CCAoA Statement on House Budget Reconciliation Bill

Washington, D.C. – Following the House of Representatives’ passage of their budget reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer at Child Care Aware of America, issued the following statement:   

This bill is bad for working families, young children, and the people who care for them every day. First, we are deeply disappointed that the House of Representatives’ budget reconciliation bill fails to include an increase in the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, missing the opportunity to bolster a critical support for working families struggling with the high cost of child care. 

Additionally, while some provisions included in the bill aim to assist families, many fall short or actively undermine their well-being.  

• Millions of families will not benefit from the proposed expansion of the Child Tax Credit, leaving behind those who need help the most.  

• The bill would slash billions from SNAP, the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program, and impose an unprecedented cost shift to state and local governments.  

• Medicaid also faces the largest cut in its history. These so-called “savings” come at the cost of health coverage for millions. Nearly 28 percent of child care workers are covered by Medicaid. At least thirteen states cover more than a third of the child care workforce through Medicaid, making the program an essential part of ensuring the health and well-being of child care professionals. 

Child Care Aware of America urges the Senate to reconsider these harmful provisions and prioritize families by enhancing the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Parents deserve meaningful support—not policies that make it harder to care for their children and meet basic needs. 

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the only national organization that supports every part of the child care system. Together with an on-the-ground network of people doing the work in states and communities, we help America become child care strong by providing research that drives effective practice and policy, building strong child care programs and professionals, helping families find and afford quality child care, delivering thought leadership to the military and direct service to its families, and providing a real-world understanding of what works and what doesn’t to spur policymakers into action and help them build solutions. Everyone is stronger when we make America child care strong.