109 HR 6391 IH: Emergency Child Care for the Gulf Coast Region Act of 2006
U.S. House of Representatives
2006-12-06
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the Emergency Child Care for the Gulf Coast Region Act of 2006
.
2.The Congress finds as follows:
(1)Studies have stated that reopening child care facilities was crucial for helping parents get back to work and businesses to recover.
(2)Studies have shown that without available and affordable child care economic recovery will be greatly impeded and lead to a reduction in worker productivity.
(3)In New Orleans before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the city had 1,912 day-care slots at 266 licensed centers, but now 80 percent of those centers and 75 percent of those slots are gone.
(4)The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies reported in a study published by the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute that between 62 to 94 percent of the licensed child care slots in the three coastal counties hardest hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Mississippi were lost.
(5)In Jackson County, Mississippi, initial assessment found that one-fourth of the county’s licensed centers were damaged beyond repair, representing 11 percent of the county’s licensed child care capacity. Another 39 percent of centers needed repairs.
<enum>I</enum><header>Emergency child care business incentive grant program for the Gulf Coast Region</header>
<section id="H83290986FD7243A2A7733D6F5D5DD8B3"><enum>101.</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program to make grants to—</text>
<paragraph id="H58F7445DDB1547BBAD9C19D92FB2D595"><enum>(1)</enum><text>businesses and consortia in the Gulf Coast Region—</text>
<subparagraph id="H3AA0E2F3B5084466ACAC82836DBA8D1E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to pay start-up costs incurred to provide child care services; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H688E9C232BC24172B741071C3E385073"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to provide additional child care services needed by the employees of such businesses; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF8A21C4BD44B4FA08D00D1D02BE4FB2D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>nonprofit business organizations in the Gulf Coast Region to provide technical information and assistance to enable businesses to provide child care services.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H3AF070EE865E4EC1A6873292F8F33D4B"><enum>102.</enum><header>Eligibility to receive grants</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">To be eligible to receive a grant under section 101, a business, nonprofit business organization, or consortium shall submit to the Secretary an application in accordance with section 103.</text></section>
<section id="H754F4EA00B0043E4819D1F29EE990504"><enum>103.</enum><header>Application</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The application required by section 102 shall be submitted by a business, nonprofit business organization, or consortium at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require by rule, except that such application shall contain—</text>
<paragraph id="H404D40B953634AC8AEF6AE1BF5E52701"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an assurance that the applicant shall expend, for the purpose for which such grant is made, an amount not less than 10 percent of the amount of such grant;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H124DAC21C73E4C72B36EFCFB68E3ABCC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an assurance that such applicant will expend such grant for the use specified in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 101, as the case may be;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H9D178F3D45ED4E72B663DB46FBC38760"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an assurance that such applicant will employ strategies to ensure that child care services provided by such applicant, or provided with the technical information and assistance made available by such applicant, are provided at affordable rates, and on an equitable basis, to low- and moderate-income employees;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HD1629E7C094044CC92549D468D91CB15"><enum>(4)</enum><text>an assurance that such applicant—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF462794ED2E64327A0A4B495B314AE8C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of a business or consortium, will comply with all State and local licensing requirements applicable to such business or consortium concerning the provision of child care services; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H505F83D4203849FA946BBBE615627320"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of a nonprofit business organization, will employ procedures to ensure that technical information and assistance provided under this title by such business organization will be provided only to businesses that provide child care services in compliance with all State and local licensing requirements applicable to child care providers in such State; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF66E1148B696483AA1393F67687FFC69"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in the case of a business or consortium, an assurance that if the employees of such applicant do not require all the child care services for which such grant and the funds required by paragraph (1) are to be expended by such applicant, the excess of such child care services shall be made available to families in the community in which such applicant is located.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H06C52A19424B4DF2BF19FB1C9475D069"><enum>104.</enum><header>Selection of grantees</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">For purposes of selecting applicants to receive grants under this title, the Secretary shall give priority to businesses that have fewer than 200 full-time employees. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H9C63C8D11371453FBCFEE0153BB9007F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>make grants equitably under this title to applicants located in all geographical regions of the United States; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H3A90191FF4CD43DDB9E91D1D92CD326"><enum>(2)</enum><text>give priority to applicants for grants under section 101(1).</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H709EAA62A2AB41FC8F99DE293EA141B5"><enum>105.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">As used in this title:</text>
<paragraph id="H1C68851CA2814D149C295535312068CA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Business</header><text>The term <term>business</term> means a person engaged in commerce whose primary activity is not providing child care services.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HF23D35679C4C4F6DB8DC1BDDFFD30BB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Child care services</header><text>The term <term>child care services</term> means care for a child that is—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5ECE4A52EB054BF69E6139F36FBC6316"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provided on the site at which a parent of such child is employed or at a site nearby in the community; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H3588877E3CF9465E80BCDF9B00D3E7C7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>subsidized at least in part by the business that employs such parent.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE3902D0B19194DF487EB284CDC3E4722"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Consortium</header><text>The term <term>consortium</term> means 4 or more businesses acting jointly. A consortium may also include a nonprofit private organization.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H246DD1BE3240467BAA8B197054E9DDF8"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H373875227EE64F8EAF1CC87F48896211"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Gulf Coast Region</header><text>The term <term>Gulf Coast Region</term> means the area in which the President has declared that a major disaster exists, in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170">42 U.S.C. 5170</external-xref>), as a consequence of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.</text></paragraph></section>
<section id="H1E37BDC711EB4F1B8DA03B99D246CCD"><enum>106.</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $1,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2009.</text></section>
<enum>II</enum><header>Emergency development of a child care training infrastructure in the Gulf Coast Region</header>
<section id="H6276E4FF09B14A6AB666244BFBC264C"><enum>201.</enum><header>Grants</header>
<subsection id="H9DD6F3A024DE4C71A9E968000079E79E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authority</header><text>The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award grants to eligible entities to develop distance learning child care training technology infrastructures in the Gulf Coast Region and to develop model technology-based training courses for child care providers and child care workers in the Gulf Coast Region, to be provided through distance learning programs made available through the infrastructure. The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent possible, ensure that such grants are awarded in those areas of the Gulf Coast Region with the fewest training opportunities for child care providers.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H82450C2D9F884E39B28DB4FF49CE6695"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility requirements</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H9BEE5CA794954C469CB96F9BA1CCF7D8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>develop the technological and logistical aspects of the infrastructure described in this section and have the capability of implementing and maintaining the infrastructure;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H99C6965006EC48389BBDC9BD6F1B7CF7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to the maximum extent possible, develop partnerships with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, State and local government agencies, and private child care organizations for the purpose of sharing equipment, technical assistance, and other technological resources, including—</text>
<subparagraph id="H3EBB642C8A9D4C8096F8D8E0198D9C36"><enum>(A)</enum><text>developing sites from which individuals may access the training;</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H83465F994D9348D3904E1590C995E2C3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>converting standard child care training courses to programs for distance learning; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H4DEACDE43218435DB5BBEC71448CC5E7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>promoting ongoing networking among program participants; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HE29EBAA384484DA9A400A17EAA3CE5C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>develop a mechanism for participants to—</text>
<subparagraph id="H2FA94C404FFF427DA8F3951EC1A1526E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>evaluate the effectiveness of the infrastructure, including the availability and affordability of the infrastructure, and the training offered through the infrastructure; and</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H0F60EA05BA464137842691EFF65BA7AD"><enum>(B)</enum><text>make recommendations for improvements to the infrastructure.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H18B03ABCC1CB4363A0398261F8F9ED50"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, and that includes—</text>
<paragraph id="H47C1F497DDA24F7196075C2B3D866974"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a description of the partnership organizations through which the distance learning programs will be made available;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H59DB41E0C5BC409F8B7804EA9EF13D46"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the capacity of the infrastructure in terms of the number and type of distance learning programs that will be made available;</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HCEA0E1D273B44F2CB02E749D880042F9"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the expected number of individuals to participate in the distance learning programs; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H449DC06274FA47E290EB12E439476D55"><enum>(4)</enum><text>such additional information as the Secretary may require.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H8D9A523B06BA4B3C959B9D011414342D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Limitation on fees</header><text>No entity receiving a grant under this section may collect fees from an individual for participation in a distance learning program funded in whole or in part under this section that exceed the pro rata share of the amount expended by the entity to provide materials for the program and to develop, implement, and maintain the infrastructure (minus the amount of the grant awarded under this section).</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H3F12C24F01774451A8495DC868495EEB"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a child care provider to subscribe to or complete a distance learning program made available under this section.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H003A4270E60E4653A4BC6E2E707CC83C"><enum>202.</enum><header>Definition</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title, the term <term>Gulf Coast Region</term> means the area in which the President has declared that a major disaster exists, in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/5170">42 U.S.C. 5170</external-xref>), as a consequence of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.</text></section>
<section id="H75EAC09A549E4F16A475DA73ADAB302F"><enum>203.</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.</text></section>
<enum>III</enum><header>Emergency child care provider development and retention grant program in the Gulf Coast Region</header>
<section id="H913DBD7A7CF94AB88813EC325262233D"><enum>301.</enum><header>Grants</header>
<subsection id="H71BB9341A4744CCC9FDCD78B46D36E00"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make grants available to eligible child care providers in the Gulf Coast Region in accordance with this section, to improve the qualifications and promote the retention of qualified child care providers.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H261942C3C41B49BA80F45E00A8F55983"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility To receive grants</header><text>To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a child care provider shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H2C7166BF478E4C1A8666A154D3C73C1B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>have a child development associate credential (or equivalent), an associate of the arts degree in the area of child development or early child education, a baccalaureate degree in the area of child development or early child education, or a baccalaureate degree in an unrelated field; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HD14D3E01DA7C4F289420169084F49F2D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>be employed as a child care provider for not less than 1 calendar year, or (if the provider is employed on the date of the eligibility determination in a child care program that operates for less than a full calendar year) the program equivalent of 1 calendar year, ending on the date of the application for such grant, except that not more than 3 months of education related to child development or to early child education obtained during the corresponding calendar year may be treated as employment that satisfies the requirements of this paragraph.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HCF229016C2434AF488C93027B5D5FC2D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Preservation of eligibility</header><text>A State shall not take into consideration whether a child care provider is receiving, may receive, or may be eligible to receive any funds or benefits under any other provision of this Act for purposes of selecting eligible child care providers to receive grants under this section.</text></subsection></section>
<enum>IV</enum><header>Child care provider scholarship program</header>
<section id="H5AD412516790477593645514EC9C2B7D"><enum>401.</enum><header>Scholarship grants</header>
<subsection id="HB5E602AEB6264344AF59AF4D59AB9E6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make scholarship grants available to eligible child care providers in accordance with this section to improve their educational qualifications to provide child care services.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HA45C3B8249474537B881ACD5D22346E9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility requirement for scholarship grants</header><text>To be eligible to receive a scholarship grant under this section, a child care provider shall be employed as a child care provider for not less than 1 calendar year, or (if the provider is employed on the date of the eligibility determination in a child care program that operates for less than a full calendar year) the program equivalent of 1 calendar year, ending on the date of the application for such grant.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H3C15B38D3B8748C8A7EE349C107B4C4F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Selection of grantees</header><text>For purposes of selecting eligible child care providers to receive scholarship grants under this section and determining the amounts of such grants, a State shall not—</text>
<paragraph id="HF2FB2C00FEA3498AA91E0020D2CCF413"><enum>(1)</enum><text>take into consideration whether a child care provider is receiving, may receive, or may be eligible to receive any funds or benefits under any other provision of this Act, or under any other Federal or State law that provides funds for educational purposes; or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="HD4993AAB908D445A9F00546FFB71D856"><enum>(2)</enum><text>consider as resources of such provider any funds such provider is receiving, may receive, or may be eligible to receive under any other provision of this Act, under any other Federal or State law that provides funds for educational purposes, or from a private entity.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="HE179EF064E5A4B43A6AAF1AAFAD70044"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Cost-sharing required</header><text>The amount of a scholarship grant made under this section to an eligible child care provider shall be equal to or less than the cost of the educational or training program for which such grant is made.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HDA6DABF3A8DB4DDEB8F1B00A34B31BB"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Annual maximum scholarship grant amount</header><text>The maximum aggregate dollar amount of a scholarship grant made to an eligible child care provider under this section in a fiscal year shall be $7,500.</text></subsection></section>