active duty; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3ADB05AE6A454E788350797E3DC7E8F8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>is or becomes a
cadet or midshipman at the United States Military Academy, the United States
Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy,
the United States Merchant Marine Academy, a midshipman of a Navy accredited
State maritime academy, a member of the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training
Corps, or the naval aviation college program, so long as that person
satisfactorily continues in and completes at least two years training
therein.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H50AC171EDF0A4AF6A9D9F33BDFFCDB1E"><enum>109.</enum><header>Conscientious
objection</header>
<subsection id="H757B573D623C4489889497F1EF61CBF"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Claims as
conscientious objector</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this title shall be construed to
require a person to be subject to combatant training and service in the
uniformed services, if that person, by reason of sincerely held moral, ethical,
or religious beliefs, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any
form.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HD42A257064344046A4A6B848C573B5B7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Alternative
noncombatant or civilian service</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A person who claims exemption from
combatant training and service under subsection (a) and whose claim is
sustained by the local board shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H59A8D42069A0425EB217F0694D50F835"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be assigned to
noncombatant service (as defined by the President), if the person is inducted
into the uniformed services; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H920A580CB9E94AB6B2C44B12C3BB9F4D"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">be ordered by the local board, if found to
be conscientiously opposed to participation in such noncombatant service, to
perform national civilian service for the period specified in section 104(a)
and subject to such regulations as the President may prescribe.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HB2402C18CC4F47A8963D57F7FB66FB"><enum>110.</enum><header>Discharge
following national service</header>
<subsection id="H6749860B696C405E9FC5A4001FA86D6B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Discharge</header><text>Upon
completion or termination of the obligation to perform national service under
this title, a person shall be discharged from the uniformed services or from
civilian service, as the case may be, and shall not be subject to any further
service under this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HFD3C2623409D4D11BEC75009923DBA7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Coordination with
other authorities</header><text>Nothing in this section shall limit or prohibit
the call to active service in the uniformed services of any person who is a
member of a regular or reserve component of the uniformed services.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HD9290A1C458C47A7BC54FA22B396EE05"><enum>111.</enum><header>Registration of
females under the Military Selective Service Act</header>
<subsection id="H91F6916E1EFC4DBBA1872FD262008292"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Registration
required</header><text>Section 3(a) of the Military Selective Service Act (50
U.S.C. 453(a)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HCB96236D723C4616AB5E1E918E4CC558"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>male</quote> both places it appears;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H38EE332852EC41F300D6FAE500A717B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by
inserting <quote>or herself</quote> after <quote>himself</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H97A1CD535CCD47D9975E502DB6D723EC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>he</quote> and inserting <quote>the person</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H23EEC59A5BE546FCB8273D64D99980CB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming
amendment</header><text>Section 16(a) of the Military Selective Service Act (50
U.S.C. App. 466(a)) is amended by striking <quote>men</quote> and inserting
<quote>persons</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H8157898D7A7C4A8CB283049EFB013924"><enum>112.</enum><header>Relation of
title to registration and induction authority of Military Selective Service
Act</header>
<subsection id="HB7A750CFDB9D4A7487A2D48934A4B7A8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Registration</header><text>Section
4 of the Military Selective Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/50/454">50 U.S.C. App. 454</external-xref>) is amended by
inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block id="H891A02C6FDAA4C9D833E62584D9F7364">
<subsection id="HB4C3065635024AEAA71DDA5BBE3B7118"><enum>(h)</enum><text>This section does
not apply with respect to the induction of persons into the Armed Forces
pursuant to the <short-title>Universal National Service
Act of
2007</short-title>.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H82D2DAA43E95449AA8A428902AEE4E2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Induction</header><text>Section
17(c) of the Military Selective Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/50/467">50 U.S.C. App. 467(c)</external-xref>) is amended
by striking <quote>now or hereafter</quote> and all that follows through the
period at the end and inserting <quote>inducted pursuant to the
<short-title>Universal National Service Act of
2007</short-title>.</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Favorable
Treatment of Combat Pay Under Earned Income Tax Credit Made Permanent</header>
<section id="H9F8E4BFA8A5649F0B13B630071FB6DB1" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>201.</enum><header>Favorable treatment
of combat pay under earned income tax credit made permanent</header>
<subsection id="H74B8A805F0FF42E0878BAA1412AEFB1B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Clause (vi) of section 32(c)(2)(B) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (defining earned income) is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBCC593788F3043A894C785FEFE4EFCE" style="OLC">
<clause id="H50489E106168477B885DFFD2F20186B9"><enum>(vi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a taxpayer may elect for any taxable year
to treat amounts excluded from gross income by reason of section 112 as earned
income.</text>
</clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H5848225FDE4D47E9ABA9B919F34C14F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendment made by
subsection (a) shall apply to taxable years ending after December 31,
2006.</text>
</subsection></section>