Rosen, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Child Care Options on Military Bases

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced a bipartisan bill to expand access to child care on military bases for servicemembers and their families. The Best Practices for Military Child Care Homes Act would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop a best practices guide for military families hoping to establish a home-based certified child care center. Military families continue to experience child care shortages across installations. Family Child Care (FCC) homes are an important tool for expanding available child care capacity at installations and increasing opportunities for military spouse employment, but prospective providers often face unnecessary barriers when attempting to start an FCC home program. This bill would streamline the process and improve access to information, making it easier to establish and operate on-base child care centers to meet the growing demand for reliable, flexible child care. 

“Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms. That’s why it’s so important that we make sure they have access to the community and support they need while living on base,” said Senator Rosen. “This bipartisan bill will help us close the gaps in child care services that we are seeing across the country for servicemembers and their families, while opening the door for new providers to bring much-needed services for our military families.”

“Military families shouldn’t have to navigate unnecessary hurdles to find reliable child care. Our servicemembers need to know their children are cared for so they can focus on their mission, and military spouses should have opportunities to support other families while building their own careers,” said Senator Lankford. “This bipartisan bill will help make it easier to establish child care homes on base, expand options for military families, and strengthen military readiness.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Rosen continues to be an advocate for Nevada’s servicemembers and their families. Recently, she introduced the bipartisan Sergeant Dave Crete FORGOTTEN Veterans Act, which would require the Department of Defense to join the Department of Energy in identifying all servicemembers and veterans who worked at locations where radiation and toxic exposure occurred and provide them with the same presumption of exposure, allowing such veterans to better access the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare and benefits they have earned. Senator Rosen helped advance this year’s bipartisan national defense bill out of committee, which includes 50 provisions she championed, including support for care centers, military construction projects, and support facilities at Nevada’s military installations. In July, she co-led the Honor Gold Star Families Act to increase the gratuity payments for families of fallen service members.

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