Child Care Infrastructure Act

The Child Care Infrastructure Act would create a new set of federal grants aimed at upgrading child care facilities across the United States. It adds a new section (418A) to the Social Security Act that authorizes large-scale funding to states and intermediary groups to acquire, construct, renovate, or expand child care facilities, with a focus on safety, capacity, and access—especially for programs serving low-income families, infants and toddlers, and communities with nontraditional hours or rural/underserved needs. The bill also requires comprehensive needs assessments (immediate and long-term), reports on impact, and adherence to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage standards. It sets up a multi-layered funding structure (state grants and intermediary grants), requires a 10% non-federal match for most grants, and dedicates substantial funding for a period through 2030, with set-asides for tribes and territories. Overall, the act aims to improve the physical infrastructure of child care facilities to support safer, more reliable, and more accessible early care and education.