H.R. 8453

[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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