‘‘(27) The term ‘public assistance’ means public 
assistance programs including temporary assistance 
for needy families established under part A of title 
IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.), supplemental security income carried out 
under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1381 et seq.), the supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), special supple-
mental nutrition program for women, infants, and 
children established under section 17 of the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and the 
State children’s health insurance programs under 
title XXI of the Social Security Act 1397aa et 
seq.).’’. 
SEC. 3. INCREASE FAMILY INCOME THRESHOLD. 
Section 645(a)(a)(1) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9870(a)(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (A) by striking ‘‘(a)(a)(1)(A)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(a)(1)(A)’’, and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in clause (i) by inserting ‘‘138 per-
cent’’ after ‘‘below’’, and 
(B) in clause (iii)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:42 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
(i) by striking ‘‘include— (I)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘include’’, and 
(ii) by striking subclause (II). 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) 
is amended by striking: ‘‘(other than section 657B) 
$7,350,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $7,650,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2009, $7,995,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘(other than sections 657B 
and 657C) $36,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2025 through 2030’’. 
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR HEAD START INFRASTRUCTURE. 
The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 657C. GRANTS FOR HEAD START INFRASTRUCTURE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary shall establish a program to make grants to 
Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies 
to construct or improve facilities to provide Head Start 
services (including Early Head Start services)). 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under subsection (a), a Head Start agency 
shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:05 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority for 
grants requested by eligible applicants respect to facilities 
that— 
‘‘(1) were built before 1970; 
‘‘(2) have not had a major renovation since its 
construction; 
‘‘(3) have received 1 or more findings in the 
safe and clean environments key performance area 
(KPA); 
‘‘(4) have hazardous conditions, materials, or 
equipment that may cause harm to children, fami-
lies, or staff; 
‘‘(5) have an environment that is not free of air 
pollutants, including mold, smoke, lead, pesticides, 
and herbicides, as well as soil and water pollutants; 
and 
‘‘(6) lack preparedness for fire and other emer-
gencies. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Eligible use of grant funds 
to improve and update Head Start infrastructure in-
clude— 
‘‘(1) updates, renovations, and repairs to ad-
dress structural issues; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:05 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) building or acquiring additional classroom 
space, common areas, play areas; 
‘‘(3) updating heating, cooling, and ventilation 
systems; 
‘‘(4) building and expanding playgrounds and 
outdoor spaces; 
‘‘(5) removing, renovating, and acquiring fur-
nishings; 
‘‘(6) installing and updating bathroom facilities, 
including the installation of child-size sinks and toi-
lets; 
‘‘(7) reducing or removing toxic industrial com-
pounds; 
‘‘(8) updates to safety and emergency prepared-
ness, such as upgrading sprinkler systems and in-
stalling emergency lighting; 
‘‘(9) weatherization; 
‘‘(10) improvements to water, sewer, and 
plumbing systems; and 
‘‘(11) establishing, expanding, or improving 
technology to support children’s academic and socio- 
emotional learning. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
$1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 
2030.’’. 
SEC. 6. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR HEAD START AND EARLY 
HEAD START CHILDCARE WORKERS. 
Part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 460A. LOAN CANCELLATION FOR HEAD START AND 
EARLY HEAD START CHILDCARE WORKERS. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary shall 
carry cancel the balance of interest, principal, and fees 
due, in accordance with subsection (b), on any eligible 
Federal Direct Loan not in default for a borrower who 
for a 3-year (consecutive or non-consecutive) period after 
the date of enactment of the Head Start Expansion and 
Improvement Act of 2023— 
‘‘(1) has been employed, on a full-time basis, by 
a Head Start program or an Early Head Start pro-
gram carried out under the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); and 
‘‘(2) pursuant to such employment, has pro-
vided care or instruction to children enrolled in such 
program. 
‘‘(b) LOAN CANCELLATION AMOUNT.—After the con-
clusion of the 3-year period described in subsection (a), 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
the Secretary shall cancel the obligation to repay the bal-
ance of principal, interest, and fees due as of the time 
of such cancellation, on the eligible Federal Direct Loans 
made to the borrower under this part. 
‘‘(c) INELIGIBILITY FOR DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No 
borrower may, for the same service, receive a reduction 
of loan obligations under both this section and section 
428J, 455(m), or 460. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—The Secretary shall develop and 
make publicly available an application for borrowers who 
wish to receive loan forgiveness under this section, which 
shall— 
‘‘(1) be made readily available for qualifying 
childcare workers to file for loan forgiveness; and 
‘‘(2) include any certification requirements that 
the Secretary determines are necessary to verify 
qualifying service. 
‘‘(e) ELIGIBLE FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN DEFINED.— 
The term ‘eligible Federal Direct Loan’ means a Federal 
Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, or 
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or a Federal 
Direct Consolidation Loan.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 7. HEAD START EMPLOYEE SALARY-INCREASE GRANT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall establish and carry out a pro-
gram to make grants for the purpose of supplementing, 
not supplanting, the compensation paid by Head Start 
agencies to the employees of such agencies. 
(b) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—The Secretary shall 
develop a formula to determine grant amounts, taking into 
consideration— 
(1) the gaps between the compensation paid by 
the respective Head Start agency to its employees 
and the employee compensation paid by other early 
childhood education employers in the relevant geo-
graphical area, 
(2) the cost of living in the geographical area 
in which such agency is located, including median in-
come and housing costs, and 
(3) the number of employee vacancies of such 
agency. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A Head Start agency that re-
ceives a grant shall use grant funds to supplement, and 
not to supplant, the compensation paid to the employees 
of such agency. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:05 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS
(d) APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out this section $6,800,000,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2030. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Oct 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5815.IH
H5815
dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with BILLS