Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses Bill to Make Child Care More Affordable
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Problem Solvers Caucus announced its endorsement of the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act, bipartisan legislation to make child care more affordable and accessible for American families.
Child care costs have exploded in recent years, reaching a staggering $13,128 average per child in 2024. That is more than many families can afford, forcing millions of parents, particularly mothers, to leave the workforce to stay at home with their children. This is not only unfair to working parents — it’s a major drag on the U.S. economy. As a result of the child care affordability crisis, millions of experienced workers are exiting the labor force, creating workforce shortages that hurt businesses and slow economic growth.
This is a problem with a solution. Nearly 60%of non-full-time working parents say they would go back to work full time if their child had access to quality child care at a reasonable cost. By modernizing three existing tax credits — CDCTC, DCAP, and 45F — the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act will ensure all Americans can access affordable child care.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06). The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Carbajal and Lawler.
“Families across the country are feeling the strain of the child care affordability crisis, and leaders on both sides of the aisle recognize the urgency of this problem,” said Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24). “That’s why I partnered with Representative Lawler to introduce the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act. I’m grateful to the Problem Solvers Caucus for endorsing this commonsense legislation, which is an important step toward making child care accessible for every family.”
“I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan Child Care Availability and Affordability Act to take real steps to lower costs, expand access, and strengthen the child care workforce for working families across America,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17). “ A large portion of this bill was already signed into law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill — delivering meaningful results for families across the country. I’m glad to see the Problem Solvers Caucus rallying behind this critical legislation, and I’ll continue working across the aisle to build on this progress and ensure families have the support they need.”
“Solving America’s child care crisis isn’t just family policy—it’s economic policy, workforce policy, and common-sense policy. The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act reflect the kind of bipartisan, bicameral solutions the Problem Solvers Caucus was built to champion,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). By modernizing our tax code and investing in the child care workforce, this legislation puts parents back to work, strengthens small businesses, and gives every child a better shot at success. I’m proud to support this effort and continue leading on policies that put working families and commonsense solutions first.”
“America is facing an affordability crisis,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03). “Raising a family in this country costs more than ever, and while the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit hasn’t been updated for 20 years, childcare costs have increased by more than 200%. The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act is a commonsense, bipartisan, bicameral step towards making childcare more affordable. It gives providers better pay while putting money back into the pockets of young parents and small business owners, helping them get the childcare they need to set out and achieve their American Dream. The Problem Solvers are proud to endorse.”
“Parents understand how challenging it is to find affordable, quality care for their children, " said First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling. “The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act helps address the unique challenges facing families. As the need for affordable child care continues to impact families and the economy alike, these tax enhancements represent a practical approach that supports parents, strengthens the workforce, and sets children up for success. We thank the Problem Solvers Caucus, led by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) for their leadership in introducing this legislation that prioritizes commonsense ways to help working families access child care."
“Childcare is one of the biggest expenses a family can have — costing up to half of their monthly budget. We must make life more affordable so parents can work and our children can thrive,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Vice-Chair Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05). “I’m proud that members of the Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed the bipartisan Child Care Availability and Affordability Act to expand the Child Tax Credit, lower costs, and give families more childcare options. There should be nothing partisan about investing in childcare — it pays long-term dividends for our children, our families, and our country.”
"As a father, I understand how important - and difficult - it is for parents to find affordable child care that they can trust," said Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28). "This bipartisan effort will help working families stay on the job without having to choose between their paycheck and their kids. It also gives small businesses new ways to support their workers. That’s good for families, good for employers, and good for our economy."
The full text of the bill can be found here.
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The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group of Members of Congress — split between Republicans and Democrats — committed to advancing common-sense solutions to key issues facing our nation.