Rise Up for Child Care Act of 2026

Key Points

• States would have to guarantee child care to anyone receiving welfare cash assistance, and keep guaranteeing it for up to two years after a family leaves the program, so people don't lose care right when they're trying to hold onto a new job.
• The bill removes the current $3.55 billion funding cap and turns the program into an open-ended entitlement, meaning the federal government would cover whatever it actually costs to serve every eligible family instead of a fixed budget.
• States that choose to raise pay or benefits for home-based child care providers would get a 75 percent federal match on that spending, a much higher rate meant to encourage states to boost wages for this workforce.
• The bill sets aside $20 million every year for HHS research into how the new home-based provider wage match affects care availability and job quality, with results reported to Congress.