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Lawmakers introduced the Expanding Childcare in Rural America (ECRA) Act to make childcare more affordable, available, and higher quality in rural and agricultural communities.

The legislation aims to help parents in rural areas who struggle to find accessible childcare while working. It would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development programs to prioritize projects that improve the availability, quality, and cost of childcare.

The bill would use several USDA programs to achieve this goal, including:

• Community Facilities Program – provides loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public services in rural communities.
• Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant – gives grants to public and nonprofit organizations to offer technical support and training for community facility projects.
• Business & Industry Loan Guarantee Program – offers loan guarantees to lenders for rural business loans.
• Rural Business Development Grant Program – provides competitive grants to support training, technical assistance, and growth of small rural businesses.
• Rural Innovation Strong Economy Grant Program – supports new businesses, job creation, and economic growth in low-income rural areas.
• Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program – provides loans, grants, training, and technical assistance to help microbusinesses start and grow.

The ECRA Act is designed to help rural families access quality childcare, support local economies, and make it easier for parents to stay in the workforce.