Sponsors (2)
The bill improves oversight and data to help policymakers and potentially expand access to subsidized child care for families, but it requires GAO resources and could lead to higher taxpayer or state costs if reforms increase subsidies or reimbursements.
Parents, children, and low-income families could gain clearer congressional oversight and potentially improved access to subsidized child care (for example, higher payment rates or shorter wait lists) if GAO findings prompt Congressional or state reforms.
State and federal policymakers will receive detailed data on provider payment rates and inflation impacts to better target policy choices and adjust provider reimbursement, improving policy design.
Taxpayers and state budgets could face higher costs if GAO findings lead Congress or states to expand subsidies or raise provider reimbursement rates.
The GAO study will require staff time and resources, which could divert GAO capacity from other oversight priorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires GAO to study State implementation and impacts of the CCDBG program and report to Congress within 18 months on eligibility limits, wait lists, payment rates, and inflation effects.
Introduced December 11, 2025 by Kristen McDonald Rivet · Last progress December 11, 2025
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study how States implement and the effects of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program and to report findings to Congress within 18 months of enactment. The study must examine how state income eligibility limits affect access, the size of CCDBG wait lists and reforms that reduced them, payment rates to different types of child care providers, and how inflation affects availability, affordability, family access, and provider payments. The bill also establishes a short title for the Act.