119-hr581

[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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