WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Problem Solvers Caucus announced its endorsement of the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act (H.R.3304), bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help local police departments establish child care options for their officers.
Across the country, law enforcement officers work long hours to keep communities safe. Many officers with children struggle to find affordable child care that meets their schedules or budgets, forcing some to leave the force or reduce their hours. These challenges have contributed to significant recruitment and retention shortages for police departments across the country.
The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act would establish a pilot grant program within the Administration for Children and Families to enable law enforcement agencies to expand access to child care for officers and their families. Specifically, the bill would:
- Establish a federal pilot grant program to expand child care benefits for law enforcement officers.
- Allow grant funds to be used to construct or operate child care centers for exclusive law enforcement use, provide scholarships to help offset the cost of care, and fund child care for children with disabilities.
- Reserve 20 percent of total grant funding for small police departments employing fewer than 200 officers.
The bipartisan, bicameral legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), David Valadao (CA-22), Josh Harder (CA-09), and Darrell Issa (CA-48), and in the Senate by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Thom Tillis (NC). The bill was brought forward for caucus endorsement by Representatives Peters and Valadao.
“Access to quality, reliable child care is essential to recruitment and retention of the best, most representative police force we can have, particularly as we seek to attract more women to the ranks,” said Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50). “I am thrilled that the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus has overwhelmingly endorsed our commonsense legislation to bolster child care availability for police officers who work non-standard hours. San Diego is leading the way to expand child care opportunities for police officers and I am proud to support those efforts at the federal level.”
“Across the Central Valley, our law enforcement officers are working to keep our communities safe, but too many are forced to choose between their jobs and reliable childcare,” said Congressman David Valadao (CA-22). “This bipartisan bill helps departments provide affordable, accessible childcare options that enable our hardworking officers to do their jobs with the peace of mind knowing their children are taken care of. By removing a major barrier to recruitment and retention, the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act supports working families, strengthens our police departments, and improves public safety.”
“The number one issue I hear about from my constituents is affordability. For young families, the affordability of childcare plays a central role. By making childcare more affordable and accessible for our local law enforcement officers, we help working parents stay in the workforce, ease financial pressure on growing families, and make sure officers can focus on their training and responsibilities on the job instead of being worried about whether their kids are safe at home. It’s good for families, for public safety, and it just makes sense,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03).
“Supporting the men and women who protect our communities means supporting their families as well,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). “Reliable, affordable childcare is a practical and often overlooked barrier to recruiting and retaining experienced officers. This bill directly addresses that challenge through a targeted, commonsense, bipartisan approach—strengthening public safety by enabling departments to recruit, retain, and support experienced officers.”