119-s2337

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2337 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2337

 To establish a grant pilot program to provide child care services for 
the minor children of law enforcement officers to accommodate the shift 
 work and nontraditional work hours of such officers, and to enhance 
 recruitment and retention of such officers.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 17, 2025

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
 Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish a grant pilot program to provide child care services for 
the minor children of law enforcement officers to accommodate the shift 
 work and nontraditional work hours of such officers, and to enhance 
 recruitment and retention of such officers.

 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 ``Providing Child Care for Police 
Officers Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Administration for 
Children and Families, shall establish a program to award grants to 
lead agencies, on a competitive basis, to assist lead agencies in 
providing funds to encourage the establishment and operation of child 
care programs to provide child care services for the minor children of 
law enforcement officers during the shift work and nontraditional work 
hours of such officers.

    (b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a lead agency shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including an assurance that 
the contribution required under subsection

    (f) will be provided.
            (c) Period of Grant.--The Secretary shall award a grant under this 
section for a period of 3 years.
            (d) Set-Aside.--Of the amount appropriated to carry out this 
section for a fiscal year, not less than 20 percent shall be used to 
award grants under this section to lead agencies to provide funds to--

    (1) a law enforcement agency that employs fewer than 200 
 full-time law enforcement officers; or

    (2) a consortium comprised of law enforcement agencies, one 
 of which employs fewer than 200 such officers.

    (e) Use of Funds.--

    (1) In general.--A lead agency shall use a grant awarded 
 under this section to provide funds to covered entities located 
 in the State or in the area served by the lead agency to enable 
 the covered entities to establish and operate child care 
 programs (directly or by contract with child care providers). 
 Such funds may be used by the covered entity or (through such a 
 contract) child care provider for eligible purposes that may 
 include--
        (A) assistance for the startup costs related to a 
 child care program;
        (B) assistance for the training of child care 
 providers;
            (C) assistance for law enforcement agencies to 
 provide financial assistance for child care costs for 
 families;
            (D) assistance for the provision of services to 
 care for sick children or to provide care to children;
        (E) assistance through contracts entered into by 
 law enforcement agencies with local child care resource 
 and referral organizations or local health departments;
        (F) assistance for care for children with 
 disabilities;
        (G) assistance to maintain nonstandard hours for 
 expanded hours of child care;
        (H) assistance for payment of expenses for 
 operation, construction, or renovation of a child care 
 facility; or
            (I) assistance for any other relevant activity 
 determined appropriate by the lead agency.

    (2) Application.--In order for a covered entity to be 
 eligible to receive funds from a lead agency under this 
 section, the covered entity or, if the entity is a consortium 
 including a unit of local government, the unit of local 
 government involved, shall prepare and submit to the lead 
 agency an application at such time, in such manner, and 
 containing such information as the lead agency may require.

    (3) Limitations.--With respect to grant funds received 
 under this section, a lead agency may not provide in excess of 
 $3,000,000 from such funds to any single applicant.

    (f) Matching Requirement.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, a lead agency shall provide assurances to the Secretary 
that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by a covered entity 
receiving funds through the grant in carrying out activities under this 
section, the covered entity will make available (directly or through 
donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions 
for such costs in an amount equal to--

    (1) for the first fiscal year for which the covered entity 
 receives such funds, not less than 10 percent of such costs;

    (2) for the second fiscal year for which the covered entity 
 receives such funds, not less than 25 percent of such costs; 
 and

    (3) for the third fiscal year for which the covered entity 
 receives such funds, not less than 33\2/3\ percent of such 
 costs.

    (g) Requirements of Providers.--To be eligible to receive 
assistance under a grant awarded under this section, a covered entity 
(if directly operating a child care program) or child care provider 
shall meet the definitions of, and requirements specified in or under, 
each of the following:

    (1) Section 658P

    (6) of the Child Care and Development Block 
 Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n

    (6) ).

    (2) Section 98.41 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations 
 (or a successor regulation).

    (3) Section 98.43 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations 
 (or a successor regulation).

    (h) Administration.--

    (1) Lead agency.--A lead agency shall, with respect to 
 administering a grant awarded under this section, have the 
 duties described in 

section 658D

    (b) of the Child Care and 
 Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b

    (b) ). A 
 lead agency shall have the responsibility for administering a 
 grant awarded under this section and for monitoring use of 
 funds and adherence to requirements referred to in paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) of subsection

    (g) by covered entities (if directly 
 operating a child care program) and child care providers that 
 receive funds under such grant.

    (2) Technical assistance.--A lead agency administering a 
 grant awarded under this section shall, for the duration of the 
 period of such grant, provide to covered entities technical 
 assistance regarding such grant.

    (3) Audits.--A lead agency that provides funds to a covered 
 entity under this section shall conduct an annual audit with 
 respect to the activities of the covered entity and any child 
 care provider carried out with those funds.

    (4) Misuse of funds.--
        (A) Repayment.--If the lead agency determines, 
 through an audit or otherwise, that a covered entity or 
 child care provider receiving funds under a grant 
 awarded under this section has misused the funds, the 
 lead agency shall notify the Secretary of the misuse. 
 The Secretary, upon such a notification, may seek from 
 such covered entity or child care provider the 
 repayment of an amount equal to the amount of any such 
 misused funds plus interest.
        (B) Appeals process.--The Secretary shall by 
 regulation provide for an appeals process with respect 
 to repayments under this paragraph.

    (5) 2-year study.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
 date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
 this section, the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
 determine--
            (i) the capacity of covered entities (if 
 directly operating child care programs) and 
 child care providers receiving funds through 
 such a grant, to meet the child care needs of 
 communities within States;
            (ii) the kinds of consortia that are being 
 formed with respect to child care at the local 
 level to carry out programs funded under this 
 section; and
            (iii) who is using the programs funded 
 under this section and the income levels of 
 individuals using the programs.
        (B) Report.--Not later than 28 months after the 
 date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
 this section, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
 the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
 results of the study conducted in accordance with 
 subparagraph
        (A) .

    (6) Four-year study.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the 
 date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
 this section, the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
 determine--
            (i) the number of child care facilities 
 that--
            (I) received funds for construction 
 or renovation through covered entities 
 that received funds through a grant 
 awarded under this section; and
            (II) remain in operation;
            (ii) the extent to which such facilities 
 are meeting the child care needs of the 
 individuals served by such facilities; and
            (iii) the extent to which other sectors 
 (besides law enforcement officers) of first 
 responders, as defined in 

section 3025 of the 
 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10705), have unmet child care 
 needs.
        (B) Report.--Not later than 52 months after the 
 date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
 this section, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
 the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
 results of the study conducted in accordance with 
 subparagraph
        (A) .
            (i) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Consortium.--The term ``consortium'' means a 
 partnership that includes one or more law enforcement agencies 
 and may also include a unit of local government, a child care 
 provider, or a foundation.

    (2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a 
 law enforcement agency or a consortium.

    (3) 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).

    (4) Law enforcement agency.--The term ``law enforcement 
 agency'' means a government agency with criminal or civil law 
 enforcement powers.

    (5) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement 
 officer'' has the meaning given the term in 

section 2503 of the 
 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
 10533).

    (6) Lead agency.--The term ``lead agency'' means an agency 
 or office designated or established under 

section 658D

    (a) of 
 the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
 U.S.C. 9858b

    (a) ), or an analogous agency or office for an 
 Indian tribe or tribal organization.

    (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant 
 Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families.

    (8) State.--The term ``State'' means--
        (A) each of the several States of the United 
 States;
        (B) the District of Columbia;
            (C) each territory of the United States; and
            (D) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as such 
 terms are defined in 

section 658P of the Child Care and 
 Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n)).

    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--

    (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
 carry out this section, $24,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
 2026 through 2030.

    (2) Studies and administration.--With respect to the total 
 amount appropriated for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 
 2030 in accordance with this subsection, not more than 
 $2,500,000 of that amount may be used for expenditures related 
 to conducting studies required under, and the administration 
 of, this section.

    (k) Termination of Program.--The program established under this 
section shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
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