# 119-hr-2282: Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act

119-hr-2282, Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Moore, Riley M. [R-WV-2] (R-WV); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2282
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2282
- Congress: 119
- Title: Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-24
- Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Riley M. [R-WV-2] (R-WV)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Policy area: Families
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Shifts direct federal child-care payments to parent-controlled child care certificates while reauthorizing the Child Care and Development Block Grant through 2031.** The bill also broadens who can be paid, strengthens religious-provider protections, and removes the current household and dependent care tax credit. - Families: Changes eligibility rules by capping family assets at $1,000,000 and creating income tiers tied to State median income, including coverage up to 85% of the State median for unmarried-headed households. - Providers and relatives: Explicitly recognizes in-home providers and relative caregivers, requires State plan protections, and mandates that payments to relative caregivers be at least 75% of family child care rates in the same area. - Taxpayers and tax law: Repeals the household and dependent care tax credit for taxable years after enactment and updates several related tax-code rules affecting dependent care definitions and special spouse rules. *Authorizes appropriations of $14.0 billion per year for fiscal years 2026–2031 and $50 million for each of two two-year pilots, which would increase federal spending if funded by future appropriations.*

## Cosponsors (7)

- Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] (R-LA), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26] (R-TX), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] (R-NJ), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11] (R-FL), 2025-03-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1] (R-WV), 2025-03-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8] (R-IN), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15] (R-IL), 2025-05-07T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More CCDBG funding and quality set-asides: benefit, high. If enacted, the program would get $14 billion each year for 2026–2031. States would also set aside up to 9% of funds for quality improvements and another 3% for infant and toddler care. This could help keep child care help and quality efforts going across states.
- Child care certificates and relative pay: benefit, medium. The bill would require States to offer you a child care certificate and provide all direct help through certificates. You could use it with relatives or religious providers, and in-home and relative caregivers would count if they meet rules. States would have to pay relative caregivers at least 75%…
- Pilots to boost relatives and prevent fraud: benefit, medium. The government would run a 2‑year pilot within one year to help States verify eligibility and stop fraud, funded with $50 million. It would also run a separate 2‑year pilot within one year to increase the use of relative caregivers, also funded with $50 million, and deliver a report on rules that b…
- Ends the dependent care tax credit: cost, high. This bill would repeal the household and dependent care tax credit. The change would apply to tax years starting after enactment. Families who used this credit could owe more in taxes.
- Stricter marital rules for some credits: cost, high. If enacted, married couples would need to file a joint return to claim the affected credits. Some separated or living‑apart spouses could be treated as not married if they meet strict rules. These changes would apply to tax years starting after enactment.
- New income and asset limits: mixed, medium. If enacted, families with over $1,000,000 in assets would not qualify. Unmarried‑headed families could qualify up to 85% of the state median income. Two‑parent married families and certain married relative‑caregiver cases could qualify up to 70% of the state median income. Special rules for childre…
- New rules on religious childcare and parental rights: mixed, low. States would not be allowed to license religious child care providers more harshly than similar nonreligious providers. Religious organizations could sue if States break these rules. The bill would also delete certain parental‑rights subsections from the program.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-hr-28: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025
- 119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.
- 119-hr-7651: Chloe Cole Act of 2026
- 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-2282 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2282)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [119-hr-28: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-28)
- [119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-719)
- [119-hr-7651: Chloe Cole Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7651)
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2282 (as of 2026-04-21).