GAO study and report regarding child care access for residents of public housing

(a) Study The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study regarding the availability and affordability of child care for residents of public housing dwelling units, that shall include— (1) a description of how amounts from the following programs have been used by eligible child care providers to establish, renovate, or improve facilities— (A) Community Development Block Grant funds; (B) New Market Tax Credits; (C) Community Development Financial Institution Program funds; (D) Low Income Housing Tax Credits; (E) Capital Management Fund funds; or (F) HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds; (2) an evaluation of the effects of housing and child care costs on the economic outlook of residents of public housing dwelling units; (3) an evaluation of what percentage of residents of public housing dwelling units are both— (A) cost-burdened, as defined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and (B) part of a household where not less than 7 percent of the income of such household is spent on child care; (4) identification and analysis of State or local laws that are barriers to building or maintaining a facility for use by eligible child care providers within or near a public housing dwelling unit; (5) an assessment of how housing assistance provided under the program for rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) affects the ability of residents of public housing dwelling units to afford child care and other essential expenses, including— (A) food; (B) telecommunications services and equipment such as broadband internet connectivity and cellular phones; and (C) means of transportation such as automobiles, bicycles, or public transportation; (6) an evaluation of the efficacy of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account for residents of public housing dwelling units, including— (A) the degree of public knowledge about such programs; (B) the degree of success of outreach or public education programs regarding such programs; and (C) an assessment of the sufficiency of each program to cover the costs of child care; (7) an evaluation of the extent that residents of public housing dwelling units receive information regarding child care resources from Federal agencies or public housing agencies; and (8) recommendations to improve access to child care within and near public housing dwelling units and to improve awareness of the availability of Federal programs to assist with the costs of housing and child care. (b) Report Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Committees on Financial Services and Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, describing the results and conclusions of the study required in subsection (a). (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible child care provider The term eligible child care provider has the meaning given such term in section 658P of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n). (2) Public housing dwelling unit The term public housing dwelling unit means a dwelling unit assisted under the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.). (3) Public housing agency The term public housing agency has the meaning given such term in section 3(b)(6) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)).