Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 118-384.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 7, 2023
Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2023
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative to prioritize certain loans and grants that address childcare in agricultural and rural communities. Under the bill, childcare includes eligible programs that provide quality care and early education for young children who are in kindergarten or have not yet entered kindergarten.
Under the initiative, USDA must give priority to applicants that propose to use certain loans or grants to address the availability, quality, or costs of childcare in an agricultural or rural community. In addition, USDA must prioritize communities in farming-dependent counties and ensure a balanced geographical distribution of the benefits.
USDA must conduct a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the projects carried out under the initiative and submit a report to Congress.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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