The Child Care for Every Community Act would create a federally supported child care and early learning program for children who are younger than their state’s compulsory school age. Eligible children could participate regardless of family income, disability, citizenship, or a family member’s employment status. States, local governments, Tribes, and eligible nonprofit groups could apply to coordinate services in their communities. Programs would provide full-day, year-round care, early learning, and related family services, and would have to meet national standards. The bill was introduced and referred to a Senate committee; it has not been enacted.
If enacted, families could request a child care placement through a local program, with options including centers and family child care homes. Families with income at or below 200 percent of the poverty line would not be charged a program fee. Other families could be charged fees based on income, subject to limits in the bill. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would set further eligibility rules.
The bill appropriates such sums as may be necessary for the main program. It also authorizes $500 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2036 for specified administrative, training, research, and related activities. The federal government would generally pay at least 90 percent of program costs, with full federal payment for services for children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and for Native American and Native Hawaiian children. The bill does not state a total cost for the main program.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.