Congress·In Committee·S. 3862

Child Care: Payments Based on Attendance

Payment Integrity Act

Legislative Progress

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Law

This bill, introduced by Senator Cruz, would change how states pay child care providers who receive federal funding. Instead of paying based on how many kids are signed up for a program, states would have to pay based on how many kids actually show up and attend.
States would be required to check attendance records to prove children were actually there. This is intended to make sure taxpayer money is only spent on services that are actually being used by families.
The bill also clarifies that states do not have to pay child care centers in advance. They are allowed to wait and send payments after the child care services have already been provided.
This change could affect child care centers that rely on steady monthly payments to cover their fixed costs, like rent and staff salaries. If children are absent due to sickness or family travel, the center might receive less money than they do under current rules.

2 milestones2 actions

Feb 12, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Payment Integrity Act

Bill NumberS 3862

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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R: 3

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Official legislative information

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