[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 581 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 581
To assist States in carrying out projects to expand the child care
workforce and child care facilities in the States, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 21, 2025
Mr. Harder of California (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To assist States in carrying out projects to expand the child care
workforce and child care facilities in the States, 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 ``Child Care Workforce and Facilities
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. CHILD CARE WORKFORCE AND FACILITIES GRANTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Child care and development block grant act of 1990
definitions.--The terms ``eligible child care provider'',
``Indian Tribe'', ``Tribal organization'' and ``State'' have
the meanings given the terms in section 658P of the Child Care
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n).
(2) Child care desert.--The term ``child care desert''
means--
(A) an area--
(i) within a census tract; and
(ii) in which the number of children who
are under age 5 (as determined using the most
recent American Community Survey 1-year
Estimates, as published by the Bureau of the
Census) is more than 3 times the number of
slots provided by child care providers who are
licensed or registered by the State involved;
or
(B) a community that the State or Tribal entity
involved determines has a low supply of quality,
affordable child care.
(3) Family child care provider.--The term ``family child
care provider'' means such a provider that is described in
paragraph (6)(A) of section 658P of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990.
(4) Licensed family child care home.--The term ``licensed
family child care home'' means a facility of a family child
care provider.
(5) Portable credential; stackable credential.--The terms
``portable'' and ``stackable'', used with respect to a
credential, have the meanings given the terms in the guidance
document entitled ``Training and Employment Guidance Letter No.
15-10'', issued by the Assistant Secretary for Employment and
Training of the Department of Labor on December 15, 2010.
(6) Postsecondary educational institution.--The term
``postsecondary educational institution'' means an institution
of higher education, as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, after consultation with the
Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor.
(8) Tribal area.--The term ``Tribal area'' means a
reservation or other area that is served by a Tribal entity.
(9) Tribal entity.--The term ``Tribal entity'' means an
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
(b) Grants to States and Tribal Entities.--
(1) Grants.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to
States and Tribal entities on a competitive basis under
subparagraph (B) to pay for the Federal share of the
cost of carrying out projects described in this Act, in
order to increase access to quality child care, by
eligible child care providers, in the States and Tribal
areas.
(B) Types of grants.--In making those grants, the
Secretary may make--
(i) a child care workforce grant for a
State or Tribal project to develop and expand
the workforce of eligible child care providers
in child care deserts in the State or Tribal
area; or
(ii) a child care facility grant for a
State or Tribal project through which a State
or Tribal entity may use or disburse the grant
funds, including by making loans, for the
construction, expansion, or renovation of
facilities of eligible child care providers,
including licensed family child care homes of
family child care providers (including
combinations of such providers) who are
eligible child care providers, in child care
deserts in the State or Tribal area.
(C) Period of grants.--The Secretary shall make a
grant under this paragraph for a period of not more
than 5 years.
(2) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this subsection, a State or Tribal entity shall submit an
application to the Secretary for a project described in
paragraph (1) at such time, in such manner, and containing a
plan that contains such information related to the project as
the Secretary may reasonably require, including--
(A) information identifying the lead State agency
that will administer the grant as determined by the
Governor of the State, including whether the lead
agency will be different from the lead agency referred
to in section 658D of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b), or
corresponding information for a lead Tribal agency in
the case of a Tribal area;
(B) in the case of a child care workforce grant--
(i) information specifying how the project
carried out under the grant will increase the
number of individuals attaining stackable and
portable credentials in child care or early
childhood education;
(ii) information describing how the State
or Tribal agency will emphasize the provision
of--
(I) outreach to individuals who do
not have degrees from postsecondary
educational institutions, regarding
career pathways to careers in child
care or early childhood education; and
(II) outreach to individuals who
seek a career working with children,
but who have not completed the
requirements for, or cannot afford to
obtain, a degree from a postsecondary
educational institution in education,
child care, or early childhood
education;
(iii) information describing how the
project will provide assistance, including
assistance described in paragraph (3)(A), to
individuals--
(I) who are pursuing or with such
project assistance would pursue
secondary education, postsecondary
education, or training, that leads to a
recognized postsecondary credential (as
defined in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3102)), and that is eligible for
support under the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of
2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), to enable
the individuals to successfully
complete the education or training
involved; or
(II) who are pursuing or with such
project assistance would pursue
secondary education, postsecondary
education, or training, that meets such
requirements as the State or Tribal
entity shall specify, even if the
education or training does not lead to
credit toward such a recognized
postsecondary credential or a degree
from a postsecondary educational
institution;
(iv) information describing how the project
will--
(I) increase the availability of
quality child care provided by eligible
child care providers in child care
deserts (referred to in this clause as
``target child care'') in the State or
Tribal area;
(II) address the affordability of
target child care; and
(III) address the provision of
target child care during nontraditional
hours;
(v) information describing how the project
will increase access to quality child care
provided by eligible child care providers in
centers or other child care facilities;
(vi) information describing how the project
will enhance retention or compensation of
eligible child care providers; and
(vii) a description of how the State agency
or Tribal entity will--
(I) coordinate activities carried
out under the child care workforce
grant with activities carried out under
the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20
U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support
education and training described in
clause (iii)(I);
(II) leverage funds provided under
the Acts specified in subclause (I) to
support that education and training;
and
(III) utilize, and encourage
individual participants in projects
supported under this subsection to
utilize, available Federal and State
financial assistance, including
assistance available under the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), education
assistance benefits available to
veterans, and Federal Pell Grants
available under section 401 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070a), prior to using assistance made
available under this Act; and
(C) in the case of a child care facility grant--
(i) information, with respect to the child
care facility project involved, described in
clause (v) of subparagraph (B);
(ii) information on how the State or Tribal
entity will use the grant funds to expand the
supply of family child care providers
(including combinations of such providers); and
(iii) information describing how the
project will--
(I) directly and indirectly,
increase the availability of quality
child care provided by eligible child
care providers in child care deserts
(referred to in this clause as ``target
child care'') in the State or Tribal
area, including through the
construction, expansion, or renovation
of child care facilities, including
center-based child care facilities and
licensed family child care homes;
(II) address the affordability of
target child care; and
(III) address the provision of
target child care during nontraditional
hours.
(3) Use of funds.--
(A) Child care workforce grants.--A State or Tribal
entity that receives a child care workforce grant under
paragraph (1)(B)(i) may use the funds made available
through the grant to support programs that assist
individuals in obtaining the education or training
described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(I), or education or
training described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(II),
including using the funds to defray any of the
following costs of related instruction:
(i) Tuition and fees.
(ii) Cost of textbooks, equipment,
curriculum development, and other required
educational materials.
(iii) Cost of creating or expanding
capacity for statewide, regional, or local
child care resource and referral organizations,
or similar entities, to conduct outreach,
technical assistance, or State-recognized and
credentialed training.
(iv) Cost of any other item or service
determined by the State or Tribal entity to be
necessary.
(B) Child care facility grants.--A State or Tribal
entity that receives a child care facility grant under
paragraph (1)(B)(ii) may use the funds made available
through the grant to increase the availability of
quality child care as described in paragraph
(2)(C)(iii)(I) by constructing, expanding, or
renovating child care facilities, including using the
funds to defray any of the following costs:
(i) Cost of equipment or materials.
(ii) Cost of construction, expansion, or
renovation.
(iii) Cost of any other item or service
determined by the State or Tribal entity to be
necessary.
(4) Administrative costs.--The State or Tribal entity that
receives a grant under paragraph (1) may use not more than 10
percent of the grant funds for administrative costs relating to
carrying out a project described in paragraph (1).
(c) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost described in
subsection (b)(1) shall be 50 percent.
(2) Non-federal share.--The State or Tribal entity may make
the non-Federal share available--
(A) in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including
plant, equipment, or services; and
(B) directly or through donations from public or
private entities (other than recipients of assistance
from a State or Tribal entity under this section).
(d) Evaluation and Report.--
(1) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation
of the activities carried out under the grants, which shall
include an analysis of--
(A) with respect to the child care workforce
grants--
(i) the characteristics of the individuals
benefitting from the grants;
(ii) the progress of such individuals in
attaining stackable, portable credentials; and
(iii) the progress the States and Tribal
entities have achieved through the grants in
enhancing retention and compensation of
eligible child care providers;
(B) with respect to the child care facilities
grants, the number and location of facilities
benefitting from the grants; and
(C) the overall impact of the grants made under
this section on the number and concentration of child
care deserts across the Nation.
(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the end of the
grant period of the first child care workforce or child care
facility grant the Secretary makes under subsection (b)(1), the
Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that contains the
findings of the evaluation.
(e) Policy of the United States.--It is the policy of the United
States that funds made available to a State or Tribal entity under this
section should be used to supplement and not supplant other funds
available under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) and other Federal and State
funds available to the State or Tribal entity to support programs to
develop or expand the child care workforce or to construct, expand, or
renovate child care facilities.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act a
total of $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2025 through 2031.
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