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119-s-2939119th CongressWALLET

Child Care for Every Community Act

Sponsored By: Senator Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

Introduced

Summary

This bill creates a national, community-driven child care and early learning system to guarantee affordable, high-quality full-day, full-year care and to coordinate services from Head Start to public schools for all children before kindergarten.

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  • All children younger than compulsory school attendance are eligible regardless of income, disability, or citizenship. Programs must fund 100 percent of enrollment, do outreach to underserved families, and use a sliding fee scale with caps ranging from 1% to 7% of family income and certain per-day caps tied to 2% of family income divided by 52 and then by 5.
  • Prime sponsors must set staff compensation comparable to local school employees and not below a Secretary-determined living wage, with a federal funding limit if total pay exceeds Executive Schedule level II. The bill also funds workforce development, scholarships, paid release time, and gives staff at least six years to meet new education requirements.
  • The Secretary will designate prime sponsors through a two-phase process that prioritizes low-income children, children with disabilities, dual language learners, homeless and foster children, and nonstandard-hour care. Federal Standards must be issued within 18 months, include protections for assessments and data confidentiality, and states face a maintenance-of-effort rule that preserves prior child care spending.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

State spending rules for child care aid

If enacted, a State would lose CCDBG payments for a fiscal year if the State's child care spending in the prior year falls below the average of the three years before that. The bill also bars States and communities from cutting their own child care spending just because they got special grants under this Act.

Lower child care fees and access

If enacted, low‑income children would not be charged fees for program slots. Other families would pay a capped share of income using seven bands from 1% to 7% of family income. For the two lowest non‑low‑income bands, daily fees could not exceed 2% of annual family income divided by 52 then by 5. Prime sponsors would have to use all funded slots and do outreach and must follow Secretary eligibility rules so they cannot set stricter limits. A child eligible here would not get duplicate CCDBG services for the same care.

National child care research and evaluation

If enacted, the Secretary would run a continuing national research and evaluation program on child development and early learning. The program could fund grants and contracts and would create a Child Development Research Council. The Secretary must report to Congress each year and make sure studies paid for become U.S. government property.

Higher child care worker training and pay

If enacted, the Secretary would fund scholarships, travel, books, and paid release time for people training for child care jobs. Prime sponsors would have to run training and give paid time for staff. Federal rules would set national staff education and development standards with at least six years to meet new requirements. Federal funds could not pay combined compensation that exceeds Executive Schedule Level II when added to non‑Federal pay, and sponsors must support collective bargaining.

Grants and rules to build child care space

If enacted, the Secretary could fund construction, major renovations, vehicle purchases, and loan amortization when local space is not available. The bill would fund technical help for small and family child care providers to meet facilities rules. A uniform facility code would be developed and apply to facilities getting federal funds unless a State code is deemed sufficient. Construction work paid with these funds must pay Davis‑Bacon prevailing wages.

Rules for prime sponsors and oversight

If enacted, designated prime sponsors could receive and run federal child care funds and may delegate duties to approved local entities. Plans must include assurances about meeting required non‑Federal shares. The Office of Child Care would be the lead HHS agency and must coordinate with Head Start and the Department of Education. Prime sponsors must sign MOUs with local public preschools and submit those MOUs. The Secretary would require reporting, monitoring, and could withhold funds or remove designations for serious failures.

Parent rights and child protections

If enacted, each funded center would need a parent board of families that meets with staff. Parents would have to give consent before any nonemergency intrusive physical exam. Programs could not expel children for behavior and could only use temporary suspensions. Assessment data could not be used to punish or rank individual children or to be the sole basis for punishing a provider.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

MA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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