Rep. Pettersen Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Address Childcare Crisis for Military Families

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) introduced bipartisan legislation that would address the military child care crisis for families. The Department of Defense (DOD) oversees the nation's most expansive employer-backed child care system, but a severe staffing deficit has stranded more than 7,800 military children on waitlists. This workforce crisis has forced classroom closures at various installations and has resulted in a persistent attrition rate of 50%. The Supporting Our Military Childcare Workforce Act, which Pettersen introduced alongside Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA-07), would address staff shortages, retention, and an underpaid workforce which has caused a crisis for families who have already sacrificed much in the name of duty and their country.

"Military families put everything on the line for our country. The least we should do for them is ensure they get the basic care and services they need. But the reality is, our service families are struggling - over 40% are food insecure, up to a third of families maintain $500 or less in emergency funds, and more than 10,000 children remain on childcare waitlists. That's unacceptable," said Rep. Pettersen. "These are all problems we need to urgently address in a bipartisan way, which is why I'm proud to be working with my friend, Congressman Mackenzie, to solve part of this puzzle."

"American servicemembers and their families depend on access to high-quality child care," said Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), co-lead for this bipartisan legislation. "At a time when providers are grappling with a nationwide shortage of staff, it's essential that the Department of Defense step up to provide competitive wages for its child care workers. That's why this legislation provides a clearer understanding of the military's capacity to offer the child care benefits that families in our armed forces deserve. Thank you to Rep. Pettersen for working to ensure that American servicemembers have access to high-quality child care for their families."

Under the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act the DOD was mandated to establish a revised pay structure for our child care workforce. While these vital changes were slated for a nationwide rollout on April 1, 2025, the Army remains the sole branch to have publicly announced the implementation.

The bipartisan Pettersen/Mackenzie legislation would stabilize all our service members' families, who are having to make difficult decisions around quality child care, and also rising costs that are plaguing civilian families. Colorado is a leader in recruiting and keeping our military childcare workforce.

Rep. Pettersen has been a strong advocate for our service members and veterans since coming to Congress, championing critical initiatives to broaden healthcare availability and address the housing affordability crisis. Her legislative agenda prioritizes the establishment of rural veterans affairs (VA) clinics and advances bipartisan solutions to ensure greater transparency within the VA home-loan system, providing the direct support our heroes deserve.

This legislation is endorsed by the First Five Years Fund.

Text of the legislation is available HERE.

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