[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5815 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5815

To amend the Head Start Act to expand and improve participation in Head 
                Start programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2023

  Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Lofgren, and Mr. Landsman) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Head Start Act to expand and improve participation in Head 
                Start programs, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Head Start Expansion and Improvement 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY UNDER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

    Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(27) The term `public assistance' means public assistance 
        programs including temporary assistance for needy families 
        established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), supplemental security income carried 
        out under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 
        et seq.), the supplemental nutrition assistance program under 
        the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), 
        special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 
        children established under section 17 of the Child Nutrition 
        Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and the State children's health 
        insurance programs under title XXI of the Social Security Act 
        1397aa et seq.).''.

SEC. 3. INCREASE FAMILY INCOME THRESHOLD.

    Section 645(a)(a)(1) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9870(a)(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (A) by striking ``(a)(a)(1)(A)'' and 
        inserting ``(a)(1)(A)'', and
            (2) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) in clause (i) by inserting ``138 percent'' 
                after ``below'', and
                    (B) in clause (iii)--
                            (i) by striking ``include-- (I)'' and 
                        inserting ``include'', and
                            (ii) by striking subclause (II).

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended by 
striking: ``(other than section 657B) $7,350,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008, $7,650,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $7,995,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012'' and inserting ``(other than sections 657B and 657C) 
$36,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2030''.

SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR HEAD START INFRASTRUCTURE.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 657C. GRANTS FOR HEAD START INFRASTRUCTURE.

    ``(a) Establishment of Grant Program.--The Secretary shall 
establish a program to make grants to Head Start agencies (including 
Early Head Start agencies to construct or improve facilities to provide 
Head Start services (including Early Head Start services)).
    ``(b) Eligibility for Grants.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a), a Head Start agency shall submit to the Secretary 
an application in such form, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require.
    ``(c) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority for grants 
requested by eligible applicants respect to facilities that--
            ``(1) were built before 1970;
            ``(2) have not had a major renovation since its 
        construction;
            ``(3) have received 1 or more findings in the safe and 
        clean environments key performance area (KPA);
            ``(4) have hazardous conditions, materials, or equipment 
        that may cause harm to children, families, or staff;
            ``(5) have an environment that is not free of air 
        pollutants, including mold, smoke, lead, pesticides, and 
        herbicides, as well as soil and water pollutants; and
            ``(6) lack preparedness for fire and other emergencies.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Eligible use of grant funds to improve and 
update Head Start infrastructure include--
            ``(1) updates, renovations, and repairs to address 
        structural issues;
            ``(2) building or acquiring additional classroom space, 
        common areas, play areas;
            ``(3) updating heating, cooling, and ventilation systems;
            ``(4) building and expanding playgrounds and outdoor 
        spaces;
            ``(5) removing, renovating, and acquiring furnishings;
            ``(6) installing and updating bathroom facilities, 
        including the installation of child-size sinks and toilets;
            ``(7) reducing or removing toxic industrial compounds;
            ``(8) updates to safety and emergency preparedness, such as 
        upgrading sprinkler systems and installing emergency lighting;
            ``(9) weatherization;
            ``(10) improvements to water, sewer, and plumbing systems; 
        and
            ``(11) establishing, expanding, or improving technology to 
        support children's academic and socio-emotional learning.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2025 through 2030.''.

SEC. 6. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START CHILDCARE 
              WORKERS.

    Part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 460A. LOAN CANCELLATION FOR HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START 
              CHILDCARE WORKERS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall carry cancel the 
balance of interest, principal, and fees due, in accordance with 
subsection (b), on any eligible Federal Direct Loan not in default for 
a borrower who for a 3-year (consecutive or non-consecutive) period 
after the date of enactment of the Head Start Expansion and Improvement 
Act of 2023--
            ``(1) has been employed, on a full-time basis, by a Head 
        Start program or an Early Head Start program carried out under 
        the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); and
            ``(2) pursuant to such employment, has provided care or 
        instruction to children enrolled in such program.
    ``(b) Loan Cancellation Amount.--After the conclusion of the 3-year 
period described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall cancel the 
obligation to repay the balance of principal, interest, and fees due as 
of the time of such cancellation, on the eligible Federal Direct Loans 
made to the borrower under this part.
    ``(c) Ineligibility for Double Benefits.--No borrower may, for the 
same service, receive a reduction of loan obligations under both this 
section and section 428J, 455(m), or 460.
    ``(d) Application.--The Secretary shall develop and make publicly 
available an application for borrowers who wish to receive loan 
forgiveness under this section, which shall--
            ``(1) be made readily available for qualifying childcare 
        workers to file for loan forgiveness; and
            ``(2) include any certification requirements that the 
        Secretary determines are necessary to verify qualifying 
        service.
    ``(e) Eligible Federal Direct Loan Defined.--The term `eligible 
Federal Direct Loan' means a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal 
Direct PLUS Loan, or Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or a 
Federal Direct Consolidation Loan.''.

SEC. 7. HEAD START EMPLOYEE SALARY-INCREASE GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
establish and carry out a program to make grants for the purpose of 
supplementing, not supplanting, the compensation paid by Head Start 
agencies to the employees of such agencies.
    (b) Allocation of Funds.--The Secretary shall develop a formula to 
determine grant amounts, taking into consideration--
            (1) the gaps between the compensation paid by the 
        respective Head Start agency to its employees and the employee 
        compensation paid by other early childhood education employers 
        in the relevant geographical area,
            (2) the cost of living in the geographical area in which 
        such agency is located, including median income and housing 
        costs, and
            (3) the number of employee vacancies of such agency.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A Head Start agency that receives a grant shall 
use grant funds to supplement, and not to supplant, the compensation 
paid to the employees of such agency.
    (d) Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this section $6,800,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 
through 2030.
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