[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2595 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2595
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide
funding to sustain and increase the supply and quality of child care,
access to child care, and the child care workforce, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2025
Mr. Davis of Illinois (for himself, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Moore of
Wisconsin, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Doggett, Mr.
Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Salinas, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Chu, Mr. Larson of
Connecticut, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Norton, Mrs.
Watson Coleman, and Mr. Carter of Louisiana) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide
funding to sustain and increase the supply and quality of child care,
access to child care, and the child care workforce, 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 ``Building Child Care for a Better
Future Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE CHILD CARE ENTITLEMENT TO STATES.
(a) In General.--Section 418(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 618(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows:
``(3) Appropriation.--
``(A) In general.--For grants under this section,
there are appropriated--
``(i) for fiscal year 2026,
$20,000,000,000; and
``(ii) for each fiscal year after fiscal
year 2026, the greater of--
``(I) the amount appropriated under
this subparagraph for the previous
fiscal year, increased by the
percentage increase (if any) in the
consumer price index for all urban
consumers (all items; United States
city average) for the most recent 12-
month period for which data is
available; and
``(II) the amount appropriated
under this subparagraph for the
previous fiscal year.
``(B) Amounts reserved.--Of the amount appropriated
under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year--
``(i) an amount equal to 5 percent of such
amount shall be available for grants to Indian
tribes and tribal organizations;
``(ii) an amount equal to 4 percent of such
amount shall be available for grants to
territories;
``(iii) an amount, not to exceed \1/2\ of 1
percent of such amount, shall be reserved by
the Secretary to support technical assistance
and dissemination activities under paragraphs
(3) and (4) of section 658I(a) of the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990;
and
``(iv) an amount equal to \1/2\ of 1
percent of such amount appropriated may be
reserved by the Secretary to conduct research
and demonstration activities, as well as
periodic external, independent evaluations of
the impact of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant program established under
subchapter C of chapter 8 of title VI of the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
(Public Law 97-35), as carried out under this
subsection and under such subchapter, on
increasing access to child care services and
improving the safety and quality of child care
services, using scientifically valid research
methodologies, and to disseminate the key
findings of those evaluations widely and on a
timely basis.''.
(b) Redistribution of Funds Reserved for Tribal Grants.--Section
418(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 618(a)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4), the following:
``(5) Redistribution of unused tribal grants.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall determine an
appropriate procedure for redistributing the amounts
described in subparagraph (B) for each fiscal year to
each Indian tribe and tribal organization that applies
for such amounts, to the extent the Secretary
determines that the Indian tribe or tribal organization
will be able to use such additional amounts to provide
child care assistance.
``(B) Amounts described.--The amounts described in
this subparagraph are, with respect to a fiscal year,
the unused amounts of any payment made to an Indian
tribe or tribal organization under this subsection for
the fiscal year which the Secretary determines will not
be used by the Indian tribe or tribal organization
during the period in which such payments are available
to be obligated.''.
(c) Removal of Restriction on Application of Updated FMAP.--Section
418(a)(2)(C) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 618(a)(2)(C)) is amended by
striking ``, as such section was in effect on September 30, 1995''.
(d) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Section 418 of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 618(a)) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``paragraph (3)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (3)(A) and remaining after the
application of paragraph (3)(B),'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``paragraph
(3)(A),'' and inserting ``paragraph (3)(A) and
remaining after the application of paragraph (3)(B)
and'';
(C) in paragraph (4)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``paragraph (3)(C)'' and inserting ``paragraph
(3)(B)(ii)''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(D) in paragraph (6), (as redesignated by
subsection (b)(1)), by inserting ``(as in effect on
June 29, 2003)'' after ``section 403(a)(1)(D)'';
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``by a State under
this section'' and inserting ``by a State, a territory, or an
Indian tribe or tribal organization under subsection (a)'';
(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Application of Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts provided to
a State, a territory, or a Indian tribe or tribal organization under
subsection (a) shall be transferred to the lead agency under the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, integrated by the State,
territory, or Indian tribe or tribal organization into the programs
established by the State, territory, Indian tribe or tribal
organization under such Act, and be subject to requirements and
limitations of such Act.''; and
(4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' means entities
included on the list published pursuant to section 104(a) of
the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25
U.S.C. 5131(a)).
``(2) State.--The term `State' means each of the 50 States
and the District of Columbia.
``(3) Territory.--The term `territory' means the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands.
``(4) Tribal organization.--The term `tribal organization'
means--
``(A) the recognized governing body of any Indian
tribe, and any legally established organization of
Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered
by such governing body or which is democratically
elected by the adult members of the Indian community to
be served by such organization and which includes the
maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its
activities, except that in any case where a contract is
let or grant made to an organization to perform
services benefitting more than one Indian tribe, the
approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a
prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract
or grant; and
``(B) includes a Native Hawaiian organization, as
defined in section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517) and a private
nonprofit organization established for the purpose of
serving youth who are Indians or Native Hawaiians.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take
effect on October 1, 2025.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE, SUPPLY, QUALITY, AND
ACCESS IN AREAS OF PARTICULAR NEED.
(a) In General.--Section 418 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
618), as amended by section 2, is further amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(e) Grants To Improve Child Care Workforce, Supply, Quality, and
Access in Areas of Particular Need.--
``(1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this
subsection, the preceding provisions of this section shall not
apply to this subsection.
``(2) Appropriations.--
``(A) In general.--For grants under this subsection
to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and
access in areas of particular need, there are
appropriated $5,000,000,000 for each fiscal year.
``(B) Amounts reserved.--Of the amount appropriated
under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, the Secretary
shall reserve--
``(i) an amount equal to 5 percent of such
amount for grants to Indian tribes and tribal
organizations;
``(ii) an amount equal to 4 percent of such
amount for grants to territories;
``(iii) an amount, not to exceed \1/2\ of 1
percent of such amount, to support technical
assistance and dissemination activities related
to improving child care workforce, supply,
quality, and access, including in areas of
particular need, under paragraphs (3) and (4),
respectively, of section 658I(a) of the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990;
``(iv) an amount equal to \1/2\ of 1
percent of such amount to carry out the
evaluation required under paragraph (8); and
``(v) an amount, not to exceed 3 percent of
such amount, for administrative expenses of the
Secretary in administering this subsection.
``(3) Grants.--
``(A) Indian tribes and tribal organizations.--The
Secretary shall use the amount reserved under paragraph
(2)(B)(i) for a fiscal year to make grants under this
subsection for the fiscal year to Indian tribes and
tribal organizations in amounts that shall be allotted
among Indian tribes and tribal organizations in
proportion to their respective needs.
``(B) Territories.--The Secretary shall use the
amount reserved under paragraph (2)(B)(ii) for a fiscal
year to make grants under this subsection for the
fiscal year to each territory in amounts that shall be
allotted among the territories in proportion to their
respective needs.
``(C) States.--The Secretary shall use the amount
appropriated under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2)
for a fiscal year that remains after the application of
subparagraph (B) of that paragraph, to make grants for
the fiscal year under this subsection to each State in
amounts that bear the same proportion to the amount so
remaining as the sum of the amount granted under
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and the amount allotted
and paid under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to each
such State for the fiscal year (without regard to
amounts redistributed under subparagraph (D) of
subsection (a)(2) for the fiscal year) bears to the
total amounts granted and allotted to all of the States
under paragraphs (1) and (2) of that subsection for
such fiscal year.
``(4) Incorporation into ccdbg plan.--
``(A) Contents.--In order to be paid a grant under
this subsection for a fiscal year, the lead agency of a
State, territory, Indian tribe, or tribal organization
shall submit to the Secretary, as part of the initial
submission of the Child Care and Development Block
Grant plan for the period that includes such fiscal
year, or as an amendment to that plan, a description of
the planned use of grant funds that--
``(i) describes the demographic and
economic data and other criteria the lead
agency proposes to use to determine whether an
area is in particular need of child care;
``(ii) describes how community members were
engaged to identify community-specific needs
such as diverse types of care delivery, care
for infant and toddlers, multilingual care, and
nontraditional operational hours;
``(iii) identifies specific areas
determined to be in particular need of child
care, where such areas are located, the size
and scope of such areas, and the age groups of
children in need of child care in such areas;
``(iv) outlines how the lead agency
proposes to use the grant funds to increase
child care workforce, supply, quality, and
access for all families, including families who
are eligible for subsidies under the Child Care
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, in the
areas determined to be in particular need of
child care through activities such as--
``(I) contracting and providing
grants to child care providers to pay
for specified numbers of child care
slots (including slots in family child
care homes) and to build supply and
stability by including expectations for
compensation in the contracts and
grants;
``(II) establishing or expanding
the operation of community or
neighborhood-based family child care
networks by providing grants and
contracts for training and other
activities that increase the supply and
quality of family child care;
``(III) furnishing child care
providers with start-up funding,
technical assistance, support for
improving business practices, and
support navigating real estate
financing and development processes,
including leveraging additional
facilities financing resources;
``(IV) providing guidance to child
care providers on negotiating with
landlords or applying for land or home
ownership;
``(V) providing technical
assistance to child care providers
throughout the child care licensing
process;
``(VI) recruiting child care
providers and staff;
``(VII) supporting the training and
professional development of the child
care workforce including through
apprenticeships, partnerships with
labor unions or labor-management
partnerships, and partnerships with
public and nonprofit institutions of
higher education to provide
comprehensive scholarships that support
equitable access to, and completion of,
credentials and degrees in early
childhood education;
``(VIII) attracting and maintaining
an effective and diverse early care
workforce by increasing total
compensation, providing wage
supplements or bonuses, or offering
wage and retention rewards and ensuring
adequate wages for staff of child care
providers, including sole proprietors
and independent contractors, that, at a
minimum--
``(aa) provide a living
wage for all staff of such
child care providers; and
``(bb) are adjusted on an
annual basis for cost of living
increases to ensure payment
rates remain sufficient to meet
the requirements of this
subsection;
``(IX) subject to subparagraph (C),
providing financial support (without
regard to limitations on expenditures
imposed under section 658F(b) of the
Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990) for projects involving the
purchase or improvement of land, a
major renovation, repurposing
facilities, the purchase, acquisition,
construction, or permanent improvement
of any building or facility, including
major renovation and minor remodeling,
indoor or outdoor modifications,
including such modifications to support
accessibility for children with
disabilities, predevelopment or soft
costs, and for projects to upgrade
child care facilities to assure that
providers meet State and local child
care standards, including applicable
health, safety, and quality
requirements; or
``(X) subject to subparagraph (C),
contracting with an intermediary with
experience securing private sources of
capital financing for child care
facilities or other low-income
community development projects to
provide financial or managerial
assistance, technical support through
the real estate process, including
successful execution of Federal
interest documentation, or furnishing
an evaluation of sustainability or
operational capacity of providers;
``(v) in the case of a State or territory,
contains an assurance that the State or
territory shall collaborate with respect to the
use of grant funds to improve child care
workforce, supply, quality, and access in areas
of particular need identified within the State
or territory with each Indian tribe and tribal
organization in such area; and
``(vi) contains such other information as
the Secretary may require.
``(B) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve a
planned use of funds submission that contains the
information required under subparagraph (A), and, with
respect to the proposed criteria required under
subparagraph (A)(i), shall accept any reasonable
criteria that are based on internal analyses by a lead
agency of a State, territory, Indian tribe, or tribal
organization or analyses by organizations with
experience in evaluating research on various approaches
to identifying areas where there is a low supply of
child care that is affordable and that is in particular
need of child care.
``(C) Special rules.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
develop parameters on the use of funds from an
allotment paid under this subsection for
projects described in subclause (IX) or (X) of
subparagraph (A)(iv).
``(ii) Requirement.--The parameters
developed under clause (i) shall provide that,
in the case of funds from an allotment paid
under this subsection that are used for
projects described in subclause (IX) or (X) of
subparagraph (A)(iv)--
``(I) for such projects involving a
privately-owned family child care home,
the Secretary shall not retain any
Federal interest; and
``(II) for all other such projects,
the Secretary shall not retain a
Federal interest after a period of 10
years.
``(iii) Wage rates.--All laborers and
mechanics employed by contractors or
subcontractors in the performance of
construction, alteration, or repair work
carried out, in whole or in part, with funds
from an allotment paid under this subsection
for projects described in subparagraph (A)(iv)
shall be paid wages at rates not less than the
prevailing rates for projects of a similar
character in the locality as determined by the
Secretary of Labor in accordance with
subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United
States Code. With respect to the labor
standards specified in the first sentence of
this clause, the Secretary of Labor shall have
the authority and functions set forth in
Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (64
Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and section 3145 of
title 40, United States Code.
``(5) Other funding and payment rules.--
``(A) Approval and payment deadline.--The Secretary
shall make quarterly payments to the lead agency of
each State, territory, Indian tribe, and tribal
organization with a planned use of funds submission
approved under paragraph (4) from the grant determined
for the State, territory, Indian tribe, or tribal
organization under paragraph (3) for a fiscal year.
``(B) No matching requirement.--Neither
subparagraph (C) of subsection (a)(2) nor any other
cash or in-kind matching requirement shall apply to the
grants paid under this subsection.
``(C) Maintenance of effort.--
``(i) Certification funds will supplement,
not supplant, general revenue expenditures.--
Each State paid a grant under this subsection
for a fiscal year shall certify that the grant
funds will be used to supplement and not
supplant the level of general revenue
expenditures from State, local, and other non-
Federal sources that are used to provide child
care assistance for low-income families.
``(ii) State minimum expenditures
requirement.--
``(I) In general.--Each State paid
a grant under this subsection for a
fiscal year shall certify that the
State shall satisfy the required
minimum general revenue expenditures
for child care assistance for low-
income families dollar amount
applicable to the State for the fiscal
year.
``(II) State minimum general
revenue expenditures for child care
assistance for low-income families
dollar amount.--With respect to a State
and a fiscal year, the minimum general
revenue expenditures for child care
assistance for low-income families
dollar amount for the State and fiscal
year is--
``(aa) in the case of the
first fiscal year for which the
State is paid a grant under
this subsection, the aggregate
dollar amount of general
revenue expenditures for child
care assistance for low-income
families for the most recent
State fiscal year for which
data is available; and
``(bb) in the case of any
succeeding fiscal year, the
greater of--
``(AA) the minimum
baseline dollar amount
of general revenue
expenditures for child
care assistance for
low-income families
applicable to the State
for the preceding year;
and
``(BB) the minimum
baseline dollar amount
of general revenue
expenditures for child
care assistance for
low-income families for
the most recent State
fiscal year for which
data is available.
``(III) Annual guidance.--The
Secretary shall issue annual guidance
to States specifying--
``(aa) the data and
reporting that will be required
for purposes of enforcing the
State minimum general revenue
expenditures for child care
assistance for low-income
families dollar amount
requirement under this
subparagraph; and
``(bb) for each fiscal year
and State for which a grant is
paid under this subsection, the
minimum general revenue
expenditures for child care
assistance for low-income
families dollar amount that is
required for the State and
fiscal year.
``(D) Period for availability; redistribution of
unused funds.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), the period in which the funds from
grants paid under this subsection for a fiscal
year are available for expenditure, the
determination as to whether funds from the
grant will not be used, and the procedure for
redistributing unused funds, shall be made in
the same manner as if--
``(I) in the case of 1 of the 50
States or the District of Columbia, the
funds were considered amounts allotted
to the State or District under
subsection (a)(2)(B) for a fiscal year;
``(II) in the case of a territory,
the funds were considered a grant made
to the territory under subsection
(a)(4) for such fiscal year; and
``(III) in the case of an Indian
tribe or tribal organization, the funds
were considered a grant made to the
Indian tribe or tribal organization
under subsection (a) for such fiscal
year.
``(ii) Extension of availability of funds
used for certain projects.--If funds from a
grant paid under this subsection are used to
provide financial support for a project
described in subclause (IX) or (X) of paragraph
(4)(A)(iv), the funds shall remain available
for expenditure by the lead agency of a State,
territory, Indian tribe, or tribal organization
(as applicable) for a period of 5 years.
``(E) Inapplicability of territorial payment
limitation.--Section 1108(a) shall not apply with
respect to any funds paid under this subsection.
``(6) Use of funds.--
``(A) In general.--To the extent permitted under
this paragraph, section 658G(b) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and the approved
planned use of funds submission of the lead agency of a
State, territory, Indian tribe, or tribal organization
under paragraph (4), each such lead agency shall use
funds from a grant paid under this subsection to
increase child care workforce, supply, quality, and
access in areas determined to be in particular need of
child care (with activities provided directly, or
through grants or contracts with local child care
resource and referral organizations or other
appropriate entities). Activities carried out with such
funds shall be--
``(i) designed to improve the quality of
child care services, including improving the
quality of the child care workforce, and
increase parental options for, and access to,
high-quality child care, especially in areas of
concentrated poverty; and
``(ii) in alignment with the most recent
statewide or tribal assessment of the State's
or Indian tribe's or tribal organization's
needs to carry out such services and care.
``(B) Priority.--If a lead agency chooses to make
grants from the funds paid under this subsection, each
such lead agency shall give priority to funding child
care services that will use the grant to provide or
coordinate services in order to--
``(i) provide child care services during
nontraditional hours;
``(ii) serve dual language learners,
children with disabilities, children
experiencing homelessness, children in foster
care, children from low-income families, or
infants and toddlers;
``(iii) serve a high proportion of children
whose families are eligible for subsidies under
the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act
of 1990 for the child care;
``(iv) operate in rural communities with a
low supply of child care;
``(v) support child care services provided
by public entities, non-profit entities, and
small businesses that are at least 51 percent
owned and controlled by individuals who are
socially and economically disadvantaged, as
defined by the Administrator of the Small
Business Administration; or
``(vi) provide competitive wages and
support the recruitment and retention of a
high-quality child care workforce, including
through increased compensation (including wages
and benefits), bonuses, tuition or fee support
for educational attainment or professional
development, child care apprenticeship
programs, or other financial incentives.
``(C) Head start and early head start programs.--A
lead agency may use funds from a grant paid under this
subsection for activities or assistance under a Head
Start program (including an Early Head Start program)
carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et
seq.).
``(D) Administration through the child care and
development block grant act of 1990.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in
clause (ii) or to the extent otherwise provided
in this subsection, subsection (c) shall apply
to the grants paid under this subsection in the
same manner as that subsection applies to
amounts paid under subsection (a).
``(ii) Nonapplication of certain use of
funds requirements.--The requirements of
subparagraphs (D) and (E) of section 658E(c)(3)
of the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990 shall not apply to the grants paid
under this subsection.
``(7) Reports.--
``(A) CCDBG reports.--The lead agency of each
State, territory, Indian tribe, and tribal organization
paid a grant under this subsection for a fiscal year
shall include information regarding how the lead agency
spent the grant in each monthly, quarterly, or annual
report, as applicable, submitted under section
658K(a)(2) of the Child Care and Development Block
Grant Act of 1990. The information required to be
collected and reported under this paragraph shall be--
``(i) in addition to, and shall not affect,
reporting and data collection requirements
imposed under the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990, including to the
extent any information specified under this
paragraph also is required to be included in a
report submitted under that Act; and
``(ii) made publicly available.
``(B) 1-year post-award report.--Not later than 6
months after receipt of the first payment from a grant
under this subsection, the lead agency of the State,
territory, Indian tribe, or tribal organization (as
applicable) shall submit a report to the Secretary that
includes information and data (reported on such basis
as the Secretary shall specify) regarding--
``(i) the supply of child care in the areas
determined to be in particular need of child
care by the lead agency, including with respect
to the pre-grant award assessment of the number
of Child Care and Development Block Grant-
eligible child care slots reserved by grants or
contracts in such areas and the pre-grant award
assessment of the number of providers who are
regulated under State law in such areas, and
the number of providers who are not covered by
or are exempt from such a regulation but are
eligible child care providers providing
services under the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et
seq.) in such areas; and
``(ii) the supply, quality, and access of
child care in the areas determined to be in
particular need of child care by the lead
agency.
``(C) 3-year post-award report.--Not later than
December 31 of the calendar year in which the third
fiscal year for which the lead agency of a State,
territory, Indian tribe, or tribal organization is paid
a grant under this subsection ends, the lead agency
shall submit a report to the Secretary that includes
the following information:
``(i) Data that describes the impact of
expenditures of grant funds on--
``(I) the supply of child care in
the areas determined to be in
particular need of child care by the
lead agency, including with respect to
the pre-grant award assessment of the
number of Child Care and Development
Block Grant-eligible child care slots
reserved by grants or contracts in such
areas and the pre-grant award
assessment of the number of providers
who are regulated under State law in
such areas, and the number of providers
who are not covered by or are exempt
from such a regulation but are eligible
child care providers providing services
under the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857
et seq.) in such areas; and
``(II) the supply, quality, and
access of child care in the areas
determined to be in particular need of
child care by the lead agency, and on
the extent to which areas in which such
funds were used experienced outcomes
that reduced the conditions in such
areas which factored into such
determination.
``(ii) Information specifying the areas
determined to be in particular need of child
care by the lead agency and the activities in
which grant funds were used in such areas.
``(iii) Demographic data on the child care
providers receiving funds and on the families
and children served.
``(iv) Information specifying whether grant
funds were used for projects described in
subclause (IX) or (X) of paragraph (4)(A)(iv)
and if so, the status of such projects,
including if such projects are ongoing at the
time of reporting.
``(D) Submission to congress.--The information
reported in accordance with subparagraphs (A), (B), and
(C) shall be incorporated into the biennial reports to
Congress by the Secretary required under section
658L(a) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990.
``(8) Regular evaluations.--
``(A) In general.--From a geographically diverse
selection of the lead agencies paid a grant under this
subsection that includes representation of States,
territories, and Indian tribes and tribal
organizations, the Secretary regularly shall evaluate
the impact of the activities carried out by such lead
agencies with respect to improving the supply and
quality of child care in the areas determined to be in
particular need of child care by such lead agencies.
``(B) Supply assessment.--In evaluating the extent
to which there are improvements in the supply of child
care in the areas determined to be in particular need
of child care, the Secretary shall focus on the
following areas:
``(i) General availability of child care
services.
``(ii) Availability of child care services
that--
``(I) are provided during
nontraditional hours;
``(II) serve dual language
learners, children with disabilities,
children experiencing homelessness,
children in foster care, children from
low-income families, or infants and
toddlers;
``(III) serve a high proportion of
children whose families are eligible
for subsidies under the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990;
and
``(IV) operate in rural communities
with a low supply of child care.
``(iii) Opportunity for parental choice in
child care services.
``(iv) Improvement in workforce recruitment
and retention for child care services.
``(C) Quality assessment.--In evaluating the extent
to which there are improvements in the quality of child
care in the areas determined to be in particular need
of child care, the Secretary shall focus on at least 5
of the following areas:
``(i) Ratios of staff to children and group
size.
``(ii) Developmentally appropriate
curriculum.
``(iii) Approaches to instruction.
``(iv) Relationship quality between
children and staff.
``(v) Children's learning and development.
``(vi) Physical environment quality and
ability to protect children and staff from
illness and injury.
``(vii) Qualifications, experience, and
specialized training of staff.
``(viii) Opportunities for staff
professional development.
``(ix) Wages and benefits for staff.
``(x) Ability to foster relationships with
families and communities.
``(xi) Leadership and management capacity.
``(xii) Creating a stable work environment
for staff retention.
``(xiii) Pursuit or earning of national
accreditation.
``(D) Report.--The Secretary shall--
``(i) submit a report to the appropriate
committees of Congress regarding the
evaluations of the impact of the activities
carried out by lead agencies with funds from
grants paid under this subsection--
``(I) within 180 days of the
completion of each such evaluation; and
``(II) at least once every 5 years;
and
``(ii) make each such report, along with
the data and report for each evaluation,
publicly available.
``(9) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
`appropriate committees of Congress' means the
Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Ways and
Means, and the Committee on Education and Workforce of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Finance, and the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate.
``(B) Lead agency.--The term `lead agency' has the
meaning given that term in section 658P(9) of the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take
effect on October 1, 2025.
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