# Senators Introduce Military Child Care Bill

On October 16, 2026, Senators Jacky Rosen and James Lankford introduced the bipartisan Best Practices for Military Child Care Homes Act. The bill would direct the Department of Defense to develop guidance for families establishing certified home-based child care on military installations, addressing capacity gaps and barriers for prospective providers. It identifies no funding, implementation deadline, solicitation, or direct contract opportunity, so it does not currently create a procurement action for industry.

- For contractors serving military installations or military families, the proposal points to a potential future need for guidance or support related to certified home-based child care, but no requirements or acquisition pathway are specified.
- The bill is a proposed legislative measure; companies can assess whether their child care services or expertise could be relevant if DoD develops implementation activity after passage.
- The signal identifies no current bid, funding, or deadline. Any commercial planning should distinguish this proposed legislation from an active procurement.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Policy
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- U.S. Senate

### Key Quotes
> This bipartisan bill will help us close the gaps in child care services that we are seeing across the country for servicemembers and their families, while opening the door for new providers to bring much-needed services for our military families.
> — Jacky Rosen, U.S. Senator

> This bipartisan bill will help make it easier to establish child care homes on base, expand options for military families, and strengthen military readiness.
> — James Lankford, U.S. Senator

### Sources
- [Rosen, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Child Care Options on Military Bases - Jacky Rosen](https://www.rosen.senate.gov/2026/10/16/rosen-lankford-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-expand-child-care-options-on-military-bases/) - Rosen Senate