Child Care Workforce Act
Sponsored By: Representative Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Introduced
Summary
Raises child care worker pay. This bill would create an HHS pilot that gives grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to supplement wages for eligible child care workers. It aims to attract and retain staff, boost worker well-being, improve care quality, and expand affordable child care.
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- Families: Could see more affordable and available child care in high-need places. Grants must target areas with many children under age 5 and prioritize infant/toddler care, disability services, and nontraditional hours.
- Child care workers: Eligible center and home-based workers would receive voluntary wage supplements paid at least quarterly. Programs must educate workers on tax and public-benefit effects and focus on low-wage staff to help retention and well-being.
- States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations: Applicants must show significant need and submit detailed targeting and evaluation plans. Grantees can spend up to 10 percent on administration and HHS must evaluate the pilot and report results to Congress within two years of implementation.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Pilot wage boosts for child care workers
This bill would create a pilot of competitive grants to states and tribes to add to child care worker pay. You would qualify if your main daily job is caring for kids in a licensed or registered center or home program. If your state or tribe wins a grant, you could get extra pay at least every quarter. Taking the money would be voluntary. Grantees could use up to 10% for admin and must explain any tax or public-benefit effects to workers. States would target areas with the greatest need, like staffing shortages or care during nontraditional hours. The pilot would start 75 days after enactment and would need yearly funding from Congress.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]
KS • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
NY • D
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov