1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Affordable Child Care for Economic Strategies and Success Act or the ACCESS Act . 2. Grants for public works and economic development (a) In general Section 201 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3141 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1) by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (B) in paragraph (2) by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (3) planning, developing, or creating a project or facility that will directly or indirectly increase the accessibility of affordable, quality child care. ; and (2) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon; (B) in subparagraph (C) by striking the semicolon and inserting ; or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (D) increase the accessibility of affordable, quality child care; . (b) Regulations Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall issue such regulations as are necessary 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. (3) The extent to which a project address child care needs in child care deserts or areas otherwise recognized as being in shortage. (c) Child care desert defined In this section, the term child care desert means— (1) an area— (A) within a census tract; and (B) in which the number of children who are under age 5 (as determined using the most recent American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, as published by the Bureau of the Census) is more than 3 times the number of slots provided by child care providers who are licensed or registered by the State involved