[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2625 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2625

 To amend the Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program under 
                   the Higher Education Act of 1965.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 5, 2021

 Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Ms. Warren, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Warnock, Mr. 
 Casey, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Smith, 
  Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program under 
                   the Higher Education Act of 1965.

    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 ``Child Care Access Means Parents In 
Schools Reauthorization Act'' or the ``CCAMPIS Reauthorization Act''.

SEC. 2. CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL.

    Section 419N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e) 
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 419N. CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to facilitate the 
success of eligible student parents in postsecondary education through 
the provision of subsidized child care services, including campus-based 
child care services.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) Authority.--The Secretary may award grants to 
        eligible institutions to assist the eligible institutions in 
        providing child care services to eligible student parents.
            ``(2) Amount of grants and supplemental awards.--
                    ``(A) Minimum grant amount.--A grant under this 
                section shall be awarded in an amount that is not less 
                than $75,000 per year.
                    ``(B) Maximum grant amount.--A grant under this 
                section shall be awarded in an amount that is not more 
                than $2,000,000 per year.
            ``(3) Duration; renewal; and payments.--
                    ``(A) Duration.--The Secretary shall award a grant 
                under this section for a period of 5 years.
                    ``(B) Payments.--Subject to subsection (g)(2), the 
                Secretary shall make annual grant payments under this 
                section.
                    ``(C) Supplemental grants.--The Secretary may 
                consider applications from an eligible institution that 
                receives grant funds under this section for additional 
                funds in any subsequent fiscal year, if such 
                institution demonstrates the need for such additional 
                funds, subject to the maximum grant amount under 
                paragraph (2)(B) and the duration of the original grant 
                under subparagraph (A).
            ``(4) Definition of eligible institution.--In this section, 
        the term `eligible institution' means--
                    ``(A) an institution of higher education, as 
                defined in section 101, with respect to which, the 
                total number of students eligible for a Federal Pell 
                Grant enrolled at the institution of higher education 
                in the most recently completed award year was equal to 
                or greater than 150; or
                    ``(B) a consortia of institutions of higher 
                education, each as defined in section 101, and with 
                respect to which, the total number of students eligible 
                for a Federal Pell Grant enrolled at each institution 
                of higher education in such consortia in the most 
                recently completed award year was equal to or greater 
                than 150.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible institution receiving a 
        grant under this section shall use such grant funds to support 
        accessible high-quality child care services for eligible 
        student parents enrolled at such institution by carrying out 1 
        or more of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Establishing a campus-based child care 
                program primarily serving the needs of eligible student 
                parents enrolled at the institution of higher 
                education.
                    ``(B) Providing subsidized child care using a 
                sliding fee scale for eligible student parents.
                    ``(C) Providing subsidized and accessible before 
                and after school services for children of eligible 
                student parents.
            ``(2) Permitted uses.--In addition to the required 
        activities described in paragraph (1), an eligible institution 
        receiving a grant under this section may use such grant fund to 
        carry out 1 or more of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Providing support services for eligible 
                student parents.
                    ``(B) Enhancing the quality of campus-based child 
                care services, including through improvements to--
                            ``(i) move to the next tier or level of the 
                        State tiered and transparent system for 
                        measuring the quality of child care providers;
                            ``(ii) implement the training and 
                        professional development required for child 
                        care providers of the campus-based child care 
                        services under section 658E(c)(2)(G) of the 
                        Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 
                        1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(2)(G)) in the State in 
                        which the institution is located; or
                            ``(iii) implement quality improvements 
                        toward achieving accreditation from an 
                        accrediting agency or association recognized by 
                        the Secretary pursuant to part H of title IV.
            ``(3) Prohibition.--Funds under this section shall not be 
        used for construction, except for renovation or repair to meet 
        applicable State or local health or safety requirements.
            ``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
        be construed to--
                    ``(A) prohibit an institution of higher education 
                that receives grant funds under this section from 
                serving the child care needs of the community served by 
                such institution; or
                    ``(B) permit the application of additional 
                eligibility requirements for eligible student parents 
                to participate in or receive child care services 
                provided through a program using grant funds under this 
                section beyond the requirements described in paragraph 
                (5), including any additional requirements related to 
                work, academic progress, or enrollment intensity.
            ``(5) Definition of eligible student parent.--
        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and for the purpose 
        of this section, the term `eligible student parent' means a 
        student--
                    ``(A) who is the parent or guardian of 1 or more 
                dependent child;
                    ``(B) who is enrolled in an institution of higher 
                education; and
                    ``(C) who--
                            ``(i) is eligible to receive a Federal Pell 
                        Grant for the award year for which the 
                        determination is made; or
                            ``(ii) who meets the financial eligibility 
                        criteria for receiving a Federal Pell Grant 
                        under section 401 but is not eligible for a 
                        Federal Pell Grant because--
                                    ``(I) the student has not completed 
                                the Free Application for Federal 
                                Student Aid described in section 483;
                                    ``(II) the student does not meet 
                                the eligibility requirements of section 
                                484; or
                                    ``(III) the student is enrolled in 
                                a graduate or first professional course 
                                of study.
            ``(6) Publicity.--The Secretary shall publicize the 
        availability of grants under this section, in addition to 
        publication in the Federal Register, and shall inform 
        appropriate educational, nonprofit, and child care 
        organizations of such availability.
            ``(7) Special rule.--Any assistance provided to eligible 
        student parents from grants provided under this section shall 
        not be treated as other financial assistance for the purposes 
        of section 471.
    ``(d) Applications.--An eligible institution 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--
            ``(1) demonstrate that the institution is an eligible 
        institution described in subsection (b)(4);
            ``(2) specify the amount of funds requested;
            ``(3) demonstrate the need of eligible student parents at 
        the institution for accessible and affordable child care 
        services by including in the application--
                    ``(A) information regarding student demographics;
                    ``(B) an assessment of child care capacity on or 
                near campus;
                    ``(C) information regarding the existence of 
                waiting lists for child care services on or near 
                campus;
                    ``(D) information regarding additional needs 
                created by concentrations of poverty or by geographic 
                isolation; and
                    ``(E) other relevant data;
            ``(4) 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;
            ``(5) identify the resources, including technical expertise 
        and financial support, the institution will draw upon to 
        support the child care program and the participation of 
        eligible student parents 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 eligible student 
        parents, and accessing foundation, corporate, or other 
        institutional support) and demonstrate that the use of the 
        resources will not result in increases in student tuition and 
        fees;
            ``(6) contain an assurance that the institution will meet 
        the child care needs of eligible student parents through the 
        provision of services, or through a contract for the provision 
        of services;
            ``(7) 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;
            ``(8) in the case of an institution seeking assistance for 
        a new child care program--
                    ``(A) 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 
                eligible student parents with child care services;
                    ``(B) specify any measures the institution will 
                take to assist eligible student parents with child care 
                during the period before the institution provides child 
                care services;
                    ``(C) 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; and
                    ``(D) include plans to assure quality of campus-
                based child care facilities;
            ``(9) in the case of an institution seeking assistance for 
        a campus-based child care program in existence on the date of 
        the application--
                    ``(A) provide information regarding the number of 
                eligible student parents served through campus-based 
                child care on such date;
                    ``(B) provide information on the age groups of 
                children to be served;
                    ``(C) specify any measures the institution will 
                take to assist eligible student parents who are 
                waitlisted for the campus-based child care program;
                    ``(D) provide information regarding the application 
                of subsidies or a sliding fee scale for child care 
                services;
                    ``(E) specify what staff positions will be 
                supported by funding under this section, and how those 
                staff positions support the purpose under subsection 
                (a);
                    ``(F) provide information on the total number of 
                children served by the campus-based child care program, 
                and number of children of students served; and
                    ``(G) specify if funding will be used to enhance 
                program quality as described in subsection (c)(2)(B);
            ``(10) in the case of an institution seeking assistance 
        that will contract for the provision of child care services--
                    ``(A) provide information on the age groups of 
                children to be served;
                    ``(B) provide information regarding the application 
                of subsidies or a sliding fee scale for child care 
                services; and
                    ``(C) provide information regarding parameters the 
                institution will use in selecting child care providers 
                in contracting for the provision of services, 
                including--
                            ``(i) assessment of program quality; and
                            ``(ii) geographic location;
            ``(11) 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;
            ``(12) describe how information regarding the availability 
        of subsidized child care will be provided to students;
            ``(13) contain an assurance that the institution will 
        assist student parents receiving child care services provided 
        under this section in enrolling in Federal, State, Tribal, or 
        local means-tested benefits programs for which they may be 
        eligible, including--
                    ``(A) the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
                U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), a nutrition assistance program 
                carried out under section 19 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 
                2028), or a nutrition assistance program carried out by 
                the Secretary of Agriculture in the Northern Mariana 
                Islands;
                    ``(B) the supplemental security income program 
                under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1381 et seq.);
                    ``(C) the program of block grants to States for 
                temporary assistance for needy families under part A of 
                title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(D) the special supplemental nutrition program 
                for women, infants, and children established by section 
                17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
                    ``(E) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the 
                Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.);
                    ``(F) Federal housing assistance programs, 
                including tenant-based assistance under section 8(o) of 
                the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
                1437f(o)), and public housing, as defined in section 
                3(b)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1));
                    ``(G) Federal child care assistance programs, 
                including assistance under the Child Care and 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(H) the free and reduced price school lunch 
                program established under the Richard B. Russell 
                National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
                    ``(I) refundable credit for coverage under a 
                qualified health plan under section 36B of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986;
                    ``(J) the earned income tax credit under section 32 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                    ``(K) the child tax credit under section 24 of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
                    ``(L) any other means-tested Federal program 
                determined by the Secretary to be appropriate;
            ``(14) contain an abstract summarizing the contents of such 
        application and how the institution intends to achieve the 
        purpose under subsection (a);
            ``(15) contain a plan for any child care program assisted 
        under this section to, not later than 3 years after the date 
        the institution first receives assistance under this section--
                    ``(A) attain accreditation from an accrediting 
                agency or association that provides accreditation to 
                child care services; or
                    ``(B) move to the top tier or level of the State 
                tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality 
                of child care providers that meets a similar level of 
                quality standards as accreditation of an accrediting 
                agency or association that provides accreditation to 
                child care services; and
            ``(16) contain an assurance that the institution will not 
        impose additional eligibility requirements on eligible student 
        parents to participate in or receive child care services 
        provided under this section beyond the requirement of 
        subsection (c)(5), including any requirements related to work, 
        academic progress, or enrollment intensity.
    ``(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
assistance--
            ``(1) to eligible institutions to help such institutions 
        qualify for, apply for, and maintain a grant under this 
        section; and
            ``(2) to institutions receiving grants under this section 
        to help such institutions meet the reporting requirements 
        described in subsection (g).
    ``(f) Priority.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall give priority in 
        awarding grants under this section to eligible institutions 
        that submit applications describing programs that--
                    ``(A) leverage local or institutional resources, 
                including in-kind contributions, to support the 
                activities assisted under this section;
                    ``(B) utilize a sliding fee scale for child care 
                services provided under this section in order to 
                support a high number of eligible student parents 
                pursuing postsecondary education at the institution; 
                and
                    ``(C) provide additional resources or supports to 
                students who are single parents.
            ``(2) Limitation.--The Secretary may not establish a 
        priority in awarding grants under this section to eligible 
        institutions that--
                    ``(A) propose projects solely with off-campus child 
                care providers; or
                    ``(B) that are designed to support 2 or more child 
                care providers.
    ``(g) Reporting Requirements; Continuing Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Reporting requirements.--Each eligible institution 
        receiving a grant under this section shall report to the 
        Secretary annually information on--
                    ``(A) the population of eligible student parents 
                who received child care services under this section, 
                including--
                            ``(i) the number of such eligible student 
                        parents, disaggregated by full- and part-time 
                        status;
                            ``(ii) information on such eligible student 
                        parents, including demographic information 
                        disaggregated by--
                                    ``(I) sex;
                                    ``(II) status as a single parent;
                                    ``(III) race and ethnicity;
                                    ``(IV) age groups of the dependents 
                                of such single parents;
                                    ``(V) classification as a student 
                                with a disability;
                                    ``(VI) recipients of educational 
                                assistance under laws administered by 
                                the Secretary of Defense or the 
                                Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
                                    ``(VII) status as a first-
                                generation college student; and
                                    ``(VIII) levels of degree or 
                                credential pursued by such eligible 
                                student parents; and
                            ``(iii) the number of such eligible student 
                        parents who--
                                    ``(I) remain enrolled at the 
                                institution during the academic year 
                                for which they received such services;
                                    ``(II) remain enrolled at the 
                                institution during the subsequent 
                                academic year after which they first 
                                received such services;
                                    ``(III) graduate from the 
                                institution during the academic year 
                                for which they received such services;
                                    ``(IV) transfer to a different 
                                institution during the academic year 
                                for which they received such services; 
                                or
                                    ``(V) withdrew from the institution 
                                during the academic year for which they 
                                received such services;
                    ``(B) the fee structure for eligible student 
                parents to receive child care services under this 
                section, including any sliding scale;
                    ``(C) the percentage of the institution's grant 
                that was used directly to subsidize any fees charged 
                for--
                            ``(i) campus-based child care services for 
                        eligible student parents; and
                            ``(ii) off-campus child care services for 
                        eligible student parents;
                    ``(D) information on institutional or local 
                resources, including in-kind contributions, leveraged 
                to help eligible student parents access child care 
                services; and
                    ``(E) the relevant quality information of the child 
                care services supported by a grant under this section, 
                including--
                            ``(i) the name of the accrediting agency or 
                        association that is providing accreditation to 
                        such child care services, if applicable; and
                            ``(ii) the tier or level of the State 
                        tiered and transparent system for measuring the 
                        quality of child care providers that is 
                        associated with such child care services, if 
                        applicable.
            ``(2) Continuing eligibility.--The Secretary shall make 
        continuation awards under this section to an institution of 
        higher education only if the Secretary determines, on the basis 
        of the reports submitted under paragraph (1), that the 
        institution is making a good faith effort to ensure that 
        eligible student parents at the institution have access to 
        affordable, quality child care services.
            ``(3) Report.--
                    ``(A) Report required.--On an annual basis, the 
                Secretary shall make publicly available a report that 
                includes a summary of the information described in 
                paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Stakeholder consultation.--The Secretary 
                shall work with relevant stakeholders to determine the 
                manner in which the data described under paragraph (1) 
                and summarized under subparagraph (A) is collected.
    ``(h) 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, or 
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.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2022 and each succeeding fiscal year.''.
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