Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Access to Affordable Child Care for Working Families

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the Improving Child Care for Working Families Act, a bipartisan bill to help families afford child care by increasing the cap set on the Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP), which allows families to set aside part of their pre-tax income to cover expenses related to child care.

"The importance of having access to affordable child care cannot be overstated - it helps children, parents, and the overall economy by giving parents who would like to return to work outside the home the opportunity to do so," said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. "That is why I am proud to introduce this legislation that will help lower barriers facing parents struggling to afford child care."

"I've sat down with parents working long hours who still can't afford child care, and providers doing everything they can just to keep their doors open," said Congressman Fitzpatrick. "Through those conversations, we've focused on practical, bipartisan solutions that tackle the challenges our families are facing head-on. The Improving Child Care for Working Families Act is one of them-increasing the outdated pre-tax savings cap to ease the burden on families, expand access to care, and support the parents powering our workforce. It's a practical step toward making child care affordable, reliable, and actually work for the families who depend on it."

"The Early Care & Education Consortium is once again pleased to support the bipartisan Improving Child Care for Working Families Act. High-quality child care has long been out of reach for families across the country," said Radha Mohan, Executive Director, ECEC. "This legislation provides a simple yet meaningful improvement that will go a long way toward both helping working families afford quality care, and addressing the workforce crisis facing the broader economy. ECEC commends Reps. Schrier and Fitzpatrick for their longstanding commitment to children and families. Their proposal to permanently lift the DCAP limit to $10,500 will allow the benefit to better keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of care, and is part of a holistic solution to the persistent child care crisis."

Paying for quality child care is a significant challenge for nearly all parents, particularly in Washington state, where families pay some of the highest child care costs in the nation, and high-quality child care often costs more than tuition at a public university.

DCAPs aim to help alleviate this financial burden by allowing families to set aside $7,500 of their pre-tax income to cover expenses related to child care. Families were previously limited to contributing $5,000 to DCAPs for nearly four decades, even as the cost of child care has skyrocketed. While legislation passed in Congress this year raised the cap to $7,500, families need greater support and financial flexibility to meet today's costs. Congresswoman Schrier's bill brings the cap up to $10,500.

The Improving Child Care for Working Families Act is endorsed by the Early Care & Education Consortium and the National Taxpayers Union.

###