[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7203 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7203
To establish a grant program for States to support individuals
participating in semiconductor-related workforce programs, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 22, 2026
Ms. Bynum introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee
on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program for States to support individuals
participating in semiconductor-related workforce programs, 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 ``CHIPS Child Care Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Grants Authorized.--
(1) In general.--From the amount appropriated under
subsection (i)(1) that is not reserved under subsection (i)(2),
the Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a competitive
basis, to States to--
(A) provide monthly stipends to eligible child care
providers on behalf of individuals to assist the
individuals in covering the costs of child care--
(i) while participating in semiconductor-
related workforce programs;
(ii) in the case of an individual who is
participating in, or has completed within the
preceding 5-year period, an apprenticeship
program, while engaging in a construction
project related to semiconductor manufacturing;
or
(iii) while participating in pre-
apprenticeship programs with a demonstrated
history of successfully placing individuals in
jobs or apprenticeships connected to
construction projects related to semiconductor
manufacturing; or
(B) assist eligible child care providers in regions
receiving significant private and public investment
related to semiconductor manufacturing to acquire,
construct, renovate, or improve child care facilities,
including to adapt, reconfigure, or expand such
facilities.
(2) Grant periods.--A grant awarded under this section
shall be awarded--
(A) for a period of two years; and
(B) in equal amounts for each year of such period.
(3) Grant priority.--In awarding grants under this section,
the Secretary shall ensure that States that are awarded the
grants--
(A) are geographically diverse; and
(B) are receiving significant private and public
investment related to semiconductor manufacturing.
(b) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under this Act, a
State shall submit to the Secretary an application, in such form, at
such time, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, which shall include the following:
(1) If the State intends to provide monthly stipends as
described in subsection (a)(1)(A)--
(A) information regarding how the State intends to
distribute monthly stipends in accordance with
subsection (c); and
(B) in the case of any individual who is selected
to benefit from a stipend under subsection (c) and
participating in a semiconductor-related workforce
program that will end after the end of the grant
period, any plan the State may have to provide child
care support for such an individual for the period of
such program during which the individual will not be
benefitting from such stipends.
(2) A plan to use a portion of the grant funds to report
back to the Secretary on the impact of using the grant funds to
assist eligible child care providers as described in subsection
(a)(1)(B).
(c) Uses of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this
Act shall--
(A) give priority in accordance with the
requirements of paragraph (3); and
(B) if the State uses such grants to provide
monthly stipends as described in paragraph (A) of
subsection (a)(1)--
(i) select individuals to benefit from a
monthly stipend who--
(I) have one or more dependent
children; and
(II) meet the requirements of
clause (i) or (ii) of such paragraph;
and
(ii) distribute such stipends to eligible
child care providers directly on behalf of the
individuals described under clause (i).
(2) Monthly stipend amounts.--A monthly stipend described
in paragraph (1)(A) shall not be less than $500 per dependent
child.
(3) Priority.--A State shall prioritize--
(A) in selecting individuals to benefit from a
monthly stipend as described in subsection (a)(1)(A)--
(i) first generation college students;
(ii) graduates of historically Black
colleges and universities;
(iii) residents of rural communities; and
(iv) veterans; and
(B) in selecting eligible child care providers to
assist as described in subsection (a)(1)(B)--
(i) eligible child care providers primarily
serving low-income populations;
(ii) eligible child care providers
primarily serving children who have not
attained the age of 5 years with a significant
percentage of infants and toddlers enrolled;
(iii) eligible child care providers that--
(I) are currently unable to serve
young children, had to significantly
reduce capacity, or are unable to serve
more children, due to factors such as
the inadequate condition, quality, or
availability of facilities; or
(II) are seeking to build capacity
and expand the number of children
served;
(iv) eligible child care providers that
operate under nontraditional hours; and
(v) eligible child care providers located
in rural or underserved communities.
(4) Labor standards for certain grants.--
(A) All laborers and mechanics employed by
contractors or subcontractors in the performance of
construction, renovation, improvement, repair,
alteration, adaptation, reconfiguration, or expansion
of child care facilities funded in whole or in part
under this section shall be paid wages at rates not
less than those prevailing on projects of a character
similar in the locality as determined by the Secretary
of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31
of part A of subtitle II of title 40, United States
Code (commonly referred to as the ``Davis-Bacon Act'').
(B) The Secretary shall require that each entity,
including grantees and subgrantees, that applies for a
grant for constructing, renovating, or improving child
care facilities, including adapting, reconfiguring, or
expanding such facilities, which is funded in whole or
in part under this section, shall include in its
application written assurance that all laborers and
mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in
the performance of construction, alternation or repair,
as part of such project, shall be paid wages in
accordance with paragraph (1). The Secretary shall not
approve any such funding without first obtaining
adequate assurance that required labor standards will
be maintained with respect to any such construction
work.
(C) The Secretary of Labor shall have, with respect
to the labor standards specified in paragraph (1), the
authority and functions set forth in Reorganization
Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (15 Fed. Reg. 3176; 5 U.S.C.
App.) and section 276c of title 40, United States Code.
(d) Reports by States.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the end
of the grant period of the grant awarded to a State under this
Act, the State shall submit to the Secretary a report that
includes information on, as applicable--
(A) if the State uses such grants to provide
monthly stipends as described in subsection (a)(1)(A)--
(i) the individuals that benefitted from
monthly stipends, including with respect to
each such individual--
(I) the total number of months such
stipends were provided to an eligible
child care provider on behalf of the
individual;
(II) the total amount provided by
such stipends; and
(III) in the case of an individual
enrolled in a semiconductor-related
workforce program, the wage rate,
benefits, stipends, or other
compensation provided to such
individual--
(aa) while enrolled in such
program; and
(bb) after exiting the
program and beginning work in
the industry of such program;
(ii) for each semiconductor-related
workforce program for which the State provided
stipends to eligible child care providers on
behalf of such individuals--
(I) the retention and completion
rates for the individuals described in
clause (i); and
(II) the retention and completion
rates for the individuals not described
in clause (i); and
(iii) the method the State used to
distribute the stipends to eligible child care
providers;
(B) if the State used such grants to assist
eligible child care providers as described in
subsection (a)(1)(B), the effects of the grant in
assisting eligible child care providers to construct,
renovate, or improve child care facilities, and any
effects on access to and quality of child care; and
(C) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
(2) Follow-up reports.--For each of the 3 years after the
date that a State submits the report under paragraph (1), the
State shall submit to the Secretary a report on the retention
and completion rates described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of such
paragraph for the preceding year.
(3) Disaggregation.--The information submitted under
paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be disaggregated by race,
ethnicity, and gender, except that such disaggregation shall
not be required in the case in which the number of apprentices
in a subgroup is insufficient to yield statistically reliable
information or the results would reveal personally identifiable
information about an apprentice.
(e) Report by the Secretary.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the
Secretary receives the last report under subsection (d), the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that summarizes--
(A) the effect monthly stipends described in
subsection (a)(1)(A) had--
(i) on the semiconductor-related workforce
program retention and completion rates of
individuals who received monthly stipends; and
(ii) the wage rates and benefits received
by such individuals after exiting a
semiconductor-related workforce program;
(B) the methods the States used to distribute such
monthly stipends to eligible child care providers;
(C) any unanticipated effect or consequence on--
(i) individuals receiving the monthly
stipend;
(ii) the sponsors of the semiconductor-
related workforce programs; and
(iii) the local areas in which the
individuals who received a monthly stipend
participated in such programs; and
(D) the effect of assistance provided to eligible
child care providers as described in subsection
(a)(1)(B).
(2) Follow-up reports.--For each of the 3 years after the
date that the Secretary submits the report under paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that summarizes
the information in the reports received from the States under
subsection (d)(2) for the preceding year.
(3) Disaggregation.--The information submitted under
paragraph (1)(A) shall be disaggregated in accordance with the
disaggregation requirements of subsection (d)(2).
(f) Stipend Amounts Excluded From Federal Taxation.--Stipend
amounts awarded under this Act may not be included in the gross income
of the individual who benefitted from such stipend for purposes of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(g) Disregard Stipend Amounts in Other Federal Programs.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a stipend distributed to an
eligible child care provider under this Act shall not be taken into
account in determining the need or eligibility of the individual who
benefitted from such stipend for benefits or assistance, or the amount
of such benefits or assistance, under any Federal, State, or local
program financed in whole or in part with Federal funds.
(h) Supplement and Not Supplant.--Any monthly stipend distributed
to an eligible child care provider on behalf of an individual under
this Act shall supplement and not supplant the wages such individual
earns while participating in a semiconductor-related workforce program.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025
and 2026.
(2) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve 1.5 percent
of the funds appropriated under paragraph (1) for each fiscal
year to carry out the study and report required by subsection
(e).
(j) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Apprenticeship program.--The term ``apprenticeship
program'' means an apprenticeship program registered under the
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National
Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50
et seq.), including any requirement, standard, or rule
promulgated under such Act.
(2) Eligible child care provider.--The term ``eligible
child care provider'' has the meaning given the term in section
658P of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 9858n).
(3) Historically black college and university.--The term
``historically Black college and university'' has the meaning
given such term in section 631(a)(5) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a)(5)).
(4) Semiconductor.--The term ``semiconductor'' has the
meaning given such term in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac)
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).
(5) Semiconductor manufacturing.--The term ``semiconductor
manufacturing'' has the meaning given such term in section 9902
of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4652).
(6) Semiconductor-related workforce program.--The term
``semiconductor-related workforce program'' means an
apprenticeship, career upskilling, remote education, training,
or workforce development program offered by an institute of
higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), non-profit entity (as
defined in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15
U.S.C. 4651)), or local government in partnership with an
entity that has received financial assistance through title
XCIX of division H of such Act (15 U.S.C. 4651 et seq.) or a
similar State program.
(7) State board.--The term ``State board'' means a State
workforce development board established under section 101 of
the Worker Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101).
(8) WIOA terms.--The terms ``local area'' and ``State''
have the meaning given such terms in section 3 of the Worker
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3103).
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