Child Care Availability and Affordability Act
Sponsored By: Senator Katie Britt
Introduced
Summary
Would expand tax support for child care to make employer credits bigger, raise the tax-free dependent care benefit, and create a new credit to help pay for household and dependent care that enables work.
Show full summary
- Families and caregivers would get a new household and dependent care credit worth up to 50% of eligible employment-related care costs, phased down by income, with caps of $5,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.
- Employers would be able to claim a larger employer-provided child care credit, moving from 25% to 50% of qualifying spending with a maximum of $500,000, and certain small businesses would see the rate rise to 60% with a $600,000 cap.
- Workers using employer benefits would see the dependent care exclusion rise from $5,000 to $7,500 ($3,750 if married filing separately), and the bill adds reporting requirements and limits on payments to related providers.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher employer dependent care exclusion
If enacted, this bill would raise the employer-provided dependent care exclusion. Most workers could exclude up to $7,500 from income instead of $5,000. Married taxpayers filing separately would see the limit rise to $3,750 instead of $2,500. This applies to amounts paid or incurred after enactment.
New work-related care tax credit
If enacted, this bill would create a new tax credit to help pay for care or household help so you can work. The credit would start at 50% of qualifying costs and would fall by 1 percentage point for each $2,000 (or fraction) of AGI over $15,000, with a floor of 35% until higher-AGI rules apply above $150,000. The credit would cover up to $5,000 for one qualifying person and $8,000 for two or more. Married couples generally would need to file jointly to claim it. The old dependent care credit (section 21) would be repealed and replaced by this new credit.
Bigger employer child care credit
If enacted, this bill would increase the employer tax credit for building or running child care facilities. The general credit rate would rise to 50% of qualified costs and the cap would rise to $500,000. Certain small businesses meeting a modified gross receipts test could use 60% and a $600,000 cap. Jointly owned or operated facilities would still count as qualifying. These changes would apply to amounts paid or incurred after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Katie Britt
AL • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]
UT • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 6/2/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov