To amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to provide for grants to parents and guardians of certain military dependents, in order to assist the parents and guardians in paying for the cost of child care services provided to the dependents, and for other purposes.

April 10, 2003

Mr. EDWARDS (for himself, Mr. BINGAMAN, Ms. MIKULSKI, and Mrs. MURRAY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to provide for grants to parents and guardians of certain military dependents, in order to assist the parents and guardians in paying for the cost of child care services provided to the dependents, and for other purposes.

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 `National Guard and Reserves Child Care Relief Act'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 658B of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858) is amended--

(1) by striking `There is' and inserting `(a) IN GENERAL- There is';

(2) in subsection (a), as so designated, by inserting `(except section 658T)' after `this subchapter'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(b) CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN MILITARY DEPENDENTS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 658T $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.'.

SEC. 3. CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY DEPENDENTS.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 658T. CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY DEPENDENTS.

`(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make grants to eligible persons to assist the persons in paying for the cost of child care services provided to dependents by eligible child care providers.

`(b) ELIGIBLE PERSON AND DEPENDENT- In this section:

`(1) DEPENDENT- The term `dependent' means an individual who is--

`(A) a dependent, as defined in section 401 of title 37, United States Code, except that such term does not include a person described in paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (a) of such section; and

`(B) an individual described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 658P(4).

`(2) ELIGIBLE PERSON- The term `eligible person' means a person who--

`(A) is a parent of one or more dependents of--

`(i) a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days in support of a military operation pursuant to a call or order to active duty under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United States Code; or

`(ii) any other member of the Armed Forces on active duty who, as determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned, is involved in a military operation;

`(B) has the primary responsibility for the care of one or more such dependents; and

`(C) resides permanently at a location at least 50 miles from--

`(i) the nearest military installation of the Department of Defense where child care facilities and programs are available for use by dependents of the member; and

`(ii) the nearest child development center or family child care home that is funded in whole or in part with appropriations available to the Department of Defense and is available for use by dependents of the member.

`(3) MILITARY OPERATION- The term `military operation' means--

`(A) Operation Enduring Freedom;

`(B) Operation Iraqi Freedom;

`(C) Operation Noble Eagle; or

`(D) any successor operation of the United States Armed Forces to an operation named in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).

`(c) APPLICATIONS- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a person shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of the eligible child care provider who provides the child care services assisted through the grant.

`(d) RULE- The provisions of this subchapter, other than section 658P and provisions referenced in section 658P, that apply to assistance provided under this subchapter shall not apply to assistance provided under this section.'.

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

Section 658O of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858m) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)--

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking `appropriated under this subchapter' and inserting `appropriated under section 658B(a)'; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking `appropriated under section 658B' and inserting `appropriated under section 658(a)'; and

(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking `appropriated under section 658B' and inserting `appropriated under section 658(a)'.

END