# 119-s-2295: Child Care for Working Families Act

119-s-2295, Child Care for Working Families Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2295
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2295
- Congress: 119
- Title: Child Care for Working Families Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-15
- Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA)
- Cosponsors: 43
- Policy area: Families
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**This bill creates a new, comprehensive federal entitlement for children from birth through five that guarantees access to affordable, high‑quality early care and learning.** It pairs a universal preschool program with multi‑year grants to stabilize providers and new Head Start wage and expansion funding.

## Cosponsors (43)

- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA), 2025-07-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-07-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-07-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] (D-NY), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] (D-WA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (D-NV), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA] (D-PA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (D-NY), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (D-NH), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (I-ME), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (D-MI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] (D-RI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-RI), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Child care entitlement and copays: benefit, high. If enacted, beginning October 1, 2026, eligible children in States, Tribes, or Territories with approved plans who apply and are found eligible would be entitled to direct child care assistance. States would have to use a sliding fee scale tied to State median income: no copay at or below 85% of SM…
- Large grants to boost child care pay: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would fund $9 billion a year from FY2026 through FY2031 for new grants to States and Tribal organizations. Most grant money would be paid as five-year subgrants and at least 70% of subgrant funds would have to go to child care personnel costs (wages, COLAs, and graduated pay in…
- State rules for child care pay: benefit, high. If enacted, States getting program funds would have to certify that payment rates cover true child care costs and set rates using a statistically valid cost model updated at least every 3 years. States would have to ensure rates fund at least a living wage and match pay for elementary educators wit…
- More Head Start pay and hours: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would provide $2.7 billion each year starting in FY2026 to help Head Start and Early Head Start raise teacher and staff pay to match elementary educators or at least a living wage. It would also reserve funds (including $4 billion from FY2026 funds) to help Head Start programs…
- Federal funding for universal preschool: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would pay a share of State preschool spending for FY2026–FY2031: 90% in FY2026–FY2027, 80% in FY2028, 75% in FY2029, 65% in FY2030, and 60% in FY2031. It would also provide large FY2026 appropriations, including $20 billion for local grants and Head Start awards, $2.5 billion f…
- Federal oversight of child care programs: benefit, low. If enacted, the Secretary would review and monitor State, Tribal, Territory, and local compliance with the titles and State plans. The agency would set rules for receiving and deciding complaints, notify States when they fail to comply, require progress updates, and impose sanctions where allowed.

## Related bills

- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act
- 119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-s-2150: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025
- 119-s-2523: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
- 119-s-1115: Paycheck Fairness Act

## Sources
- [119-s-2295 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2295)

## Related
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-852)
- [119-s-2150: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2150)
- [119-s-2523: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2523)
- [119-s-1115: Paycheck Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1115)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2295 (as of 2025-12-21).