I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7909 
To facilitate access to child care services safely and securely during the 
COVID-19 pandemic. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2020 
Ms. FINKENAUER (for herself and Mr. GUTHRIE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To facilitate access to child care services safely and securely 
during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
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 ‘‘Ensuring Children and 
Child Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Child care is an essential service that sup-
ports children’s early development and allows par-
ents to work. 
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(2) At least 1 out of 2 child care providers 
closed at some point during the COVID-19 pan-
demic, and 2 out of 5 face the possibility of perma-
nent closure. 
(3) The lack of access to child care services can 
prevent parents from returning to work and can pre-
vent children from accessing critical services, includ-
ing meals. 
(4) Ensuring the safe re-opening and operation 
of child care service settings during periods of com-
munity transmission of COVID-19 will require child 
care providers to adopt new measures and practices 
in order to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 trans-
mission. 
(5) Such measures and practices must ensure 
the safety of children as well as child care workers, 
who may be at high risk of infection. 
(6) Ensuring that working families have access 
to safe child care service options is critical to sup-
porting young children’s development and to return-
ing the economy back to its pre-pandemic levels. 
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON THE SAFE PROVISION 
OF CHILD CARE SERVICES. 
(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this Act referred to as the Sec-
retary), in consultation with the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, shall pro-
vide technical assistance to States, Indian Tribes, 
and tribal organizations related to the safe provision 
of child care services while there is community 
transmission of COVID-19. Such technical assist-
ance shall include information about— 
(A) the prevention of COVID-19 trans-
mission in child care provider settings, includ-
ing the use of face masks and other personal 
protective equipment in such settings, 
(B) training and professional development 
on health and safety practices related to the 
prevention of COVID-19 transmission in child 
care provider settings, 
(C) the acquisition and use of personal 
protective equipment, and 
(D) modifications of child care provider 
settings and services to prevent COVID-19 
transmission, such as optimal staff-to-child ra-
tios across such settings and the use of mental 
health supports. 
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(2) RESERVATION.—The Secretary shall reserve 
2.75 percent of funds appropriated to carry out this 
section to make payments to Indian Tribes, Tribal 
organizations, or consortia of Indian Tribes and 
Tribal organizations. 
(3) 
ALLOTMENTS.—From 
amounts 
appro-
priated to carry out this section and not reserved 
under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall allot to 
Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the 
United States, and the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands and to the remaining States 
amounts in accordance with subsections (a)(1) and 
subsection (b) of section 658O of the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
9858m), except that none of such remaining States 
shall receive an allotment of less than $10,000. 
(4) REQUIREMENTS.—Each lead agency that 
receives a grant under this section shall ensure 
that— 
(A) guidance, technical assistance, and 
support are available to child care providers re-
gardless of such providers’ settings, sizes, or 
administrative capacities, and 
(B) guidance, technical assistance, and 
support are available in the languages most 
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commonly spoken in the State, Indian Tribe, or 
Tribal organization. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 
after funds are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Sec-
retary shall provide to the Committee on Education and 
Labor of the House of Representatives and to the Com-
mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate a report that includes— 
(1) recommendations for how to ensure the safe 
provision of child care services while there is commu-
nity transmission of COVID-19, including rec-
ommendations that address each of the issues de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of sub-
section (a)(1), 
(2) recommendations for how to ensure the sup-
ply of child care services meets demand during peri-
ods when providers implement the recommendations 
described in paragraph (1), including whether it will 
be necessary to expand the number of child care pro-
viders to meet such demand and, if so, recommenda-
tions for how to expand the number of child care 
providers, and 
(3) the estimated cost of implementing the rec-
ommendations described in paragraphs (1) and (2). 
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SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
The terms ‘‘State’’, ‘‘Indian Tribe’’, and ‘‘Tribal or-
ganization’’ have the meanings given such terms in section 
658P of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n). 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2020. Funds appro-
priated to carry out this Act shall remain available until 
expended. 
Æ 
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