Child Care is Infrastructure Act
Bill: H.R.1911 | Sponsor: Rep. Clark, Katherine M. (D-MA)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Child Care is Infrastructure Act
This bill establishes grants for child care facilities and higher education loan repayment and scholarship programs for child care educators, among other provisions.
The Administration for Children and Families must conduct long- and short-term assessments of child care infrastructure, including the effect of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on such facilities. The bill provides grants to (1) states to acquire, construct, or improve child care facilities; and (2) intermediary organizations with demonstrated experience in child care facilities financing to develop or finance child care facilities.
The bill further provides for education loan repayments of up to $6,000 per year for up to five years for early childhood educators who agree to work for certain child care providers. Additionally, the bill establishes a program for institutions of higher education to award grants of up to $3,000 per academic year to individuals who are enrolled in early childhood educator programs and agree to serve in a state-licensed early learning program.
Finally, the bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2027 supports for campus-based child care for low-income parents enrolled in institutions of higher education and requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to consider early learning facilities in planning and implementation grants under the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.

To provide assistance with respect to child care infrastructure, 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; FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care is 
Infrastructure Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Early care and learning settings directly impact the 
        physical, behavioral, and cognitive development of young 
        children, and these settings should be designed and equipped to 
        keep children safe and help children thrive.
            (2) An investigation in 10 States conducted by the Office 
        of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services found that 96 percent of early care and learning 
        facilities inspected during unannounced visits had at least 1 
        potentially hazardous condition.
            (3) Approximately 500,000 early care and learning 
        facilities are not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 300f), and only 11 States and New York City require 
        licensed early care and learning facilities to test drinking 
        water within such facilities for lead.
            (4) A Department of Health and Human Services report from 
        2015 found that an estimated 2,201 Head Start centers needed 
        facility improvements, including improvements related to 
        rebuilding, renovating, and conducting maintenance on such 
        facilities.
            (5) Only 2 statewide needs assessments have been conducted:
                    (A) A 2011 statewide study of Massachusetts early 
                care and learning facilities found excessive levels of 
                carbon dioxide in early care and learning facilities 
                throughout the State, insufficient ventilation systems, 
                and furnishings containing formaldehyde.
                    (B) A 2014 statewide study in Rhode Island found 
                that--
                            (i) all centers visited had at least one 
                        playground safety hazard;
                            (ii) centers in poor condition tend to 
                        serve higher rates of low-income, State-
                        subsidized children; and
                            (iii) nearly 70 percent of early learning 
                        centers visited had one or more issues related 
                        to the overall building condition, such as 
                        water stains, excessive wear, and peeling 
                        paint.
            (6) The National Children's Facilities Network estimates 
        that the United States would require at least $14 billion to 
        bring existing early care and learning facilities up to 
        professional standards.
            (7) While data on the condition of facilities is available 
        for 2 States, it is lacking elsewhere. The extent of the 
        problem is impossible to determine without a nationwide 
        assessment of the current condition of existing early care and 
        learning facilities.
            (8) In 2019, a member of the child care workforce earned a 
        median pay of $24,230 per year, or $11.65 per hour, below the 
        Federal poverty rate for a family of four, which was $26,200 in 
        2020.
            (9) Over half of the child care workforce is enrolled in at 
        least one main public benefit program--Medicaid, CHIP, EITC, 
        SNAP, or TANF--compared to 21 percent of the United States 
        population.
            (10) Poor compensation is associated with lower job 
        satisfaction and higher turnover rates. In absence of quality 
        wages and benefits, the early childhood field will continue to 
        struggle to recruit and retain its workforce.
            (11) Child care workers who have lower educational 
        attainment, work with infants and toddlers, or come from 
        communities of color earn a lower average wage than their 
        counterparts in the profession.
            (12) Child care workers caring for children from ages 3 to 
        5 have a slightly higher educational attainment with 45 percent 
        earning a bachelor's degree compared to just 19 percent of 
        those teaching younger children. One-third or 34 percent of 
        home-based providers have no higher education and an additional 
        one-third have some college-level education but did not 
        complete a higher education degree.
            (13) Systemic barriers hamper access to higher education 
        and training for people of color, continuing to affect wages 
        and upward mobility within any given career field including 
        child care. Efforts to address barriers to higher education in 
        the early childhood workforce is critical in increasing 
        diversity across all roles.
            (14) In the early childhood workforce, 94 percent of 
        workers are women with more than one in five being foreign-
        born, 15 percent being Black, 21 percent being Hispanic. In 
        total, 40 percent of child care workers are people of color.

SEC. 2. INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE SAFETY.

    (a) In General.--Part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 418 the 
following:

``SEC. 418A. INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE SAFETY.

    ``(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
`Infrastructure Grants To Improve Child Care Safety Act'.
    ``(b) Needs Assessments.--
            ``(1) Immediate needs assessment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
                immediate needs assessment of the condition of child 
                care facilities throughout the United States (with 
                priority given to child care facilities that receive 
                Federal funds), that--
                            ``(i) determines the extent to which the 
                        COVID-19 pandemic has created immediate 
                        infrastructure needs, including infrastructure-
                        related health and safety needs, which must be 
                        addressed for child care facilities to operate 
                        in compliance with public health guidelines;
                            ``(ii) considers the effects of the 
                        pandemic on a variety of child care centers, 
                        including home-based centers; and
                            ``(iii) considers how the pandemic has 
                        impacted specific metrics, such as--
                                    ``(I) capacity;
                                    ``(II) investments in 
                                infrastructure changes;
                                    ``(III) the types of infrastructure 
                                changes centers need to implement and 
                                their associated costs;
                                    ``(IV) the price of tuition; and
                                    ``(V) any changes or anticipated 
                                changes in the number and demographic 
                                of children attending.
                    ``(B) Timing.--The immediate needs assessment 
                should occur simultaneously with the first grant-making 
                cycle under subsection (c).
                    ``(C) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
                of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
                submit to the Congress a report containing the result 
                of the needs assessment conducted under subparagraph 
                (A), and make the assessment publicly available.
            ``(2) Long-term needs assessment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                long-term assessment of the condition of child care 
                facilities throughout the United States (with priority 
                given to child care facilities that receive Federal 
                funds). The assessment may be conducted through 
                representative random sampling.
                    ``(B) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the 
                date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
                shall submit to the Congress a report containing the 
                results of the needs assessment conducted under 
                subparagraph (A), and make the assessment publicly 
                available.
    ``(c) Child Care Facilities Grants.--
            ``(1) Grants to states.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award grants 
                to States for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, 
                renovating, or improving child care facilities, 
                including adapting, reconfiguring, or expanding 
                facilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
                    ``(B) Prioritized facilities.--The Secretary may 
                not award a grant to a State under subparagraph (A) 
                unless the State involved agrees, with respect to the 
                use of grant funds, to prioritize--
                            ``(i) child care facilities primarily 
                        serving low-income populations;
                            ``(ii) child care facilities primarily 
                        serving children who have not attained the age 
                        of 5 years;
                            ``(iii) child care facilities that made 
                        maximum health and safety modifications to 
                        account for the impact of the COVID-19 
                        pandemic;
                            ``(iv) child care facilities that operate 
                        under nontraditional hours; and
                            ``(v) child care facilities located in 
                        rural or underserved communities.
                    ``(C) Duration of grants.--A grant under this 
                subsection shall be awarded for a period of not more 
                than 5 years.
                    ``(D) Application.--To seek a grant under this 
                subsection, a State shall submit to the Secretary an 
                application at such time, in such manner, and 
                containing such information as the Secretary may 
                require, which information shall--
                            ``(i) be disaggregated as the Secretary may 
                        require; and
                            ``(ii) include a plan to use a portion of 
                        the grant funds to report back to the Secretary 
                        on the impact of using the grant funds to 
                        improve child care facilities.
                    ``(E) Priority.--In selecting States for grants 
                under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize 
                States that--
                            ``(i) plan to improve center-based and 
                        home-based child care programs, which may 
                        include a combination of child care and early 
                        Head Start or Head Start programs;
                            ``(ii) aim to meet specific needs across 
                        urban, suburban, or rural areas as determined 
                        by the State; and
                            ``(iii) show evidence of collaboration 
                        with--
                                    ``(I) local government officials;
                                    ``(II) other State agencies;
                                    ``(III) nongovernmental 
                                organizations, such as--
                                            ``(aa) organizations within 
                                        the philanthropic community;
                                            ``(bb) certified community 
                                        development financial 
                                        institutions as defined in 
                                        section 103 of the Community 
                                        Development Banking and 
                                        Financial Institutions Act of 
                                        1994 (12 U.S.C. 4702) that have 
                                        been certified by the Community 
                                        Development Financial 
                                        Institutions Fund (12 U.S.C. 
                                        4703); and
                                            ``(cc) organizations that 
                                        have demonstrated experience 
                                        in--

                                                    ``(AA) providing 
                                                technical or financial 
                                                assistance for the 
                                                acquisition, 
                                                construction, 
                                                renovation, or 
                                                improvement of child 
                                                care facilities;

                                                    ``(BB) providing 
                                                technical, financial, 
                                                or managerial 
                                                assistance to child 
                                                care providers; and

                                                    ``(CC) securing 
                                                private sources of 
                                                capital financing for 
                                                child care facilities 
                                                or other low-income 
                                                community development 
                                                projects; and

                                    ``(IV) local community 
                                organizations, such as--
                                            ``(aa) child care 
                                        providers;
                                            ``(bb) community care 
                                        agencies;
                                            ``(cc) resource and 
                                        referral agencies; and
                                            ``(dd) unions.
                    ``(F) Consideration.--In selecting States for 
                grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
                consider--
                            ``(i) whether the applicant--
                                    ``(I) has or is developing a plan 
                                to address child care facility needs; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) demonstrates the capacity to 
                                execute such a plan; and
                            ``(ii) after the date the report required 
                        by subsection (b)(1)(C) is submitted to the 
                        Congress, the needs of the applicants based on 
                        the results of the assessment.
                    ``(G) Diversity of awards.--In awarding grants 
                under this section, the Secretary shall give equal 
                consideration to States with varying capacities under 
                subparagraph (F).
                    ``(H) Matching requirement.--
                            ``(i) In general.--As a condition for the 
                        receipt of a grant under subparagraph (A), a 
                        State that is not an Indian tribe shall agree 
                        to make available (directly or through 
                        donations from public or private entities) 
                        contributions with respect to the cost of the 
                        activities to be carried out pursuant to 
                        subparagraph (A), which may be provided in cash 
                        or in kind, in an amount equal to 10 percent of 
                        the funds provided through the grant.
                            ``(ii) Determination of amount 
                        contributed.--Contributions required by clause 
                        (i) may include--
                                    ``(I) amounts provided by the 
                                Federal Government, or services 
                                assisted or subsidized to any 
                                significant extent by the Federal 
                                Government; or
                                    ``(II) philanthropic or private-
                                sector funds.
                    ``(I) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
                last day of the grant period, a State receiving a grant 
                under this paragraph shall submit a report to the 
                Secretary as described in subparagraph (D)--
                            ``(i) to determine the effects of the grant 
                        in constructing, renovating, or improving child 
                        care facilities, including any changes in 
                        response to the COVID-19 pandemic and any 
                        effects on access to and quality of child care; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) to provide such other information as 
                        the Secretary may require.
                    ``(J) Amount limit.--The annual amount of a grant 
                under this paragraph may not exceed $35,000,000.
            ``(2) Grants to intermediary organizations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award grants 
                to intermediary organizations, such as certified 
                community development financial institutions, tribal 
                organizations, or other organizations with demonstrated 
                experience in child care facilities financing, for the 
                purpose of providing technical assistance, capacity 
                building, and financial products to develop or finance 
                child care facilities.
                    ``(B) Application.--A grant under this paragraph 
                may be made only to intermediary organizations that 
                submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
                such manner, and containing such information as the 
                Secretary may require.
                    ``(C) Priority.--In selecting intermediary 
                organizations for grants under this subsection, the 
                Secretary shall prioritize intermediary organizations 
                that--
                            ``(i) demonstrate experience in child care 
                        facility financing or related community 
                        facility financing;
                            ``(ii) demonstrate the capacity to assist 
                        States and local governments in developing 
                        child care facilities and programs;
                            ``(iii) demonstrate the ability to leverage 
                        grant funding to support financing tools to 
                        build the capacity of child care providers, 
                        such as through credit enhancements;
                            ``(iv) propose to focus on child care 
                        facilities that operate under nontraditional 
                        hours;
                            ``(v) propose to meet a diversity of needs 
                        across States and across urban, suburban, and 
                        rural areas at varying types of center-based, 
                        home-based, and other child care settings, 
                        including early care programs located in 
                        freestanding buildings or in mixed-use 
                        properties; and
                            ``(vi) propose to focus on child care 
                        facilities primarily serving low-income 
                        populations and children who have not attained 
                        the age of 5 years.
                    ``(D) Amount limit.--The amount of a grant under 
                this paragraph may not exceed $10,000,000.
            ``(3) Report.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 2026, 
        the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on the 
        effects of the grants provided under this subsection, and make 
        the report publically accessible.
    ``(d) Labor Standards for All Grants.--The Secretary shall require 
that each entity, including grantees and subgrantees, that applies for 
an infrastructure grant for constructing, renovating, or improving 
child care facilities, including adapting, reconfiguring, or expanding 
such facilities, which is funded in whole or in part under this 
section, shall include in its application written assurance that all 
laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the 
performance of construction, alternation or repair, as part of such 
project, shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 
similar work in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in 
accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of part A of subtitle II of 
title 40, United States Code (commonly referred to as the `Davis-Bacon 
Act'), and with respect to the labor standards specified in such 
subchapter the Secretary of Labor shall have the authority and 
functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (15 Fed. 
Reg. 3176; 5 U.S.C. App.).
    ``(e) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--To carry out this section, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2022, which shall remain available through fiscal year 2026.
            ``(2) Reservations of funds.--
                    ``(A) Indian tribes.--The Secretary shall reserve 3 
                percent of the total amount made available to carry out 
                this section, for payments to Indian tribes.
                    ``(B) Territories.--The Secretary shall reserve 3 
                percent of the total amount made available to carry out 
                this section, for payments to territories.
            ``(3) Grants for intermediary organizations.--Not less than 
        10 percent and not more than 15 percent of the total amount 
        made available to carry out this section may be used to carry 
        out subsection (c)(2).
            ``(4) Limitation on use of funds for needs assessments.--
        Not more than $5,000,000 of the amounts made available to carry 
        out this section may be used to carry out subsection (b).
    ``(f) Definition of State.--In this section, the term `State' has 
the meaning provided in section 419, except that it includes the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and any Indian tribe.''.
    (b) Exemption of Territory Grants From Limitation on Total Payments 
to the Territories.--Section 1108(a)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1308(a)(2)) is amended by inserting ``418A(c),'' after ``413(f),''.

SEC. 3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Part Q of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280h) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399Z-3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Authority.--The Secretary may carry out a program of entering 
into contracts with eligible early childhood educators under which such 
educators agree to serve for a period of 5 years as early childhood 
educators with a qualified employer, in consideration of the Federal 
Government agreeing to repay, for each year of such service, not more 
than $6,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of 
such educators.
    ``(b) Recertification.--An eligible early childhood educator 
seeking to continue to receive payments under this section shall submit 
on an annual basis to the Secretary such information as the Secretary 
may require to certify that the educator is continuing to meet the 
criteria to be considered an eligible educator.
    ``(c) Maximum Amount of Loan.--The total amount of payments 
received by an eligible early childhood educator under this section may 
not exceed the total amount of the principal and interest of the 
educational loans of such educator.
    ``(d) Applicability of Certain Provisions.--The following 
provisions of the National Health Service Corps Loan Assistance Program 
established in subpart III of part D shall apply to the program 
established under this section in the same manner and to the same 
extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps 
Loan Assistance Program:
            ``(1) Paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 338B(c) 
        (relating to application information, understandability, and 
        availability).
            ``(2) Section 338B(c)(4) (relating to recruitment and 
        retention).
            ``(3) Section 338B(d) (relating to factors considered in 
        providing contracts).
            ``(4) Section 338(e) (relating to the approval required for 
        participation).
            ``(5) Section 338B(f) (relating to contents of contracts).
            ``(6) Section 338B(g) (relating to payments, including 
        repayment schedule and tax liability).
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the implementation of this section.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `eligible early childhood educator' means an 
        individual that--
                    ``(A) as of the date on which the agreement 
                referred to in subsection (a)(1) is entered into--
                            ``(i) has outstanding Federal direct loans 
                        obtained for purposes of pursuing an 
                        associate's degree, a 4-year bachelor's degree, 
                        a graduate degree, or a combined bachelor and 
                        master's degree, in early childhood education 
                        or a related field from an accredited 
                        institution (including any such loan for which 
                        the individual is enrolled in an income-based 
                        repayment plan); and
                            ``(ii) is in good standing with respect to 
                        the loans referred to in clause (i); and
                    ``(B) agrees to--
                            ``(i) serve as an early childhood educator 
                        with a qualified employer for a period of not 
                        less than 5 years; and
                            ``(ii) make timely payments with respect to 
                        the loans described in subparagraph (A)(i).
            ``(2) The term `qualified employer' means a childcare 
        provider that receives or is eligible to receive vouchers or 
        assistance under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act 
        of 1990.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2027.''.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

    (a) In General.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education (referred to 
in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a program under 
which the Secretary makes payments to institutions of higher education 
with a qualified early childhood educator program to enable such 
institutions to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
individuals who file an application and agreement in accordance with 
subsections (b) and (c).
    (b) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall periodically set dates 
        by which eligible individuals shall file applications for a 
        grant under this section. Each eligible individual desiring a 
        grant under this section shall file an application containing 
        such information and assurances as the Secretary may determine 
        necessary to enable the Secretary to carry out the functions 
        and responsibilities of this section.
            (2) Renewal.--A grant awarded under this section may be 
        renewed for additional one-year periods if--
                    (A) the recipient submits a renewal application 
                containing such information and assurances as the 
                Secretary may determine necessary; and
                    (B) the grant is renewed not more than three times, 
                for a total of not more than four academic years for 
                each eligible recipient.
    (c) Service Obligation.--
            (1) Agreements to serve.--Each application under subsection 
        (b) shall include, or be accompanied by--
                    (A) an agreement by the applicant that--
                            (i) in the event that the applicant 
                        receives a grant under this section, the 
                        applicant shall--
                                    (I) serve as a full-time or part-
                                time educator in a licensed early 
                                learning program for a total of not 
                                less than one academic year, and four 
                                additional months for each subsequent 
                                grant renewal, within two years after 
                                the date on which the period of time 
                                covered by the grant is completed; and
                                    (II) submit a certification of 
                                employment by the employing early 
                                learning program in such form as the 
                                Secretary may determine necessary; and
                            (ii) in the event that the applicant is 
                        determined to have failed or refused to carry 
                        out such service obligation, the sum of the 
                        amounts of any grants received by such 
                        applicant under this section will be treated as 
                        a loan and collected from the applicant in 
                        accordance with paragraph (3) and the 
                        regulations thereunder; and
                    (B) a plain-language disclosure form developed by 
                the Secretary that clearly describes the nature of the 
                grant award, the service obligation, and the loan 
                repayment requirements that are the consequence of the 
                failure to complete the service obligation.
            (2) Treatment of concurrent service.--An individual who 
        serves as a full or part-time educator in a licensed early 
        childhood education program concurrently while enrolled in a 
        qualified early childhood educator program may count such 
        service toward the fulfillment of the service obligation in the 
        agreement under paragraph (1).
            (3) Repayment for failure to complete service.--Except as 
        provided in paragraph (4), in the event that any recipient of a 
        grant under this section fails or refuses to comply with the 
        service obligation in the agreement under paragraph (1), the 
        sum of the amounts of any grants received by such recipient 
        shall, upon a determination of such a failure or refusal in 
        such service obligation, be treated as a Federal Direct 
        Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D of title IV of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) except 
        that--
                    (A) no interest shall accrue on such amounts; and
                    (B) such amounts shall be subject to repayment in 
                accordance with--
                            (i) an income-contingent or income-based 
                        repayment plan, if the individual meets the 
                        eligibility requirements for such a repayment 
                        plan; and
                            (ii) such other terms and conditions as are 
                        specified by the Secretary in regulations 
                        promulgated under this section.
            (4) Hardship extension.--In the case of a recipient who has 
        made a good faith effort to find employment in a licensed early 
        learning program and has been unable to acquire such 
        employment, the Secretary is authorized to provide a hardship 
        extension for a period of not more than one year to grant 
        recipients who fail to complete their service requirement 
        within a 2-year period.
    (d) Grant Amount.--An eligible individual selected to receive a 
grant or a grant renewal under this section shall receive a grant in an 
amount not to exceed $3,000 for each academic year during which the 
individual is enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis in the 
qualified early childhood educator program for which the grant was 
awarded.
    (e) Grant Disbursement.--Payments under this section shall be made 
in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary for such 
purpose and in such manner as will best accomplish the purposes of this 
section, provided--
            (1) any disbursement made by crediting a grant recipient's 
        account shall be limited to tuition and fees and other 
        materials necessary for the completion of coursework as 
        determined by the Secretary; and
            (2) not less than 85 percent of any funds provided to an 
        eligible institution under subsection (a) shall be advanced to 
        the eligible institution prior to the start of each payment 
        period and shall be based upon an amount requested by the 
        institution as needed to cover the total cost of grants awarded 
        to eligible recipients until such time as the Secretary 
        determines and publishes in the Federal Register with an 
        opportunity for comment, an alternative payment system that 
        provides payments to institutions in an accurate and timely 
        manner, except that this sentence shall not be construed to 
        limit the authority of the Secretary to place an institution on 
        a reimbursement system of payment.
    (f) Direct Payment.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
prohibit the Secretary from making a grant directly to an eligible 
individual in a case in which an institution of higher education with a 
qualified early childhood educator program does not participate in the 
program under subsection (a).
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
        means an individual who is enrolled on a full-time or part-time 
        basis in a qualified early childhood educator program.
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002).
            (3) Qualified early childhood educator program.--The term 
        ``qualified early childhood educator program'' means a course 
        of study leading to an associate's degree or a certificate in 
        early childhood education or a related field from an 
        institution of higher education.
            (4) Licensed early learning program.--The term ``licensed 
        early learning program'' means any State-licensed or State-
        regulated program or provider, regardless of setting or funding 
        source, that provides early care and education for children 
        from birth to kindergarten entry, including, but not limited 
        to, programs operated by child care centers and in family child 
        care homes.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2022 through 2026.
            (2) Limitation.--Of the amount made available under 
        paragraph (1) in any fiscal year, not more than 3 percent may 
        be used for evaluation, monitoring, salaries, and 
        administrative expenses.

SEC. 5. CCAMPIS REAUTHORIZATION.

    Section 419N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``The amount'' and 
                                inserting ``Except as provided in 
                                subparagraph (C), the amount''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``1 percent'' and 
                                inserting ``2 percent'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking 
                        ``subsection (g)'' and inserting ``subsection 
                        (h)''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Performance bonus.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding 
                        subparagraph (A), for any fiscal year for which 
                        the amount appropriated under subsection (h) is 
                        not less than $140,000,000, the Secretary may 
                        pay a performance bonus to an eligible 
                        institution of higher education.
                            ``(ii) Maximum amount.--A bonus paid to an 
                        eligible institution of higher education under 
                        clause (i) for a fiscal year shall not exceed 
                        an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount of 
                        the annual grant payment received by the 
                        institution under paragraph (3)(B) for the 
                        fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which 
                        the bonus is paid.
                            ``(iii) Use of bonus.--A bonus received by 
                        an institution under clause (i) shall be used 
                        by the institution in the same manner as a 
                        grant under this section and shall be treated 
                        as grant funds for purposes of the application 
                        of paragraph (5), except that the Secretary may 
                        extend the grant period as necessary for the 
                        institution to use such bonus.
                            ``(iv) Eligible institution of higher 
                        education.--In this subparagraph, the term 
                        `eligible institution of higher education' 
                        means an institution of higher education that--
                                    ``(I) has received a grant under 
                                this section for not less than the 
                                period of three consecutive fiscal 
                                years preceding the fiscal year in 
                                which the bonus is paid under clause 
                                (i);
                                    ``(II) for each such preceding 
                                fiscal year, has met or exceeded the 
                                performance levels established by the 
                                institution for such year under 
                                subsection (e)(1)(B)(v); and
                                    ``(III) has demonstrated the need 
                                for such bonus.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``4 
                        years'' and inserting ``5 years''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``subsection (e)(2)'' and inserting 
                        ``subsection (e)(3)'';
            (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
    ``(c) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--An institution of higher education 
        desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
        by such information as the Secretary may require. Such 
        application shall--
                    ``(A) demonstrate that the institution is an 
                eligible institution described in subsection (b)(4);
                    ``(B) specify the amount of funds requested;
                    ``(C) demonstrate the need of low-income students 
                at the institution for campus-based child care services 
                by including in the application--
                            ``(i) information regarding student 
                        demographics, including whether the student is 
                        a full-time or part-time student;
                            ``(ii) an assessment of child care capacity 
                        on or near campus;
                            ``(iii) information regarding the waiting 
                        lists for child care services on or near 
                        campus;
                            ``(iv) information regarding additional 
                        needs created by concentrations of poverty or 
                        by geographic isolation;
                            ``(v) information about the number of low-
                        income student parents being served through 
                        campus-based child care services; and
                            ``(vi) other relevant data;
                    ``(D) specify the estimated percentage of the 
                institution's grant that will be used directly to 
                subsidize the fee charged for on-campus and off-campus 
                childcare, respectively, for low-income students;
                    ``(E) contain a description of the activities to be 
                assisted, including whether the grant funds will 
                support an existing child care program or a new child 
                care program;
                    ``(F) identify the resources, including technical 
                expertise and financial support, that the institution 
                will draw upon to support the child care program and 
                the participation of low-income students in the program 
                (such as accessing social services funding, using 
                student activity fees to help pay the costs of child 
                care, using resources obtained by meeting the needs of 
                parents who are not low-income students, and accessing 
                foundation, corporate, or other institutional support) 
                and demonstrate that the use of the resources will not 
                result in increases in student tuition;
                    ``(G) contain an assurance that the institution 
                will meet the child care needs of low-income students 
                through the provision of services, or through a 
                contract for the provision of services;
                    ``(H) describe the extent to which the child care 
                program will coordinate with the institution's early 
                childhood education curriculum, to the extent the 
                curriculum is available, to meet the needs of the 
                students in the early childhood education program at 
                the institution, and the needs of the parents and 
                children participating in the child care program 
                assisted under this section;
                    ``(I) in the case of an institution seeking 
                assistance for a new child care program--
                            ``(i) provide a timeline, covering the 
                        period from receipt of the grant through the 
                        provision of the child care services, 
                        delineating the specific steps the institution 
                        will take to achieve the goal of providing low-
                        income students with child care services;
                            ``(ii) specify any measures the institution 
                        will take to assist low-income students with 
                        child care during the period before the 
                        institution provides child care services; and
                            ``(iii) include a plan for identifying 
                        resources needed for the child care services, 
                        including space in which to provide child care 
                        services, and technical assistance if 
                        necessary;
                    ``(J) contain an assurance that any child care 
                facility assisted under this section will meet the 
                applicable State and local government licensing, 
                certification, approval, or registration requirements;
                    ``(K) in the case of an institution that is awarded 
                a grant under this section after the date of the 
                enactment of the College Affordability Act, provide an 
                assurance that, not later than three years after the 
                date on which such grant is awarded, any child care 
                facility assisted with such grant will--
                            ``(i) meet Head Start performance standards 
                        under subchapter B of chapter 13 of title 45, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
                        the date of enactment of the College 
                        Affordability Act) and any successor 
                        regulations;
                            ``(ii) be in the top tier of the quality 
                        rating improvement system for such facilities 
                        used by the State in which the facility is 
                        located;
                            ``(iii) meet the licensing requirements of 
                        the State in which the facility is located and 
                        the quality requirements under the Child Care 
                        and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
                        U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); or
                            ``(iv) be accredited by a national early 
                        childhood accrediting body with demonstrated 
                        valid and reliable program quality standards;
                    ``(L) contain an assurance that the institution, 
                when applicable, will make information available to 
                students receiving child care services provided under 
                this section about the eligibility of such students and 
                their dependents for assistance under the supplemental 
                nutrition assistance program under the Food and 
                Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the 
                special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                infants, and children under the Child Nutrition Act of 
                1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and the program of block grants 
                for States for temporary assistance for needy families 
                established under part A of title IV of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); and
                    ``(M) contain an abstract summarizing the contents 
                of such application and how the institution intends to 
                achieve the purpose under subsection (a).
            ``(2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may provide 
        technical assistance to eligible institutions to help such 
        institutions qualify, apply for, and maintain a grant under 
        this section.'';
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``to institutions of higher education that 
                submit applications describing programs that'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) based on the extent to which institutions of higher 
        education that submit applications for such a grant leverage 
        local or institutional resources, including in-kind 
        contributions, to support the activities assisted under this 
        section;'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (1), the 
                following:
            ``(2) to institutions of higher education that, compared to 
        other institutions of higher education that submit applications 
        for such a grant, demonstrate a high likelihood of need for 
        campus-based child care based on student demographics (such as 
        a high proportion of low-income students or independent 
        students); and''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (3) (as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (C)), by inserting ``to institutions of 
                higher education that submit applications describing 
                programs that'' before ``utilize''; and
            (4) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(B)--
                            (i) by redesignating clauses (ii), (iii), 
                        and (iv) as clauses (vi), (vii), and (viii), 
                        respectively; and
                            (ii) by striking the semicolon at the end 
                        of clause (i) and inserting the following: ``, 
                        which shall include--
                                    ``(I) the number of full- and part-
                                time students, respectively, receiving 
                                child care services under this section 
                                at least once per week during the 
                                academic year;
                                    ``(II) the number of credits 
                                accumulated by students receiving such 
                                child care services; and
                                    ``(III) the number of students 
                                receiving child care services under 
                                this section at least once per week 
                                during the academic year who--
                                            ``(aa) remain enrolled at 
                                        the institution during the 
                                        academic year for which they 
                                        received such services;
                                            ``(bb) enroll at the 
                                        institution for the following 
                                        academic year; and
                                            ``(cc) graduate or transfer 
                                        within--

                                                    ``(AA) 150 percent 
                                                of the normal time for 
                                                completion of a 
                                                student's four-year 
                                                degree granting 
                                                program; or

                                                    ``(BB) 200 percent 
                                                of the normal time for 
                                                completion of a 
                                                student's two-year 
                                                degree-granting 
                                                program;

                            ``(ii) with respect to the total student 
                        enrollment at the institution and the total 
                        enrollment of low-income students at the 
                        institution, respectively--
                                    ``(I) the rate at which students 
                                who complete an academic year at the 
                                institution re-enroll in the 
                                institution for the following academic 
                                year; and
                                    ``(II) the percentage of students 
                                graduating or transferring within--
                                            ``(aa) 150 percent of the 
                                        normal time for completion of a 
                                        student's four-year degree 
                                        granting program; or
                                            ``(bb) 200 percent of the 
                                        normal time for completion of a 
                                        student's two-year degree 
                                        granting program;
                            ``(iii) the percentage of the institution's 
                        grant that was used directly to subsidize the 
                        fee charged for on-campus and off-campus 
                        childcare, respectively, for low-income 
                        students;
                            ``(iv) whether the institution restricts 
                        eligibility for child care services to only 
                        full-time students;
                            ``(v) the sufficiently ambitious levels of 
                        performance established for such year by the 
                        institution that demonstrate meaningful 
                        progress and allow for meaningful evaluation of 
                        program quality based on the information in 
                        clauses (i)(III) and (iii);'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) Report.--
                    ``(A) Report required.--On an annual basis, the 
                Secretary shall submit to the authorizing committees a 
                report that includes--
                            ``(i) a summary of the information 
                        described in paragraph (1); and
                            ``(ii) each abstract submitted under 
                        subsection (c)(1)(M) by an institution of 
                        higher education that receives a grant under 
                        this section.
                    ``(B) Public availability.--The Secretary shall 
                make each report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
                publicly available.'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by 
                inserting ``(other than the information provided under 
                subparagraph (B)(v) of such paragraph)'' after 
                ``paragraph (1)''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
        technical assistance to institutions of higher education 
        receiving grants under this section to help such institutions 
        meet the reporting requirements under this subsection.'';
            (5) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h);
            (6) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
    ``(g) Nondiscrimination.--No person in the United States shall, on 
the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national 
origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, 
childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and 
sex stereotype), or disability, be excluded from participation in, be 
denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination by any 
program funded, in whole or in part, with funds made available under 
this section or with amounts appropriated for grants, contracts, or 
certificates administered with such funds.''; and
            (7) in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009'' and 
        inserting ``$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2022''.

SEC. 6. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE UNDER CHOICE 
              NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE.

    In providing assistance for fiscal year 2021 and any fiscal year 
thereafter under the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative of the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development (pursuant to section 24 of the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437v)), the Secretary shall 
consider early care and learning facilities for children as a 
neighborhood asset for purposes of evaluating applications for planning 
and implementation grants, shall ensure that any metric for evaluating 
such applications gives credit for the provision of early care and 
learning facilities under a neighborhood plan, and shall include early 
care and learning facilities as such an asset in any Notice of Funding 
Availability for any such fiscal year.
                                 <all>