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42 USC § 5061 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s5061"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 5061 - Definitions"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "5061"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 66
chapter_name: "DOMESTIC VOLUNTEER SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 93–113, title IV, § 421, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 414; Pub. L. 99–551, §§ 6(b), 10(h), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3074, 3078; Pub. L. 101–204, title IV, § 403, title V, § 502(b), Dec. 7, 1989, 103 Stat. 1815, 1817; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, §§ 401, 404, 405(a)(10), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 917, 920, 921; Pub. L. 105–220, title IV, § 414(e), Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1242; Pub. L. 108–36, title III, § 306, June 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 825; Pub. L. 111–13, title II, § 2154, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1591.)"
---

# § 5061. Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter—

**(1)** the term “Director” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service appointed under section 12651c of this title;

**1** the terms “United States” and “States” mean the several States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and [^1] American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and, for the purposes of subchapter II of this chapter, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands;

So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

**(3)** the term “nonprofit” as applied to any agency, institution, or organization means an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual;

**2** the term “poor” or “low-income” persons, individuals, or volunteers means such individuals whose incomes fall at or below the poverty line as set forth in section 625 of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended by Public Law 92–424 (42 U.S.C. 2971d): [^2]*Provided*, That in determining who is “poor” or “low-income”, the Director shall take into consideration existing poverty guidelines as appropriate to local situations;

See References in Text note below.

**(5)** the terms “public agencies or organizations” and “Federal, State, or local agencies” shall include any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including any Alaskan native village or regional village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.]) which is recognized by the United States or the State in which it resides as eligible for special programs and services provided to Indians because of their status as Indians;

**(6)** the term “poverty line for a single individual” means such poverty line as established by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with section 9902(2) of this title;

**(7)** the term “Corporation” means the Corporation for National and Community Service established under section 12651 of this title;

**(8)** the term “foster grandparent” means a volunteer in the Foster Grandparent Program;

**(9)** the term “Foster Grandparent Program” means the program established under part B of subchapter II;

**(10)** except as provided in section 5057 of this title, the term “individual with a disability” has the meaning given the term in section 705(20)(B) of title 29;

**(11)** the term “Inspector General” means the Inspector General of the Corporation;

**(12)** the term “national senior volunteer” means a volunteer in the National Senior Service Corps;

**(13)** the term “National Senior Service Corps” means the programs established under parts A, B, C, and E of subchapter II;

**(14)** the term “Retired and Senior Volunteer Program” means the program established under part A of subchapter II;

**(15)** the term “retired or senior volunteer” means a volunteer in the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program;

**(16)** the term “senior companion” means a volunteer in the Senior Companion Program;

**(17)** the term “Senior Companion Program” means the program established under part C of subchapter II;

**(18)** the terms “VISTA” and “Volunteers in Service to America” mean the program established under part A of subchapter I;

**(19)** the term “VISTA volunteer” means a volunteer in VISTA; and

**(20)** the term “authorizing committees” means the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 93–113, title IV, § 421, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 414; Pub. L. 99–551, §§ 6(b), 10(h), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3074, 3078; Pub. L. 101–204, title IV, § 403, title V, § 502(b), Dec. 7, 1989, 103 Stat. 1815, 1817; Pub. L. 103–82, title IV, §§ 401, 404, 405(a)(10), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 917, 920, 921; Pub. L. 105–220, title IV, § 414(e), Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1242; Pub. L. 108–36, title III, § 306, June 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 825; Pub. L. 111–13, title II, § 2154, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1591.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

Section 625 of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended by  (), referred to in par. (4), was repealed by , , .  provides that any reference in any provision of law to the poverty line set forth in section 625 of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 is to be construed to be a reference to the poverty line defined in .

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, referred to in par. (5), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

### Amendments

2009—Par. (2). , inserted “, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,” after “American Samoa”.

Pars. (7) to (12). , (5), redesignated pars. (8) to (13) as (7) to (12), respectively, and struck out former par. (7), which read as follows: “the term ‘boarder baby’ means an infant who is abandoned, as defined in ;”.

Pars. (13), (14). , redesignated pars. (14) and (15) as (13) and (14), respectively. Former par. (13) redesignated (12).

, (4), substituted “Service Corps” for “Volunteer Corps”.

Pars. (15) to (20). –(8), added par. (20) and redesignated former pars. (16) to (20) as (15) to (19), respectively. Former par. (15) redesignated (14).

2003—Par. (7).  substituted “infant who is abandoned, as defined in section 301” for “infant described in section 103”.

1998—Par. (11).  substituted “” for “”.

1993—Par. (1). , added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “the term ‘Director’ means the Director of the ACTION Agency;”.

Pars. (8) to (11). , added pars. (8) to (11).

Par. (12). , substituted “the Corporation” for “ACTION”.

, added par. (12).

Pars. (13) to (20). , added pars. (13) to (20).

1989—Par. (6). , added par. (6).

Par. (7). , added par. (7).

1986—Par. (1). , substituted “Agency” for “agency”.

Par. (5). , added par. (5).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, .

### Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Amendment by sections 404 and 405(a)(10) of  effective , see , set out as a note under , Government Organization and Employees.

> “The amendments made by sections 401 through 402 [amending this section, sections 12612, 12617, 12619, 12622 to 12626, 12632, 12636, 12637, 12639, and 12662 of this title, and provisions set out as notes under
> 
> ] will take effect on
> 
> .”

, , , provided that:

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

## Executive Documents

### Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding , Territories and Insular Possessions.