Bill · S. 2785· Senate(119-S-2785)
A Chance To Serve Act
- Introduced
- 9/11/2025
- Last activity
- 9/11/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Andy Kim
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "A Chance To Serve Act" aims to expand benefits for Peace Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers. It increases financial support through higher stipends, adjusted readjustment allowances, and doubled education awards. The bill provides extended health care coverage for one year following service and establishes non-competitive eligibility for government jobs. It also introduces protections for federal student loans by suspending payments and interest during service. Additionally, the act expands service opportunities and ensures non-discrimination based on certain immigration statuses.
Yes· 3 of 12
Would students be better off under this?+8
The bill greatly enhances student loan protections and increases educational awards.
Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay?+8
The bill expands public service loan forgiveness to include full-time national service and Peace Corps volunteers.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+7
The bill provides significant financial and educational benefits targeted at national service members, typically young adults.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Job Opportunities: Peace Corps volunteers receive non-competitive eligibility for civilian career service positions for three years after service (Section 2(a)). Similarly, AmeriCorps members can be noncompetitively appointed to competitive service positions at Executive branch agencies for up to three years after service (Section 3(c)).
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Increased Financial Support: The bill increases the Peace Corps readjustment allowance from $125 to $425 and allows for periodic adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index (Section 2(e)). AmeriCorps participants will receive a living allowance of at least 200 percent of the poverty line (Section 3(b)), and the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award will be doubled (Section 3(e)).
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Health Care Continuity: Former Peace Corps volunteers can access hospital care or medical services through the Department of Veterans Affairs for one year after service (Section 2(d)). AmeriCorps participants can continue receiving their service-term health care policy for one year at no cost after their service ends (Section 3(d)).
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Student Loan Relief: For both Peace Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers, payments on certain federal loans are suspended and interest does not accrue during service (Section 2(e) and Section 3(g)). Furthermore, full-time service in these programs now qualifies individuals for public service loan forgiveness (Section 4).
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Increased Service Availability: The bill mandates that at least 500,000 national service positions be available under national service programs (Section 3(a)).
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Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination: The bill amends rules to ensure that status as a refugee, asylee, or other lawfully admitted alien cannot be used to prohibit service or the receipt of educational benefits (Section 2(b) and Section 3(h)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reduced Education Awards for Shorter Service: If the required term of service for AmeriCorps is reduced to less than 1,700 hours, the amount of the available national service educational award will be reduced accordingly (Section 3(j)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Students+8Good For Immigrants+7Good For Young Adults+7Good For Low Income Households+6Good For Middle Class Households+4
- Education And Technology
- Improves Student Loan Relief+8Improves College Affordability+7
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+6Improves Veterans Healthcare+5
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+5
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+2
- 9/11/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Introduced in Senate