The Expanding Access to Military Child Care Act directs the Department of Defense to launch a pilot program that expands child care access for active-duty military families by partnering with twelve eligible child care providers or provider networks across different military installations. These partnerships will aim to increase the number of available child care slots, improve child care worker recruitment and retention through professional development and financial incentives, and identify gaps between current child care needs and available services in military communities. The pilot program will run from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2030, with the possibility of extending to 2032 if the Secretary of Defense notifies Congress of the benefits by June 30, 2030. Additionally, the bill requires the Pentagon to submit a comprehensive report by September 30, 2027, detailing unmet child care needs at military installations and proposing solutions to address those gaps. Child care providers participating in the program must maintain their existing slots for civilian families and cannot use partnership funds for new facility construction.
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