National Service Act

National Service Act - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to establish a program under which all citizens of the United States between the ages of 18 and 30 are requested to perform one or two years of either military or civilian service, but in which no one is required to serve except to the extent that the needs of the military require that some persons be inducted for military training and service.

Title I: National Service System - Declares it the obligation of each citizen to perform some service for the United States and to fulfill this obligation each citizen between the ages of 17 and 24 shall perform suitable civilian service, enlist in the armed forces, or be subject to induction into the armed forces.

Establishes within the executive branch an independent agency to be known as the National Service System to be headed by a Director appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Stipulates that such System shall include at least one placement center in each county or comparable political subdivision in each State and there shall be at least one appeals board in each State.

Requires each citizen within ten days after becoming 17 years of age to register at his or her local placement center. Requires citizens who are between the ages of 17 and 21 on the effective date of this Act and who are not already registered under the Military Selective Service Act to register within six months of the effective date of this Act.

Requires registrants at least ten days before reaching the age of 18 to notify their local placement center of their election to enlist in the armed forces, to participate in the military lottery, or to participate in the civilian service program as well as what age the registrant will begin such service. States that the age for beginning such service shall be not less than 18 years nor more than 23 years of age. Stipulates that individuals who fail to begin their service at such time shall be placed in a lottery pool and shall be liable for a period of six years induction into the armed forces.

Stipulates that individuals who elect to enlist in the armed forces but who are not accepted by the age of 25 solely because the manpower needs of the armed forces have already been met will be considered to have discharged their obligation to perform service under this Act.

Sets forth the conditions under which an individual may be exempted from the provisions of this Act. Sets forth legal proof requirements for conscientious objectors.

Sets forth conditions for deferring participation in the military lottery and the civilian service program.

Sets forth registrant classification and reclassification procedures.

Sets forth procedures for appeal of a classification or the denial of a request for a change in classification.

Sets forth active training and service requirements for individuals who enlist or are inducted into the armed forces or who elect to participate in civilian service pursuant to this Act.

Establishes procedures for conducting the military lottery.

Specifies the order for induction for training and service in the armed forces in the event of war.

Sets forth the rates of monthly basic pay for members of the uniformed services.

Transfers the personnel and funds of the Selective Service System to the National Service System.

Provides criminal penalties for individuals who refuse to register in the National Service System as required or who fail to report for induction when ordered to do so.

Title II: National Youth Service Foundation - Creates the National Youth Service Corps for those registrants in the National Service System electing to perform civilian service.

Establishes within the executive branch an independent agency to be known as the National Youth Service Foundation.

Empowers such Foundation to administer the National Youth Service Corps and to make grants to units of State and local government in order to provide employment opportunities for civilian service registrants in the Corps.

Provides for a Board of Trustees of the Foundation to be appointed by the President.

Provides for the appointment of a Director of the Foundation by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Sets forth the duties of registrants who have elected to perform civilian service. Requires each registrant who has located a position in which to perform civilian service to perform satisfactory service for a period of one year.

Designates as "sponsors" those persons and units of State, local, and regional government that have positions available in which civilian service registrants may perform service.

Stipulates that each sponsor shall provide supervision and training to civilian service registrants in accordance with minimum standards to be prescribed by the Board.

Stipulates that civilian service registrants shall be paid a subsistence stipend determined by the Board based upon the local cost-of-living of the geographic area.

Requires any civilian service registrant who withdraws or is dismissed from a civilian service position to report to the local placement center nearest to the registrant's current place of residence for reassignment within ten day of a Board's determination that the registrant is to continue in the civilian services.

Requires any civilian service registrant who is not able to find a position in a qualified service category, or who fails to complete satisfactorily a year of service, shall perform such service, or complete such year of service, in the Young Adult Conservation Corps, or shall be placed in the military lottery pool.

Authorizes the Board to promulgate regulations designating specific service categories as qualified service categories in which civilian service registrants may serve for the purposes of this Act. Sets forth the conditions under which an activity shall be deemed to be a qualified service category pursuant to this Act.

Delineates suitable service categories to include positions in: (1) the Foundation and State, local, and regional government agencies; (2) schools; (3) nonprofit hospitals; (4) law enforcement agencies; (5) penal and probation systems; (6) private, nonprofit organizations whose principal purpose is social service; and (7) certain seasonal farm labor on commercial farms.

Stipulates that suitable service categories may not include positions in: (1) profitmaking business organizations; (2) labor unions; (3) partisan political organizations; (4) organizations engaged in religious functions, unless the position itself does not involve any religious functions; and (5) domestic or personal service companies or organizations.

Requires the Board to solicit information from sponsors who are authorized to participate in the civilian service program with regard to the types and impact of positions available for civilian service registrants.

Provides for Board certification of specific positions as qualified for civilian service.

Sets forth limited appeal procedures for sponsors or registrants who are adversely affected by decisions of the Board relating to the suitability of a specific position for civilian service pursuant to this Act.

Requires that sponsors provide civilian service registrants with the same hours of work and leave as they afford their new employees.

Directs the Board to contract for health care plans for registrants and to prescribe how the costs of such health care shall be borne by registrants and by sponsors.

Stipulates that registrants shall not be considered Federal employees except that such an individual shall be considered to be an employee of the United States for the purposes of specified laws.

Requires sponsors to submit annual reports to the Board regarding the number and reason for registrants leaving service with such sponsor.

Sets forth the conditions under which an individual may be dismissed from civilian service by a sponsor. Stipulates that registrants who are dismissed for cause shall be deemed to have elected to participate in the next military lottery.

Authorizes the Board to make grants to units of State and local government for: (1) paying stipends to registrants; (2) encouraging local private persons and other governmental entities to become sponsors in the civilian service program; and (3) such other purposes as the Board may authorize to carry out the provisions of this title.

Establishes the National Advisory Council on Youth Service to advise the Board on policy matters relating to the administration of this title.

Title III: Veterans Benefits - Entitles individuals who volunteer or who are inducted into the armed forces pursuant to this Act to specified educational benefits.

Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Repeals the Military Selective Service Act. Sets forth the effective date of this Act.