The Rise Up for Child Care Act of 2026 expands access to child care by guaranteeing services to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and former recipients for up to 24 months after leaving the program. The bill eliminates state funding caps on child care assistance, converts the program from a capped appropriation to an open-ended entitlement that will receive whatever funding is necessary each year, and increases the federal matching rate to 75 percent for state spending on home-based child care provider wages and benefits. The legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study the effects of these changes and report findings to Congress annually, with $20 million appropriated each fiscal year for this research. This bill primarily affects low-income families receiving cash assistance, former welfare recipients, and home-based child care providers across all states.
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