A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Service Starts At Home Act" directs the Secretary of Education to establish grant programs to encourage student involvement in local government and volunteer service. It creates a program to fund paid internships for secondary school and undergraduate students within local government units (Section 2). Additionally, the bill establishes a scholarship program for students who demonstrate a commitment to volunteer service work (Section 3). States will receive allocations to award these scholarships based on the number of students enrolled in their public schools (Section 3). The Secretary will also carry out a program to recognize various educational institutions for their contributions to community service (Section 4). The act authorizes significant appropriations for these programs through fiscal year 2030 (Sections 2 and 3).
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Would students be better off under this?
The bill directly benefits students through paid internships, scholarships, and academic recognition.
- Scored +6
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The bill provides paid internships and scholarships specifically for secondary and undergraduate students.
- Scored +5
Does this make college cost less?
The bill establishes scholarship programs of up to $3,000 to help students pay for the costs of attendance at institutions of higher education.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -1
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill focuses its resources and benefits on younger demographics.
- Scored -1
Would high-income households be better off under this?
The bill targets financial benefits toward students through competitive grants and scholarships.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes significant new federal appropriations for scholarships and internships.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Paid Internship Opportunities: The bill supports paid internships within local government units for secondary school and undergraduate students (Section 2(a)). This provides students with work experience and pay while they learn about local government (Section 2(c)).
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Employment Accommodations: To assist students with various life challenges, the bill encourages entities to provide reasonable accommodations such as flexible work schedules or telework options for those with childcare needs or transportation difficulties (Section 2(d)).
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Educational Value: The program requires entities to work with institutions of higher education to ensure that internship work meets applicable educational standards (Section 2(d)).
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Scholarships for Volunteerism: Students can receive scholarships to help pay for the costs of attendance at an institution of higher education based on the number of hours they have completed in volunteer service work (Section 3(b)). These awards range from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the hours completed (Section 3(b)(8)).
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Recognition of Achievement: The Secretary will implement a program to recognize the contributions of elementary schools, secondary schools, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education regarding community service (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Volunteer Requirements: To receive a scholarship, first-time applicants must have completed at least 100 hours of volunteer service work in the preceding school year (Section 3(b)(3)(A)).
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Limited Use of Scholarship Funds: Funds received through the state-administered scholarship program may only be used to pay for a student's costs of attendance at an institution of higher education (Section 3(b)(6)).
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Exclusions from Volunteer Service: Certain activities cannot be counted toward the volunteer hours required for a scholarship, including proselytizing, conducting worship services, religious instruction, political lobbying, or court-ordered service (Section 5).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill directly benefits students through paid internships, scholarships, and academic recognition. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides paid internships and scholarships specifically for secondary and undergraduate students. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The scholarships and paid internships provide financial assistance for education and work experience. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill provides financial aid opportunities for students in these households. Would children be better off under this? — The bill provides educational and internship opportunities for secondary school students. Would high-income households be better off under this? — The bill targets financial benefits toward students through competitive grants and scholarships. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill focuses its resources and benefits on younger demographics.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill establishes scholarship programs of up to $3,000 to help students pay for the costs of attendance at institutions of higher education.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill funds paid internship opportunities within local government units for students. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes significant new federal appropriations for scholarships and internships.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill does not directly address housing affordability.
- 9/11/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.