S. 4628 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, May 21, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpanding childcare options in rural America
The bill directs the Department of Agriculture to create a new initiative focused on childcare in rural areas. Through this program, USDA will prioritize certain loans and grants that help expand childcare availability, improve its quality, or lower its cost for families in rural communities. The department will also track how well the program works and report back to Congress.
How it affects you
If you live in a rural area and have young children, this could help make childcare more available and affordable in your community. Rural families often struggle to find quality childcare options, and this initiative is designed to address that challenge by directing funding toward those areas.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, May 21, 2026)
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative to prioritize certain loans and grants that address childcare in rural areas. Under the bill, childcare includes eligible programs that provide quality care and early education for children who have not yet entered first grade.
Under the initiative, USDA must give priority to applicants that propose to use certain loans or grants to address the availability, quality, or costs of childcare in rural areas. In addition, USDA must ensure a balanced geographical distribution of the benefits.
USDA must conduct a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the projects carried out under the initiative and submit a report to Congress.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4628
A BILL
A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an initiative to address the availability, quality, and cost of childcare in rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) · Introduced May 21, 2026 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action May 21, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.”