I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4630
To provide for the health, education, and welfare of children under 6 years
of age.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 2000
Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD (for herself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BACA, Ms.
CARSON, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HILLIARD, Ms.
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and
Mr. UNDERWOOD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To provide for the health, education, and welfare of children
under 6 years of age.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Early Childhood Development Act of 2000’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
TITLE I—ASSISTANCE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Allotments to States.
Sec. 103. Grants to local collaboratives.
Sec. 104. Supplement not supplant.
Sec. 105. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II—CHILD CARE FOR FAMILIES
Sec. 201. Amendment to Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990.
TITLE III—AMENDMENTS TO THE HEAD START ACT
Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Effective date.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Nation’s highest priority should be to
ensure that children begin school ready to learn.
(2) New scientific research shows that the elec-
trical activity of brain cells actually changes the
physical structure of the brain itself and that with-
out a stimulating environment, a baby’s brain will
suffer. 
At 
birth, 
a 
baby’s 
brain 
contains
100,000,000,000 neurons, roughly as many nerve
cells as there are stars in the Milky Way, but the
wiring pattern between these neurons develops over
time. Children who play very little or are rarely
touched develop brains that are 20 to 30 percent
smaller than normal for their age.
(3) This scientific research also conclusively
demonstrates that enhancing children’s physical, so-
cial, emotional, and intellectual development will re-
sult in tremendous benefits for children, families,
and the Nation.
(4) Since more than 50 percent of the mothers
of children under the age of 3 now work outside of
the home, society must change to provide new sup-
ports so young children receive the attention and
care that they need.
(5) There are 12,000,000 children under the
age of 3 in the United States today and 1 in 4 lives
in poverty.
(6) Compared with most other industrialized
countries, the United States has a higher infant
mortality rate, a higher proportion of low-birth
weight babies, and a smaller proportion of babies
immunized against childhood diseases.
(7) National and local studies have found a
strong link between—
(A) lack of early intervention for children;
and
(B) increased violence and crime among
youth.
(8) The United States will spend more than
$35,000,000,000 over the next 5 years on Federal
programs for at-risk or delinquent youth and child
welfare programs, which address crisis situations
that frequently could have been avoided or made
much less severe through good early intervention for
children.
(9) Many local communities across the country
have developed successful early childhood efforts and
with additional resources could expand and enhance
opportunities for young children.
TITLE I—ASSISTANCE FOR
YOUNG CHILDREN
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given
the term in section 14101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
(2) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘‘poverty line’’
means the poverty line (as defined by the Office of
Management and Budget, and revised annually in
accordance with section 673(2) of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) appli-
cable to a family of the size involved.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(4) STATE BOARD.—The term ‘‘State board’’
means a State Early Learning Coordinating Board
established under section 102(c).
(5) YOUNG CHILD.—The term ‘‘young child’’
means an individual from birth through age 5.
(6) YOUNG CHILD ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES.—
The term ‘‘young child assistance activities’’ means
the activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2)(A)
of section 103(b).
SEC. 102. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make allot-
ments under subsection (b) to eligible States to pay for
the Federal share of the cost of enabling the States to
make grants to local collaboratives under section 103 for
young child assistance activities.
(b) ALLOTMENT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the funds appro-
priated under section 105 for each fiscal year and
not reserved under subsection (i), the Secretary shall
allot to each eligible State an amount that bears the
same relationship to such funds as the total number
of young children in poverty in the State bears to
the total number of young children in poverty in all
eligible States.
(2) YOUNG CHILD IN POVERTY.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘‘young child in poverty’’ means an
individual who—
(A) is a young child; and
(B) is a member of a family with an in-
come below the poverty line.
(c) STATE BOARDS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order for a State to be el-
igible to obtain an allotment under this subtitle, the
Governor of the State shall establish, or designate
an entity to serve as, a State Early Learning Co-
ordinating Board, which shall receive the allotment
and make the grants described in section 103.
(2) ESTABLISHED BOARD.—A State board es-
tablished under paragraph (1) shall consist of the
Governor and members appointed by the Governor,
including—
(A) representatives of all State agencies
primarily providing services to young children
in the State;
(B) representatives of business in the
State;
(C) chief executive officers of political sub-
divisions in the State;
(D) parents of young children in the State;
(E) officers of community organizations
serving low-income individuals, as defined by
the Secretary, in the State;
(F) representatives of State nonprofit or-
ganizations that represent the interests of
young children in poverty, as defined in sub-
section (b)(2), in the State;
(G) representatives of organizations pro-
viding services to young children and the par-
ents of young children, such as organizations
providing child care, carrying out Head Start
programs under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9831 et seq.), providing services through a fam-
ily resource center, providing home visits, or
providing health care services, in the State; and
(H) representatives of local educational
agencies.
(3) DESIGNATED BOARD.—The Governor may
designate an entity to serve as the State board
under paragraph (1) if the entity includes the Gov-
ernor and the members described in subparagraphs
(A) through (G) of paragraph (2).
(4) DESIGNATED
STATE
AGENCY.—The Gov-
ernor shall designate a State agency that has a rep-
resentative on the State board to provide adminis-
trative oversight concerning the use of funds made
available under this subtitle and ensure account-
ability for the funds.
(d) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive an allot-
ment under this subtitle, a State board shall annually sub-
mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require. At a minimum, the application shall
contain—
(1) sufficient information about the entity es-
tablished or designated under subsection (c) to serve
as the State board to enable the Secretary to deter-
mine whether the entity complies with the require-
ments of such subsection;
(2) a comprehensive State plan for carrying out
young child assistance activities;
(3) an assurance that the State board will pro-
vide such information as the Secretary shall by regu-
lation require on the amount of State and local pub-
lic funds expended in the State to provide services
for young children; and
(4) an assurance that the State board shall an-
nually compile and submit to the Secretary informa-
tion from the reports referred to in section
103(e)(2)(F)(iii) that describes the results referred
to in section 103(e)(2)(F)(i).
(e) FEDERAL SHARE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the
cost described in subsection (a) shall be—
(A) 85 percent, in the case of a State for
which the Federal medical assistance percent-
age (as defined in section 1905(b) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(b))) is not less
than 50 percent, but is less than 60 percent;
(B) 87.5 percent, in the case of a State for
which such percentage is not less than 60 per-
cent, but is less than 70 percent; and
(C) 90 percent, in the case of any State
not described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
(2) STATE SHARE.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The State shall con-
tribute the remaining share (referred to in this
paragraph as the ‘‘State share’’) of the cost de-
scribed in subsection (a).
(B) FORM.—The State share of the cost
shall be in cash.
(C) SOURCES.—The State may provide for
the State share of the cost from State or local
sources, or through donations from private enti-
ties.
(f) STATE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State may use not more
than 5 percent of the funds made available through
an allotment made under this subtitle to pay for a
portion, not to exceed 50 percent, of State adminis-
trative costs related to carrying out this subtitle.
(2) WAIVER.—A State may apply to the Sec-
retary for a waiver of paragraph (1). The Secretary
may grant the waiver if the Secretary finds that un-
usual circumstances prevent the State from com-
plying with paragraph (1). A State that receives
such a waiver may use not more than 7.5 percent of
the funds made available through the allotment to
pay for the State administrative costs.
(g) MONITORING.—The Secretary shall monitor the
activities of States that receive allotments under this sub-
title to ensure compliance with the requirements of this
subtitle, including compliance with the State plans.
(h) ENFORCEMENT.—If the Secretary determines
that a State that has received an allotment under this sub-
title is not complying with a requirement of this subtitle,
the Secretary may—
(1) provide technical assistance to the State to
improve the ability of the State to comply with the
requirement;
(2) reduce, by not less than 5 percent, an allot-
ment made to the State under this section, for the
second determination of noncompliance;
(3) reduce, by not less than 25 percent, an al-
lotment made to the State under this section, for the
third determination of noncompliance; or
(4) revoke the eligibility of the State to receive
allotments under this section, for the fourth or sub-
sequent determination of noncompliance.
(i) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—From the funds ap-
propriated under section 105 for each fiscal year, the Sec-
retary shall reserve not more than 1 percent of the funds
to pay for the costs of providing technical assistance. The
Secretary shall use the reserved funds to enter into con-
tracts with eligible entities to provide technical assistance,
to local collaboratives that receive grants under section
103, relating to the functions of the local collaboratives
under this subtitle.
SEC. 103. GRANTS TO LOCAL COLLABORATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A State board that receives an al-
lotment under section 102 shall use the funds made avail-
able through the allotment, and the State contribution
made under section 102(e)(2), to pay for the Federal and
State shares of the cost of making grants, on a competitive
basis, to local collaboratives to carry out young child as-
sistance activities.
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A local collaborative that re-
ceives a grant made under subsection (a)—
(1) shall use funds made available through the
grant to provide, in a community, activities that con-
sist of education and supportive services, such as—
(A) home visits for parents of young chil-
dren;
(B) services provided through community-
based family resource centers for such parents;
and
(C) collaborative pre-school efforts that
link parenting education for such parents to
early childhood learning services for young chil-
dren; and
(2) may use funds made available through the
grant—
(A) to provide, in the community, activities
that consist of—
(i) activities designed to strengthen
the quality of child care for young children
and expand the supply of high quality child
care services for young children;
(ii) health care services for young chil-
dren, including increasing the level of im-
munization for young children in the com-
munity, providing preventive health care
screening and education, and expanding
health care services in schools, child care
facilities, clinics in public housing (as de-
fined in section 3(b) of the United States
Housing 
Act 
of 
1937 
(42 
U.S.C.
1437a(b))), and mobile dental and vision
clinics;
(iii) services for children with disabil-
ities who are young children; and
(iv) 
activities 
designed 
to 
assist
schools in providing educational and other
support services to young children, and
parents of young children, in the commu-
nity, to be carried out during extended
hours when appropriate; and
(B) to pay for the salary and expenses of
the administrator described in subsection (e)(4),
in accordance with such regulations as the Sec-
retary shall prescribe.
(c) MULTI-YEAR
FUNDING.—In making grants
under this section, a State board may make grants for
grant periods of more than 1 year to local collaboratives
with demonstrated success in carrying out young child as-
sistance activities.
(d) LOCAL COLLABORATIVES.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this section for a community, a local
collaborative shall demonstrate that the collaborative—
(1) is able to provide, through a coordinated ef-
fort, young child assistance activities to young chil-
dren, and parents of young children, in the commu-
nity; and
(2) includes—
(A) all public agencies primarily providing
services to young children in the community;
(B) businesses in the community;
(C) representatives of the local government
for the county or other political subdivision in
which the community is located;
(D) parents of young children in the com-
munity;
(E) officers of community organizations
serving low-income individuals, as defined by
the Secretary, in the community;
(A) the young child assistance activities
available in the community, as of the date of
submission of the plan, including information
on efforts to coordinate the activities;
(B) the unmet needs of young children,
and parents of young children, in the commu-
nity for young child assistance activities;
(C) the manner in which funds made avail-
able through the grant will be used—
(i) to meet the needs, including ex-
panding and strengthening the activities
described in subparagraph (A) and estab-
lishing additional young child assistance
activities; and
(ii) to improve results for young chil-
dren in the community;
(D) how the local cooperative will use at
least 60 percent of the funds made available
through the grant to provide young child assist-
ance activities to young children and parents
described in subsection (f);
(E) the comprehensive methods that the
collaborative will use to ensure that—
(i) each entity carrying out young
child assistance activities through the col-
laborative will coordinate the activities with
such activities carried out by other entities
through the collaborative; and
(ii) the local collaborative will coordi-
nate the activities of the local collaborative
with—
(I) other services provided to
young children, and the parents of
young children, in the community;
and
(II) the activities of other local
collaboratives serving young children
and families in the community, if any;
and
(F) the manner in which the collaborative
will, at such intervals as the State board may
require, submit information to the State board
to enable the State board to carry out moni-
toring under section 102(g), including the man-
ner in which the collaborative will—
(i) evaluate the results achieved by
the collaborative for young children and
parents of young children through activi-
ties carried out through the grant;
(ii) evaluate how services can be more
effectively delivered to young children and
the parents of young children; and
(iii) prepare and submit to the State
board annual reports describing the re-
sults;
(3) an assurance that the local collaborative will
comply with the requirements of subparagraphs (D),
(E), and (F) of paragraph (2), and subsection (g);
and
(4) an assurance that the local collaborative will
hire an administrator to oversee the provision of the
activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2)(A) of
subsection (b).
(f) DISTRIBUTION.—In making grants under this sec-
tion, the State board shall ensure that at least 60 percent
of the funds made available through each grant are used
to provide the young child assistance activities to young
children (and parents of young children) who reside in
school districts in which half or more of the students re-
ceive free or reduced price lunches under the National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
(g) LOCAL SHARE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The local collaborative shall
contribute a percentage (referred to in this sub-
section as the ‘‘local share’’) of the cost of carrying
out the young child assistance activities.
(2) PERCENTAGE.—The Secretary shall by reg-
ulation specify the percentage referred to in para-
graph (1).
(3) FORM.—The local share of the cost shall be
in cash.
(4) SOURCE.—The local collaborative shall pro-
vide for the local share of the cost through donations
from private entities.
(5) WAIVER.—The State board shall waive the
requirement of paragraph (1) for poor rural and
urban areas, as defined by the Secretary.
(h) MONITORING.—The State board shall monitor
the activities of local collaboratives that receive grants
under this subtitle to ensure compliance with the require-
ments of this subtitle.
SEC. 104. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.
Funds appropriated under this subtitle shall be used
to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and
local public funds expended to provide services for young
children.
SEC. 105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this title $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $500,000,000
for fiscal year 2002, $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2005, and such sums as may be nec-
essary for fiscal year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal
year.
TITLE II—CHILD CARE FOR
FAMILIES
SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO CHILD CARE AND DEVELOP-
MENT BLOCK GRANT ACT OF 1990.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act
of 1990 is amended by inserting after section 658C (42
U.S.C. 9858a) the following:
‘‘SEC. 658C–1. ESTABLISHMENT OF ZERO TO SIX PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) ALLOTMENTS.—Subject to the amount ap-
propriated under subsection (f), each State shall, for
the purpose of providing child care assistance on be-
half of children under 6 years of age, receive an al-
lotment under this section for each fiscal year in ac-
cordance with the formula described in section
658O.
‘‘(2) INDIAN TRIBES.—The Secretary shall re-
serve 2 percent of the amount appropriated to carry
out this section for each fiscal year for grants to In-
dian tribes and tribal organizations.
‘‘(3) REMAINDER.—Any amount appropriated
for a fiscal year under subsection (f), and remaining
after the Secretary makes grants to eligible States
from allotments made under paragraph (1) and
makes the reservation described in paragraph (2),
shall be used by the Secretary to make additional al-
lotments to eligible States based on the formula re-
ferred to in paragraph (1).
‘‘(4) REALLOTMENT.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any portion of the al-
lotment made under paragraph (1) or (3) to a
State that the Secretary determines is not re-
quired by the State to carry out the activities
described in subsection (b), in the period for
which the allotment is made available, shall be
reallotted by the Secretary to other States in
proportion to the original allotments to the
other States.
‘‘(B) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(i) REDUCTION.—The amount of any
reallotment to which a State is entitled to
under subparagraph (A) shall be reduced
to the extent that the amount exceeds the
amount that the Secretary estimates will
be used in the State to carry out the ac-
tivities described in subsection (b).
‘‘(ii) 
REALLOTMENTS
OF
REDUC-
TIONS.—The amount of such reduction
shall be similarly reallotted among States
for which no reduction in an allotment or
reallotment is required by this paragraph.
‘‘(C) INDIAN TRIBES OR TRIBAL ORGANI-
ZATIONS.—Any portion of a grant made to an
Indian tribe or tribal organization under para-
graph (2) that the Secretary determines is not
being used in a manner consistent with sub-
section (b), in the period for which the grant is
made available, shall be allotted by the Sec-
retary to other Indian tribes or tribal organiza-
tions in accordance with their respective needs.
‘‘(5) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts received by a
State under a grant made under this section shall be
available for use by the State during the fiscal year
for which the amounts are provided and for the fol-
lowing 2 fiscal years.
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Amounts received by a
State under this section shall be used to provide
child care assistance, on a sliding fee scale basis, on
behalf of eligible children (as determined under
paragraph (2)) to enable the parents of such chil-
dren to secure high quality care for such children.
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive
child care assistance from a State under this section,
a child shall—
‘‘(A) be under 6 years of age;
‘‘(B) be residing with at least 1 parent
who is employed or enrolled in a school or
training program or otherwise requires child
care as a preventive or protective service (as de-
termined under rules established by the Sec-
retary); and
‘‘(C) be a member of a family with a fam-
ily income that is less than 85 percent of the
State median income for a family of the size in-
volved.
‘‘(3) INFANT CARE SET-ASIDE.—A State shall
set aside 10 percent of the amounts received by the
State under a grant made under subsection (a) for
a fiscal year for the establishment of a program to
establish innovations in infant and toddler care, in-
cluding models for—
‘‘(A) the development of family child care
networks;
‘‘(B) the training of child care providers
for infant and toddler care; and
‘‘(C) the support, renovation, and mod-
ernization of facilities used for child care pro-
grams serving infants.
‘‘(4) POVERTY
LINE.—As used in this sub-
section, the term ‘poverty line’ means the income of-
ficial poverty line (as defined by the Office of Man-
agement and Budget, and revised annually in ac-
cordance with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) that
is applicable to a family of the size involved.
‘‘(c) LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE.—
‘‘(1) ADJUSTMENT OF RATES.—With respect to
the levels of assistance provided by States on behalf
of eligible children under this section, a State shall
be permitted to adjust rates above the market rates
to ensure that families have access to high quality
infant and toddler care.
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE.—In admin-
istering this section, the Secretary shall encourage
States to provide additional assistance (not provided
from amounts appropriated under subsection (f)) on
behalf of children for improved infant and toddler
services.
‘‘(3) AMOUNT
OF
ASSISTANCE.—In providing
assistance to eligible children under this section, a
State shall ensure that an eligible child that is a
member of a family with a family income that is less
than 100 percent of the poverty line receives 100
percent of the amount of the maximum amount of
assistance that a child may receive under this sec-
tion.
‘‘(d) APPLICATION OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) STATE PLAN.—The State, as part of the
State plan submitted under section 658E(c), shall
describe the activities that the State intends to carry
out using amounts received under this section, in-
cluding a description of the levels of assistance to be
provided with the amounts.
‘‘(2) OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.—Amounts pro-
vided to a State under this section shall be subject
to the requirements and limitations of this sub-
chapter applicable to other amounts provided to a
State under this subchapter, except that section
658E(c)(3), 658F, 658G, 658J, and 658O shall not
apply.
‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall prepare
and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
report concerning—
‘‘(1) the appropriate child to staff ratios for in-
fants and toddlers in child care settings, including
child care centers and family child care homes; and
‘‘(2) other best practices for infant and toddler
care.
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For
grants under this section, there are authorized to be
appropriated—
‘‘(1) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
‘‘(2) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
‘‘(3) $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2003 through 2005; and
‘‘(4) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal year.’’.
TITLE III—AMENDMENTS TO
THE HEAD START ACT
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 639(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9834(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘such sums’’ and all that
follows through the period at the end, and inserting the
following: ‘‘, $5,210,000,000 for fiscal year 2001,
$5,810,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, $6,410,000,000 for
fiscal year 2003, and such sums as may be necessary for
fiscal year 2004.’’.
SEC. 302. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This title and the amendments made by this title
shall take effect on October 1, 2000.
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