Sponsors (6)
The bill directs targeted federal investments to expand childcare access and early education in rural and farming-dependent counties—benefiting families, children, and some local organizations—but concentrates benefits geographically, may divert limited USDA resources from other rural infrastructure priorities, increases administrative burdens, and could raise federal costs.
Parents and families in rural and farming-dependent counties gain increased access to childcare services through USDA-prioritized funding and programs, improving availability of care.
Young children in rural communities get expanded early care and pre-kindergarten opportunities via funded facility creation or improvement, improving access to quality early education.
Farming households and agricultural workers could receive better childcare support, enabling greater labor participation and potentially higher farm productivity in farming-dependent counties.
Prioritizing childcare projects could divert limited USDA loan and grant dollars away from other rural infrastructure needs (e.g., broadband, water systems) for FY2026–FY2030, reducing funding for those projects.
Implementing the initiative would increase federal spending to expand rural childcare, which could raise costs for taxpayers if the programs are funded.
If the Act focuses on rural areas only, non-rural families would not benefit from these provisions, leaving urban and suburban parents without comparable new federal support.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs USDA to prioritize FY2026–FY2030 applicants to certain rural programs that expand childcare availability, quality, or affordability in farming-dependent and rural communities.
Introduced September 15, 2025 by Marie Gluesenkamp Perez · Last progress September 15, 2025
Directs USDA to give priority from FY2026–FY2030 to applicants for certain rural programs that propose using loans, grants, or technical assistance to improve childcare availability, quality, or affordability in farming-dependent and other rural communities. The Secretary may work through qualified intermediaries, must aim for geographically balanced awards, evaluate projects within two years, and report results to agriculture committees within three years.