II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 605 

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2019 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. SULLIVAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Care Workforce 

5 and Facilities Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CHILD CARE WORKFORCE AND FACILITIES GRANTS. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

8 (1) CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK

9 GRANT ACT OF 1990 DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘eliVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Mar 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S605.IS S605

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1 gible child care provider’’, ‘‘Indian tribe’’, ‘‘tribal or2 ganization’’ and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given 

3 the terms in section 658P of the Child Care and De4 velopment Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 

5 9858n). 

6 (2) CHILD CARE DESERT.—The term ‘‘child 

7 care desert’’ means— 

8 (A) an area— 

9 (i) within a census tract; and 

10 (ii) in which the number of children 

11 who are under age 5 (as determined using 

12 the most recent American Community Sur13 vey 1-year Estimates, as published by the 

14 Bureau of the Census) is more than 3 

15 times the number of slots provided by child 

16 care providers who are licensed or reg17 istered by the State involved; or 

18 (B) a community that the State or tribal 

19 entity involved determines has a low supply of 

20 quality, affordable child care. 

21 (3) FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDER.—The term 

22 ‘‘family child care provider’’ means such a provider 

23 that is described in paragraph (6)(A) of section 

24 658P of the Child Care and Development Block 

25 Grant Act of 1990. 


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1 (4) LICENSED FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME.— 

2 The term ‘‘licensed family child care home’’ means 

3 a facility of a family child care provider. 

4 (5) PORTABLE CREDENTIAL; STACKABLE CRE5 DENTIAL.—The terms ‘‘portable’’ and ‘‘stackable’’, 

6 used with respect to a credential, have the meanings 

7 given the terms in the guidance document entitled 

8 ‘‘Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 

9 15–10’’, issued by the Assistant Secretary for Em10 ployment and Training of the Department of Labor 

11 on December 15, 2010. 

12 (6) POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITU13 TION.—The term ‘‘postsecondary educational institu14 tion’’ means an institution of higher education, as 

15 defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act 

16 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 

17 (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

18 the Secretary of Health and Human Services, after 

19 consultation with the Secretary of Education and 

20 the Secretary of Labor. 

21 (8) TRIBAL AREA.—The term ‘‘tribal area’’ 

22 means a reservation or other area that is served by 

23 a tribal entity. 

24 (9) TRIBAL ENTITY.—The term ‘‘tribal entity’’ 

25 means in Indian tribe or tribal organization. 


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1 (b) GRANTS TO STATES AND TRIBAL ENTITIES.— 

2 (1) GRANTS.— 

3 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

4 make grants to States and tribal entities on a 

5 competitive basis under subparagraph (B) to 

6 pay for the Federal share of the cost of car7 rying out projects described in this Act, in 

8 order to increase access to quality child care, by 

9 eligible child care providers, in the States and 

10 tribal areas. 

11 (B) TYPES OF GRANTS.—In making those 

12 grants, the Secretary may make— 

13 (i) a child care workforce grant for a 

14 State or tribal project to develop and ex15 pand the workforce of eligible child care 

16 providers in child care deserts in the State 

17 or tribal area; or 

18 (ii) a child care facility grant for a 

19 State or tribal project through which a 

20 State or tribal entity may use or disburse 

21 the grant funds, including by making 

22 loans, for the construction, expansion, or 

23 renovation of facilities of eligible child care 

24 providers, including licensed family child 

25 care homes of family child care providers 


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1 (including combinations of such providers) 

2 who are eligible child care providers, in 

3 child care deserts in the State or tribal 

4 area. 

5 (C) PERIOD OF GRANTS.—The Secretary 

6 shall make a grant under this paragraph for a 

7 period of not more than 5 years. 

8 (2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 

9 grant under this subsection, a State or tribal entity 

10 shall submit an application to the Secretary for a 

11 project described in paragraph (1) at such time, in 

12 such manner, and containing a plan that contains 

13 such information related to the project as the Sec14 retary may reasonably require, including— 

15 (A) information identifying the lead State 

16 agency that will administer the grant as deter17 mined by the Governor of the State, including 

18 whether the lead agency will be different from 

19 the lead agency referred to in section 658D of 

20 the Child Care and Development Block Grant 

21 Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b), or cor22 responding information for a lead tribal agency 

23 in the case of a tribal area; 

24 (B) in the case of a child care workforce 

25 grant— 


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1 (i) information specifying how the 

2 project carried out under the grant will in3 crease the number of individuals attaining 

4 stackable and portable credentials in child 

5 care or early childhood education; 

6 (ii) information describing how the 

7 State or tribal agency will emphasize the 

8 provision of— 

9 (I) outreach to individuals who 

10 do not have degrees from postsec11 ondary educational institutions, re12 garding career pathways to careers in 

13 child care or early childhood edu14 cation; and 

15 (II) outreach to individuals who 

16 seek a career working with children, 

17 but who have not completed the re18 quirements for, or cannot afford to 

19 obtain, a degree from a postsecondary 

20 educational institution in education, 

21 child care, or early childhood edu22 cation; 

23 (iii) information describing how the 

24 project will provide assistance, including 


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1 assistance described in paragraph (3)(A), 

2 to individuals— 

3 (I) who are pursuing or with 

4 such project assistance would pursue 

5 secondary education, postsecondary 

6 education, or training, that leads to a 

7 recognized postsecondary credential 

8 (as defined in section 3 of the Work9 force Innovation Opportunity Act (29 

10 U.S.C. 3102)), and that is eligible for 

11 support under the Carl D. Perkins 

12 Career and Technical Education Act 

13 of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or 

14 the Workforce Innovation and Oppor15 tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), 

16 to enable the individuals to success17 fully complete the education or train18 ing involved; or 

19 (II) who are pursuing or with 

20 such project assistance would pursue 

21 secondary education, postsecondary 

22 education, or training, that meets 

23 such requirements as the State or 

24 tribal entity shall specify, even if the 

25 education or training does not lead to 


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1 credit toward such a recognized post2 secondary credential or a degree from 

3 a postsecondary educational institu4 tion; 

5 (iv) information describing how the 

6 project will— 

7 (I) increase the availability of 

8 quality child care provided by eligible 

9 child care providers in child care 

10 deserts (referred to in this clause as 

11 ‘‘target child care’’) in the State or 

12 tribal area; 

13 (II) address the affordability of 

14 target child care; and 

15 (III) address the provision of tar16 get child care during nontraditional 

17 hours; 

18 (v) information describing how the 

19 project will increase access to quality child 

20 care provided by eligible child care pro21 viders in centers or other child care facili22 ties; 

23 (vi) information describing how the 

24 project will enhance retention or compensa25 tion of eligible child care providers; and 


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1 (vii) a description of how the State 

2 agency or tribal entity will— 

3 (I) coordinate activities carried 

4 out under the child care workforce 

5 grant with activities carried out under 

6 the Carl D. Perkins Career and Tech7 nical Education Act of 2006 (20 

8 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Work9 force Innovation and Opportunity Act 

10 (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support 

11 education and training described in 

12 clause (iii)(I); 

13 (II) leverage funds provided 

14 under the Acts specified in subclause 

15 (I) to support that education and 

16 training; and 

17 (III) utilize, and encourage indi18 vidual participants in projects sup19 ported under this subsection to utilize, 

20 available Federal and State financial 

21 assistance, including assistance avail22 able under the Workforce Innovation 

23 and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 

24 et seq.), education assistance benefits 

25 available to veterans, and Federal Pell 


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1 Grants available under section 401 of 

2 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 

3 U.S.C. 1070a), prior to using assist4 ance made available under this Act; 

5 and 

6 (C) in the case of a child care facility 

7 grant— 

8 (i) information, with respect to the 

9 child care facility project involved, de10 scribed in clause (v) of subparagraph (B); 

11 (ii) information on how the State or 

12 tribal entity will use the grant funds to ex13 pand the supply of family child care pro14 viders (including combinations of such pro15 viders); and 

16 (iii) information describing how the 

17 project will— 

18 (I) directly and indirectly, in19 crease the availability of quality child 

20 care provided by eligible child care 

21 providers in child care deserts (re22 ferred to in this clause as ‘‘target 

23 child care’’) in the State or tribal 

24 area, including through the construc25 tion, expansion, or renovation of child 


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1 care facilities, including center-based 

2 child care facilities and licensed family 

3 child care homes; 

4 (II) address the affordability of 

5 target child care; and 

6 (III) address the provision of tar7 get child care during nontraditional 

8 hours. 

9 (3) USE OF FUNDS.— 

10 (A) CHILD CARE WORKFORCE GRANTS.—A 

11 State or tribal entity that receives a child care 

12 workforce grant under paragraph (1)(B)(i) may 

13 use the funds made available through the grant 

14 to support programs that assist individuals in 

15 obtaining the education or training described in 

16 paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(I), or education or train17 ing described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(II), in18 cluding using the funds to defray any of the fol19 lowing costs of related instruction: 

20 (i) Tuition and fees. 

21 (ii) Cost of textbooks, equipment, cur22 riculum development, and other required 

23 educational materials. 

24 (iii) Cost of creating or expanding ca25 pacity for statewide, regional, or local child 


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1 care resource and referral organizations, or 

2 similar entities, to conduct outreach, tech3 nical assistance, or State-recognized and 

4 credentialed training. 

5 (iv) Cost of any other item or service 

6 determined by the State or tribal entity to 

7 be necessary. 

8 (B) CHILD CARE FACILITY GRANTS.—A 

9 State or tribal entity that receives a child care 

10 facility grant under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) may 

11 use the funds made available through the grant 

12 to increase the availability of quality child care 

13 as described in paragraph (2)(C)(iii)(I) by con14 structing, expanding, or renovating child care 

15 facilities, including using the funds to defray 

16 any of the following costs: 

17 (i) Cost of equipment or materials. 

18 (ii) Cost of construction, expansion, or 

19 renovation. 

20 (iii) Cost of any other item or service 

21 determined by the State or tribal entity to 

22 be necessary. 

23 (4) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The State or 

24 tribal entity that receives a grant under paragraph 

25 (1) may use not more than 10 percent of the grant 


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1 funds for administrative costs relating to carrying 

2 out a project described in paragraph (1). 

3 (c) FEDERAL SHARE.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the 

5 cost described in subsection (b)(1) shall be 50 per6 cent. 

7 (2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The State or tribal 

8 entity may make the non-Federal share available— 

9 (A) in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, in10 cluding plant, equipment, or services; and 

11 (B) directly or through donations from 

12 public or private entities (other than recipients 

13 of assistance from a State or tribal entity under 

14 this section). 

15 (d) EVALUATION AND REPORT.— 

16 (1) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall conduct 

17 an evaluation of the activities carried out under the 

18 grants, which shall include an analysis of— 

19 (A) with respect to the child care work20 force grants— 

21 (i) the characteristics of the individ22 uals benefiting from the grants; 

23 (ii) the progress of such individuals in 

24 attaining stackable, portable credentials; 

25 and 


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1 (iii) the progress the States and tribal 

2 entities have achieved through the grants 

3 in enhancing retention and compensation 

4 of eligible child care providers; 

5 (B) with respect to the child care facilities 

6 grants, the number and location of facilities 

7 benefiting from the grants; and 

8 (C) the overall impact of the grants made 

9 under this section on the number and con10 centration of child care deserts across the Na11 tion. 

12 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 

13 end of the grant period of the first child care work14 force or child care facility grant the Secretary makes 

15 under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall submit 

16 a report to Congress that contains the findings of 

17 the evaluation. 

18 (e) POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES.—It is the pol19 icy of the United States that funds made available to a 

20 State or tribal entity under this section should be used 

21 to supplement and not supplant other funds available 

22 under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu23 cation Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the 

24 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 

25 3101 et seq.) and other Federal and State funds available 


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1 to the State or tribal entity to support programs to de2 velop or expand the child care workforce or to construct, 

3 expand, or renovate child care facilities. 

4 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

5 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

6 this Act a total of $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2020 

7 through 2026. 

Æ 


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