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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 24, 2009
Encore Service Act of 2009 - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to make eligible for assistance under the National Service Trust program Encore Service programs that engage individuals age 50 or older in national service addressing specific community needs.
Gives Encore Service participants age 50 or older five options for their term of service, ranging from full-time to minimum time.
Makes such participants eligible for national service educational awards, which they may transfer to others for use within 20 years.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Expresses the sense of Congress that, by 2019, 25% of National Service Trust program participants should be age 50 or older. Requires the Corporation for National and Community Service to identify and address the barriers to program participation by such individuals.
Establishes Encore Fellowship programs providing Encore Fellowships to professionals age 50 or older who serve as full-time volunteers for nine months to one year with public or nonprofit organizations that address unmet human, educational, environmental, or public safety needs. Makes such Fellows ineligible for national service educational awards.
Creates Silver Scholarship programs providing Silver Scholarships to individuals who, over a one-year period, complete: (1) at least 500 hours of volunteer service after attaining age 55; or (2) between 250 and 500 hours of such service and present compelling personal experiences. Allows such individuals to transfer their scholarships to others for use within 20 years.
Directs the Corporation to specify the services that qualify volunteers for scholarships, including: (1) tutoring or mentoring in educational settings; and (2) assisting persons with special needs.
Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to allow anyone age 55 or older (currently, 60 or older) whose income does not exceed 200% (currently, 125%) of the poverty level to volunteer under the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs that provide supportive services to persons with exceptional needs.
Reauthorizes appropriations for the National Senior Volunteer Corps, including the Retired and Senior Volunteer, Foster Grandparent, and Senior Companion programs.
People & committees
Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · D–CT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2429-2430)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jan 21, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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