[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3797 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3797
To amend section 2202 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to
authorize States to expand the uses of the child care stabilization
funds to include support to improve and increase the availability of
safe child care facilities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 8, 2021
Mrs. Spartz (for herself and Mr. Smith of Nebraska) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend section 2202 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to
authorize States to expand the uses of the child care stabilization
funds to include support to improve and increase the availability of
safe child care facilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Increasing Access to Safe Child Care
Facilities Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS.
Section 2202 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law
117-2; March 11, 2021) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ``such a subgrant''
and inserting ``a subgrant under subsection (d)'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (h); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Subgrants for Safe Child Care Facilities.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and
(2)(A) of subsection (d), and with the authorization of the
State under subparagraph (6), the lead agency may use any
unobligated grant funds awarded pursuant to subsection (c)
(including unobligated funds otherwise reserved under
subsection (d)(1)) to make subgrants to eligible entities to
improve and increase the availability of safe child care
facilities. Any fund used for subgrants under this subsection
shall be obligated before October 1, 2024, and expended before
October 1, 2025.
``(2) Selection of subgrantees.--In making subgrants under
this subsection, the lead agency shall select subgrantees based
on demonstrated need. In making such selection, the lead agency
shall--
``(A) give priority to eligible entities that--
``(i) are new child care providers
described in paragraph (3)(C) who agree to
serve children receiving assistance under the
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857); or
``(ii) serve rural areas; and
``(B) give highest priority to eligible entities
that are new child care providers described in
paragraph (3)(C) who--
``(i) agree to serve children receiving
assistance under the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857); and
``(ii) serve rural areas.
``(3) Eligible entity.--In this section, the term `eligible
entity' means--
``(A) an eligible child care provider, as defined
in section 658P(6)(A) of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n(6)(A));
``(B) a child care provider that--
``(i) is license-exempt and operating
legally in the State;
``(ii) is not providing child care services
to relatives; and
``(iii) satisfies State and local
requirements, including those referenced in
section 658E(c)(2)(I) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 ((42 U.S.C.
9858c)(c)(2)(I)); or
``(C) a new child care provider that, on or before
the date such provider begins to provide child care
services, will--
``(i) be licensed, regulated, or registered
in the State, territory, or Indian Tribe; and
``(ii) meet applicable State and local
health and safety requirements.
``(4) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives funds
through a subgrant authorized under this subsection shall use
such funds to modify, renovate, upgrade, maintain, or repair a
child care facility to--
``(A) meet applicable State and local health and
safety requirements; or
``(B) increase the capacity of the provider to
offer child care services, including modifications,
renovations, upgrades, maintenance, or repairs
necessary to--
``(i) offer child care during
nontraditional hours; and
``(ii) provide services to more children or
specific populations of children, including
infants and toddlers, and children with
disabilities.
``(5) Prohibited use.--Funds received through a subgrant
authorized under this subsection may not be used for the
erection of a facility that does not currently exist.
``(6) Amended plan and report.--If a State elects to
authorize the lead agency to provide subgrants to eligible
entities under this subsection, the State shall amend the State
plan submitted under section 658E of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9859c) to
specify--
``(A) the goals and outcomes the State intends to
achieve to improve and increase the availability of
safe child care facilities;
``(B) how the State will measure and evaluate
eligible entities in relation to these goals; and
``(C) after the expenditure of such subgrants by
such eligible entities, the State shall submit to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services a report that
measures, with respect to each such eligible entity--
``(i) the amount of the subgrant received
by such entity;
``(ii) a list and description of the
modifications, renovations, upgrades,
maintenance, and repairs carried out by such
entity during such period; and
``(iii) using the metrics described in
subparagraphs (A) and (B), the extent to which
the State improved or increased the
availability of safe child care facilities,
including--
``(I) in rural areas;
``(II) for children receiving
subsidies under the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9857);
``(III) offering care during
nontraditional hours; and
``(IV) providing services to more
children or specific populations of
children.''.
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