USDA redirects rural loans to expand childcare access in farming communities
H.R. 5363 — Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2025 · Filed by Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) · 6 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 15, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new federal initiative through the Department of Agriculture to prioritize childcare funding in rural and farming communities from 2026–2030. It directs USDA to give preference to childcare projects when awarding loans and grants through six existing rural development programs, and requires evaluation and reporting on outcomes.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to expand childcare availability and affordability in rural communities by reprioritizing existing USDA loan and grant programs. It is a targeted public-benefit measure with no hidden commercial or private-sector carve-outs.
What the text implies
- Childcare expansion may enable increased rural workforce participation, particularly among women, with downstream effects on rural economic development and tax base.
- Prioritization of farming-dependent counties may concentrate benefits in specific regions, potentially creating geographic winners and losers among rural areas.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
rural childcare providers and facilities; community development financial institutions; nonprofit childcare networks