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Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023

12/14/2023, 11:13 PM

Summary of Bill S 268

Bill 118 s 268, also known as the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to address the critical shortage of high-quality child care options in the United States by investing in the child care workforce and improving the quality of child care facilities.

One of the key provisions of the bill is the establishment of a grant program to support the recruitment, training, and retention of child care workers. This program would provide funding to help child care providers offer competitive wages, professional development opportunities, and other incentives to attract and retain qualified staff.

Additionally, the bill aims to improve the quality of child care facilities by providing grants for the construction, renovation, and expansion of child care centers. These grants would help providers create safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environments for children. Overall, the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023 seeks to address the challenges facing the child care industry in the United States and ensure that all children have access to high-quality care and early education. It is currently being debated in Congress, with supporters arguing that it is a necessary investment in the future of our children, while opponents raise concerns about the cost and potential impact on the economy.

Congressional Summary of S 268

Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide states and tribal entities with grants to increase access to licensed child care services.

The grants may be used to develop and expand the child care workforce or child care facilities in locations with insufficient available child care. Specifically, grants cover 50% of the cost of programs to support the education and training of caregivers or projects to build, expand, or renovate child care facilities in these areas.

Current Status of Bill S 268

Bill S 268 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since February 2, 2023. Bill S 268 was introduced during Congress 118 and was introduced to the Senate on February 2, 2023.  Bill S 268's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. as of February 2, 2023

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 268

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
1
Republican Sponsors
0
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
20
Democrat Cosponsors
14
Republican Cosponsors
2
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
4

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 268

Primary Policy Focus

Families

Potential Impact Areas

- Child care and development
- Congressional oversight
- Education programs funding
- Higher education
- Indian social and development programs
- Student aid and college costs
- Teaching, teachers, curricula
- Vocational and technical education

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 268

Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023
Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023
A bill to assist States in carrying out projects to expand the child care workforce and child care facilities in the States, and for other purposes.

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