Bill > S3808

This bill, the Child Care Affordability and Accessibility for Military Families Act, aims to improve the affordability and accessibility of child care for military families. Specifically, it proposes the following key provisions: 1. Excluding basic allowance for housing (BAH) from the calculation of child care fees for active-duty military members in certain pay grades (O1, O2, W1, W2, and E1-E5) at military child development centers. 2. Requiring installation commanders to liberally issue hardship waivers to reduce fees for families unable to pay. 3. Establishing a family discount for families with multiple children attending military child development centers, reducing the fee for additional children. 4. Requiring each military department to implement a program providing financial assistance to military members using civilian child care providers off-base, covering the difference between the civilian provider's rates and the on-base rates. 5. Authorizing military departments to take additional actions, with the Secretary of Defense's approval, to recruit and retain qualified civilian staff for military child development centers, such as offering education benefits and wellness programs. 6. Requiring reports on military installations with significant imbalances between child care demand and availability, including assessments and recommendations to address the issues. 7. Directing military medical treatment facilities to seek agreements with local providers to offer hourly child care services for military members and spouses during medical appointments.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3808/all-info