S. 4383: ACCESS Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-07-30 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-07-30 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

ACCESS Act

Plain summary

Affordable Child Care for Economic Strategies and Success Act or the ACCESS Act This bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to provide grants for public works and economic development projects that will directly or indirectly increase the accessibility of affordable, quality child care, including grants for planning, and training, research, and technical assistance related to such projects. Commerce must issue regulations to establish criteria for whether a project directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care. Such criteria shall consider (1) the availability, validity, and accessibility of timely data, (2) the extent to which a project contributes to a family's financial security, and (3) the extent to which a project addresses child care needs in child care deserts or areas otherwise recognized as experiencing a shortage. A child care desert is an area in which the number of children who are under age five is more than three times the number of slots provided by child care providers who are licensed or registered by the state involved, or a community that the state or tribal entity involved determines has a low supply of quality, affordable child care. Commerce must also issue guidance on how to include the accessibility of affordable, quality child care in a comprehensive economic development strategy.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

ACCESS Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] reported raising $2.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4383.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4383 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116