What does Preamble of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This bill is formally titled 'A bill to address the challenges of providing child care opportunities for military families, and for other purposes.'

What does SHORT TITLE. of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Helping Ensure Reliable Opportunities in Child Care for Military Families Act, also known as the HERO Child Care for Military Families Act.

What does EXPANSION OF ELIGIBLE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS FOR DEPARTMENT OF of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section amends Section 1798(b) of title 10, United States Code, by removing a prior service requirement. It redesignates paragraphs within Section 1798(b) of title 10, United States Code. This section adds a new section, 1792a, to subchapter II of chapter 88 of title 10, United States Code, concerning child care employees. The Secretary of Defense may partner with a Federal agency to place national service volunteers in military child development centers. Eligible national service volunteers must be trained in education services and comply with hiring requirements for military child development centers.

What does PRECLEARANCE OF CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES AT MILITARY CHILD of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section amends title 10, United States Code, to establish a preclearance process for child care employees at military child development centers. The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness must prescribe regulations, including revising Department of Defense Instruction 1402.05, to implement this preclearance process by June 1, 2027. Preclearance is defined as obtaining a background check (including fingerprint and state criminal history checks) and a health screening, regardless of whether a job is currently open. The validity period for preclearance is not to exceed one year, and annual reverification is required. The Department of Defense retains the ability to conduct additional background checks. The Department is not required to hire individuals who receive preclearance, nor provide appeal rights if not selected for a position.

What does AUTHORIZATION OF JOB-SHARING ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHILD CARE of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section amends Section 1792a of Title 10, United States Code. It authorizes the Secretary of Defense to permit voluntary job-sharing arrangements for child care employees at military child development centers. The Secretary may authorize these arrangements to expand the pool of qualified child care employees. Job-sharing arrangements can accommodate individuals with caregiving or other personal circumstances. The arrangements may also reduce staffing vacancies and turnover. The goal is to support continuity and reliability of child care services for military families. A 'job-sharing arrangement' is defined as duties of a full-time position shared by two part-time employees, each working at least 20 hours per week.

What does LIMITED ACCESS TO CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES. of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section amends Section 1792a of Title 10, United States Code, to allow the Secretary of Defense to authorize limited benefits for child care employees at military child development centers. The Secretary of Defense may authorize these benefits if deemed necessary to support recruitment, retention, and continuity of child care services. Eligible benefits include commissary and exchange privileges, use of MWR retail facilities, tuition assistance and referral bonuses, and other limited benefits as determined appropriate by the Secretary. Child care employees receiving benefits under this section cannot transfer them to others. The Secretary has the authority to revoke benefits at any time. The Secretary must issue guidance to implement this subsection within 180 days of the section's enactment.

What does DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CHILD CARE READINESS DATA SYSTEM. of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section establishes a Department-wide child care readiness data system within the Department of Defense. The system, referred to as the 'System,' will assess, monitor, and manage child care capacity and workforce readiness. The System will collect data on child care capacity, workforce staffing, waitlists, demand by age cohort, fee assistance program utilization, and geographic areas with unmet needs. Data collection will be standardized across military departments and updated at least every 90 days. The Secretary of Defense must brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees annually (and within 180 days of enactment) on the System's findings, actions taken to address gaps, and recommendations for addressing unmet needs.

What does REPORT ON CHILD CARE WAITLISTS. of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section requires the Secretary to submit a report to the congressional defense committees within 90 days of the Act's enactment. The report must describe efforts to centralize systems and collect data on child care waitlists within the Department of Defense. The report should detail existing data on child care waitlists and steps to resolve data discrepancies. An analysis of the proportion of waitlist spots representing unmet need versus duplicate entries is required. The report must include a plan for improving data collection on child care waitlists.

What does REPORT ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILD CARE AVAILABILITY AND of HERO Child Care for Military Families Act do?

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees. The report must be submitted within 180 days of the Act's enactment. The report's analysis must cover the relationship between child care availability and military readiness and training participation. The report must also analyze the relationship between child care availability and retention and separation decisions. The report must address families with two military members, high operational-tempo units, and military spouse workforce participation.

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HERO Child Care for Military Families Act

Last updated: 4/16/2026 · Introduced: 4/16/2026

Author: Joni Ernst (R-IA)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill removes prior service requirements and expands eligibility for child care providers at military child development centers, allowing for partnerships with national service volunteers.
It establishes a preclearance process for child care employees at military child development centers, requiring background checks and health screenings to streamline hiring.
The bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to permit voluntary job-sharing arrangements for child care employees to expand the pool of qualified staff and accommodate diverse work needs.
It allows the Secretary of Defense to authorize limited benefits, such as commissary access and tuition assistance, for child care employees to support recruitment and retention.
The bill mandates the creation of a Department of Defense child care readiness data system to assess capacity, workforce readiness, and unmet needs, with regular reporting to Congress.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 8336(In Committee)Official page

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Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 7 more.

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