Child Care Access and Affordability Act of 2025

This legislative proposal requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to undertake a comprehensive study within 18 months of enactment, focusing on the challenges families face in accessing child care services under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. The study will specifically investigate barriers created by State median income eligibility limits and the prevalence of wait lists for child care services, along with any successful State-level reforms that have reduced these lists. It will also analyze the current payment rates provided to various child care providers, including center-based and family child care providers. Furthermore, the GAO is tasked with assessing the significant impact of inflation on the overall availability and affordability of child care services. This includes its effect on expanding access for more families and improving payment rates for providers, with the ultimate goal of informing appropriate committees of Congress about these critical issues.