ACCESS Act
Bill: S.1049 | Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni (R-IA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Affordable Child Care for Economic Strategies and Success Act or the ACCESS Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to provide grants for public works and economic development projects that will directly or indirectly increase the accessibility of child care, including grants for planning, training, research, and technical assistance related to such projects.
Commerce must issue regulations to establish criteria for whether a project directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of child care. Such criteria shall consider (1) the availability, validity, and accessibility of timely data; (2) the extent to which a project contributes to a family's financial security; and (3) the extent to which a project addresses child care needs in areas recognized as experiencing a child care shortage.
Commerce must also issue guidance on how to include the accessibility of child care in a comprehensive economic development strategy.

To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to make 
  projects that directly or indirectly increase the accessibility of 
    child care eligible for certain grants, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Child Care for Economic 
Strategies and Success Act'' or the ``ACCESS Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 201 of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon at the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) planning, developing, or creating a project or 
        facility that will directly or indirectly increase the 
        accessibility of child care.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by adding ``or'' after the 
                semicolon at the end; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) increase the accessibility of child care;''.
    (b) Regulations.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
        shall issue such regulations as are necessary to establish 
        criteria for whether, for purposes of section 201 of the Public 
        Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141), a 
        project directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of 
        child care.
            (2) Considerations.--The criteria referred to in paragraph 
        (1) shall take into consideration the following:
                    (A) The availability, validity, and accessibility 
                of timely data.
                    (B) The extent to which a project contributes to 
                the financial security of a family.
                    (C) The extent to which a project addresses child 
                care needs in areas recognized as experiencing a child 
                care shortage.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PLANNING AND GRANTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

    Section 203(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3143(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (4) and 
inserting the following:
            ``(4) formulating and implementing an economic development 
        program that includes systematic efforts--
                    ``(A) to reduce unemployment and increase incomes; 
                or
                    ``(B) to increase the accessibility of child 
                care.''.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    Section 207(a)(2) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act 
of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3147(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph (J); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following:
                    ``(I) the planning, development, or creation of a 
                project or facility that will directly or indirectly 
                increase the accessibility of child care; and''.

SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 302(a)(3)(A) of the Public Works and 
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162(a)(3)(A)) is amended 
by inserting ``(including by directly or indirectly increasing the 
accessibility of child care)'' after ``promotes economic development 
and opportunity''.
    (b) Guidance.--In carrying out the amendment made by subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, shall issue guidance on how to include the 
accessibility of child care in a comprehensive economic development 
strategy developed under section 302 of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162).
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