I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4418 
To increase the quality and supply of child care and lower child care costs 
for families. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 15, 2025 
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia (for himself, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mr. DAVIS of 
Illinois, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. TONKO, Mr. FIELDS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 
TLAIB, Mrs. RAMIREZ, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. 
JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. STANSBURY, Ms. SALINAS, Mrs. MCIVER, Ms. 
WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. ANSARI, Mr. SWALWELL, Ms. 
MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. FROST, Mr. CARSON, 
Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. LATIMER, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. 
PINGREE, Mr. GARCIA of California, Ms. GOODLANDER, Ms. SCHOLTEN, 
Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, 
Ms. UNDERWOOD, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. POCAN, Mrs. MCCLAIN 
DELANEY, Mr. LIEU, Ms. MCBRIDE, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. LEGER 
FERNANDEZ, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of 
Florida, Mr. NORCROSS, Ms. MCCLELLAN, Ms. MCDONALD RIVET, Ms. 
ELFRETH, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania, Mr. MCGARVEY, 
Ms. TOKUDA, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. KEATING, 
Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. CHU, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. SIMON, 
Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. 
LANDSMAN, Ms. ROSS, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. NADLER, Mr. EVANS of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. SUBRAMANYAM, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms. 
TITUS, Ms. PETTERSEN, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Mr. MAGAZINER, Ms. SEWELL, 
Ms. BROWN, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. BEYER, 
Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, and Mr. AMO) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To increase the quality and supply of child care and lower 
child care costs for families. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Care for Work-
ing Families Act’’. 
TITLE I—CHILD CARE AND 
EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM 
SEC. 101. BIRTH THROUGH FIVE CHILD CARE AND EARLY 
LEARNING PROGRAM. 
(a) CHILD CARE DEFINITIONS.—The definitions in 
section 658P of the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n) shall apply to this 
section, except as provided in subsection (b) and as other-
wise specified. 
(b) ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPRENTICESHIP.—The term ‘‘apprentice-
ship’’ means an apprenticeship registered under the 
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the 
‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chap-
ter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
(2) CHILD CARE CERTIFICATE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘child care 
certificate’’ means a certificate (that may be a 
check or other disbursement) that is issued by 
a State, Tribal, territorial, or local government 
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under this section directly to a parent who shall 
use such certificate only as payment for child 
care services or as a deposit for child care serv-
ices if such a deposit is required of other chil-
dren being cared for by the provider. 
(B) RULE.—Nothing in this section shall 
preclude the use of such certificates for sec-
tarian child care services if freely chosen by the 
parent. For the purposes of this section, child 
care certificates shall be considered indirect 
Federal financial assistance to the provider. 
(3) CHILD
EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.— 
The term ‘‘child experiencing homelessness’’ means 
an individual who is a homeless child or youth under 
section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 
(4) ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITY.—The term ‘‘eligible 
activity’’, with respect to a parent, shall include, at 
minimum, activities consisting of— 
(A) full-time or part-time employment; 
(B) self-employment; 
(C) job search activities; 
(D) secondary, postsecondary, or adult 
education, including education through a pro-
gram of high school classes, a course of study 
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at an institution of higher education, classes to-
wards an equivalent of a high school diploma 
recognized by State law, or English as a second 
language classes; 
(E) health treatment (including mental 
health and substance use treatment) for a con-
dition that prevents the parent from partici-
pating in other eligible activities; 
(F) activities to prevent child abuse and 
neglect, or family violence prevention or inter-
vention activities; 
(G) employment and training activities, in-
cluding job training, under the Workforce Inno-
vation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et 
seq.); and 
(H) taking leave under the Family and 
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et 
seq.) (or equivalent provisions for Federal em-
ployees), a State or local paid or unpaid leave 
law, or a program of employer-provided leave. 
(5) ELIGIBLE CHILD.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 
child’’ means an individual— 
(i) who is less than 6 years of age; 
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(ii) who is not yet in kindergarten; 
and 
(iii) who— 
(I) resides with a parent or par-
ents who are participating in an eligi-
ble activity; 
(II) is included in a population of 
vulnerable children identified by the 
lead agency involved, which at a min-
imum shall include children with dis-
abilities, infants and toddlers with dis-
abilities, children experiencing home-
lessness, children in foster care, chil-
dren in kinship care, children in a 
family that is eligible for assistance 
through the special supplemental nu-
trition assistance program for women, 
infants, and children established by 
section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), a house-
hold that is eligible to receive assist-
ance through the supplemental nutri-
tion assistance program established 
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), or a 
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family that is eligible to receive assist-
ance through the program of block 
grants to States for temporary assist-
ance for needy families established 
under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), 
and children who are receiving, or 
need to receive, child protective serv-
ices; or 
(III) resides with— 
(aa) a parent who is more 
than 65 years of age; 
(bb) a parent who is em-
ployed by an eligible child care 
provider; or 
(cc) a parent who is enrolled 
in high school and has not ex-
ceeded the maximum age of en-
rollment in high school. 
(B) LONGER-TERM PERIOD ELIGIBILITY.— 
An individual who is determined to be an eligi-
ble child shall not be required to reverify eligi-
bility for purposes of this title during the period 
after the determination and before the indi-
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vidual becomes 6 years of age or enters kinder-
garten, whichever occurs earlier. 
(6) ELIGIBLE CHILD CARE PROVIDER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘eligible child 
care provider’’ means a center-based child care 
provider, a family child care provider, or other 
provider of child care services for compensation 
that— 
(i) is licensed to provide child care 
services under State law applicable to the 
child care services it provides or, in the 
case of an Indian Tribe or Tribal organiza-
tion, meets the rules set by the Secretary; 
(ii) participates in the State’s tiered 
system for recognizing and supporting the 
quality of child care services described in 
subsection (f)(3)(B), or, in the case of an 
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, meets 
the rules set by the Secretary— 
(I) not later than 4 years after 
the State first receives funds under 
this section; and 
(II) for the remainder of the pe-
riod for which the provider receives 
funds under this section; and 
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(iii) satisfies the State and local re-
quirements, including those requirements 
described in section 658E(c)(2)(I) of the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(2)(I)), 
applicable to the child care services it pro-
vides. 
(B) SPECIAL RULE.—A child care provider 
who is eligible to provide child care services in 
a State for children receiving assistance under 
the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.) on the 
date the State submits an application for funds 
under this section, and remains in compliance 
with any licensing or registration standards, or 
regulations, of the State, shall be deemed to be 
an eligible child care provider under this section 
for 3.5 years after the State first receives fund-
ing under this section. 
(7) FMAP.—The term ‘‘FMAP’’ has the mean-
ing given the term ‘‘Federal medical assistance per-
centage’’ in the first sentence of section 1905(b) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(b)). 
(8) FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDER.—The term 
‘‘family child care provider’’ means one or more indi-
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viduals who provide child care services, in a private 
residence other than the residences of the children 
involved, for less than 24 hours per day per child, 
or for 24 hours per day per child due to the nature 
of the work of the parent involved. 
(9) INCLUSIVE
CARE.—The term ‘‘inclusive’’, 
with respect to care (including child care), means 
care provided by an eligible child care provider— 
(A) for whom the percentage of children 
served by the provider who are children with 
disabilities or infants or toddlers with disabil-
ities reflects the prevalence of children with dis-
abilities and infants and toddlers with disabil-
ities (whichever the provider serves) among chil-
dren within the State involved; and 
(B) that provides care and full participa-
tion for children with disabilities and infants 
and toddlers with disabilities (whichever the 
provider serves) alongside children who are— 
(i) not children with disabilities; and 
(ii) not infants and toddlers with dis-
abilities. 
(10) INFANT OR TODDLER.—The term ‘‘infant 
or toddler’’ means an individual who is less than 3 
years of age. 
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(11) INFANT
OR
TODDLER
WITH
A
DIS-
ABILITY.—The term ‘‘infant or toddler with a dis-
ability’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
632 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1432). 
(12) LEAD AGENCY.—The term ‘‘lead agency’’ 
means the agency designated under subsection (e). 
(13) PROVIDER
TYPE.—The term ‘‘provider 
type’’ means a type that is— 
(A) a center-based child care provider; 
(B) a family child care provider; or 
(C) another non-center-based child care 
provider. 
(14) RECOGNIZED
POSTSECONDARY
CREDEN-
TIAL.—The term ‘‘recognized postsecondary creden-
tial’’ has the meaning given the term in section 3 of 
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
U.S.C. 3102). 
(15) STAFFED
FAMILY
CHILD
CARE
NET-
WORK.—The term ‘‘staffed family child care net-
work’’ means a nonprofit organization or nonprofit 
cooperative— 
(A) that may be a component of a child 
care resource and referral organization; 
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(B) that has at least one paid staff mem-
ber; and 
(C) that offers evidence-based professional 
development, 
quality 
improvement 
support, 
business support, and technical assistance, in-
cluding on achieving licensure as a child care 
provider, to family child care providers. 
(16) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the 50 States and the District of Columbia. 
(17) TERRITORY.—The term ‘‘territory’’ means 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Is-
lands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is-
lands. 
(c) APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) ENTITLEMENT.—In addition to amounts 
otherwise available, there is appropriated to the De-
partment of Health and Human Services, out of any 
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2026 through 2031, for payments to States, 
territories, and Indian Tribes and Tribal organiza-
tions, and for carrying out this section (other than 
carrying out activities described in paragraph (2) or 
(3)). 
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(2) GRANTS TO LOCALITIES; AWARDS TO HEAD 
START AGENCIES.—In addition to amounts otherwise 
available, there is appropriated to the Department of 
Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2026, 
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated, $20,000,000,000, to remain available 
until September 30, 2031, to carry out the programs 
of grants to localities and awards to Head Start 
agencies described in subsection (i). 
(3) FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.—In addition to 
amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to 
the Department of Health and Human Services for 
fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury 
not otherwise appropriated, $1,300,000,000, to re-
main available until September 30, 2031, to carry 
out subsections (k) and (l). 
(d) ESTABLISHMENT
OF BIRTH THROUGH FIVE 
CHILD CARE AND EARLY LEARNING ENTITLEMENT PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to administer a child care and early learning entitle-
ment program under which an eligible child, in a 
State, territory, or Indian Tribe, or served by a 
Tribal organization with an approved application 
under subsection (f) or (g), shall be provided an op-
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portunity to obtain high-quality child care services, 
subject to the requirements of this section. 
(2) 
ASSISTANCE
FOR
EVERY
ELIGIBLE 
CHILD.—Beginning on October 1, 2026, every child 
who applies for assistance under this section, who is 
in a State with an approved application under sub-
section (f), or in a territory or Indian Tribe or 
served by a Tribal organization with an approved 
application under subsection (g), and who is deter-
mined, by a lead agency (or other entity designated 
by a lead agency) for the State, territory, Indian 
Tribe, or Tribal organization involved, following 
standards and procedures established by the Sec-
retary by rule, to be an eligible child, shall be offered 
and shall be entitled to receive assistance for direct 
child care services in accordance with and subject to 
the requirements and limitations of this section. 
(e) LEAD AGENCY.—The Governor of a State or the 
head of a territory or Indian Tribe, desiring for the State, 
territory, or Indian tribe or a related tribal organization 
to receive a payment under this section, shall designate 
a lead agency (such as a State agency or joint interagency 
office) to administer the child care program carried out 
under this section. 
(f) APPLICATIONS AND STATE PLANS.— 
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(1) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive as-
sistance under this section, a State shall prepare 
and submit to the Secretary for approval an applica-
tion containing a State plan that meets the require-
ments under paragraph (3) and contains that infor-
mation. 
(2) PERIOD COVERED BY PLAN.—A State plan 
contained in the application shall be designed to be 
implemented during a period of not more than 3 
years. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE PLANS.—The 
Secretary shall award funds under this section to 
States with an approved application that contains a 
State plan, submitted under paragraph (1), at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary shall by rule require, including, 
at a minimum, the following: 
(A) PAYMENT
RATES
AND
COST
ESTI-
MATION.— 
(i) PAYMENT RATES.—The State plan 
shall certify that payment rates for the 
provision of direct child care services for 
which assistance is provided in accordance 
with this section for the period covered by 
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the plan, within 3 years after the State 
first receives funds under this section— 
(I) will be sufficient to meet the 
cost of child care (including fixed 
costs such as rent or mortgage and 
salaries), and set (with pay being 
paid) in accordance with a cost esti-
mation model or cost study described 
in clause (ii) that is approved by the 
Secretary; and 
(II) will correspond to differences 
in quality (including improved quality) 
based on the State’s tiered system for 
recognizing and supporting the quality 
of child care services described in sub-
paragraph (B). 
(ii) COST
ESTIMATION.—Such State 
plan shall— 
(I) demonstrate that the State 
has, after consulting with the entities 
and administrators described in sub-
clause (II), developed and uses a sta-
tistically valid and reliable cost esti-
mation model or cost study for the 
payment rates for direct child care 
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services in the State (that are suffi-
cient to cover providers’ fixed costs 
and take into account payments made 
through BASE grants under title II), 
for the cost of child care at each of 
the tiers of the State’s tiered system 
for recognizing and supporting the 
quality of child care services described 
in subparagraph (B), and for vari-
ations in the cost of direct child care 
services by geographic area, provider 
type, and age of child, and the addi-
tional costs associated with providing 
inclusive care; 
(II) certify that the entities and 
administrators consulted included the 
State Advisory Council on Early 
Childhood Education and Care des-
ignated or established in section 
642B(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i)) 
(including State Head Start collabora-
tion office directors), administrators 
of local child care programs and Head 
Start agencies, organizations rep-
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resenting child care directors, teach-
ers, and other staff, local child care 
resource and referral organizations, 
organizations representing parents of 
children with disabilities and parents 
of infants and toddlers with disabil-
ities, the State interagency coordi-
nating council established under sec-
tion 641 of the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
1441), the State advisory panel estab-
lished under section 612(a)(21) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(21)), 
organizations and labor organizations 
representing child care providers, and 
other appropriate entities; 
(III) certify that the State— 
(aa) not later than 30 days 
after finalizing the cost esti-
mation model or cost study, pub-
lished a detailed report con-
taining the child care costs esti-
mated with the cost estimation 
model or cost study, and includ-
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ing an explanation detailing how 
the wage requirements described 
in subclause (IV)(cc) were ap-
plied in the estimation of such 
costs; and 
(bb) not later than 60 days 
after publishing the report, estab-
lished a system to receive public 
comment on the report about 
making changes to the cost esti-
mation model or cost study, pro-
vided an opportunity for the pub-
lic to comment on the report 
through that system, and sub-
mitted the report to the Sec-
retary; 
(IV) certify that the State’s pay-
ment rates for direct child care serv-
ices for which assistance is provided 
in accordance with this section— 
(aa) are set (with pay being 
paid) in accordance with the 
most recent estimates from the 
most 
recent 
cost 
estimation 
model or cost study under sub-
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clause (I), so that providers at 
each tier of the tiered system for 
recognizing and supporting the 
quality of child care services de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) re-
ceive a payment that is sufficient 
to fully meet the requirements of 
such tier; 
(bb) are set so as to provide 
payments to providers not at the 
top tier of the tiered system that 
are sufficient to enable the pro-
viders to increase quality to meet 
the requirements for the next 
tier; 
(cc) ensure adequate wages 
for staff of child care providers 
providing such direct child care 
services that— 
(AA) at a minimum, 
provide a living wage for all 
staff of such child care pro-
viders; and 
(BB) are equivalent to 
wages for elementary edu-
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cators with similar creden-
tials and experience in the 
State; and 
(dd) are adjusted on an an-
nual basis for cost-of-living in-
creases to ensure those payment 
rates remain sufficient to meet 
the requirements of this section; 
(V) certify that the State will up-
date, not less often than once every 3 
years, the cost estimation model or 
cost study, following the process and 
in accordance with the requirements 
of this subparagraph; and 
(VI) certify that the State has es-
tablished a system for appeals of the 
child care costs estimated with the 
cost estimation model or cost study. 
(iii) 
PAYMENT
PRACTICES.—Such 
State plan shall include an assurance that 
the State will implement payment practices 
that support the fixed costs of providing 
direct child care services. 
(B) TIERED
SYSTEM
FOR
RECOGNIZING 
AND SUPPORTING THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE 
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SERVICES.—Such State plan shall certify that 
the State has implemented, or assure that the 
State will develop or revise within 3 years after 
first receiving funds under this section, with 
input (from early childhood education and de-
velopment experts, from a diverse group of child 
care providers of a variety of provider types, 
from families, and from organizations rep-
resenting child care directors, teachers, and 
other staff), a tiered system for recognizing and 
supporting the quality of child care services for 
which assistance is made available under this 
section, and that are inclusive and appropriate 
for such child care providers. Such tiered sys-
tem shall— 
(i) include a set of standards, for de-
termining the tier of quality of a child care 
provider, that— 
(I) uses standards for a highest 
tier that at a minimum are equivalent 
to Head Start program performance 
standards 
described 
in 
section 
641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9836a(a)(1)(B)) or other 
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equivalent evidence-based standards 
approved by the Secretary; 
(II) includes quality indicators 
and thresholds that are appropriate 
for child development for different 
types of provider types, including cen-
ter-based child care providers and 
family child care providers, and are 
appropriate for providers serving dif-
ferent age groups (including mixed 
age groups) of children; and 
(III) aligns standards for the 
lowest tier with State licensing re-
quirements for child care providers 
described in subparagraph (K); 
(ii) include a different set of stand-
ards that includes indicators, when appro-
priate, for care during nontraditional hours 
of operation; and 
(iii) provide for sufficient resources 
and supports for child care providers at 
tiers lower than the highest tier to facili-
tate progression toward meeting higher 
quality standards. 
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(C) ACHIEVING HIGH QUALITY FOR ALL 
CHILDREN.—Such State plan shall certify the 
State has implemented, or will implement with-
in 3 years after first receiving funds under this 
section, policies and financing practices that 
will ensure all eligible children can choose to at-
tend child care, with services provided by any of 
a variety of provider types including family 
child care providers, at the highest quality tier 
within 10 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
(D) NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF PRO-
VIDERS AT EACH TIER AND OTHER CHARACTER-
ISTICS.—Such plan shall provide information on 
the number and percentage of eligible child care 
providers, 
disaggregated 
(unless 
the 
disaggregation involved would reveal personally 
identifiable information about an individual pro-
vider or child) by— 
(i) the tier of a provider’s services on 
the State’s tiered system for recognizing 
and supporting the quality of child care 
services described in subparagraph (B); 
(ii) the primary language of the pro-
vider; 
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(iii) the race and ethnicity of the chil-
dren served; 
(iv) the age of the children; 
(v) the disability status of the chil-
dren; and 
(vi) the primary language of the chil-
dren. 
(E) COMPENSATION.—Such plan shall pro-
vide a certification that the State has or will 
have within 3 years after first receiving funds 
under this section, a wage ladder for staff of el-
igible child care providers receiving assistance 
under this section, including a certification that 
wages for such staff, at a minimum, will meet 
the 
requirements 
of 
subparagraph 
(A)(ii)(IV)(cc). 
(F) SLIDING
FEE
SCALE
FOR
COPAY-
MENTS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clause (ii)(I), the State plan shall pro-
vide an assurance that the State will for 
the period covered by the plan use a slid-
ing fee scale, which shall gradually in-
crease copayments as a percentage of fam-
ily income for families with greater family 
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incomes as described in clause (ii), to de-
termine a copayment for a family receiving 
assistance under this section (or, for a 
family receiving part-time care, a reduced 
copayment 
that 
is 
the 
proportionate 
amount of the full copayment). 
(ii) SLIDING FEE SCALE.—A full co-
payment described in clause (i) shall be de-
termined using a sliding fee scale that pro-
vides that, for a family with a family in-
come— 
(I) of not more than 85 percent 
of the State median income for a fam-
ily of the same size, the family shall 
not pay a copayment, toward the cost 
of the child care involved for all eligi-
ble children in the family; 
(II) of more than 85 percent but 
not more than 100 percent of the 
State median income for a family of 
the same size, the copayment shall be 
more than 0 but not more than 2 per-
cent of that family income, toward 
such cost for all such children; 
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(III) of more than 100 percent 
but not more than 125 percent of the 
State median income for a family of 
the same size, the copayment shall be 
more than 2 but not more than 4 per-
cent of that family income, toward 
such cost for all such children; 
(IV) of more than 125 percent 
but not more than 150 percent of the 
State median income for a family of 
the same size, the copayment shall be 
more than 4 but not more than 7 per-
cent of that family income, toward 
such cost for all such children; and 
(V) of more than 150 percent of 
the State median income for a family 
of the same size, the copayment shall 
be 7 percent of that family income, to-
ward such cost for all such children. 
(G) PROHIBITION
ON
CHARGING
MORE 
THAN COPAYMENT.—The State plan shall cer-
tify that, after the State develops and uses the 
cost estimation model or cost study described in 
subparagraph (A)(ii), the State will not permit 
a child care provider receiving financial assist-
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ance under this section to charge, for direct 
child care services for an eligible child, more 
than the total of— 
(i) the financial assistance provided 
for the child under this section; and 
(ii) any applicable copayment pursu-
ant to subparagraph (F). 
(H) REDUCTION OF BARRIERS.—The State 
plan shall assure that each child who receives 
assistance under this section will be considered 
to meet all eligibility requirements for such as-
sistance, and will receive such assistance, for 
not less than 12 months unless the child has 
aged out of the program, and the child’s eligi-
bility determination and redetermination, in-
cluding any determination based on the State’s 
definition of eligible activities, shall be imple-
mented in a manner that supports child well- 
being and reduces barriers to enrollment, in-
cluding continuity of services. 
(I) POLICIES
TO
SUPPORT
ACCESS
TO 
CHILD
CARE
FOR
UNDERSERVED
POPU-
LATIONS.—The State plan shall demonstrate 
that the State will prioritize increasing access 
to, and the quality and the supply of, child care 
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in the State for underserved populations, in-
cluding at a minimum, children from low-in-
come families, children in underserved areas, in-
fants and toddlers, children with disabilities and 
infants and toddlers with disabilities, children 
who are dual language learners, children experi-
encing homelessness, children in foster or kin-
ship care, children who receive care during non-
traditional hours, and vulnerable children as de-
fined by the lead agency pursuant to subsection 
(b)(5)(A)(iii)(II). 
(J) POLICIES.—The State plan shall in-
clude a certification that the State will apply, 
under this section, the policies and procedures 
described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (I), (J), 
(K)(i), (R), and (U) of section 658E(c)(2) of 
the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(2)), and the 
policies and procedures described in section 
658H of such Act (42 U.S.C. 9858f), to child 
care services provided under this section. 
(K) LICENSING.— 
(i) CONSULTATION.—The State plan 
shall demonstrate that the State has con-
sulted or will consult with organizations 
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(including labor organizations and child 
care and early learning organizations) rep-
resenting eligible child care providers (in-
cluding family child care providers), child 
care associations, child care directors, 
teachers, or other staff (including direc-
tors, teachers, or staff from child care pro-
viders serving higher proportions of under-
served populations as identified under sub-
paragraph (I)), early childhood education 
and development experts, maternal and 
child health experts, and families in the de-
velopment of licensing standards described 
in this subparagraph, including identifying 
barriers to such licensing for child care 
providers who are exempt from such licens-
ing under the Child Care and Development 
Block Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et 
seq.). 
(ii) LICENSING STANDARDS.— 
(I) IN
GENERAL.—The State 
plan shall certify that the State will 
develop or revise, within 2.5 years 
after first receiving funds under this 
section, licensing standards appro-
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priate for child care providers of a va-
riety of provider types and provider 
sizes (which may, when appropriate, 
include a different set of licensing 
standards with respect to care during 
nontraditional hours of operation) and 
a pathway to licensure described in 
this clause that is available to and ap-
propriate for such child care pro-
viders, that will offer providers eligible 
under the Child Care and Develop-
ment Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 9857 et seq.) a reasonable 
pathway to become eligible providers 
under this section, and that will as-
sure an adequate supply of child care. 
(II) DETERMINATION.—For pur-
poses of subclause (I), provider size 
shall be determined by measuring the 
number of children served by the pro-
vider. 
(iii) TIMELINE.—Such plan shall de-
scribe the timeline the State will use to en-
sure sufficient time for providers described 
in subsection (b)(6)(B) to comply with 
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such licensing standards in order to remain 
eligible providers after 3.5 years after the 
State first receives funding under this sec-
tion. 
(iv) FINANCIAL
SUPPORT
FOR
PRO-
VIDERS.—Such plan shall describe how the 
State will use funds reserved under sub-
section (h)(3)(A) to enable a variety of 
provider types to achieve licensure, includ-
ing paying for the costs of required back-
ground checks, health screening, and initial 
and ongoing training, and other costs asso-
ciated with achieving licensure. 
(L) PROHIBITION
ON
SUSPENSIONS, EX-
PULSIONS, AND AVERSIVE BEHAVIORAL INTER-
VENTIONS.—The State plan shall provide an as-
surance that the State will— 
(i) provide assistance to carry out this 
section only to eligible child care providers 
that prohibit— 
(I) the use of suspension and ex-
pulsion of children; and 
(II) the use of aversive behavioral 
interventions; and 
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(ii) provide training resources to eligi-
ble child care providers and information to 
families to support the prohibition of prac-
tices described in subclauses (I) and (II) of 
clause (i). 
(M) MULTITIERED
SYSTEMS
OF
SUP-
PORT.—The State plan shall provide an assur-
ance that the State will provide assistance to el-
igible child care providers to implement multi-
tiered systems of support such as systems with 
positive behavioral interventions and supports, 
infant and early childhood mental health con-
sultation and trauma-informed care that pro-
mote positive social and emotional development 
and reduce challenging behaviors. 
(N) ENROLLMENT PRACTICES.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The State plan 
shall describe how the lead agency will en-
sure that families have access to a low-bar-
rier enrollment (including reenrollment) 
process that is accessible to and minimizes 
burdens for families with diverse character-
istics, by implementing activities such as 
allowing for simplified enrollment for sib-
lings, coordinating with other State agen-
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cies to streamline enrollment processes 
across public assistance programs, requir-
ing minimal paperwork, allowing for enroll-
ment through a State or local website, and 
providing flexible submission deadlines. 
(ii) DEFINITION.—In this subpara-
graph, the term ‘‘family with diverse char-
acteristics’’ includes families with adults 
with disabilities, with children with disabil-
ities, or with infants and toddlers with dis-
abilities, families experiencing homeless-
ness, families with limited access to inter-
net connectivity, families living in rural 
areas, families of dual language learners, 
and families with children in underserved 
populations identified under subparagraph 
(I). 
(O) IMPLEMENTATION
FOR
LOW-INCOME 
FAMILIES.—The State plan shall include a cer-
tification that the applicant, not later than Oc-
tober 1, 2026, will provide assistance described 
in subsection (d)(2) to every child in the State 
who is described in that subsection, and is from 
a family with a family income of not more than 
85 percent of the State median income for a 
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family of the same size, before the applicant ex-
pands the program involved to provide such as-
sistance to children from additional families. 
(g) PAYMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2031: 
(A) CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE FOR ELIGI-
BLE CHILDREN.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
pay to each State with an approved appli-
cation under subsection (f), and that State 
shall be entitled to, an amount for each 
quarter equal to 90 percent of expendi-
tures (which shall be the Federal share of 
such expenditures) in the quarter for direct 
child care services described under sub-
section (h)(2) for eligible children. 
(ii) 
EXCEPTION.—Funds 
reserved 
from the total under subsection (h)(3) 
shall be subject to subparagraph (B). 
(iii) 
PROHIBITION.—Activities 
de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) or (C) may 
not be included in the cost of direct child 
care services described in this subpara-
graph. 
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(B) ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY 
AND SUPPLY OF CHILD CARE SERVICES.—The 
Secretary shall pay to each State with such an 
approved application, and that State shall be 
entitled to, the FMAP of expenditures (which 
shall be the Federal share of such expenditures) 
to carry out activities to improve the quality 
and supply of child care services under sub-
section (h)(3) subject to the limit specified in 
subparagraph (A) of such subsection. 
(C) 
ADMINISTRATION.—The 
Secretary 
shall pay to each State with such an approved 
application, and that State shall be entitled to, 
an amount equal to 50 percent of expenditures 
(which shall be the Federal share of such ex-
penditures) for the costs of administration in-
curred by the State— 
(i) which shall include costs incurred 
by the State in carrying out the child care 
program established in this section; and 
(ii) which may include, at the option 
of the State, costs associated with carrying 
out requirements, policies, and procedures 
described in section 658H of the Child 
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Care and Development Block Grant Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f). 
(2) ADVANCE
PAYMENT; RETROSPECTIVE
AD-
JUSTMENT.—For each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2031, the Secretary shall make payments under this 
subsection for a period on the basis of advance esti-
mates of expenditures submitted by the State and 
such other investigation as the Secretary may find 
necessary, and shall reduce or increase the payments 
as necessary to adjust for any overpayment or un-
derpayment for previous periods. No interest shall 
be charged or paid on any amount due because of 
an overpayment or underpayment for previous peri-
ods. 
(3) TERRITORIES AND TRIBES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2031, from amounts appropriated 
under subsection (c)(1) the Secretary shall 
make payments to territories, and Indian 
Tribes and Tribal organizations, as the case 
may be, with applications submitted as de-
scribed in subparagraph (B), and approved by 
the Secretary for the purpose of carrying out 
the child care program described in this section, 
consistent, to the extent practicable as deter-
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mined by the Secretary (subject to subsection 
(d)(2)), with the requirements applicable to 
States. 
(B) APPLICATIONS.— 
(i) TRIBAL
APPLICATIONS.—An In-
dian Tribe or Tribal organization seeking a 
payment under this paragraph shall submit 
an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may specify, 
including— 
(I) a certification described in 
subsection (f)(3)(O), except that each 
reference in the subsection to ‘‘child 
in the State’’ shall be considered to be 
a reference to ‘‘child served by the In-
dian Tribe or Tribal organization, as 
the case may be,’’; and 
(II) an agreement to collect data 
and provide reports under subsection 
(n). 
(ii) TERRITORIAL
APPLICATIONS.—A 
territory seeking a payment under this 
paragraph shall submit an application to 
the Secretary at such time, in such man-
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ner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may specify, including— 
(I) a certification described in 
subsection (f)(3)(O), except that each 
reference in the subsection to ‘‘child 
in the State’’ shall be considered to be 
a reference to ‘‘child in the territory’’; 
and 
(II) an agreement to collect data 
and provide reports under subsection 
(n). 
(C) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall make 
the payments to the territories, Indian Tribes, 
and Tribal organizations described in subpara-
graph (A) on the basis of their relative need. 
Each entity that is such a territory, Indian 
Tribe, or Tribal organization shall be entitled to 
such a payment as may be necessary to carry 
out the activities described in subsection (h), 
and to pay for the costs of administration in-
curred by the entity, which shall include costs 
incurred by the entity in carrying out the child 
care program, and which may include, at the 
option of the entity, costs associated with car-
rying out requirements, policies, and procedures 
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described in section 658H of the Child Care 
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. 
(h) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Starting on October 1, 
2026, a State shall use amounts provided to the 
State under subsection (g) for direct child care serv-
ices (provided on a sliding fee scale basis), activities 
to improve the quality and supply of child care serv-
ices consistent with paragraph (3), and State admin-
istration consistent with subsection (g)(1)(C). 
(2) CHILD
CARE
ASSISTANCE
FOR
ELIGIBLE 
CHILDREN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2031, from payments made to 
the State under subsection (g) for that par-
ticular fiscal year, the State shall ensure that 
parents of eligible children can access direct 
child care services provided by an eligible child 
care provider under this section through a 
grant or contract as described in subparagraph 
(B) or a certificate as described in subpara-
graph (C). 
(B) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—The State 
shall award grants or contracts to eligible child 
care providers, consistent with the requirements 
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under this section, for the provision of child 
care services for eligible children under this sec-
tion that, at a minimum, support providers’ op-
erating expenses to meet and sustain health, 
safety, quality, wage, and licensing standards 
required under this section. 
(C) CERTIFICATES.—The State shall issue 
a child care certificate directly to a parent who 
shall use such certificate only as payment for 
direct child care services or as a deposit for di-
rect child care services if such a deposit is re-
quired of other children being cared for by the 
provider, consistent with the requirements 
under this section. 
(3) ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND 
SUPPLY OF CHILD CARE SERVICES.— 
(A) QUALITY CHILD CARE ACTIVITIES.— 
(i) AMOUNT.—For each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2031, from the total of the 
payments made to the State for a par-
ticular fiscal year, the State shall reserve 
and use a quality child care amount equal 
to not less than 5 percent and not more 
than 10 percent of the amount made avail-
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able to the State through such payments 
for the previous fiscal year. 
(ii) USE
OF
QUALITY
CHILD
CARE 
AMOUNT.—Each State shall use the quality 
child care amount described in clause (i) to 
implement activities described in this para-
graph to improve the quality and supply of 
child care services by eligible child care 
providers, and increase the number of 
available slots in the State for child care 
services 
funded 
under 
this 
section, 
prioritizing assistance for child care pro-
viders who are in underserved communities 
and who are providing, or are seeking to 
provide, child care services for underserved 
populations identified under subsection 
(f)(3)(I). 
(iii) 
ADMINISTRATION.—Activities 
funded under this paragraph may be ad-
ministered— 
(I) directly by the lead agency; or 
(II) through other State govern-
ment agencies, local or regional child 
care resource and referral organiza-
tions, community development finan-
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cial institutions, other intermediaries 
with experience supporting child care 
providers, or other appropriate enti-
ties that enter into a contract with the 
State to provide such assistance. 
(B) QUALITY AND SUPPLY ACTIVITIES.— 
Activities funded under the quality child care 
amount described in subparagraph (A) shall in-
clude each of the following: 
(i) STARTUP GRANTS AND SUPPLY EX-
PANSION GRANTS.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—From a por-
tion of the quality child care amount, 
a State shall make startup and supply 
expansion grants to support child care 
providers who are providing, or seek-
ing to provide, child care services to 
children receiving assistance under 
this section, with priority for pro-
viders providing or seeking to provide 
child care in underserved communities 
and for underserved populations iden-
tified under subsection (f)(3)(I), to— 
(aa) support startup and ex-
pansion costs; and 
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(bb) assist such providers in 
meeting health and safety re-
quirements, achieving licensure, 
conducting background checks, 
and meeting requirements in the 
State’s tiered system for recog-
nizing and supporting the quality 
of child care services described in 
subsection (f)(3)(B). 
(II) REQUIREMENT.—As a condi-
tion of receiving a startup or supply 
expansion grant under this clause, a 
child care provider shall commit to 
meeting the requirements of an eligi-
ble provider under this section, and 
providing child care services to chil-
dren receiving assistance under this 
section on an ongoing basis. 
(ii) QUALITY GRANTS.—From a por-
tion of the quality child care amount, a 
State shall provide quality grants to sup-
port eligible child care providers in pro-
viding child care services to children receiv-
ing assistance under this section to im-
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prove the quality of such providers, includ-
ing— 
(I) supporting such providers in 
meeting or making progress toward 
the requirements for the highest tier 
of the State’s tiered system for recog-
nizing and supporting the quality of 
child care services described in sub-
section (f)(3)(B); and 
(II) supporting such providers in 
sustaining child care quality, including 
supporting increased wages for staff 
and supporting payment of fixed 
costs. 
(iii) FACILITIES
GRANTS.—From a 
portion of the quality child care amount, a 
State shall provide support, including 
through awarding facilities grants, for an 
activity (referred to in this subparagraph 
as a ‘‘covered activity’’) consisting of re-
modeling, renovation, or repair of a build-
ing or facility, or for construction, perma-
nent improvement, or major renovation of 
a building or facility primarily used for 
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building or facility shall not apply to 
a covered activity for privately owned 
family child care homes under this 
clause. 
(IV) FEDERAL INTEREST DURA-
TION.—The Secretary shall not retain 
a Federal interest after a period of 10 
years in any building, or facility, at 
which a covered activity was carried 
out with funds awarded under this 
clause. 
(V) RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS AND 
FACILITIES.—Eligible child care pro-
viders may not use funds for buildings 
or facilities that are used primarily 
for sectarian instruction or religious 
worship. 
(VI) 
FAMILY
CHILD
CARE 
HOMES.—The Secretary shall develop 
parameters on the use of funds under 
this clause for family child care 
homes. 
(iv) STATE
ACTIVITIES
TO
IMPROVE 
THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE SERVICES.— 
A State shall use a portion of the quality 
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child care amount to improve the quality of 
child care services available under this sec-
tion, which shall include— 
(I) supporting the training of the 
early childhood workforce, which shall 
include supporting— 
(aa) degree attainment; 
(bb) 
high-quality 
training 
programs that lead to a recog-
nized postsecondary credential; or 
(cc) the development and 
implementation of apprenticeship 
programs; 
(II) supporting the professional 
development of the early childhood 
workforce through continued edu-
cation and credentialing; 
(III) developing, implementing, 
or revising the State’s tiered system 
for recognizing and supporting the 
quality of child care services described 
in subsection (f)(3)(B); 
(IV) improving the supply and 
quality of developmentally appropriate 
and inclusive child care programs and 
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services for underserved populations 
identified under subsection (f)(3)(I); 
(V) improving access to child 
care services for vulnerable children 
as defined by the lead agency pursu-
ant to subsection (b)(5)(A)(iii)(II); 
(VI) providing outreach and en-
rollment support for families of eligi-
ble children; 
(VII) supporting eligible child 
care providers to eliminate use of sus-
pensions, expulsions, and aversive be-
havioral 
interventions, 
including 
through adaptations and interventions 
by special educators, mental health 
consultants, and other community re-
source personnel, such as behavior 
coaches, psychologists, and other ap-
propriate specialists, and through the 
provision of mental health services for 
the providers; 
(VIII) promoting multitiered sys-
tems of support such as systems with 
positive behavioral interventions and 
supports and trauma-informed care 
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that promote positive social and emo-
tional development and reduce chal-
lenging behaviors; 
(IX) offering training, coaching, 
or professional development opportu-
nities for eligible child care providers 
that relate to the use of evidence- 
based, 
developmentally 
appropriate 
and age-appropriate strategies to pro-
mote the social, emotional, physical, 
adaptive, communication, and cog-
nitive development of children; 
(X) improving coordination be-
tween States and local governments 
with respect to licensing and other 
regulatory requirements for eligible 
child care providers; 
(XI) increasing interrater reli-
ability concerning licensing inspections 
or other evaluations of eligible child 
care providers by training licensing in-
spectors of the providers and pro-
viding such inspectors with additional 
professional development; 
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(XII) identifying and eliminating 
barriers to licensing of eligible child 
care providers, such as through reduc-
ing fees for background checks, trans-
lating licensing regulations into lan-
guages other than English, and col-
laborating with housing agencies or 
local governments; and 
(XIII) establishing or supporting 
a system of local or regional child care 
resource and referral organizations 
that is coordinated, to the extent de-
termined appropriate by the State, by 
a statewide public or private non-
profit, community-based or regionally 
based, lead child care resource and re-
ferral organization, as described in 
section 658E(c)(3)(B)(iii) of the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant 
Act 
of 
1990 
(42 
U.S.C. 
9858c(c)(3)(B)(iii)). 
(v) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—From a 
portion of the quality child care amount 
described in subparagraph (A), the State, 
in coordination with local governments and 
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staffed family child care networks as ap-
propriate, shall provide technical assistance 
to increase the supply of eligible child care 
providers in the State, such as— 
(I) providing business startup 
support; 
(II) conducting outreach to re-
cruit new child care providers and in-
form such providers about the oppor-
tunities provided under this title, in-
cluding support for participation in 
the tiered system for recognizing and 
supporting the quality of child care 
services 
described 
in 
subsection 
(f)(3)(B); 
(III) providing support to enable 
providers to achieve licensure (includ-
ing providing support for child care 
providers operating legally without a 
child care license to obtain such li-
cense, such as providing, for individ-
uals seeking a child care license, pre- 
licensing orientation and technical as-
sistance throughout the child care li-
censing process); 
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(IV) offering orientations for new 
child care providers including orienta-
tions explaining support under pro-
grams such as the child and adult 
care food program established under 
section 17 of the Richard B. Russell 
National 
School 
Lunch 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 1766); and 
(V) supporting the development 
of shared service models for child care 
programs. 
(i) GRANTS TO LOCALITIES AND AWARDS TO HEAD 
START PROGRAMS.— 
(1) ELIGIBLE
LOCALITY
DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘‘eligible locality’’ means a city, 
county, or other unit of general local government. 
(2) GRANTS TO LOCALITIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use 
funds appropriated under subsection (c)(2) to 
award local Birth Through Five Child Care and 
Early Learning Grants, as determined by the 
Secretary, to eligible localities located in States 
that have not received payments under sub-
section (g). The Secretary shall award the 
grants to eligible localities in such a State from 
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the allotment made for that State under sub-
paragraph (B). 
(B) ALLOTMENTS.— 
(i) POVERTY LINE DEFINED.—In this 
subparagraph, the term ‘‘poverty line’’ 
means the poverty line defined and revised 
as described in section 673 of the Commu-
nity Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9902). 
(ii) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—For each 
State described in subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary shall allot for the State for a fis-
cal year an amount that bears the same re-
lationship to the funds appropriated under 
subsection (c)(2) and available to carry out 
this paragraph for the fiscal year as the 
number of children from families with fam-
ily incomes that are at or below 200 per-
cent of the poverty line, and who are under 
the age of 6, in the State bears to the total 
number of all such children in all States 
described in subparagraph (A). 
(C) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant 
from the corresponding State allotment under 
subparagraph (B), an eligible locality shall sub-
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mit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. The re-
quirements for the application shall, to the 
greatest extent practicable, be consistent with 
the State plan requirements applicable to States 
under subsection (f). 
(D) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
specify the requirements for an eligible locality 
to provide access to child care, which child care 
requirements shall, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, be consistent with the requirements ap-
plicable to States under this section. 
(E) RECOUPMENT OF UNUSED FUNDS.— 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec-
tion, for each of fiscal years 2027 through 
2031, the Secretary shall have the authority to 
recoup any unused funds allotted under sub-
paragraph (B) for awards under paragraph 
(3)(A) to Head Start agencies in accordance 
with paragraph (3). 
(3) HEAD START EXPANSION IN NONPARTICI-
PATING STATES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use 
funds appropriated under subsection (c)(2) or 
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recouped under paragraph (2) to make awards 
to Head Start agencies in a State described in 
paragraph (2)(A) to carry out the purposes of 
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) in 
such State. 
(B) RULE.—For purposes of carrying out 
the Head Start Act in circumstances not involv-
ing awards under this paragraph, funds award-
ed under subparagraph (A) shall not be in-
cluded in the calculation of a ‘‘base grant’’ as 
such term is defined in section 640(a)(7)(A) of 
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(7)(A)). 
(C) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘‘Head Start agency’’ means an entity des-
ignated or eligible to be designated as a Head 
Start agency under section 641(a)(1) of the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836(a)(1)) or as 
an Early Head Start agency (by receiving a 
grant) under section 645A(a) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 9840a). 
(4) PRIORITY
FOR
SERVING
UNDERSERVED 
POPULATIONS.—In making determinations to award 
a grant or make an award under this subsection, the 
Secretary shall give priority to entities serving a 
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high percentage of individuals from underserved 
populations identified under subsection (f)(3)(I). 
(j) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) NONDISCRIMINATION.—The following provi-
sions of law shall apply to any program or activity 
that receives funds provided under this section: 
(A) Title IX of the Education Amendments 
of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.). 
(B) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.). 
(C) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794). 
(D) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). 
(2) PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY 
REQUIREMENTS.—No individual shall be determined, 
by the Secretary, a State, or another recipient of 
funds under this section, to be ineligible for child 
care services provided under this section, except on 
the basis of eligibility requirements specified in or 
under this section. 
(3) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A State that receives 
payments under this section for a fiscal year, in 
using the funds made available through the 
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payments, shall maintain the expenditures of 
the State for child care services at the average 
level of such expenditures by the State for the 
3 preceding fiscal years. 
(B) COUNTING RULE.—State expenditures 
counted for purposes of meeting the require-
ment in subparagraph (A) may also be counted 
for purposes of meeting the requirement to pro-
vide a non-Federal share under subparagraph 
(A), (B), or (C), as appropriate, of subsection 
(g)(1). 
(4) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds re-
ceived under this section shall be used to supplement 
and not supplant other Federal, State, and local 
public funds expended to provide child care services 
in the State on the date of enactment of this Act, 
calculated as the average amount of such Federal, 
State, and local public funds expended for fiscal 
years 2023, 2024, and 2025. 
(5) ALLOWABLE
SOURCES
OF
NON-FEDERAL 
SHARE.—For purposes of providing the non-Federal 
share required under subsection (g)(1), a State’s 
non-Federal share— 
(A) for direct child care services described 
in subsection (g)(1)(A)— 
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(i) shall not include contributions 
being used as a non-Federal share or 
match for another Federal award; and 
(ii) shall be provided from State or 
local sources, contributions from philan-
thropy or other private organizations, or a 
combination of such sources and contribu-
tions; and 
(B) for activities to improve the quality 
and supply of child care services described in 
subsection (g)(1)(B), and administration de-
scribed in subsection (g)(1)(C)— 
(i) shall not include contributions 
being used as a non-Federal share or 
match for another Federal award; 
(ii) shall be provided from State or 
local sources, contributions from philan-
thropy or other private organizations, or a 
combination of such sources and contribu-
tions; and 
(iii) may be in cash or in-kind, fairly 
evaluated, including facilities or property, 
equipment, or services. 
(k) MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT.— 
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(1) REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIRE-
MENTS AND STATE PLAN.—The Secretary shall re-
view and monitor compliance of States, territories, 
Tribal entities, and local entities with this section 
and State compliance with the State plan described 
in subsection (f)(3). 
(2) ISSUANCE OF RULE.—The Secretary shall 
establish by rule procedures for— 
(A) receiving, processing, and determining 
the validity of complaints or findings concerning 
any failure of a State to comply with the State 
plan or any other requirement of this section; 
(B) notifying a State when the Secretary 
has determined there has been a failure by the 
State to comply with a requirement of this sec-
tion; and 
(C) imposing sanctions under this sub-
section for such a failure. 
(l) FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.—Using funds appro-
priated under subsection (c)(3), the Secretary shall carry 
out administration of this section, shall provide (including 
through the use of grants or cooperative agreements) tech-
nical assistance to States, territories, Indian Tribes, and 
Tribal organizations, and shall carry out research and 
evaluations related to this section. 
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