Ahead of National Children’s Week, Senator Markey Introduces Legislation to Protect the Well-Being of Children in Federal Policymaking

Bill Text (PDF)

Washington (June 11, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today introduced the Child Safety and Well-Being Act to advocate for and protect children in federal policymaking. The legislation would establish an independent commission to promote the interests of children and marginalized youth and ensure that their interests are protected and advanced in federal policy. In the House of Representatives, the legislation is being introduced by Representatives Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).

The Child Safety and Well-Being Act comes in advance of National Children's Week, while the Trump administration's drastic cuts in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill devastate health care coverage and nutrition assistance for children across the country. Recent data shows that 1.5 million children have lost Medicaid or CHIP health coverage since January 2025. In Massachusetts, almost 50,000 children have lost SNAP food assistance since Republicans enacted the "One Big Beautiful Bill" in July 2025. Over 11 million children in the United States, including 149,000 children in Massachusetts, live in poverty.

"Children are around twenty-five percent of the population, but they are one hundred percent of our future," said Senator Markey. "Children's voices must be represented when we make decisions that will impact their lives. As the Trump administration strips health care, education, nutrition assistance, and protections from children all over the country, we must create pathways for American families to fight back and make their voices heard in Washington."

"In Kentucky, one in five kids still lives in poverty, and the latest cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP will push that number higher," said Congressman McGarvey. "The federal government is failing our kids when it comes to the basics, and they've all but ignored the new issues our kids are dealing with. Young people are growing up in a world that's changing faster than our policies can keep up, and that's why this bill is so important. It forces us to confront those issues with every decision we make in Congress and ask ourselves how we can make the next generation's lives better."

"Our children shape our future," said Congresswoman DeLauro, co-chair of the Congressional Babies Caucus. "It is up to us to ensure they are protected and never treated like an afterthought by our policymaking. They are the heart of our nation and our most valuable resource. We should treat them as such. I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Child Safety and Well-Being Act, legislation that would establish a Children's Commission to examine federal policy and its impacts on our children so that lawmakers can make informed choices when legislating. We must ensure our children can grow into successful adults, in environments that help them thrive."

"Children will live with the consequences of today's decisions longer than the rest of us, and yet they're usually left out of the rooms where these decisions are made. That results in adult-centric policies on everything from education to health care to gun violence, rather than addressing the needs of children. That's why I'm proud to co-lead the Child Safety and Well-Being Act to create an independent commission dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of our children in the policymaking process. It's our job as the adults in the room to look out for the children who can't look out for themselves," said Congresswoman Jacobs.

"Every child deserves a chance to grow up in a healthy, safe, and supported environment," said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, co-chair of the Congressional Mamas' Caucus. "This legislation ensures that federal policy takes into consideration our children's well-being. I am proud to co-lead this legislation to center the voices of children and families who have too often been overlooked and give them the support and resources they need to flourish."

"We founded the Dads Caucus to champion policies that help children and families thrive," said Dads Caucus Chair, Congressman Jimmy Gomez. "Young people today face challenges that would have been hard to imagine a generation ago, and we have a responsibility to ensure their needs remain front and center. That's why introducing the Child Safety and Well-Being Act with fellow Dads Caucus member Rep. Morgan McGarvey is so important. Children deserve leaders who are focused on their future and committed to helping them succeed."

Specifically, the Child Safety and Well-Being Act would:

• Establish a Children's Commission to evaluate how federal policy affects children's well-being, monitor the development and implementation of laws affecting children, and inform Congress and the states on the views and interests of children.
• Empower the Commission to advocate for the views and interests of children and marginalized youth by advising Congress, agencies, and states on policies impacting child well-being.
• Direct the Commission to publish reports, examine global and domestic issues, and collaborate with other children's commissioners across the country and around the globe to further support the interests of children and marginalized youth.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). In the House, the legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

The Child Safety and Well-Being Act is endorsed by First Focus Campaign for Children, UNICEF USA, Child Labor Coalition, Education for All Coalition, Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs (AMSPDC), GlobalPartnersUnited LLC, Kids Can't Wait, Kurtishi & Associates, Media Voices for Children, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Consumers League, National Council of Jewish Women, National League for Nursing, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK), RISE Institute, School-Based Health Alliance, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team, Students Engaged for Advancing Texas (SEAT), The Initiative for Civility in Everyday Life, The World As It Could Be, Voices for Virginia's Children, and ZERO TO THREE.

"Children are nearly a quarter of our population, but they don't vote, don't have PACs, and don't have lobbyists. They are often invisible in policy debates," said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children. "Sen. Markey and Rep. McGarvey's Child Safety and Well-Being Act offers a straightforward answer: an independent Children's Commissioner to ensure that when decisions get made that affect kids, someone is actually giving them voice and speaking up for their unique best interests and needs. We strongly endorse this legislation and urge its immediate passage."

"UNICEF USA believes all children have the right to be healthy, educated, protected, and respected," said Michael Nyenhuis, President and CEO of UNICEF USA. "The Child Safety and Well-Being Act puts the interests of children at the forefront of policymaking and ensures youth voices are heard."

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