119-hr2595

[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.
 <all>