[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8453 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8453
To establish a low-interest loan program to support the renovation,
retrofit, expansion, and adaptation of structures to increase the
availability of child care in rural communities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2026
Mrs. McClain Delaney (for herself, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, and Mr. Sorensen)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a low-interest loan program to support the renovation,
retrofit, expansion, and adaptation of structures to increase the
availability of child care in rural communities.
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 ``Rural Child Care Facility Expansion
Act''.
SEC. 2. LOW-INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE RENOVATION,
RETROFITTING, EXPANSION, AND ADAPTATION OF STRUCTURES TO
INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF CHILD CARE IN CERTAIN RURAL
AREAS.
(a) In General.--Beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary may, subject to this section, make a low-
interest loan to a covered child care provider in accordance with this
section.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Covered child care provider.--The term ``covered child
care provider'' means--
(A) a child care service provider who--
(i) is primarily engaged in providing child
care services for children from birth to
compulsory school age;
(ii)(I) provides child care services for
school-age children outside of school hours or
outside of the school year; or
(II) offers pre-school or pre-kindergarten
educational programs;
(iii) is in compliance with the licensing
requirements for child care services providers
of the State in which the provider is located;
and
(iv) has conducted a criminal background
check that meets the requirements of section
658H(b) of the Child Care and Development Block
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f(b)) with
respect to each employee and regular volunteer
of the provider; and
(B) any other child care service provider that the
Secretary deems to be qualified to receive a loan under
this section.
(2) Child care desert.--The term ``child care desert''
means a census tract in which--
(A) the number of residents who are children is not
less than 3 times the number of children for whom the
licensed child care providers in the census tract are
capable of providing child care; or
(B) there are no licensed child care providers.
(3) Rural community.--
(A) In general.--The term ``rural community'' means
any census designated place with a population of less
than 20,000, subject to subparagraph (B).
(B) Authority to modify definition.--The Secretary
may, as the Secretary deems necessary, modify the
definition set forth in subparagraph (A).
(4) Low-interest loan.--The term ``low-interest loan''
means a loan which bears interest, at a rate fixed at the time
of each advance, equal to the Treasury constant maturity rate,
as published by the Department of the Treasury for a maturity
comparable to the term of the loan on the business day that
precedes the advance date, plus 1/8 of 1 percent.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Deputy Under Secretary for
Rural Development.
(c) Application.--An entity desiring a loan under this section may
submit to the Secretary an application for the loan, at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary deems
appropriate.
(d) Application Processing.--
(1) Notice of application status.--Within 30 days after
receipt of an application for a loan under this section, the
Secretary shall provide to the applicant a written notice as to
whether the application is complete or additional information
is needed to complete the application.
(2) Notice of approval or disapproval.--Within 90 days
after receipt of an application for a loan under this section,
the Secretary shall provide to the applicant a written notice
as to whether the application has been approved or disapproved.
(e) Approval.--The Secretary may approve an application for a loan
under this section for a project if the Secretary determines that--
(1) the applicant is a covered child care provider; and
(2) the application demonstrates that completion of the
project will increase the availability of child care in a child
care desert in a rural community.
(f) Use of Loan.--
(1) In general.--An entity to which a loan is made under
this section may use the loan to facilitate the renovation,
retrofitting, expansion, and adaptation of a structure to
increase the availability of child care services in a rural
community.
(2) Limitation on use for pre-development activities.--Such
an entity may use not more than 10 percent of the loan to
facilitate the pre-development phase of a new facility,
including planning and design.
(g) Loan Term.--
(1) In general.--A loan under this section shall be made
for such term as the Secretary may determine, which shall not
exceed 25 years.
(2) Repayment schedule.--The Secretary shall establish a
repayment schedule for a loan made under this section.
(h) Reports to Congress.--Within 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate
a written report regarding implementation of this section, which
shall--
(1) specify the number of loans awarded under this section;
(2) describe the activities funded under this section;
(3) specify the number of child care slots created as a
result of providing loans under this section, including the
number of child care slots serving children from low-income
families or children who are dual language learners;
(4) specify the number of child care slots at risk of
elimination due to a child care center closing or proposed
price increases, that have been preserved as a result of
providing loans under this section;
(5) specify the number of staff employed by covered child
care providers to whom a loan has been made under this section;
(6) include demographic data about the communities served
by the covered child care providers to whom a loan has been
made under this section; and
(7) specify the number of providers of pre-kindergarten
child care services to whom a loan has been made under this
section.
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