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Legislative Proposals

Certain provisions of the House-passed and SASC-reported versions of the bill would primarily seek to address child care staffing issues (see Table 1).

Table 1. Selected Child Care Provisions in Proposals for FY2025 NDAA

House-passed (H.R. 8070) SASC-reported (S. 4638)

Section 1107 would require DOD to redesign its child care staffing model and compensation system and to include support positions for children with special needs. It would require a 5-year implementation plan with annual reports to Congress starting within 180 days of enactment.

Section 578 is a similar provision, but would require annual briefings to Congress in lieu of reports.

No similar provision Section 579 would authorize the Secretary of Defense to use financial incentives to recruit and retain childcare providers, and work with other federal agencies to place national service participants and trained volunteers in DOD CDCs. The Secretary would also be authorized to provide training and subsidies to eligible child care providers.

Section 579A would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess the extent to which current child care program resources are meeting the needs of military families.

No similar provision

Source: CRS analysis of legislation.

The House and Senate have proposed similar provisions (Sections 1107 and 578, respectively) that would require DOD to redesign and implement a new compensation and staffing model for child care workers. The new model would be required to include specialized staff to support children with special needs. Both versions of the bill would require implementation to begin no later than April 1, 2025, “subject to the availability of appropriations.” The Biden Administration has expressed support for these proposals and the military services’ FY2025 budget justification documents include requests for additional funding to Operation and Maintenance (O&M) line items for caregiver recruitment and retention. For example:

• The Navy requested an $8,949,000 increase to the Base Operating Support line item to fund a “Childcare Workforce Initiative”;

• The Army requested an unspecified amount of increased funding, in part, “to improve recruitment, retention, and compensation for staff” and “expand discounts for staff with children enrolled in the Child Development Program and support bonus initiatives ... and professional development of child care staff.” This request is part of a proposed $96,157,000 increase to the Base Operations Support line item that would also fund other child and youth program enhancements;

• The Air Force requested $16,495,000 to the Base Support line item to “implement redesigned child care provider compensation, reduce staff to child ratios, and add special needs coordinators within U.S. Air Force Child and Youth Programs”; and

• The Marine Corps requested $2,100,000 to the Base Operating Support line item “to implement redesigned child provider compensation, modernization of the childcare workforce and the addition of special needs.”

Section 579 of S. 4638 would also authorize DOD to use a range of incentives, interagency partnerships, subsidies and volunteer programs to address child care shortfalls. In particular, this provision would encourage DOD to explore a partnership with agencies that administer national service programs (e.g., the Corporation for National and Community Service). DOD-administered subsidies could potentially be

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used to provide training or other resources to community-based providers, specifically those who are eligible under the Child Care and Development Block Grant. DOD has taken steps to expand the supply of community-based providers eligible to receive fee assistance subsidies through the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood Plus (MCCYN+) program. MCCYN+ allows child care centers that are not accredited but meet other quality standards to receive fee assistance subsidies.

The House bill also calls for a GAO study to assess child care wait times for military families and the amount of funding allocated to the MYCCN and CCYH programs. The timeline for this GAO report would be six months following the enactment of an NDAA and could inform consideration of child care- related legislation in the 119^th Congress.

For more background, see CRS Report R45288, Military Child Development Program: Background and Issues, and CRS Report R47312, The Child Care and Development Block Grant: In Brief.

Author Information

Kristy N. Kamarck Specialist in Military Manpower

Disclaimer

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