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119-s-2193119th CongressWALLET

Expanding Access to Military Child Care Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would expand access to high-quality early child care for military families by creating a Department of Defense pilot that partners with civilian providers to increase capacity, boost workforce development, and improve recruitment and retention for those providers.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

More child care for military families

If enacted, the bill would create a DoD pilot to expand child care access for military families. The pilot would form 12 partnerships with eligible providers, with not more than one partnership per provider and each at a different installation. DoD could use training, professional development, and financial incentives to help providers recruit and keep staff. DoD must build a central tracking system within 30 days; the pilot must start by January 1, 2026 and would end December 31, 2030 unless extended to December 31, 2032 with notice by June 30, 2030. Only families at installations with a participating partner would see new slots and supports.

New rules for pilot child care providers

If enacted, child care providers in the pilot would need to promise not to cut slots for nonmilitary families and not to build new facilities as part of the partnership. Providers must submit compliance paperwork no later than 150 days after the partnership starts and every 180 days after that. The Secretary must check compliance starting 180 days after pilot start and every 180 days thereafter. Noncompliant providers would get a 90-day cure period and could have their partnership terminated if they fail to comply.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

NH • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 6/26/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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